This is a week of mandatory intensive rehearsal. The students practice all day and in the evening at Greenwood High School, but will stay at a hotel in Indianapolis (near I-465 near Beech Grove) to spend four nights. The purpose is to provide focus and bonding time for students as they put together their show.

Details:

• Schedule – On Monday of band camp week, the students report in early morning. They are dismissed from camp on Friday in the afternoon/early evening. Specific itinerary and expectations will be distributed the week before.
• Roommates – The students have roommates (3 or 4 to a room) with separate girls and boys floors. They are very carefully chaperoned with a specific, strict schedule and curfew.
• Practice – Practice during band camp week takes place at Greenwood High School – the band will travel by school bus to and from the hotel.
• Meals – All meals take place at the high school in the cafeteria. Some meals are prepared by the ladies in the cafeteria, and some are catered by local restaurants.
• No contact – Students are not allowed to contact family for this week – this is to allow for complete dedication, concentration and devotion to band.
• Care packages – You may send small care packages to students (instructions for this will be available the week before band camp).
• Volunteers – Parents have opportunities to volunteer during this week, during meals and practices. Typically parents of upperclassmen are given priority.
• Chaperones – Chaperones are “veteran” band parents who stay with the band at the hotel throughout the week.
• Medical Information – One or two nurses travel with the band all week and stay on site at the school and the hotel. Please turn in all medical forms before band camp.
• Sunscreen – PLEASE, PLEASE make sure your child has sunscreen. They will spend hours at a time in the sun.
• Water – For band camp, a tent is set up for students to have water breaks.
• Cell phones – No cell phones are allowed (iPods/Pads are allowed). Emergency numbers will be made available.
• Theme days – The band council plans fun activities throughout band camp week, which include theme days (Sectional shirt day, “twin” day, class color day, crazy day, etc.) Each of the sections will create or design a shirt to wear on a specific day during band camp. There is then a contest for the best section shirt (prices vary).

Please know: For some students and parents, band camp can be a bit tough, especially for students not used to being away from home. Please prepare your students since no outside contact is allowed during band camp. This is a great opportunity for freshmen and new members to learn from the upperclassmen. Students enjoy band camp, and this will help them when school starts. They recognize faces and know they can ask for help from upperclassmen if they need it. It’s a very rewarding experience, something they will carry with them through the years and it is part of the Greenwood tradition. Please DO NOT show up at the high school or hotel to check in on your student. The nurses, chaperones and directors will make sure your students are taken care of and inform you in case there are any emergencies.