St. Helens High School
Band and Color Guard
Basic Band and Color Guard Information:
The SHHS Band Program is becoming one of the most comprehensive band programs in the State of Oregon, with quality musical and visual ensembles. From our Marching Band and Color Guard to our Jazz Band, Concert Band, and Wind Ensembles who perform around the state at competitions and festivals, to our football Pep Band and our Basketball Bands that entertain the home crowd and perform for community events. We work hard to put out a great product and people are noticing! In the past nine years our bands and guards have won numerous awards and recognitions across the state of Oregon.
Our new Winterguard and Winter Percussion ensembles, which were started in 2014-2015 we a huge success that we hope to continue in future years. We look forward to having you join us for the upcoming year!
FYI: “Marching Band” is a term that describes the outdoor competitive marching ensemble we do each fall. All members of the high school Concert Band and Wind Ensemble participate in Marching Band, unless they have discussed an exemption with Mrs. Freshner due to a fall sport or activity conflict. Band members should be registered for either Wind Ensemble or Concert Band (depending on placement). “Marching Band” is not a class in the day, but is held during our August camp, and during evening rehearsals throughout the end of August through late October. Guard members and 8th grade pit members do not need to be registered for a band class to participate. We will rehearse music for Marching Band, along with pep band music and other music, in classes during the school day, till the season ends in early November.
Calendar and Attendance:
Included is a calendar of the fall season (through December) for the high school band and color guard. There will of course be some changes here and there, but the fall season is pretty much set in stone. A full year calendar is available at this time on Mrs. Freshner’s website. Check the website occasionally for updates or changes. Please enter all dates into your family’s calendar ASAP! Check that calendar before scheduling trips, doctors appointments, dentist appointments, anything else that could take a student out of school, prevent attendance at a rehearsal or event, or even will affect the students ability to play for long periods of time, etc…..
All members of the Marching Band and Color Guard must attend the full marching band camps, guard camps, all competitions, football games, performances and rehearsals that are scheduled. See the full calendar for all marching band related dates, and try as hard as possible to prevent conflicts with these dates. We need every member at everything!!
If for some reason a conflict occurs or a student becomes ill, contact Mrs. Freshner immediately. Any absences must be excused through Mrs. Freshner with a note, email or phone call in advanced of the absence. If it was an emergency and you were unable to contact before then please follow up with a note. Contacting another staff member or student leader will not excuse the student.
Contact Information:
Noelle Freshner, Director of Bands 503-366-7418 (office)
Alisha Garza, Head Guard Instructor 503-310-6654 (cell)
Kristen Heckers, Guard Instructor 541-305-3239 (cell)
TBD Head Percussion Instructor
TBD Pit Percussion Instructor
Marching Band and Guard Related Fees 2014-15:
Band and Guard Membership Fee (all band and guard) $175.00
This fee helps to offset the cost of staff pay, show design, music, competition meals, props, uniforms, flags and other related costs.
New Marching Band Member and Color Guard Shoe and Glove Fee: $40.00
This fee is for every new marcher, every new guard members, but could be charged to a returning member if you need new shoes. For guard that may depend on the color of the shoes. You may be able to use your shoes from a previous season.
Color Guard Uniform Fees (Color Guard Only):
Color Guard Uniform Fee $125.00
Color Guard Accessories: $25-$100
These include appropriate undergarments or accessories for performance. These will depend on the costume design each season.
Competition or Trip Food Typically $5-10 TBD for each trip
Concert/Wind Ensemble/Jazz Fees 2014-15:
Concert/Symphonic/Jazz Uniform Fee (Band members only) $25.00
Tux Shirts or Wind Ensemble Tops (Band members only) $20-50
School Instrument Rental Fee: (Band members only, if needed) $25.00
Competition or Trip Food/Activities TBD for each trip
Spring Band Tour to TBD (Concert Band and Wind Ensemble) TBD
Payments and Due Dates:
Marching/Guard related fees are due in full by the Tuesday of the week of our first competition. If students are not paid, or have not had parents communicate with the Band Director by this deadline, students will not attend the competition. All fees are billed to the student’s high school accounts and are paid through SHHS. Fundraised moneys can be used to pay fees. If a student has participated in a fundraiser in the past they may have money they can use! Students can do this by filling out a Band Patron Funds Request, found in the band room.
Contact Mrs. Freshner if you are concerned about your ability to pay these fees. We want all students to perform, but all students do have to pay the fees for these activities at some point during each and every year. A payment extension can be granted on a case by case basis, but arrangements must be made between parents and Mrs. Freshner before the payment deadline!! Call or email to discuss!! All marching fees, regardless of extensions granted must be paid by the December holiday break, if not sooner, or students may be denied the ability to participate in other SHHS activities, sports or even band in the 2nd semester.
Non-marching fees should be paid to the office ASAP to again be eligible to participate in other SHHS activities or sports.
Trip fees will have their own deadlines and you will get information regarding that when it becomes available. Sometimes these will be paid to the office at SHHS, sometimes to St. Helens Band Patrons. It will depend.
Band/Guard Fee Refund Policy:
Marching Band and Guard members will be charged these marching band and guard related fees during the first week their camps (July for Guard, August for band). At that time students are being fit for uniforms, shoes, gloves, guard costumes, etc… and we will be ordering them then as well. If a student quits during camp and we have ordered these items you must pay for these items, regardless of if they quit before wearing them!! In regard to membership fees, students who quit mid season, after the first competition will not receive a refund. Students who quit during camp, or before the first competition can pay a reduced/prorated membership fee, determined by the director and dependent on how much time they spent in the program. Again, they will have to pay for all uniform parts ordered for them.
Concert/Wind Ensemble/Jazz Band members will be billed at the start of the school year, or as items are fitted and ordered. Once students have been fitted for and/or order an item students are responsible to pay for that item and will not be refunded.
Band Parent Involvement: AKA We need you!!!!
We can not operate the marching band or participate in any of our completions without the help of our band parents. The band parents feed the students, adjust and sew uniforms, build props, assist the band with moving equipment out onto the field at performances, fundraise for the band, and do countless other jobs before, during , and after the fall season.
The St. Helens Band Patrons meet on the 1st. Thursday of every month, in the SHHS Band room and we would love for you to attend meetings and get involved. Meetings are from 7-8pm. At each meeting we talk about the next month’s events and put people in place to make things happen. Come!!
We are looking for parents to sign up for a variety of Marching Band related jobs this fall. Our Marching Band Czar, Mrs. Bates may be contacting you to see if you can help us!
Join the St. Helens Band Patrons Facebook Group to gain easy information on events and also to communicate with any Band Patron members who are running fundraisers or organizing events for the band.
Band Patron Board of Directors 2015-16
President- Richard Hoffman 503-396-9013
Vice Chair- Russ Griffin503-369-6661
Secretary- *Kendra 503-366-7179
Treasure- *Kathy 503-396-6686
Public Relations- Leonard Click 503-298-8064
Marching Band Czar-* Janae 503-318-9617
*Board members 2014-2015
All board members can be reached on Facebook, through the St. Helens Band Patrons group.
Band Department Handbook and Forms:
At the start of camp (or at the start of the school year for non-marching members) students will receive a copy of our Band Department Handbook. In this book will be all of the policies, procedures, rules and etc… of the band and guard programs. In the back of this book will be forms that need to be returned at the end of the first week of band camp.
Forms to be signed and returned are…..
Contract and Code of Conduct
Athletic Clearance/Medical Insurance Form
Medical Insurance Requirement:
All marching band and guard members must have medical insurance, just like sports. If you need coverage and can’t do it through your employer or on your own contact the SHHS Athletic office for more information.
Academic Eligibility: New for 2015-2016
OSAA Requirements: Wind Ensemble and Concert Band Only
OSAA oversees only the Wind Ensemble and Concert Band’s spring festival and competition performances. In addition to the SHHS policies listed below, OSAA events require that students come into each academic year with an appropriate amount of credits to assure that they are “on track to graduate”. Freshman get a free pass for the first year, but must hit the required number of credits as incoming Sophomores. Students must also be full time (taking no less than 5 classes) and must pass 5/7 classes in the previous transcript grading period (except Freshman in the fall). See the OSAA Handbook in Section 8 for detailed information regarding number of credits required as long as information regarding IEP and homeschooled students.
www.osaa.org is their website. Look for their main handbook, not the Music one.
St. Helens High School Activities and Sports Requirements: For All Bands and Guards
On top of the above OSAA requirements, All SHHS students who participate in activities, such as band and guard, must maintain a 2.0 GPA and pass 5/7 classes in the previous transcripted grading period (except Freshman in the fall) to be eligible to do any “extra” band activities in the next grading period. We are on semesters, so that means that 1st semester determines eligibility in 2nd semester, 2nd semester will determine eligibility for the beginning of the next school year.
There is a possibility that students can regain the status of “eligible” or can make themselves “ineligible” at Progress Report 1 (at the end of the 1st 9 weeks), or Progress Report 2 (at the end of the 3rd 9 weeks). This is up in the air for co-curricular activities at this time, but should be clear in the fall.
All students, regardless of academic standing will participate in the following band activities and performances:
Football Games with the “Pep Band” in the fall.
Concerts in the evenings throughout the year (typically December, March, May or June)
Graduation Assembly and Graduation.
Students not meeting eligibility requirements may not participate in the following…..
Competitive Marching Band or Color Guard
In-school field trips like Civil War ‘O” grams, recruiting events at schools.
Band festivals for Jazz Band, Concert Band or Wind Ensemble
(Performances missed will have to be made-up/assessed for student grade in those courses)
Winter Percussion or Winter Guard.
Any tours or trips we take in the spring or early summer.
Students on IEP (Individual Educational Plans) or 504s should speak with their case managers regarding eligibility. It is important that band eligibility and expectations of each student are clearly written into these plans to guarantee students ability to perform and be in the ensembles they should be in. Again, see the OSAA rulebook for more information.
Fees: Students must also have all fees up to date to participate in other activities, or to even continue with band activities. Students with fees that wait too long to be paid may be denied the ability to participate or perform.
Marching Band and Color Guard Member Materials:
The marching season begins in early August and concludes in late October and is predominantly outside, regardless of heat, cold, or rain. To accommodate the weather and conditions the students will experience outside during this time of year here are some essential items all band and guard members should have for the season. They will need many of these items on competition days as well.
Required Everyday Rehearsal Needs
Athletic Shoes, that you don’t mind getting dirty or muddy. No cleats!!
Athletic clothing for marching or for dancing.
Socks
Three Ring Binder (1-1 ½ inches)
Plastic Sheet Protectors for music and drill sheets
Small Steno Note Pad on a lanyard or string
Hot Weather Survival
Sunblock (SPF 30 or higher) Best if put on before coming to camp, and reapply as needed.