AWAY GAME VS. CERRITOS THIS FRIDAY!
GOOD IMPROVEMENT THIS PAST WEEK. CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT 1ST HOME GAME THIS PAST FRIDAY! CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO RECAP WITH FOOTAGE FROM FRIDAY’S GAME AND SATURDAY’S REHEARSAL! WE HAVE A NORMAL REHEARSAL WEEK AHEAD WITH AN “AWAY” GAME VS. CERRITOS THIS FRIDAY, FOLLOW BY A THREE-DAY WEEKEND. THIS IS THE LAST FULL WEEK TO SELL POPCORNOPOLIS! ALL ORDER FORMS AND MONEY ARE DUE NEXT TUESDAY 9/3. THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARENTS WHO HAVE ALREADY DONATED TO THE BOOSTER WISHLIST. IF YOU WOULD STILL LIKE TO HELP, PLEASE CLICK HERE!
Congratulations on a great first home football game this past Friday! Thank you to the army of parents who helped with concessions, merchandise, and pushing equipment. We had so much parent help we were even able to help the football boosters with their concessions! We would also like to thank all the parents who helped on Saturday with lunch and prop building. Finally, we would like to thank everyone who went to The Kebob Shop this past Tuesday. You helped raise over $900 towards the music program! Please join us for our next Booster Parent Meeting on Tuesday, September 3rd at 6:30PM in the Band Room.
STUDENTS: As we transition from learning basic skills into the field show, please note that the expectations and demand will continue to increase at each rehearsal. During Band Camp, making mistakes like the wrong number of counts, having feet out of time, or missing a drill spot by several feet, may not have seemed like a big deal. However, in the actual field show drill where the students are much closer together, these types of mistakes become a safety issue and could result in an injury. While the drill or marching will never be perfect, we DO expect students to be receptive to comments from the staff and to make corrections and improvements every time they go back to do it again. We also expect students to retain the information given in rehearsal and be able to consistently recall it, replicate it, and perform it. Please don’t take corrections personally, and instead do your best to make your performance better each time you do it. We all have a special opportunity and responsibility to work together to create something amazing that is bigger than any one of us!
Just a reminder that students must wear a hat, athletic clothes, athletic/tennis shoes (no sandals or converse), sunscreen, and bring a 1-gallon water jug. You may keep these items in the Band Room and change at lunch or after school. Continue to hydrate 24 hours ahead of time, eat breakfast and throughout the day, and get plenty of rest. Make sure you’re washing your hands frequently so we don’t spread germs.
BAND UNIFORM FITTING — Freshmen, sophomore, and junior band students have uniform fitting this week. Make sure you have your black, sleeveless compression shirt, black compression shorts, and long, black socks. You can find these items online or even cheaper at Big 5 Sporting Goods or Walmart. If you have your black marching shoes, please bring those too (otherwise we will have some you can borrow). If you are a parent who can help with the uniform fitting, please click here to sign up.
“AWAY” GAME VS. CERRITOS THIS FRIDAY – This Friday we will be playing at the “away” game against Cerritos HS (located at the Gahr HS Stadium). This is mandatory for all wind and battery students. This is optional for color guard and front ensemble students – but highly encouraged to help us cheer on our varsity football team! Students have the option to wear their field show shirt, the BLACK Gahr Marching Gladiators hoodie, or the embroidered band jacket. Call time is 5:10PM for wind students to run through pep tunes and 5:30PM for battery students to run cadences.
POPCORNOPOLIS FUNDRAISER — This is the last full week to sell Popcornopolis! EACH FAMILY MUST SELL A MINIMUM OF SEVEN (7) BAGS OF POPCORN. All profit from bags sold thereafter (50% of the cost) go to students’ accounts. This is a great way to raise money for marching band, the 605 All-Star Band, Winter Guard, or Indoor Percussion! As a bonus, the student who sells the most Popcornopolis will win a $50 Visa Gift Card!
ALL ORDER FORMS & MONEY ARE DUE THIS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD. Please click here for a PDF of the fundraising brochure that was handed out to the students. If you prefer to opt-out of this fundraiser and just turn in the $35 of profit, please click here.
Sell a minimum of seven (7) bags
Write your name on the top of your order form
Collect money when taking orders
Promote to family, friends, coworkers & social-media circle to maximize sales
Make all checks payable to “Gahr Band Boosters.” Please have them write the student name on the memo line of the check.
It typically takes three weeks for the Popcornopolis orders to arrive. It is the students’ responsibility to distribute orders to the people they sold to once it arrives.
SENIOR BANNERS – Thank you seniors for getting your photo taken last week for the senior banners! Unfortunately we were unable to get them in time for the first game, but we will have them for the away game this coming Friday. If you did not pay for your senior banner yet, please click here to pay online. Thank you!
FINAL CALL FOR ALL BAND JACKETS – Get your official Gahr Marching Gladiators Band Jacket! Jackets are $135.00 each. We accept checks to “Gahr Band Boosters” or cash. Please fill out a separate order form for each jacket you order. Click here to download the jacket order form or click here to buy one online.
2ND DONATION PAST DUE — The 2nd Marching Band donation of $150 was due Friday, August 16th. This is crucial for us to be able to pay for instructors, production costs, competition fees, and more. We accept cash, checks made payable to “Gahr Band Boosters,” or you can click here to pay online with a credit card. Please communicate with Mr. Loney if you have any financial issues.
ASB CARD & TRANSPORTATION — All students need to purchase an ASB card and pay for transportation. When you buy these items together it only cost $120 total ($60 for the ASB card and $60 for transportation). Parents or students can pay for this at the finance office during school hours.
ALL NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS must fill out the 2024-25 Band Registration & Participation Form. Please have a parent or guardian fill this out with the student. This takes about 10 minutes to complete and is crucial for us to get off to a good start.
ATHLETIC CLEARANCE PAST DUE — All NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS must complete their athletic clearance to be admitted into the band or color guard. Here are the steps:
STEP 1 - Get a physical exam. You need to print and bring the Physical Evaluation Form for the physician to fill out. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to use a walk-in clinic instead of scheduling this with your doctor. Anderson Chiropractic Care does athletic physicals for $20 cash and can be reached at (714) 952-0673.
STEP 2 - Take a photo of the form. Click here for instructions on how to use your iPhone as a document scanner.
STEP 3 - Register and upload your form on the Family ID website:
https://students.arbitersports.com/organizations/gahr-high-school
TWO GREAT WAYS TO FUNDRAISE — Use the fundraisers below to raise money for your marching band donations! This can also go towards Winter Guard and Indoor Percussion. This is the BEST TIME to do it before we get busy with school starting.
Field Show Program Ads - Earn 90% of the profit from all field show ad sales. The ad prices range from $25 to $175. Many local businesses are looking for ways to advertise to the community. See Mr. Loney to get a past field show program that you can use as an example when selling ads.
Student Sponsorship Letter - 100% of the money sponsorships goes directly to your student account. These take a few hours to complete and mail out, but the return on investment is HUGE if you can make $400-500! This is a great way your family and loved ones can help support.
THIS WEEK:
MONDAY 8/26
7:17AM Jazz Ensemble (RHYTHM SECTION only – drum set, piano, bass, guitar)
3:30PM BATTERY UNIFORM FITTING
3:35-6:00PM Winds, Front Ensemble, and Color Guard rehearsal
5:30PM SOPHOMORE/JUNIOR WINDS UNIFORM FITTING
6:00PM FRONT ENSEMBLE UNIFORM FITTING
6:00-9:00PM Battery rehearsal
TUESDAY 8/27
7:17AM Jazz Ensemble (WINDS only – saxes, trumpets, and trombones)
3:35-4:30PM Optional sectionals – MAKE UP MEMORIZATION TESTS
WEDNESDAY 8/28
STUDY HALL/GRADE CHECKS DURING CLASS PERIOD
AFTER SCHOOL: Do your homework, eat dinner, and keep hydrating.
5:00PM Set up for rehearsal – hat, water, dot book, pencil
5:30-8:30PM Rehearsal (everyone)
THURSDAY 8/29
7:17AM Jazz Ensemble (everyone)
3:40-6:00PM Rehearsal at practice field
6:00PM FRESHMEN WINDS UNIFORM FITTING
FRIDAY 8/30
7:17AM Full Jazz Ensemble with Chris Stevens!
Wear field show shirt, black Gahr Marching Gladiators hoodie, or band jacket.
4th period – Run pep tunes, set up at rally platform. KEEP YOUR CALL SLIP.
Lunch – Play pep tunes!
5th period – You have 10 extra minutes for lunch with your call slip.
BREAK – Make sure you eat dinner and have your flip folder & lyre.
”AWAY” FOOTBALL GAME VS. CERRITOS HS
WINDS & BATTERY MANDATORY (Front Ensemble and Color Guard optional)
Wear field show shirt, BLACK Gahr Marching Gladiators hoodie, or band jacket.
5:10PM PEP BAND CALL TIME IN BAND ROOM
5:30PM BATTERY CALL TIME TO RUN CADENCES
6:30PM Walk to stadium to set up at visitors bleachers and play
7:00PM “Away” Football Game vs. Cerritos starts
9:30PM Approximate game end time*
9:45PM Walk back to Band Room. Clean up Band Room.
10:00PM Approximate dismissal*
*The end time of a football game varies. The Gahr Marching Gladiators always stay until the end of the game to support our school and team. Please have your student call you for pick-up time or check Remind for updates.
3-DAY WEEKEND
Take instrument and music home to practice and review!
FUNDRIVE CLOTHING DRIVE 9/28 — SAVE THE DATE – Our FUNDrive clothing donation event will be Saturday, September 28th! Clean out your closets and help raise money for the program. WE ARE ASKING FOR EACH FAMILY TO PLEASE DONATE AT LEAST THREE (3) KITCHEN-SIZED TRASH BAGS OF CLOTHING/BEDDING. We will be raffling off gift cards to the students who donate the most!