WEEKLY UPDATE 9/30
Good improvement this past week as we’ve continued learning more of our field show production. We have a big rehearsal week ahead, our monthly Booster Parent Meeting on Tuesday, and a Home Football Game on Friday. Make sure you’re staying hydrated, eat throughout the day, and continue to review and practice. PARENTS: Please click here to volunteer at the game this Friday!
Thank you to all the parents who helped on Saturday with props, the FUNDrive, and making & serving lunch. We also had an incredible team of parents who worked on props throughout the week who have been working tirelessly to get things ready for next week’s competition – and even stayed late multiple nights. We have a Booster Parent Meeting this Tuesday at 6:30PM in the Band Room and would love to see you there!
Thank you to everyone who dropped off donations at the FUNDrive on Saturday! We would also like to thank all the parents and alumni who ran it and collected donations throughout the day. We will be unloading the donations on Saturday, October 5th at 9AM at Savers in Lakewood if anyone is available to help.
The most bags and winner of a $40 Amazon gift card went to Hannah Cruz – with 33 bags donated!
We also had the following raffle winners:
1st Place and a $40 Amazon gift card – Matthew Goncalves
2nd Place and a $20 Target gift card – Chris Scott
3rd Place and a $20 Target gift card – Soriya Prak
4th Place and a $15 Panera gift card – Michael Vasquez
SNAP! RAISE UPDATE – In less than a week, students have already raised over $10,000 towards student accounts! So far our top fundraisers are Presley Cruz with $605, Felipe Manzo with $540, and Kenly Skinner with $530. Keep up the great work and continue to plug in email addresses and phone numbers to raise money towards WBA Championships, your remaining marching band donations, or get a head start on Indoor Percussion and Winter Guard!
HOME FOOTBALL GAME THIS FRIDAY 10/4 — We have a Home Football Game vs Lynwood HS this Friday, October 4th! As always, attendance at rehearsals is extremely important to ensure that we are able to have our best performance possible. Color Guard will be in full costume and the band will be in full uniform. If you are in the guard, please make sure you are caught up with your donations so we are able to purchase your costume. Bring your sleeveless, black compression shirt, black compression shorts, long black socks, and black marching shoes. Make sure your flip folder is organized with all the pep tunes.
PARENTS: Thank you again to everyone who helped out this past weekend, and we look forward to seeing you at our Booster Meeting on Tuesday! It’s not too late to get involved — we can always use extra help at football games with props, equipment, concessions, and merchandise. Remember to wear your field show shirt to the game to get in FREE when you volunteer. Please click here to volunteer at the game this Friday!
Just a year ago we officially announced that Gahr HS would be marching with the 605 All-Star Band in the 2025 Pasadena Tournament Roses Parade. On Sunday, we had a rehearsal for the 605 All-Star Color Guard and Battery Percussion! It was incredible seeing so many students in these two sections alone – and we can’t want to see all 544 students for our first rehearsal on Sunday, October 13th at Bellflower HS!
The Gahr Marching Gladiators will be traveling to Fresno to compete at the Western Band Association (WBA) Championships from Friday, November 22nd through Sunday, November 24th. The cost for each student is $250.00 due this Friday, November 1st, 2024.
Students will be traveling on charter buses and staying at Spring Hill Suites by Marriott. Most meals will be covered (breakfast, lunches, and two dinners).
The address for the student hotel is:
Spring Hill Suites by Marriott
6844 North Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93710
If this is your first overnight trip, please know that it is standard to have students stay four to a room, typically with two queen-sized beds. Students can select who they would like to have in their room and we will do our best to accommodate their requests if possible. As with all trips for the Gahr Instrumental Music Program, students must stay in the hotel with other students. A block of rooms has already been reserved and we are able to keep the trip cost low based on the students staying together.
Parents are encouraged to go on this trip as well. We will need parent help as we always do with uniforms, transportation, equipment, and props, and having as many parents in the stands cheering for the kids can greatly motivate the kids (and the judges).
Parents are responsible for paying for their own trip. However, to make this easier for you, we have secured a block of rooms with a special rate for the parents to use at the Homewood Suites in Fresno. When calling, make sure to mention you are booking for the block of rooms set aside for the "Gahr High School Band Boosters." This special rate includes cook-to-order breakfasts and parking. The rate negotiated for this block is $169.00 (plus tax) per night. You will need to book your room no later than Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024 to take advantage of this special price.
The address for the parent hotel is:
Homewood Suites Fresno
6820 North Fresno St.
Fresno, CA 93710
Telephone: (559) 440-0801
We have a mandatory meeting on Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 at 7PM in the Band Room where we will go over all the details for the trip. Please note, this meeting is after the date to reserve your room so don’t wait until this meeting to make your reservation. Feel free to reach out to Deanna Varney at (562) 413-3068 or email her at dvarney15@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns.
We ask that students stay together as a group for the entire weekend.Please do not pull your child away from the rest of the group.This is a school trip, and students will need to stay with the rest of the group for the duration of the weekend.
Thank you for your support and helping to create such an amazing experience for the students!
BOOSTER WINDBREAKERS AND HATS – We are ordering 2024 Booster Windbreakers and Marching Gladiator Hats for our boosters this year! These items are perfect to wear to show your support at competitions or at band events! Get one, or both!! These items are pre-order only. WE ARE EXTENDING THE DEADLINE FOR ORDER FORMS AND MONEY TO THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4TH.
Please make sure your student is caught up with the 3rd donation of $150. At this point, there should only be a balance of $150 or less remaining. As always, you can pay with cash, a check made payable to “Gahr Band Boosters,” or you can make a payment online with a credit card. Please communicate with Mr. Loney if you have any issues. The last donation of $150 is due next Friday, October 18th.
FIELD SHOW PROGRAM ADS — Advertise in our program for the Gahr Invitational Field Tournament! THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST INDIVIDUAL STUDENT FUNDRAISER OF THE ENTIRE YEAR!! Students earn 90% of the profit from all ads sold. Please click here to download the form. The deadline for all advertisements is Friday, October 18, 2024. We cannot accept late ads once the program is sent to the printer.
This is a great way for local businesses to advertise to the community! The Gahr Invitational Field Tournament typically has over 5,000 people in attendance, and we usually sell around 500 programs. This is also a great opportunity to put in a "shout-out" for your son/daughter in the program! Best of all, students still earn 90% of profit from getting a shout out!
You can also purchase a program ad directly through our website. Please just make sure you email the ad to Mr. Loney at darren.loney@abcusd.us.
Our next Gahr Invitational Committee Meeting is Wednesday, October 16th at 7PM in the Band Room! We’re gearing up for an amazing field show tournament, but we need ALL HANDS ON DECK to make this a success. If you haven’t signed up for a shift to help at the Gahr Invitational Field Show Tournament, please click here to sign up to volunteer. Thank you!
SENIOR PARENTS — We have a tradition of creating a picture spread on the middle pages of the Gahr Invitational Field Show Program that will show their baby pictures. Please email your son/daughter’s baby photo to dvarney15@gmail.com or text it to (562) 413-3068. Thank you, and way to go Class of 2025!
STUDENT SPONSORSHIP LETTER — The “Student Sponsorship Letter” is a great way to raise money for marching band, Indoor Percussion, and Winter Guard! 100% of the money sponsorships goes directly to your student account. These may take a few hours to complete and mail out, but you can raise upwards of $500 if done correctly! Click here to download the instructions and letter.
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.
ATHLETIC CLEARANCE PAST DUE — Please make sure you’ve completed your athletic clearance to be admitted into the band or color guard. This is important so we have your emergency contact information for competitions and trips. 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
THIS WEEK:
MONDAY 9/30
NO JAZZ BAND
3:35-6:00PM Winds, Front Ensemble, Color Guard rehearsal (ballad focus)
6:00-9:00PM Battery rehearsal
TUESDAY 10/1
7:17AM Jazz Ensemble WINDS ONLY with Nic Chaffee
3:30PM Optional sectionals (memorization test H-out)
6:30PM Booster Parent Meeting in Band Room — All parents encouraged to attend!
WEDNESDAY 10/2
5:00PM Set up for rehearsal in stadium. We will need hallway vinyl, hallway walls, white tarp, and sideline covers.
5:30-8:30PM Full Ensemble Rehearsal
We will be using props in the stadium and EVERYONE will need to help clean up and push back equipment.
THURSDAY 10/3
7:17AM Full Jazz Ensemble with Nic Chaffee!
3:35-6:00PM Full Ensemble Rehearsal (Mvt. 1 focus, no met run-through)
FRIDAY 10/4
Bring water jug and everything you need for full uniform and the game.
7:17AM Full Jazz Ensemble — solo day with Chris Stevens!
4th/5th Period — Review Mvt.1
6th Period – PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE ON PRACTICE FIELD!
3:25PM All percussion help push equipment to the stadium
3:30PM Cymbal Clinic with Jimmie Jenkins!
5:00PM Call time to change into full uniform/costume
Percussion can take until 5:30PM to change into uniform if needed.
5:30PM Run pep tunes / Front Ensemble push equipment to stadium / Battery help take props to stadium
6:30PM Walk to stadium
6:45PM Star-Spangled Banner
7:00PM Home Football Game vs Lynwood
8:15PM Half-time performance
9:30PM Approximate game end time*
9:45PM Walk back to Band Room
10:00PM Change out of uniform and HANG CORRECTLY.
10:30PM 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.
TAKE INSTRUMENTS/EQUIPMENT HOME TO PRACTICE OVER THE WEEKEND. FIRST FIELD SHOW COMPETITION IS NEXT WEEK 10/12 AND WE’RE PERFORMING MOVEMENT 1 & 2!