Many First Year Parents find that they are as confused as their freshman student when making the transition from Middle School to High School. Hopefully, you can use this to answer some questions.

Please check out our Frequently Asked Questions Page and the other links on the left margins for help with recent news, directions and practice help.

The links below can answer important questions and help you plan your participation as a volunteer with the band parents while being informed about expectations that we have from your child. Of course, you can always call us too.

The Calendar Year

How We Do Things

Summer Band -
This required workshop occurs starting the first of August and runs up to the start of school. All band students are required to march at NGHS and therefore, they are required to be at Summer Band (note how many times we used the word REQUIRED!) If your child becomes a student leader, they will start the last Wednesday in July.
Summer Band is where we begin to work on the upcoming year in earnest. Students either took home music for the summer, or were mailed music to work on.
Students are expected to have the required memory work completed when they arrive at Summer Band. Due to the physical nature of marching band, some conditioning is recommended. Students must have their own water container, proper footwear (sneakers are required), and should use lots and lots of sunscreen.
We rehearse every weekday from 7:30am - noon and a mixture of mornings and evenings the week of teacher inservice, depending on the inservice schedule.
Failure to attend summer band, for any reason, puts a students behind schedule and they will not be placed in the competition block.
(Back to top)

Band Registration -
The Saturday after the first week of summer band is band registration. Students and parent will turn in all forms and pay all fees at this time.
(Back to top)

End of Summer Picnic -
At the end of summer band, we put on a picnic and perform for the parents. The booster board sells hot dogs and the band plays some of the tunes they have learned over the previous two weeks. Since it is a performance, all students are expected to attend. Usually held on the Friday before school starts.
(Back to top)

Lock in Party
We do this annual event early in the season, usually, but not always, the week before the first game. The First Baptist Church Garland has been our gracious host for years and they have a wonderful staff and facilities. The cost is $10.00 and students can pay at the door.
Parents are needed to chaperone from 11pm - 3am and 3am - 7am. Long night, lots of fun.
(Back to top)

Labor Day Parade
The Garland Labor Day Parade (on Labor Day) is the largest in the country and we participate every year. The parade starts at 9:00am. We always meet at the Park and Ride lot on the corner of Walnut and 5th. Our place in the parade varies from year to year, so the call times change annually. This is where the "Parade Uniform" gets its name.
(Back to top)

Football Season
Home games are held either at Williams Stadium or at Homer B Johnson Stadium. Because of the size of our district, sometime we are away at those stadiums also. Because of budget concerns, there are no buses provided to games at these two stadiums. Thursday games start at 7:00pm and Friday/Saturday games start at 7:30pm. Call time is one hour prior to kickoff. All games are required performances and weekend travel is expected to take the games into consideration.
Parent volunteers are needed to provide help with equipment, water, plumes etc...
(Back to top)

Marching Contests
In October, we attend an invitational contest, which varies from year to year. Invitationals are held on Saturdays. They will go on the claendar months in advance and students are expected to take them into consideration when scheduling SAT tests or weekend travel.
UIL Marching contest is held on a Wednesday night in late October.
Parents are encouraged to attend these contests and cheer us on. We use the same parent help at contests that we use at the games, plus bus chaperones.
(Back to top)

Band Festival
Band Festival is an annual event that features all bands in GISD. Held on a Monday night, it begins at 6:30 and ends around 9:00. Tickets are $3 and can be bought from all band students. Money raised by the NGHS Band stays with the NGHS Band, so buy from your child, not at the gate. Same Parent help as a football game.
(Back to top)

Senior Recognition Week
During the week of the last home game, we recognize our seniors in a few ways. Our "fresham slave" auction raises money for the banquet. Freshman volunteer to be sold to the highest bidder and for a 24 hour period serve the buyer in a good natured fashion. (lots of cars get washed this week)
On the Thursday before the game, little brothers and sisters decorate a chair in the band hall for their senior. This is done after a short marching practice and students are expected to be done by 6:00.
At the senior game, seniors are recognized during halftime and we announce our favorite senior boy and girl.
Parent help is needed to take pictures, pick up flowers, and organize the senior parents on this night.
(Back to top)

All Region Tryouts
While in Middle School, band students competed against other Garland students for a place in the All City Band. Now that they are in High school, they will compete against students from other cities as well. The all region music is passed out during summer band and students are encouraged to get together with a private teacher to perfect the audition material. Freshmen try out against other freshmen on a shorter cut than the 10-12 graders. The audition is in late November and costs $10.
(Back to top)

Winter Concert
All the bands at NGHS are featured in this early December event. Downbeat is at 7:00pm. Parents and families are encouraged to come and see all the bands perform their first indoor performance of the year.
(Back to top)

Fruit Baskets and Cookie Jars
This is a simple and highly profitable fundraiser that nets students a $10 credit toward the spring trip for every Fruit Basket they sell and $5 credit for every Cookie Jar. The sale actually occurs during November. On the second Saturday in December, we assemble the baskets ourselve from fresh fruit we purchase through the Dallas Farmer's Market. Assembly is easy and quick and there is no middle man so all our profit stays inhouse. Students and parents cooperate in the sale and assembly of these items. Band can be totally free if a family is only moderately successful in this endeavor!
(Back to top)

UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest
We host this February event at NGHS and we expect our eligible students to participate. Solos are selected from the UIL Prescribed music list and students play with a piano accompanist. The school will book a pianist for students who need one. The cost is $40 for two rehearsals and the performance.
Parent help is needed to organize and run the contest day, provide the judges lunch, run the concession stand, and help in the office.
(Back to top)

Potato Supper
We host the Jackson and Bussey Bands in this early March dinner concert. It starts at 5:30 and includes all the performing ensembles from both schools plus NGHS. A ticket will get you a baked potato and all the fixin's. Parents are encouraged to hang around and listen to lots bands and buy tickets for our door prizes.
Lots of volunteer opportunities here.
(Back to top)

Golf Tournament
Parents are needed to help sell sponsorships, obtain prizes and, of course, GOLF! We have traditionally done this one during spring break, but are currently looking for a date when more band families are in town.
(Back to top)

Band Trip
The band trip is an annual event and every eligible band student is encouraged to go with us. We travel to a contest and compete as two bands. Every four years we go outside of an 800 mile radius from Dallas. The cost is variable and depends on distance and length of stay.
Parents are needed as chaperones and are charged a reduced amount to go. Once selected as a chaperone, you will be given a title and responsibilities for the entirety of the trip. All parents pull one late night duty and do lots of sheep dogging.
(Back to top)

UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest
The Honors and Symphonic Bands Compete at UIL Concert and Sightreading contest in April. Parents are allowed to come and support the bands at this competition. Two parents needed to ride the buses.
(Back to top)

Spring Concert
All the NGHS performing organizations play for the parents. All families are encouraged to come and enjoy all the bands. Afterward, there is a reception in honor of the seniors. Everyone is invited.
(Back to top)

Band Banquet
The annual band banquet is open to all band parents and students. It is a semi formal event where we look back at the year and enjoy each others company. Seniors will down important momentos and the historians present the greatest slideshow you ever saw. Students pu the banquet together, but parents are needed to pick up plaques and trophies from the engraver.
(Back to top)

Graduation
The Honors Band plays at the NGHS Graduation.
(Back to top)

How We Do Things

Parade Uniform
Because it is so hot in Texas, wearing our wool uniforms the first few games would be hazardous to the students health and would cost $300.00 a week in dry cleaning bills! Therefore we go with lighter fare.
Our Parade Uniform consists of the official band t shirt, a pair of Khaki shorts (no cargo shorts, must be 7-9" inseam, flat front), white ankle socks, predominantly white sneakers, and a nuetral color belt.
The shorts that we recommend come from the JC Penney catalog and are the St. John's Bay brand.
smaller students can get the Izod short form the children's protion of the catalog.
(Back to top)

Marching Uniform
Our marching uniform is a one of a kind design, specially made for us by the Fruhauf Company of Wichita Kansas. It has 10 parts total. Jacket, 3 baldrics (sashes), pants, bag, hat and plume are all provided by the school. Students must purchase through us the shoes and gloves. The jacket and trousers alone are worth $500, so we guard them very jealously. If a student loses or renders a uniform or uniform part unusable, they are responsible for the replacement value of that uniform or part.
To help keep them organized and in good condition, we store the uniforms onsite in our uniform room. The are checked out to students on the day of a performance and are due back at school on the next school day. Parents pay a $20 cleaning fee to cover the dry cleaning of the uniforms, which we take care of as needed. Consistent failure to turn in uniforms on the turn in day affects a students grade and eventually could result in the loss of uniform priviledges
(Back to top)

Band Fees
Band Fees are taken at registration along with the field trip form, Information form and 8 hour rule acknowlegment form. The $100 - $120 fee covers the above budget cost of clinicians, music, equipment and others associated with both marching band and concert band. Other costs are itemized on our band fee form.
(Back to top)

Concert Tux Shirt, Tie and Cummerbund
For Concert season, students must have their own white wing tip collar tuxedo shirt, black tie and cummerbund. The rest of the concert uniform is provided by the district.
(Back to top)

School Owned Instruments
Students who play Oboe, Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, French Horn, Euphonium, Tuba or Percussion play on a school owned instrument. There is an annual one time $50.00 fee for the use of school owned instruments. This fee is applied to the end of year chemical clean and not repairing damage that occurs while the instrument is in a student's care. An instrument check out form must be on file by the end of the first 6 weeks.
(Back to top)

Auditions
Auditions are held toward the end of every semester. The audition for the second semester is twelve major scales and the chromatic scale. The spring semester, we use specially written music. performance of the tryout is not the only factor taken into consideration , however. Elegibility and participation are also factored into the decision about who is what band. We tell the kids that they are auditioning every day.
(Back to top)

After a Performance
We do the best we can to give accurate end times for our performances. It is unsafe to leave a child waiting in the parking lot till the wee hours of the morning. Please pick up your child within 15 minutes of the end of a performance or the arrival of a bus from away. Of course, we would prefer it if parents were at the performance to see their kids in the first place.
(Back to top)

Tutorials
We start Marching Rehearsals at 3:30, so that students can go to tutorials. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the students are required to attend either a band study hall or obtain a pass to attend a teacher's tutorial. Students are still required to be at rehearsal on time on all days.
(Back to top)

Rehearsals
During football season, the band rehearses according to the following schedule:

(Back to top)

Personal Practice
While we understand that the fall is full of rehearsal, students are still expected to practice at home.
Private lessons are of the utmost importance to our success and students are encouraged to work on their all region music outside of marching band. Parents, please monitor you child's personal practice time.
(Back to top)

Absences
The band relies on its students to be present at rehearsals and performances. If you are in the band, we expect you to reahearse and perform with us. An unexcused absence from a rehearsal or game will result in being sidelined indefinitely. Excess absences due to illness could result in being replaced, because we still have to compete, and that spot must be marched every day.
(Back to top)

Trip Payments
We take trip deposits up through the end of November or until the trip is sold out. 5 of the last 6 trips have sold out in October, so don't wait to get your child in. After your deposit, a monthly statement will be emailed to you and you can pay securely online, with a credit card. Checks and cash are also accepted in the band office. In order for money to be applied to student travel, the student must be have no balance due on their band fees.
(Back to top)

Eligibility
Students must be eligible to perform with the band. We monitor student grades and believe that parents should be diligent as well. Repeated failures can cause a child to be removed from a competing band.
If your child consistently says they have no homework, contact their teachers.
The number one reason students fail is that they do not turn in work.
(Back to top)

Paying for Band
Registration Fees are due at the beginning of the year. School policy states that students who owe fees or fines may not participate in a performance until the balance due is paid. Please be attentive to this fact.
If a payment plan needs to be set up, it can be done by contacting Mr.Lira.
Students with an outsatding balance are sent a monthly staement via email or by USPS.
Payments are accepted by check, cash, visa or mastercard.
(Back to top)

Turning in Money
Students turn in money for everything from fundraising to spirit shirts to trip payments all in the same way.
Money or checks must be placed in a turn in envelope and put in the safe in our office. Envelopes are on top of the safe, and the safe has a slot in the top. The envelope must be filled out completely with students name, amount of checks, cash, coin, and reason for the deposits will get a receipt.
(Back to top)

Parent Meetings
The band parents have a meeting every 6 weeks or so. Please check the band calendar page for meeting dates and times. Every parent is encouraged to attend our meetings. Booster activities, volunteer opportunities, trip information and much more is discussed. The meeting night floats in order to give everyone a chance to be able to attend at least a couple of meetings. Meetings begin at 7pm and usually last approximately 1 hour.
(Back to top)

Parent Committees
The booster board is elected by the parents in the spring meeting after being named by the nominating committee in April.
Phone Committee, Fundraising Committee, and all other committees are filled through the volunteer coordinators and the volunteer web page. Parents who are interested in helping out can sign up at any time.
(Back to top)

Scholarships
Every year the band awards three scholarhips. The John Philip Sousa Award, The Teresa Gholson Memorial Scholarship and the Student Leadership Scholarship. The Sousa is awarded to a graduating senior and is selected by the band directors, the Gholson is selected by the scholarship committee from senior applicants in a blind selection process. The Leadership Scholarship goes to a returning band student and is full tuition, room and board at a Texas Band Camp of their choice. Any band student may apply, and the selection process is blind.
(Back to top)

Student Leadership
The band runs on the leadership of our students. Students may apply for leadership positions starting the end of their freshman year. Squad Leaders, Librarians, Aides, Drum Majors, Historians are all selected by the directors and positions are awarded based on the merit of student acheivement, leadership qualities, diligence and cooperativeness.
Band President, Vice President and class representatives are all elected by the studetns in popular vote.
(Back to top)

Student degree plans
With the MST designation, a student at NGHS has a tighter course offering set than at other high schools. The band directors work closely with the counselors office to help keep students on track academically and musically. Students are "double blocked" in band and the only way to maintain continuity is to monitor course offerings closely. Exceptions are made only for students who are in single section courses that directly conflict with band.
(Back to top)

HOME