Week of September 12
Performance Calendar
We have a great year full of a variety of performance opportunities planned for our students! Please check out this page on our website to subscribe to our Google band calendar or to view and print a PDF of the band events. When looking at the PDF calendar, please take note of the rightmost column which denotes which students are participating in the event. Rosters for the Blue and White basketball pep bands will be determined in mid-October.
Each performance is a demonstration of musical skills by the students. Since band is a class and performances are a part of the learning process as well as graded public demonstrations of skills learned, attendance and participation at each performance is expected, required, and graded. If a student must miss a performance, we do have opportunities for students to make-up the missed points. The procedures can be viewed on this page on our website.
Students who are participating in a school-related activity (game/match/meet/etc.) during a pep band performance are excused. This may include being on the team playing while we perform or on a team that has an away event during our performance. To be excused, students must fill out this form on our website prior to the beginning of the performance. We recommend filling out the form for all absences once the team calendar is released. Our athletic director states that performances supersede practices. The same is true the other way around — games/matches/meets/etc. supersede band practices. With that said, coaches aren't allowed to hold this against students in any way, especially by reducing playing time. If this is an issue, please let the directors or Mr. Jodarski know and we can work it out with the coach.
When planning absences during the school year, please try to avoid performance dates so that your student has the opportunity to be a part of the full experience of a performance with his or her classmates.
Football Pep Band
This year, all band students will be performing at two home football games on September 16th and 30th. These are required graded performances unless a school activity conflicts (see above). For this Friday, September 16, we are only playing for pregame.
Each game is at Titan Stadium and students must provide their own transportation to and from the stadium. Students should be at Titan no later than 45 minutes before game time. We will begin playing approximately 30 minutes before game time. We plan to play pregame and halftime for the second game this season on September 30. When we play halftime, students may sit in the student section during the first half but should be back down on the track with two minutes left on the clock before halftime to prepare for the second performance. After we are done with our halftime performances, students should pack up their equipment and either take it to the trailer to be taken back to West or take it home. Please note that instruments will be left on the trailer until Monday.
The uniform for these games is West or blue and white gear or the student section theme, with considerations taken for the weather. See you at our first performance this Friday, September 16!
Final Uniform Fitting
All students enrolled in band must be fitted for a marching band uniform and men (and women upon request) will also be fitted for a concert tuxedo. The first two fitting dates have passed, but there is one final opportunity.
We will have one final day this coming Wednesday the 21st from 3:30-5:00pm. There will be no further opportunities to be fit for a uniform after Wednesday. You may come at any point during the window and the fitting should take 15 minutes or less. Fittings will be in the auditorium lobby. Please enter door #33 off of Eagle Street. Please make sure that your student is fit so that they can be a part of the performances! Students will not be permitted to perform at concerts or in parades without a uniform.
Volunteers
With a large band program comes the need for parent help in many areas at various points throughout the year. All parents and guardians of band students are part of the Oshkosh West Band Parent Organization. Like any support organization, success is dependent on the participation and contributions of its members. We are proud to have an extremely active Band Parent Organization. The group is parent-run and has two main focuses: raising funds to support student activities and assisting with tasks such as uniform fitting, distribution and collection, meal distribution for parades and many other tasks throughout the year.
The events that we need assistance with the most at this point are the uniform fitting nights, but we will also need help with the holiday parades and at other points throughout the year. Please take a moment to visit our Volunteer Sign-Up page to contribute to your student’s success!