Welcome to the Leander High School Band Information Page! This is where we will post important calendar dates, information on events, any changes to times or events, and announcements for our program. You will also have access to pertinent forms or volunteer opportunities from this page.

REQUIRED COMMUNICATION CHANNELS SO YOU ARE "IN THE KNOW".

• Student Communication - Google Classroom. Use code: cpq3cda
• Parent Communication - Cut Time (This is the e-mail database) To be added, go to www.cuttime.net and click on Student/Parent Signup. Email president@leanderband.com if you have any issues.

HAVE A QUESTION? FOR FASTER RESPONSES, BE SURE TO CONTACT THE CORRECT DIRECTOR OR BOOSTER MEMBER. THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO VISIT THIS CONTACT PAGE AND CLICK ON THE APPROPRIATE CATEGORY. IT'LL THEN GO TO THE CORRECT PERSON TO RESPOND.

HOW DO I VOLUNTEER FOR THE BAND PROGRAM TO SUPPORT MY CHILD?

CURRENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

FOOTBALL GAME PERFORMANCE TIMES TO BE AWARE OF...

The following games the Leander Band will perform PRE-GAME starting at 6:30pm...

• October 8th vs. Weiss (MS Night)
• All other games will be a halftime performance, whether it's home or away. Please know that at away games we go first, and home games we go second. We will always perform to the home side no matter the game we are at.

CURRENT ESTIMATED PRELIMS PERFORMANCE TIMES FOR EACH CONTEST...

• TEXAS MARCHING CLASSIC - October 9th - 2:15 PM Prelims performance (finals announced at contest)
• UIL - October 12th - 6:30 PM - No finals, there will be a rehearsal prior.
• UIL AREA - October 23rd - Not available yet (All Day event)
• STATE MARCHING CONTEST - November 2nd and 3rd - Won't know until October 23rd (All day event)
• BOA SAN ANTONIO PRELIMS - November 5th - 4:30-7pm (All day event - pulled from school)
• BOA SAN ANTONIO FINALS - November 6th - Begins at 7pm (all day event)

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS...

• Seam Team - Needing parents who can assist with uniform fittings, whether you have sewing experience or just want to help, we need anyone we can take!
• Water Dawgs - Help the band get hydrated at all our events!
• Fruit Ninjas - Help prepare and hand out fruit during Summer Band.
• Prop Crew - Help build our amazing props for this year's marching show. If you have engineering skills, carpentry skills, or just want to assist building things for our program, please volunteer! We especially need anyone with fabrication and metal work experience. Reach out directly to michael.swiren@leanderisd.org if you're interested in this committee.
• Hospitality - Help keep the band fed before performances!
• Chaperones - Help the band with all the details that need to be overseen at performances!

COLOR GUARD WEEKLY ATTIRE SCHEDULE

• Monday - Blue
• Tuesday - Purple
• Wednesday - Pink
• Thursday - Green
• Friday - Red
• Shirts can have writing on them and can be in the color family if not the exact color. Black shorts and shoes.
• Items needed for camp: Flag(s) - 6ft and swing, Rifle if needed, Water, Lunch, Snacks, Sunscreen

REQUIRED FORMS FOR ALL STUDENTS

Links for all required items are on the registration form. If you follow those instructions and fill everything out, you're all set!

If you can't pay in full by the required deadline of September 30th, you need to meet with a director and treasurer at Registration Day to complete an official payment plan.

The link above will take you to an online system called Rank One. The webpage will explain how to create a parent account to fill out the online medical forms. Forms must be filled out in the Rank One system this year and we will not be collecting hard copies of these (except for the Physical Form). Forms include the Physical Form (which you need to print), required medical forms, travel forms, and a band handbook agreement.

Medical forms on the "Required LISD Forms" site are the specific required ones for all students. If your child has an emergency medication they need to carry that they can administer, or if your student has asthma, a seizure disorder, or anaphylaxis to food, insects or other substances, they need to also go to the link below to retrieve the specific form needed and turn it in to a director or med team member.

Instrument Rentals only required for the following students...

• If you need a marching instrument different from your owned instrument. That includes all Tubas, Bass Clarinets, Euphoniums, French Horns.
• If you don't own your own instrument at all.
• If you need an instrument for concert/region band that you don't play in marching band.
• You can pick these instruments up on Registration Day if you haven't already.
• There is a $65 fee per semester for these instruments.

Primary vs. JV

• Because of the "no pass, no play" rule in Texas, we have to have a JV group of students in addition to the Varsity positions to cover any students that become ineligible.
• At times in the season we may have injuries, someone move away, someone quit, etc. So this JV block is very important.
• Students who make JV still participate in all rehearsals, games, performances. The only difference is they don't play their instruments at the marching contests only. They are part of an auxiliary group that assists the band with props and other items during the performance.
• Students who make JV still have the opportunity to get into Varsity throughout the season through hard work, passing classes, and showing their efforts to improve throughout the season.

VOLUNTEERING

Please click the link below to go to the LISD approved volunteer system for 2021-2022. You must get approved through this system to volunteer at LHS in any capacity. The process can take up to a week to get approved so please fill out the online form in plenty of time to volunteer. If you are already an approved volunteer from a prior year, you will receive a renewal email 30 days before your current approval expires.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If rehearsal ends at 7:00pm, why does my kid get to the car so late?

• Students are all required to help bring equipment inside, carry props, put up instruments, etc. That will take a little time to pack everything up and go inside. Some students are also asking questions to leaders or directors. Talk to your student about your expectations for how fast they should move. The band hall closes no later than 30 minutes after each rehearsal.

I thought you were only allowed to rehearse 8 hours per the UIL 8-hour Rule? Why do you have 9 or 10 hours on some weeks?

• First, the 8-hour rule only applies to weekly rehearsals once school begins in most cases, so summer band doesn't apply. It also doesn't apply to weekends in August once school starts.
• Second, each organization gets 1 extra hour of rehearsal per each performance of the week. So on Friday we get another hour for the football game, and on Saturdays we get more time for each performance at a competition.

I'm concerned about the heat during the summer and my child being outside so much. What precautions do you take?

• We are overly concerned about the heat as well. We follow all UIL and LISD guidelines for heat related concerns, and we also go above and beyond and have several tents, a full medical team of parents that are physicians and nurses, and we supply extra water and fruit for students. None of those things are required, but we understand how strenuous marching band can be.
• Most students get ill because they don't hydrate enough or eat a healthy meal in the morning (no milk or milk products). Educate your child on the best way to take care of their bodies.

Is marching band optional?

• No. Marching band is part of the required curriculum in the state of Texas and LISD. Health issues that may impair participation should be communication to Mr. Selaiden.

Excused vs. Unexcused absences

• We understand that band takes a lot of time, but please know that we are very strict about our attendance policy. The reason is because we have 250+ students and we rely on everyone being in their drill spot in order to rehearse successfully. We implement a strict attendance policy because of the amount of people and our need to be fair to everyone in the organization. If we allowed everyone to miss for a doctor's check-up, dentist appointment, boy scout meeting, etc, then we would ALWAYS have a ton of students missing.
• Excused absences - Death in family, medical emergency/being sick, close family members wedding, other approved absences by a director.
• Unexcused absences - after school club meeting, tutorials, dentist appointments, doctor's appointments (this does not include if a kid is sick - just a basic check up), outside of school club meetings, youth groups, driver's tests, etc.
• This doesn't mean that we NEVER approve absences. We are always willing to work with students that need to attend tutorials or other important life events. What we ask is that you communicate in a timely manner and get it approved by Mr. Selaiden.
• If a student misses three times for unexcused absences, they will be removed from their primary spot, potentially moved out of an ensemble, or removed from the program.
• All absence related issues should be communicated to Mr. Selaiden.