Not all students participate in marching band. There are concert bands and jazz bands during the school day. Students ARE NOT allowed to only do marching band, and must be in one of the classes during the day.

Marching band DOES count for credit. Students will receive class credit and it is listed as an 8th hour class on their class schedule. Marching Band also gives a PE "waiver" after a student completes 4 semesters of Marching Band.

Marching Band is very time intensive! The band rehearses once a week throughout the summer and then concludes summer with a week-long band camp that goes Monday through Saturday and is from early morning to late at night. Once school starts, students rehearse two nights a week and one sectional after school. There are generally a few Saturday rehearsals. The marching band performs at all home and some away football games, and then usually about half a dozen competitions. Even though the commitment is great...students learn extremely important life skills about time management. Alumni who come back for Homecoming often talk about how marching band helped them succeed in college because they were used to being very busy.

Woodwinds and brass players wear white t-shirts to drill rehearsals. Percussion wears black. Guard wears a color that is usually designated by the colorguard captains. This is to make it easier for staff to clean drill from the press box. All students should wear tennis shows with arch support (not Vans or other flat sole shoes). Athletic shorts are also a must. No jeans!

Students should bring plenty of water. We suggest purchasing a 1 or 2 gallon water jug and putting your name on it. Sunscreen, chapstick and bugspray are also necessary. Also be sure to have your inhaler at all times.

The marching band is made up of many different sections. The drum majors are the students who are selected to be the head leaders of the band and conduct the ensemble. The woodwinds and brass make up the "Winds" section. Within the winds, there are subsections including the flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, horns, baritones and tubas. The "Drumline" is made up of the "Battery" and the "Pit". The Battery is the group of marching percussionists (snares, quads and basses). The Pit are the percussionists on the sidelines that play keyboards, synthesizers and auxiliary percussion instruments. The "Guard" is the visual elements that include the flags, rifles and sabres.

Absolutely! One of the core philosophies of the program is to develop well rounded individuals. To this date, the marching band has had football players, cheerleaders, divers, cross country runners, volleyball players, soccer players and many other athletes. While it is difficult and more time, we will work with the coaches to allow for students to share time. If it gets to be too much...a student may need to make a choice. But it is encouraged to TRY and make it work first before quitting something you love!

Yes! The marching band has numerous students who are taking multiple honors, AP and DE classes. We also have students involved in NHS, Student Government, Link Crew and a variety of other campus clubs and activities. Students may need to learn to manage their time, but the life experience they get from being involved in many activities and difficult classes is invaluable!

No! You only have four years of participation and should just get involved right away! It is an awesome feeling going into school with over 100 friends on the first day.

Flutes, clarinets, alto saxophones and trumpets are not provided. The CV Band has a few tenor saxophones to rent (but if you own your own that is helpful). We will also provide bari saxes, bass clarinets, mellophones, baritones, tubas and all percussion. Guard members will have flags and poles provided as well as rifles and sabres. However, some guard members choose to purchase their own rifle.

Transportation is provided to any events that are further than a 10 mile radius from CVHS. Some games or competitions that are in district (Mesquite, Gilbert, Highland, Williams Field, etc) will not have transportation provided. In those cases, the band will meet at the site at a designated call time. In all cases that there is transportation provided, the band will have call time at CVHS and load buses.

Our night rehearsals are scheduled until 9:15pm. We release the students by 9:00pm on the stadium field, and they have 15 minutes to pack their instruments and equipment before the end of rehearsal. That being said, some sections take longer than others. Particularly percussionists who have to wheel all percussion back and put things away in the band room. Please ask your student what time but it should be no later than 9:30pm. Sometimes students socialize when they should be putting things away so encourage them to work quickly to get picked up at a reasonable tiem. And PLEASE be patient and understand that it is difficult to manage 100 students.

Contact a booster board member or the band director!

The Campo Verde Band Program is made up of the Coyote Pride Marching Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Green Jazz Band, Copper Jazz Band, Winterguard and Winter Drumline.

Some groups require an audition to be a part of. But we have never "cut" anyone from the program. We may place you in an ensemble that reflects your level of musicianship. The Wind Ensemble, both jazz bands, drumline and guard all have auditions to place you in the correct ensemble or on the correct part.

Cut Time is an online database that the CV Band uses to manage fees, uniforms, equipment, instruments, bank accounts and mass communications. It is specifically designed for band programs and is an amazing help for the director and booster group. You can access your student's "Cut Time Account" by clicking the "My Band Account" link on the header of the band website.

Because band is a co-curricular activity, some of the fees must be collected by the school, while others can be paid by tax credit or to the booster group. For example, instrument rental fees and 7th class fees are "district fees" that must go into Infinite Campus. Class fees also must go into Infinite Campus. However, competition fees, travel fees, etc can all be paid by tax credit or to the boosters. Please visit our "Pay My Fees" link on the header of the webpage for more information on how to pay your fees.

First and foremost, make sure you subscribe or at least check the band Google Calendar regularly. It is located on the webpage and has every practice and performance as well as many activities listed. You should also "like" the CV Band on Facebook and Twitter so you can see all of the great things your students are doing!

Call time is almost always at 6:30pm for the musicians to warmup and prepare for the 7pm concert start time. We ask that you silence your cell phones, PDAs, etc, and refrain from using flash photography during the performance. Please enter and exit the auditorium only during the applause breaks. It is expected that all band members stay for the whole concert and do not leave after their group has finished. Concert performance and attendance are part of the class grade. Parents and other audience members are also encouraged to stay for the entire concert as each ensemble appreciates an audience. It is customary and considered good concert manners not to applaud between movements or sections of a piece, but rather to hold your appreciation until the completion of the entire artistic work. The end of a piece is signaled by the conductor, who will lower his or her hands and usually turns to acknowledge the audience and take a bow for the entire ensemble. In jazz, it is customary to applaud each soloist after she/he has finished soloing, even while the rest of the tune is going on. Your cue to applaud is when a soloist sits down or a different soloist starts playing.

There is absolutely NO hazing in the CVHS Band Program! Students are expected to treat each other with respect and kindness. If there are instances of disrespect, hazing, bullying or unkind online behavior, those students will be dealt with appropriately. Please be sure to contact a director or school official if there are concerns that you experience or see second hand so that it may be addressed. Students must learn how to use social media appropriately and in a useful and positive way. Colleges and future employers are increasingly monitoring and reviewing social media accounts for acceptance and when deciding on employment. This is a very important lesson that is taught in the CV Band Program.

The CV Band teaches "healthy competition," which means that while students are encouraged and motivated to compete and work hard to win, it is not the most important aspect of the journey. As the popular quote says, "It is not whether you win or lose, but how you played the game." While we want to be successful and learn to compete in a very competitive world, the journey and progress made during the preparation is the important part to reflect on.

Every year, at the Awards Banquet in May, the band recognizes students who have earned enough points to receive a "letter" in the activity. Students can earn points by participating in different ensembles, auditioning for regionals and all state groups, being a United Sound mentor, being in band council, taking private lessons, and a variety of other activities that enhance their musical experiences at CVHS. Generally in mid April, the students will "apply" for their letter and list all of their activities for the year that have earned them points. Points carry over from year to year, so it is beneficial for ALL students to apply for letters and save their points for the next year.

The CVHS BPO is incorporated as a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, complete with a charter, bylaws, and executive board of directors. The purpose of the organization is to provide for the needs of the CVHS Band program that are not already provided by the Gilbert Public School District. Many committees are in place to accomplish the extensive goals of the organization which are comprised of hundreds of volunteer parents, guardians, family members, etc.

Rising eighth grade parents are strongly encouraged to attend Band Booster meetings. A lot of the information discussed will only affect current marching band members, but you will have an opportunity to hear what events are coming up and to interact with other band parents.

General BPO meetings are held once a month from August through May. The exact day is determined based on the band schedule and availability of the board membes to be in attendance. Meetings are usually held in the band room at 6:30pm.

The band website (www.campoverdeband.com) is a great resource for information and upcoming events. Check out the Parent Page for links to agendas and minutes.

There are fundraisers throughout each school year, which are discussed at BPO meetings, well organized, and rely upon committees and volunteers to successfully happen. While the boosters do not want to overwhelm families with fundraising, we must also provide the opportunity for students and families to raise individual funds.

We hold an annual SnapRaise! event, host competitions and shows on campus, participate in football raffles and program ad sales, sell trailer ads, and pursue corporate sponsorship among other events. More information on each of these can be found in the committee descriptions on our website. These types of fundraisers are usually called "general fundraisers" that go into the savings account and benefit all students, not individual students.

1. Come to Band Camp Parents’ Night – Each booster committee will have a current parent member present. This provides a great opportunity to ask questions and find where you fit. 2. Volunteer – A multitude of opportunities exist such as helping at football games, invitational(s) (every parent is expected to work at an invitational each year), assist the field crew with the set-up/take-down of equipment and props for the marching band, chaperoning, and many others. A more complete list of volunteer opportunities is listed on the website under the Parent Page. 3. Come to the Band Booster meetings.

On most trips, there are two different opportunities for parents to travel along – as an official chaperone or as a “tag-along.” Chaperones are required to attend all aspects of the trip (bus rides, flights, competitions and activities) and will be responsible for supervising students on the trip. A “tag-along” travels with the band, but is only responsible for him or her self. "Tag-alongs" reserve their own flight and transportation, but can help out at various functions.