Tips for Marching Band Parents

Tips from some of our Booster Parents:

We congratulate you on encouraging your kids to participate in the band program at Carroll. We truly think it is the best program at Carroll High School in which your child can participate. It combines artistic talent, musical ability, physical endurance, and mental acuity. It provides many friends, a sense of belonging, and a sense of great accomplishment and pride. 

Here are some answers to questions that we all had when we first came into the band program:

Fundamentals week practices will start in the band room.  You can drop off and pick up your kid at Door 40.   Once band camp starts, the kids practice out on the practice field on the west end of the Carroll property behind the tennis courts.  Your directors will inform the kids if they will start practice in the band room or on the practice field.

Use this web site frequently! It is filled with calendars, schedules, pictures, and lots of info. 

Make sure your current e-mail address is updated on Charms so that you can receive the latest info about all things band!

When school starts, your kids will be practicing each week (see calendar), through the beginning of November. Come to watch the end of Thursday night practices. You get to hear the progress the kids have made and cheer them on. 

Come to Booster meetings. It’s how you really know what’s going on, and if you don’t know, you can ask! 

Band costs money! Participate in Scrip. It helps pay band fees, trip fees.  If you participate in Scrip, you could possibly pay for all of it thru Scrip.

Band camp is hard work! Your kids may get discouraged from all the drill and being in the hot sun. Sympathize and let them know that it doesn’t last forever. Eventually they will “get it” – that all of that hard work was necessary to achieve the goal of an excellent show. And send in big water jugs for them to drink from and lots of sun screen – they’ll need it.

Your kids will march at home football games and support our school and Neon Nation community.  But these football game half-time performances also serve as dress rehearsals for what happens on Saturdays.  Your kids will be busy every Saturday from just after Labor Day until the end of October/early November with either a competition and/or all-day rehearsal. They will be going to Band Invitational competitions throughout the state.  So don’t let your Saturdays get filled up by other things this fall. You will want to go to as many of these competitions as you can. There is a huge thrill watching these kids perform. It is hard to describe the pride you feel when you see these very talented students take the field. Do not miss it. There are many many parents that go to these things.  Just look for the big block of parents dressed in Charger shirts and come sit by us.   AFTER THE COMPETITION AWARDS, come back to the Carroll Charger Pride semi trailer (affectionately called, "Big Blue") where the kids will gather and the staff may offer final thoughts of the performance (if time allows).  Find your kid and give them a big hug for a great show!

Order Spirit wear. Show your Charger Pride!

When the kids get their band pictures taken this summer, ORDER THE PHOTO BUTTONS! We all wear our buttons to the competitions so we know which kid you belong to! 

Cherish these final school years with your kids. Get involved! High school seems to go about twice as fast as the other school years. To be able to participate with your son or daughter in this program is a great way to connect with your kids and it’s an incredible gift that will never be forgotten.