Please look under the Parent Information tab and click on Band Fee Info on the website for specific information regarding fees for your student (wind players, percussion, colorguard). The fees are similar for each group.

Although LISD is supportive of the band programs, they are unable to meet all of the needs required for a competitively successful band program. The band fees help offset some of the expenses incurred during the year with the balance paid through band booster fund raising.

The Fair Share fee is paid by every student participating and helps offset the cost of the clinicians, marching band techs, and percussion techs. Fair share also helps pay for props, transportation to competitions, equipment, resurfacing the marching pad and the upkeep of the band trailer.

The Meal fee is paid by every student to offset the cost of providing lunch everyday to all students during August marching band camp, dinner before every football game, before and during competitions and for special events as well as providing Gatorade and bottled water for each event. These nutritious meals insure the students are well fed, well hydrated and prepared to perform their best.

The Uniform fee is paid by marching band students to offset the cost of alterations and cleaning expenses for marching season as well as concert season. Because these uniforms are used for many years, it is imperative they are hemmed correctly, cleaned properly and kept in the band hall rather than at home.

The School Owned Instrument/Equipment fee is paid by all students using school owned instruments and equipment to offset the cost of cleaning, repairing and replacing equipment as necessary including percussionist and color guard.

All other equipment is purchased at registration and owned by the students: show t-shirts, uniform shorts, water bottles, garment bags, marching shoes, gloves, etc.

The band boosters accept cash (paid directly to the treasurer), checks or money orders as well as credit cards using Paypal. You do not need to have a Paypal account. Please go HERE for instructions on how to pay fees through Charms and Paypal. When making check or money order payments, please put your student’s name and what the payment is for on the memo line to insure your student’s account is properly credited. Payments can be dropped in the grey payment box mounted on the wall in the band director’s hallway or mailed to VRBB PO Box 3128, Cedar Park, TX 78630. Payment plans can be worked out individually with the treasurers during registration.

Additional expenses may be incurred by your student if he/she is missing part of their uniform on game/competition days. Additional uniform pieces (socks, gloves, show shirts and shorts) will be provided as needed, signed for by the student and “charged” to their student accounts. If the student returns “borrowed” items cleaned and in excellent shape (except for socks…these are non refundable), the charge will be removed from the student’s account.

The official calendar on Charms is the best way to stay informed about band activities. Important announcements will be made on the home page of the website as well. Band booster meetings are the best place to get detailed information about activities.

Please feel free to contact your band director during school hours either on their school phone or through their email. Please do not attempt to engage the band directors during football games or competitions as there is too much going on for the band directors to give you the attention you need.

All parents, guardians and family members who have students participating in marching band, Starline Dance Company and concert band are automatically band boosters. There is not a fee to become a booster. Do not hesitate to get involved because the VRHS band family is wonderfully supportive, positive and fun!

The band boosters provide the support needed to aid in the success of our band program including providing meals during band camp, game days, competition days and other social events, chaperoning each event and trip, manning the concession stand at designated events, assisting the front ensemble and battery with the loading, unloading and positioning of equipment for the show, fund raising, nursing care, uniform care, and anything else that needs to be done to assist our students and band directors.

On the website, click on the booster tab and then on the committee link and contact the person in charge of the committee you are interested in or simply contact the volunteer coordinator to see where the greatest need may be.

The band boosters will take whatever you are able to give. You will find the boosters to be encouraging and appreciative for the time you are able to give. And you will certainly feel more connected to the process, the parents, and your students by spending time with the band family.

Contact one of the members of the executive board through email or phone found on the boosters page on the website.

The band booster meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month during the year at 7:00pm in the band hall. All parents are welcome. It’s a great way to connect with other band parents and the band directors as well as become informed about all of the activities the boosters and the band students are involved in. Information is shared, discussed and voted on and the meetings generally last one hour.

Students will attend school all day. After school they will go out to practice for about an hour, come inside and be given an amount of time to dress and eat dinner (provided by Hospitality crew). The students will then go through check off of equipment with their section leader. It would be a good idea BEFORE Friday to get your new students to lay out their “equipment” and visually see that they have everything that they will need. If it’s left at home………..your student will be calling YOU. They will not be allowed to board the bus for the game unless they have ALL their equipment (t-shirt, instrument, music, flip folder, water bottle, garment bag, black shoes & socks, etc.). If they are missing any equipment they need to take care of this immediately.

If they have all of their equipment they will be given permission to board the buses. We will travel to the stadium and the students will unload the trailer and move to the stands. Students will have a specific spot to sit during the game. They are not allowed to move about the stands, talk to spectators and visit. They are there to do a job……1st half of the game they are creating spirit for the football team and mentally preparing for the half time show. During the last 10 minutes of the 2nd quarter, they will move to the warm up area of the field and begin warm up for the performance.

They return to the stands where cold water will be waiting for them to replenish fluids. 2nd half of the game is a little more relaxed in that they play more, receive a visit from officers of the visiting band etc. Bathroom breaks are done w/ a chaperone and in a group in the 2nd half of the game. We ask parents NOT to bring concession stand food to the students or to visit with them during the game. You can well imagine how it would affect the group if 100 parents wanted to come over and talk to their student. No concession stand food is allowed and will be taken up by the directors, drum majors, chaperones.

The band area in the stadium will be roped off and only band, staff, chaperones and sometimes past band students will be allowed in this area. Not only are visitors and passer-bys very distracting to the band and the directors, there is a massive amount of expensive equipment and personal belongings in this area that we don’t think any of us want to be responsible for replacing! If you need to get a message to your student, pass car keys, etc. flag down a chaperone and they will be happy to do it for you.

At the end of the game students proceed either to the buses or the trailer to load up and return to VRHS. It is always late for us!!!! We are usually the last ones to leave the stadium. Returning back to VRHS also requires some extra time. Students have to take off their uniform, hang and place correctly on the racks, unload the trailer and help bring in equipment.  Sometimes, the video tape of the half-time show will be shown in the band hall.  If you have not seen this process, it is worth hanging around the band hall to witness at least once. It is amazing how the students all work together to accomplish this task. Only after everything is done will the video tape be turned on. Each game night they will see the progress that all of their hard work has accomplished and they are so motivated to make it better each time. Parents are welcome and encouraged to join in the festivities!

It will be a late night! Home games around 11:00 pm; away games…….well Later! Please be flexible here and remember your student is part of a great program and is joining in on the fun and camaraderie and will be “up” this night. Go to the game, become involved, be supportive and your child (and you) will reap the benefits. If you do not plan on hanging around the band hall after a game or contest, please have your student call for pick up…..all return times are “guesstimates.”

All students are expected to ride the band buses both to and from each event.  If there is a very special circumstance where you feel you need to provide alternate transportation, please e-mail the directors, at least 48 hours in advance of the event.  Consideration will be made, but ultimately, permission will be granted or denied by the band directors.  This is in consideration of safety, accountability, and the perception of others who are also in many activities.  If permission is granted, please remind your student to remove all of their belongings from the bus upon arrival at the stadium since we will not have access to the bus until after the game.  A parent/legal guardian must show proof of identification to a chaperone and the chaperone will have you sign your student out on the bus roster.  If there is no note on the roster that the student is leaving early or if someone other than the parent/legal guardian is signing them out, permission will be needed from a director.  These rules are for your child’s safety so please respect the process and be patient with chaperones.

No one is allowed to enter the stands during a performance so don’t be surprised to see stadium staff at each entry to stop spectators. (I’m talking about entry into the stands, not the stadium) You will have to wait until the band is finished playing before stadium staff will let you in. Quickly find your seat before the next band begins their performance. This may seem silly but it is disruptive to the judges, the audience and the band. We want to be respectful and courteous to all involved. We want them both to be able to focus on their jobs without distraction from us. Please note that parking is usually a hassle so allow time for that.

Wear your school colors and sit together in the stands. In the past, the kids have commented on how great it is to look into the stands and see the big splash of red, cheering them on. VRHS Band knows we are there to support and encourage them and we are a proud bunch! If you are there early, claim your spot and when you see familiar faces or shirts entering the stands, wave them down. The prime spot is on the 50 and up high! This is a wonderful time to enjoy the camaraderie of the band family. The spirit committee will try and communicate where the majority of parents are sitting via Remind messages and Facebook, so look to those resources for info.

Cheer like mad when the band enters and exits the field. This really pumps them up and makes a statement to the judges. Bring signs, wave banners, whistle, scream, and clap. The more cheering, the better!

When a really cool formation takes shape, whenever you see the horns tilt up to the press box for an impact statement and you hear that really big sound, when the soloists or ensemble complete their piece, whenever a featured section (i.e., drum line) knocks your socks off with their playing, when the Color Guard creates a visually stunning special effect, and when you get goose bumps because the sound is so awesome.

During the performance do not use any Noisemakers or Whistle as that might interfere with the judge’s ability to hear the music and it will distract the performers…especially at certain contests, where audience noisemakers can actually result in points being taken off a band’s score.

Remember that as parents we are also representing our band and are an example to our children. Certainly applaud for other bands; especially Leander, Rouse, Cedar Park and Vandergrift when they look and sound great, but save some for when our band is on the field! Please have some common courtesy for others by turning off cell phones or putting them on vibrate and wait the few minutes it takes for the program to end to return that call. Keep talking down to a whisper during the performance and do not enter/exit the stands, change seats, etc. Please refrain from talking negatively about another band’s performance. You never know when a family member of that group may be sitting near you and hear your conversation. We want everyone to represent our school with class and professionalism.

Group pictures may be taken after the performances. Information about group pictures will be communicated by the band directors.

There are plenty of opportunities here. T- Shirts, videos, patches, jewelry, etc. There is usually an “event” t-shirt which lists the performing bands on the back and an event patch. You can also order these on line. Almost everything on sale at one contest will also be on sale at another one so don’t feel pressured to buy.

You can buy separate tickets to the prelims and finals or you can by a day pass which will get you in to both. Please note that the stadium is completely cleared between prelim and finals. If you are going to both, it is probably better to purchase the day pass.

The directors will usually send a schedule home with the students by Tuesday or Wednesday. It will include report time, rehearsal time, departure, lunch, and other pertinent information.

Buses are generally icy cold so send your student prepared with a jacket or small blanket. (Blanket sharing is not allowed). Send snacks for the return trip, but know that buses are generally full so any cooler must be able to slip under the seat. Sharing coolers is a good idea. Students can bring movies to watch on the bus but only G or PG is allowed. This is a district policy; remember some of our students are barely 14. Personal music players are allowed but they are the students’ responsibility.

The med bag is stocked with only the basics. Send any specialty drugs in their original bottle clearly labeled and the band staff and the “med-parent” will keep it and administer as instructed.

No Video or Audio Recordings

BOA (Bands of America) has specifically asked us to inform you that there is absolutely no video or audio recordings allowed in the stadium. No personal recording devices will be allowed into the stadium. Any such recording will be confiscated. There will be a professional video production company which makes and sells tapes of the performance. They are expensive. (Personally, I would pick up the order form at their booth and decide later if you want to order. On the order form it has the address and number and probably the website). However, video and audio recordings are allowed at U.I.L. Marching Contests.

Upon request of the Band Directors, do not try and track down your student in the parking lot or warm up area BEFORE the competition. They start preparing for the contest before they step off the bus and they are on a strict time schedule. If you are worried because they haven’t been feeling well, rest assured that there is a designated chaperone with the med bag that follows the band around to address needs. Every contest has also EMS on the premises.

After the performance, you can try to track them down to congratulate them on a great show before they board the buses. However, be aware that ONLY BAND MEMBERS AND STAFF may board buses. This is a security issue. Students leave all of their belongings on the bus and the staff takes every precaution to safeguard them. Also, the buses are very crowded as it is and some of the students are trying to rest. If you need to speak with your student, ask a chaperone or another student and they will gladly get him/her for you. Parents, siblings, relatives and friends are asked not to board buses at any time.

If you need to check your student off the bus after the contest, you must send a written request to their band director prior to the contest day. It is rare, but the situation may not allow for individuals to depart early. The band directors are very gracious in trying to grant these requests, but occasionally it is just not possible. It also makes it more difficult for chaperones and directors to be accountable for the many students involved in that trip/contest. It is appreciated if all can depart and return together. When permission to depart early is granted, the written request you sent will be placed in the bus folder so the chaperone of that bus will know ahead of time. You will have to track down the bus in the parking lot (follow the band out of the stadium) and check them out with the chaperone by showing proper I.D.

UIL Rules state students who are ineligible to participate because of failing grades may not associate with the band in any way before, during or after the contest. (This is also true for games.) Failure to abide by this rule could bring on sanctions by U.I.L for the entire school.