Message from the Jacks, our booster president:

Band BBQ is a go!  Mark your calendars for July 31st!  We will be reaching out for volunteers and will be sending out ticket packets.  Let’s make our annual tradition a great one.
Band BBQ packets will go out via our band leadership.  Connect with your section leaders for more details! More info at the bottom of this post.

Sponsoring Alumni.  Our new Sponsoring Alumni program is up and running.  Thank you to all who have supported the Legacy of the Trojan Band.  For more information please visit: http://chstrojanbandboosters.square.site

Trojan March 5k and Golf Tournament.  We are looking for passionate volunteers who have experience and would like to coordinate our 5k (to happen next March) and our new Golf Tournament (to happen next June).  Reach out to Joshua Jack at (678) 628-4306 for more info.

Prop Crew, Great Work!

We had a wonderful time working alongside our parents this past Saturday deconstructing the wagons and beginning the construction of this year’s props. We will have another prop building meeting very soon. Please keep an eye out for an announcement.

Quick Review of the Week:

• Monday: Percussion
  • 12pm – 2:30pm (Snare, Tenor, Flub)
  • 2:30pm – 5:00pm (Bass Drums)
  • 5:00pm – 7:30pm (Front Ensemble/Anyone who hasn’t been able to attend yet)
• Tuesday: Guard 12pm – 3pm
• Wednesday: Guard 12pm – 3pm
• Thursday: Rookies 6pm -8pm (Vets are welcome too!)

Note about Percussion Instrument Placement

In marching band, we have limited positions for each instrument. We need all of the different instruments covered for our band to be the best that we can be, and fill those positions via a clinic process which allows the students to demonstrate their current abilities. When making the decision we decide on instrumentation that is best for the band. With this said, we understand that the clinics in June are voluntary and they will remain that way. If a child does not feel comfortable attending in June, we will find a way to allow that child to demonstrate their abilities on their preferred instrument, before finalizing instrumentation.

Last week was better! Thank you for your extra efforts to help us be cautious

Quick reminder that we will continue the following guidelines to help us remain cautious:

• Wear a mask to rehearsal for when maintaining a 6 foot distance is more challenging and if a student needs to enter the building.
• Remind your child to please adhere to the 6 foot social distancing guidelines, especially before and after rehearsals.
• Students will visit the hand sanitizing station first when they arrive to receive hand sanitizer.
  • Percussion on Monday will report to the band room for equipment. Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance of the building. Students will be screened and hand sanitizer applied before entering the building. Students will move 1 piece a tape a time to their equipment, gather it, and report outside. Once outside, they will set up their equipment at a proper distance to prepare for rehearsal.
  • Guard on Tuesday and Wednesday will report to under the home stands. Hand sanitizer will be applied as they walk up the band stairs to the home stands as they walk towards the rehearsal area. Bathrooms under the home stands will be available to them during their rehearsal.
  • Rookies on Thursday will enter the band field from the bridge, maintaining social distance if a line forms by utilizing the grassy area adjacent to the visitors parking lot, or wrapping around into the green belt. Masks will be worn at this time until rehearsal starts to ensure that if social distancing is a challenge, risk will be further limited. Students will receive hand sanitizer as they step off the bridge.
• These added procedures in addition to your help in educating your child about the importance of respecting one another and taking the situation seriously will help us to continue with camps and provide the safest possible environment for all of our students and staff.

HEALTH CLASS has started

We are fortunate to provide a health class for our incoming 9th graders during the summer. The online class coupled with participation in marching band allows our students to receive credit for Health and PE, which satisfies a graduation requirement. There are 3 requirements that must be met for students to qualify for credit:

1. Completion of the eADAP course through the GA DDS website. Information on how to register and complete this course can be found in the Health Google Classroom. Once you complete the course, please print out your certificate and turn it in to Mr. Carr. This certificate is worth 3 exam grades.
2. Completion of the online course administered by Mr. Carr via Google Classroom. The first exam was due last Friday – no need to panic however if you haven’t started. Mr. Carr will accept the work late without penalty, but asks that you get started this week so that you can get caught up and finish before the school year starts. The earlier that you complete your work, the happier that you will be when school starts. There are only 9 exams, scheduled 1 a week. It would be very easy to complete 2 or 3 in a week if you were highly motivated.
3. Participation in marching band, with satisfactory attendance. It is the documentation of the number of hours of physical activity that Mr. Carr provides that qualifies you for the PE credit.

More information about our health class can be found by following the Health in Band link at the top.

DONATIONS NEEDED

Thank you to those who were able to donate last week! Your help in keeping all of our students safe is very much appreciated! We are still collecting the following items and storing them for use throughout the year.

• Large bottle of hand sanitizer, pump style please (we will use this the most)
• Lysol/Clorox disinfectant wipes
• Masks, cloth masks are acceptable – it doesn’t have to be medical grade

Upcoming Camps – Reminders of Items Students Need

All students need a mask for when they need to enter the band building and all students need access to personal water. We have limited the camps to 3 hours max and they will mainly be low intensity in activity. Visit the calendar for specific details on dates and times.

Safety Procedures for all camps – read first

• All camps in June are voluntary. Anyone who does not yet feel comfortable should not attend and will not face any penalty.
• Anyone who has knowingly been exposed to COVID-19 within the past 2 weeks should not participate.
• Staff and students will be screened upon arrival and throughout the camps for signs of illness, such as fever over 100.4 degrees Farenheit, cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell. It is important that if you have symptoms to stay home and monitor your symptoms and seek medical attention if they worsen or are severe.
• Students who may show symptoms after arrival will be quarantined on campus until a parent can pick them up. If the student drove to rehearsal, a parent will be contacted and the student will be told to return home.
• Unnecessary visitors are prohibited and parents should remain in their vehicles while dropping off or picking up students.
• Parents who need to visit the band room, should only visit the area closest to Ms. Dothard’s desk in the lobby.
• Staff and students who enter the building will wear a mask.
• We will limit groups to twenty (20) persons or less, including staff and children, in a space where all persons gathered cannot maintain at least six (6) feet of distance between themselves and any other person.
  • We plan on being outside for the camps and maintain a six (6) foot distance, except when we need to gather equipment or to use the restroom. The band room has been taped off in six (6) foot intervals to allow safe distancing while retrieving equipment, and one student will be permitted in the building at a time to use the restroom. We hope that with a 3 hour max, that many students may not need the restroom facilities, but they will be available to individuals if needed.
• We have designated days that we are rehearsing with different groups to allow the same staff and children to work with the same group for the duration of the camp.
• Students need to have personal access to water during the camp. Currently, the CDC recommends to not share food or to use communal drinking sources.
• The staff will clean and disinfect our classroom and high traffic areas before and after camp each day, and we will be outside during the actual camp.
• Our bathrooms will be cleaned and sanitized throughout the day.
• Students need to be prepared to be outside – wear sunscreen, athletic clothing, athletic shoes. Please do not allow your child to wear jeans, boots, or flip flops. Hats and sunglasses are also advisable.
• All CHS owned/stored equipment will be disinfected and wiped down daily before and after use.

Specific Instructions for Voluntary Guard Camps

• The following are in addition to our general procedures above
• Ramon and I will prepare all equipment on Monday, June 1 ahead of the start of camp on the 2nd.
• Equipment will be disinfected and assigned to each member of the guard. Students will not share equipment.
• All students should report directly to the band practice field (the field closest to Buffalo Creek in front of the Elementary School). If you want to drop your child off in front of the field, please be facing the Junior High while on Ben Scott Blvd, so that your child doesn’t have to cross traffic. The visitor’s parking lot is a great place to park and drop off/pick up your child as well.
• Before and after rehearsal still practice a minimum of six (6) feet spacing between you and others.
• We will rehearse Tuesdays and Wednesdays in June (beginning this Tuesday and ending on July 1) from 12pm – 3pm. Be prepared to be outside – sunscreen, etc.
• Rehearsal ends at 3pm, please do not congregate on campus after rehearsal.

Specific Instructions for Voluntary Rookie (Wind) Camps

• The following are in addition to our general procedures above
• We will not yet use instruments. Many of our school owned instruments are still in the shop being disinfected and repaired. It will be safe to assume not to bring your instrument until an announce is made otherwise. I hope that you continue to practice at home, please.
• All students should report directly to the band practice field (the field closest to Buffalo Creek in front of the Elementary School). If you want to drop your child off in front of the field, please be facing the Junior High while on Ben Scott Blvd, so that your child doesn’t have to cross traffic. The visitor’s parking lot is a great place to park and drop off/pick up your child as well.
• We will be focused on marching fundamentals. Wear athletic clothing with athletic shoes that are comfortable to move in.
• Before and after rehearsal still practice a minimum of six (6) feet spacing between you and others.
• We rehearse on Thursdays in June beginning this Thursday from 6pm – 8pm. Be prepared to be outside – the sun will still be out.
• Rehearsal ends at 8pm, please do not congregate on campus after rehearsal.

Specific Instructions for Voluntary Percussion Camps

• The following are in addition to our general procedures above
• Students will need access to their own drum sticks. Mr. Nelson made this announcement last month.
• Students need a mask for when entering the building to get equipment. The band room has been taped off in six (6) foot intervals to guide students in maintaining safe distance from one another. Students will enter the front of the building, progressing from tape to tape until it is their turn to access their equipment individually. The student will exit the back door and make their way to the practice field for rehearsal.
• Front ensemble equipment will be stored in the garage area so that students can easily access equipment and move it to the band parking area for their rehearsal.
• The visitor’s parking lot is a great place to park and drop off/pick up your child as well.
• This first camp is on Monday, June 8 and we will rehearse from 12pm – 3pm. Check the calendar for the following weeks because times will vary based on instrument.
• Since this group will be using equipment that is too large to send home, we will disinfect and wipe down all equipment multiple times throughout rehearsal and specifically before and after use of the equipment each day.
  

RECAP

• Students need access to their OWN water bottle, as we will NOT have access to water fountains
• Students need a mask for if/when entering the building
• Students need access to their OWN equipment — (Guard is being assigned at first meeting, percussion need sticks/mallets, and winds will not use equipment yet).

Have you turned in your marching band forms?

You can access your forms in our student handbook

2020 – 2021 Band Handbook

Stay in communication – We need to be able to contact you, please sign-up

1. Subscribe to our website by entering your e-mail address in the upper right hand corner of this page.
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It is important to stay in communication because although we are planning commencing some activities in June, if the situation does not improve then we will make decisions to alter the schedule. Our students’ health and safety will always remain our top priority. Some may think that the excitement to start activities may be to remain competitive, but honestly, it is to fulfill the social needs of our students. Our students thrive when working together and we want to be able to provide that for them as soon as it is safe to reconvene.

Band BBQ – July 31

Updated BBQ Presale Form — We need your help selling tickets! They have been published on Facebook as well. Thank you for sharing with friends, family, co-workers, and our community! This year we plan on raffling off some of the frozen meat that we still have in the freezer as well as a few other door prizes. It is going to be a fun evening!

The Band BBQ will be held on Friday, July 31, the last day of band camp. It will be in conjunction with “Trojan Night” which is the performance evening to capstone Band Camp. We will need volunteers for that day to set up and sell BBQ in addition to needing volunteers to help with serving lunch and clean up that day. If you can be available, we thank you for your help!

Senior Class of 2020, we invite you to join us for Trojan Night so that we can honor you appropriately. We are sad that we are unable to perform Battle Hymn for you and conduct our shoe and sock ceremony this school year. We would be honored if you would allow us to celebrate you at the end of band camp. You would join us on the field after the Band Camp performance to perform a couple of your favorite stands tunes and then be recognized individually.

Below is a sketch of the itinerary for the evening:

Skits start at 6:00PM • Field Show 7:00PM • Stands Tunes 7:30PM • Battle Hymn 7:45PM • Candle Light Ceremony • 8:15PM