Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
About the Oldham County High School Band
Q. Why should my child be in the Oldham County High School Band?
A. Every child needs the opportunity to experience situations that will build character and life skills--making and keeping commitments, solving problems, dealing with group dynamics, teamwork, etc. Band members are placed into many decision-making situations. Band membership offers the chance to exercise one’s talent and experience the satisfaction of a job well done.
Q. How is High School band different from Middle School band?
A. High school band is a credit course and involves a greater number of performances. Individual performance expectations (skills) are also considerably higher. Students must audition for placement in the appropriate band class for their demonstrated level of proficiency. All members are expected to attend after-school rehearsals, concert and marching performances, KMEA-sponsored small and large ensemble festivals, football and basketball games (pep band), and invest a minimum of one hour per week in individual practice. Marching band (a required component of the band program for all participants) requires attendance at a one-week summer band camp and twice-weekly summer rehearsals during the month of July. Students earn one elective academic credit per year toward graduation requirements.
Q. When is Band Camp?
A. Band camp is traditionally scheduled during the last full week of July (2016 dates: July 24-28). Band camp rehearsals begin daily at 8:30 a.m. and conclude in each evening at 8:30 p.m. During camp, students learn marching fundamentals, drill and music for the halftime shows at home games and performance in the stands.
Q. Is attendance at band camp mandatory?
A. YES. Vacations and doctors’ appointments should not be scheduled during band camp week. Attendance at all rehearsals is vital to our development of a cohesive ensemble.
Q. Does the band practice after school?
A. YES. During marching season, students will rehearse one afternoon each week (Thursday) from 3:45-6:00 p.m. Concert band rehearsals after school begin in late October, and are held on Tuesday OR Wednesday from 3:45-5:00 depending upon the concert band you are assigned to. Alternative rehearsal days are scheduled when we have an early-release Wednesday. All after-school rehearsals are required activities (graded).
Q. When and where are the band competitions?
A. Because the Marching Colonels are a non-competitive group, they do not participate in marching contests. They will perform at all home football games, the Oldham County Day parade, and other selected community events. Concert festivals, all-county/all-state auditions, and Solo and Ensemble festival provide a healthy element of “competition” at the individual and group level.
Q. How will band affect my child’s schoolwork and grades?
A. Many parents discover there is actually an improvement in focus on schoolwork and grades. Band students often gravitate toward more challenging courses and are usually very successful. ACT/SAT scores of band students have been found to be generally much higher as a group than scores of students who have no band experience—and the longer the participation, the higher the scores tend to be! Band kids learn to budget time more effectively, and gain a disciplined approach to learning—things that can transfer to any subject. Roughly half the members of the OCHS band are on the A-B honor roll each semester; many are Beta Club or National Honor Society members.
Q. Is it possible to be in the band and other extracurriculars/athletics at the same time?
A. YES. In 2016-17, the band included students who were involved in girls’ and boys’ soccer, girls’ and boys’ lacrosse, cross-country, track, and tennis. In addition, several students are involved in broadcast journalism, drama, and other activities. While varsity football players may not have an on-the-field position in the marching band due to conflicting practice and game schedules, they have held a marching performance spot in the past, and have performed in halftime shows! Students playing other sports should be able to participate in Friday night performances (football games) and our single after-school rehearsal each week.
Band students involved in athletics are expected to inform coaches of their responsibilities to the band program and work out any conflicts with rehearsals and practice with their team. Required band performances in conflict with games are worked out on an individual basis; in almost every case, the student can actually do both! We make every necessary effort to avoid putting the student “in the middle” between his/her team and the band program, and have asked coaches to do the same.
Q. What is the required dress for performances?
A. The band performs in uniform at all functions. Marching band uniforms are the responsibility of each student. Marching uniforms are taken home periodically to be laundered and returned to the band room; marching shoes are purchased at the beginning of the year, and are the property of the student. A concert uniform (tux coat, pants, cummerbund and tie) is issued to each male student; ladies are expected to purchase a black concert dress, and gentlemen will purchase their own tux shirt (ordered through the band uniform chairperson). A small uniform fee is paid at the beginning of the school year to maintain the uniforms. Band uniforms are not stored at home by individual students (ladies’ dresses are the exception).
Q. I have heard that band is very expensive. Please give me an idea of the costs involved.
A. The money you spend for your child to be in the band is a wise investment in their development as young adults. Fees over the past five years have ranged from $300-600 per year ($430 total in 17-18), and include fees for transportation costs, uniform rental, camp, and a participation fee covering a portion of the general operating expenses of the program. All fees are due and payable at registration for school in early August; if necessary, payment plans (monthly, etc.) can be arranged with the school bursar. The remainder of funding (approximately 45% of our total budget) comes from fundraising efforts on the part of the OCHS Band Boosters and the students themselves, with profit from all fundraising efforts benefiting the entire program. We are constantly looking for ways to reduce the cost per student without negative impact on the quality of the program. Without adequate funding for even the most basic needs from the school system, we are sadly in the position of providing much of what is here for ourselves.
Major trips (usually scheduled every two years for all students during the spring semester) will add to the cost depending upon trip length and distance traveled. Our last trip of this type was to the Grand National Adjudicators Invitational in Chattanooga in April of 2017; our next opportunity for this kind of trip will be in spring 2019.
Q. Are there ways to offset band fees?
A. Current interpretation of IRS regulations governing the use of fundraising profits by tax-exempt, school or charitable organizations (as the OCHS Band Boosters) do not allow crediting of profits or a split of proceeds from work projects to be assigned to individual students. To do so would put individual families in the position of assuming liability for paying taxes on the proceeds (read: “income”), and would jeopardize the Band Boosters 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation. As a result of this interpretation and per the instructions of the OCBE and their legal representatives, we do not credit individual students or families of students for their effort on fundraising projects.
We continue working to reduce participation expenses and fees in an effort to keep band affordable for anyone who wants to be a part. Approximately 45% of our budget must be raised by efforts benefiting the entire group—and we must have the effort of every participant and family in the ENTIRE GROUP to achieve our budget goals.
A budget shortfall due to weak fundraising efforts will ultimately result in a substantial reduction in the quality and scope of the opportunities available to our students through the band program.