Glacier Peak High School Band Booster Club

FAQ

Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions for the 2023-2024 school year.

General questions

Where can I find information about the GPHS band program?
What different band groups are offered?
  • Grizzly Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz I, Jazz II
  • See the Band Handbook (available at grizzlyband.org)
  • Refer to the Course Description Handbook (given to students during the registration period)
What groups require an audition? When are auditions?
  • Jazz Bands & Wind Ensemble require auditions depending on instruments.
  • Jazz auditions occur in September & January, Wind Ensemble auditions occur in April or May.
How many concerts are held each year?
  • Each group performs 4 concerts per year (Fall, Winter, Early Spring & Spring)
  • Concert, Symphonic, Wind Ensemble and Percussion play during two consecutive evenings (2 groups per night) to accommodate all the families in our Performing Art Center.
  • Jazz I and II perform on a separate night in conjunction with the Jazz ensembles from Snohomish High School.
How can parents get involved with GPHS Band?
Are there additional practices beyond school hours?
  • Members of the Grizzly Band will attend Band Camp in the summer and participate in rehearsals Thursday evenings during Football season
  • Those participating in special events and trips will have practices outside of school hours
How many field trips & events are there?
  • There is “usually” one optional trip per year. In past years it’s been to Silverwood, Disney Land, and Hawaii.
  • For the 2023-2024 school year band members may participate in a trip to Silverwood. It is a long weekend trip, overnights in Spokane, playing at a music festival in Coeur d’Alene, ID and a day spent at Silverwood Amusement Park
  • Some groups will go on field trips throughout the year
  • There are several opportunities to participate in individual fundraisers to assist in paying for these trips

Costs and fundraising

What type of fundraising is available? Is fundraising required?
  • The band boosters will arrange for “general” fundraisers that benefit the band groups as a whole, & â€śindividual” fundraisers that benefit students who participate in the fundraising activity
  • All fundraising opportunities will be communicated to the group by the GPHS Band Boosters
  • NO fundraising activities are mandatory to any family
  • We also sell concessions at least once during the football and basketball seasons and this money goes to the ASB to offset the cost of field trips
What expenses are covered by the general group fundraisers?
  • Specialized instructors/clinicians (jazz clinicians, band sectionals, drum line), band music folders, new music, scholarships
What expenses can “individual” fundraising dollars be used for?
  • Over the course of the year students may participate in optional events or trips. Funds built up for individual fundraising may be used for any band fees or events.
What happens if I raise “individual” fundraising dollars and I don’t use them before graduating?
  • Funds earned through fundraisers cannot be cashed out. Any funds earned through fundraising that a student does not use by the time they graduate will be rolled over to the Booster Scholarship account that is used to help students in need or it can be rolled over to a younger sibling participating in band.
What extra costs are involved by being part of the band program?
  • Certain field trips require a fee to participate (amounts vary).
  • There is an initial cost for uniforms used for each band program.
Is there financial assistance available?
  • Yes. The GPHS Band Boosters provide a limited number of scholarships for Grizzly Band fees, concert uniform costs, and field trip fees for those with financial need.
  • The financial assistance request form is available on the website at grizzlyband.org/forms
  • All families involved with band are asked to participate through supporting fundraising activities and through volunteering to assist in various activities.  This involvement allows the booster club to continue to provide financial aid when needed and helps to sustain the high quality band program at Glacier Peak.

Required uniforms

Uniforms options for Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Jazz II
  • Option 1: Black dress slacks, a black long-sleeved button-down shirt, black belt, black socks and solid black dress shoes. All to be acquired by student on their own.
  • Option 2: Your choice of two full length black dress options provided, black tights or nylons and solid black dress shoes. Dresses may be altered for sizing needs only (hem and/or taken in). No other alterations are allowed. No other dresses allowed. The dresses cost between $67-79. We have purchased a sizing line and will have fittings during band camp.  We’ll also fit students during the first full week of school. The boosters will place a bulk order for these and will email out order details and deadline when school starts. Order here
Uniforms options for Wind Ensemble, and Jazz I
  • Option 1: Black tuxedo, white long-sleeved button-down shirt with a black bow tie (no vest or cummerbund is necessary), black socks, and solid black dress shoes. All to be acquired by student on their own.
  • Option 2: Your choice of two full length black dress options provided, black tights or nylons and solid black dress shoes. Dresses may be altered for sizing needs only (hem and/or taken in). No other alterations are allowed. No other dresses allowed. The dresses cost between $67-79. We have purchased a sizing line and will have fittings during band camp.  We’ll also fit students during the first full week of school. The boosters will place a bulk order for these and will email out order details and deadline when school starts. Order here
Uniforms options for Percussion Ensemble
  • Black custom Polo shirt, to be ordered through the boosters during the first few weeks of school, ($39-47), must be tucked-in. Ordering is done by the Boosters during the beginning of the school year.
  • Black slacks, black dress belt, black dress socks, and solid black dress shoes (all to be acquired by student on their own)

The Grizzly Band

What is Grizzly Band?
  • It is the band that the general public thinks of as our high school band.  It is the “face” of GPHS Bands.
  • It is the Marching/Pep Band that supports GPHS teams by performing at all home football games (marching and in the stands); selected boys’ and girls’ basketball games and community parades.
  • Any GPHS student (whether enrolled in band or not) can be a member of the Grizzly Band.
  • Participation is highly recommended for incoming freshmen.
If it is not a required class/group, why should my student participate?
  • IT’S FUN!!!  Football & basketball games, parades, pep assemblies and fun music all the time!
  • It is a great opportunity for incoming freshman to meet upperclassmen and create friendships before school starts (during  summer Band Camp) which can reduce a lot of stress going into a new year in a new school.
  • Membership in Grizzly Band is required to letter in band.  Earning a letter involves being part of the school community and not just earning points for individual tasks.  (See Band Handbook for details on how to letter in band).
  • The band in an integral part in building pride in our school and music program.
  • Because any student can participate in Grizzly Band and not be enrolled in a band class – this is sometimes a good option for a student to stay involved in music when their schedule doesn’t allow room to have a band class as an elective.
How does my student become part of the Grizzly Band? Do I register with the school directly?
  • To become a Grizzly Band member, you will register and pay for membership through the GPHS Band Boosters (this will be sent to you via email toward the end of the school year) and available on the grizzlyband.org website).
  • Attend Band Camp. If you are unable to attend Band Camp you can still join. See Mr Morris for information.
  • Become an ASB Member (purchase an ASB Card from GPHS)
How much is the Grizzly Band membership fee?
  • This fee is subject to change each year due to fluctuations in cost for uniform cleaning and instructor fees.  For the 2023-2024 school year it is $180.
What does the Grizzly Band membership fee cover?
  • The fee is used to hire instructors, development of the marching show, providing the music used for all Grizzly Band events, uniform use for football games, uniform maintenance, alterations, & cleaning, occasional pre-game meals/ice-cream socials, transportation to & from the games, and a Grizzly Band T-Shirt that is worn at all other pep band events. T-shirts cannot be altered.
What if I can’t afford the Grizzly Band membership fee?
  • The Band Boosters offer a limited number of need based scholarships for the Grizzly Band membership fee.  A financial assistance request form can be found at grizzlyband.org.
When is Band Camp?
  • Monday-Friday, the second week of August.  For the 2022-2023 school year it will be August 7th-11th.  Band Camp runs from 8am-4pm each day.
What if my student cannot attend Band Camp?
  • They can still be part of the Grizzly Band, but they will not be able to perform in the half-time marching show of the home football games (they can still play with the band in the stands).  The purpose of Band Camp is to learn the music and marching formations and attendance is required to be able to march.
  • Depending on the number of students in Grizzly Band, if your student doesn’t attend Band Camp they may or may not be issued a uniform.  We have volunteers available during camp specifically to fit and assign all members with their uniform for the year.  Some years we have not had enough uniforms for every student and it is during Band Camp we measure and order additional track suits for sections that will not be in traditional uniforms.  We need all members available at camp to make these decisions and place orders.  We may not have volunteers available after school starts to fit your student.
Do I still have to pay the Grizzly Band membership fee if my student can’t attend camp?
  • Yes.  The fee is to be a member of the Grizzly Band, NOT a Band Camp fee.
Are there additional Grizzly Band practices beyond the Band Camp week?
  • Yes.  After Band Camp and until school starts there are usually marching and pep music rehearsals on Thursday evenings from 7-9pm.  After school starts they have marching and pep music rehearsals on the Thursday night before a home football game, 7-9pm.

Percussion and Drum Line

Do percussionists attend Band Camp?  I’ve heard there is a separate Drum Line Camp.
  • Yes, percussionists attend Band Camp.
  • Yes, there is a separate Drum Line Camp the week before Band Camp.
  • Drum Line Camp is optional (but highly recommended!).  You do not have to do Drum Line Camp to be a percussionist in Grizzly Band.
  • Percussionists who attend Drum Line Camp get an opportunity to meet the current drum line members early, and get to know our drum line instructor Jerry Garcia.  They will also get the opportunity to work on the exercises used during Band Camp for the Marching Drum Line.
When is Drum Line Camp?
  • The week prior to Band Camp. For the 2023-2024 school year it is July 31st-August 4th.
  • It runs from about 6pm-9:15pm each day. (The first day of camp may begin earlier than the other days.)
What is the cost for Drum Line Camp?
  • This fee is subject to change each year due to fluctuations in cost for the use of facilities and instructors.  For the 2023-2024 school year it is $85.
Is there financial assistance offered for Drum Line Camp?
  • Yes.  You can use the financial assistance request form found on grizzlyband.org under “Forms”.