Frequently Asked Questions
About High School Band
How does my child sign up for high school band? |
| Eighth graders should register for band classes at spring registration in February. Brass and woodwind players should register for Marching Band for the fall and/or either Concert Band or Symphonic Band for spring. Percussionists should register for Drumline for fall and/or Percussion Ensemble for spring. |
Will my child be able to participate in other activities at school? |
| YES! Students in the band also belong to French Club, German Club, Latin Club, Science Club, Math Team, Quiz Bowl, Mock Trial, Key Club, Thespian Society, Ampersand, Yearbook Staff, Tomahawk Talk staff, Chorus, Show Choir, and many other clubs at the school. Band students are represented on the football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, and tennis teams, as well as cross-country, track, cheerleading and wrestling. Many band students are leaders of these clubs. |
Will my child be able to keep up with homework and academic requirements? |
| ABSOLUTELY! There is a wealth of research documenting the correlation between participation in school music programs, particularly instrumental music, and higher test scores and academic achievement. Many band students are on the honor roll, members of Beta Club and the National Honor Society and receive academic awards throughout the year. The extra-curricular requirements are minimal for band students, allowing more time for home-work, tutoring and studies. Marching band students find that they are learning to manage their time more effectively and waste less time watching TV or playing video games. |
Will my child be able to earn the required credits for graduation? |
| Yes! With careful planning a student’s schedule can be arranged to allow band to be taken every year and still meet all graduation requirements. A sample course schedule is provided on another page. |
Will my child benefit from the band program? |
| OF COURSE! No other activity in the school offers the combination of intellectual challenge, artistic expression and development, leadership, teamwork, school spirit, community service and socialization of the band program. The award-winning OCHS band program is one of the greatest activities your child could choose to be involved in. |
What about marching band? |
Marching band is an extra-curricular activity of the band program. Students are not required to march - BUT - participation is strongly encouraged. The band experience is not complete without the marching element. The best recommendation is for students to at least try marching band in the 9th grade.
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How much does it cost? |
$315 This fee includes a $250 participation fee (for all students), $40 for uniform pants and $25 for marching shoes. The pants and shoes should last all four years if well-cared for. Payments may be broken into 3 installments. An initial deposit of $40 is due in May with the payments due at band camp in July and in October. Parents may choose to participate in optional fund-raising opportunities to help off-set these expenses. It is the goal of the OCHS band program not to exclude any student for financial reasons. Please contact the director with any questions or concerns about the marching band costs. Please don’t miss this opportunity solely because it seems too expensive. There is no fee for taking a band class. Fees are for marching band students only. Questions?? Mark Provost Oconee County High School Bands mprovost@oconee.k12.ga.us (706) 769-6655 ext. 3503 |