Welcome!!
We are so excited you are here and you are interested! You probably have lots of questions. Let's try to get them answered!
First of all, you WILL learn A TON!
And two, you WILL find lots of friends!! :-D
What is the time commitment?
Well, striving for perfection takes time. First, you will need to be signed up for the Marching Band class for the fall. In addition, we compete just like any other sport. AND because we are performance based, it takes a lot of time to get our performances as perfect as possible. While it may take some time; in the grand scheme of life, it goes by in the blink of an eye! And your high school years are the ONLY time you will be able to participate in this unique experience! This should be a family decision. We have a fantastic network of people here to help you through any transportation challenges that may arise. If you want to be here, we want you here!
CLICK HERE for this year's calendar of events.
Do I need experience or need to know how to play an instrument?
Good news - you do NOT need experience, or know how to play in order to join! We are happy to teach you! All you need is a good attitude and willingness to learn, and we will get you there!
If this is like a sport, do I need athletic paperwork?
Yes! You will need to create an account on registermyathlete.com
That site will have a checklist of things you will need to complete in order to be eligible to participate. You will need to have an AIA athletic clearance form completed by a physician in order to be cleared to participate. This can be done by your family physician, an urgent care clinic, or a "Little Clinic" in Walgreens or Fry's. The form should be able to be found on the site. Once complete, you may upload the form onto the registermyathlete site, or turn into our athletic secretary, Ms. Annie Stephens, at the front office. If you cannot find the form online, you may pick up a packet at the school front office from Ms. Stephens.
You will notice a fee is assessed on registermyathlete. Please look to the next box for more information.
Okay, how much does this cost?
In total, the cost will approximately $600 for the entire season. Of the $600, $400 of this can be paid using tax credit! This means you can get it back on your state taxes! While this may sound like a lot, many other band programs around the state are far more expensive, ranging anywhere from $800-$1500 for their season.
What do I get for that money?
$350 of this goes towards Band Camp 2. This camp takes place over Fall Break (October 10-13, 2022) in Heber, AZ. This covers all food, transportation, board, and staffing for this trip.
$100 goes to your district athletic fee. The $350 for camp and the $100 athletic fee compiles the $400 that can be covered with tax credit.
Approximately $200 will come to the VIPS Team (our parent organization - of which ANY parent with a student in band can be a part). This covers all band needs such as their shoes, shirts, shorts, dot books, hoodies, water jugs, and more. You will find our list of needed items and costs associated in our store.
How can I make sure I stay connected, and don't miss any important dates or information?
There are many ways we disseminate information.
The most important is to get connected through "BAND." This can be found in any app store. It is a green button with a large, white "b" on it. You can also find this on a computer at band.us. In order to get connected with us, please use your full first and last name as your username. You can find us here: https://band.us/n/aca15d94mdHcS
This website you are currently on is extremely helpful as well. We post a lot of information here.
We also use "Remind" as a more urgent form of communication. These messages come to you through text messages. Your data rates may apply. You can sign up for our "Remind" by texting "@viperva" (do not include quotation marks) to 81010.
If you have questions or need further information, you may email our parent organization at president@vipervanguard.com.
You may also contact our Band Director, Tracy Meldrum, at tmeldrum@aguafria.org
