PEP RALLY & AWAY GAME FRIDAY!
Congratulations to the Gahr Marching Gladiators on a great first home football game this past Friday! It was exciting to get back under the Friday night lights and perform the beginning of “Jungle Boogie!” for our home crowd! A HUGE THANK YOU to the parents who came out to help with concessions, merchandise, and moving equipment for halftime! We had an incredible turnout of parent volunteers, and we appreciate you showing up to support our students and the program.
We have a normal rehearsal week ahead, leading into a BIG Friday with our Pep Rally during the school day and our “Away” Game vs. Cerritos HS Friday night! We also have an important rehearsal this Saturday from 8:30AM-5PM where we will be learning a significant amount of new field show material.
PEP RALLY THIS FRIDAY!
All Marching Band & Color Guard students will be excused from Periods 2-4 on Friday to set up, warm up, and run through the Pep Rally with ASB before the performance. We will be playing pep tunes, drumline cadences, and all of Movement 1 of “Jungle Boogie.”
Winds, don’t forget your flip folder and lyre. ALL students should bring their water jug to stay hydrated throughout the day, at the game, and for Saturday’s rehearsal.
Make sure you wear your 2026 “Jungle Boogie” show shirt and athletic shoes. Band students wear blue jeans (no baggy or ripped jeans with holes please). Color Guard students wear show blacks.
“AWAY” GAME VS. CERRITOS HS!
Friday night we will be playing at our “away” game against Cerritos HS, conveniently located right here at the Gahr HS Stadium! This is a big game, and we want all of our students there to support our team and school. The band will be playing pep tunes and cadences throughout the game.
After 6th period, students will have a break to eat dinner and change before the game. DINNER IS NOT PROVIDED, so please make sure students eat before call time.
Winds & Battery call time is 5:30PM to run through pep tunes and cadences. Make sure your flip folder is organized and don’t forget your music lyre.
Front Ensemble & Color Guard call time is 6:15PM.
Following Cerritos’ halftime performance, we will have a fun mingle and snacks with the Cerritos Band & Color Guard! After the halftime mingle, Front Ensemble and Color Guard students have the option to leave early if they would like.
IMPORTANT SATURDAY REHEARSAL
We have rehearsal this Saturday, August 29th from 8:30AM-5:00PM. We will be learning a significant amount of new field show material and drill, so it is extremely important that students are ready for a productive day. Eat a good breakfast and arrive 15-20 minutes early. Bring your hat, water jug, sunscreen, dot book, and $5 for a penne pasta lunch.
PARENTS: WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please click here to sign up to volunteer with lunch, uniform sewing, and prop building/painting.
The parents had a great time last week, and all of the help behind the scenes makes a HUGE difference and allows our students and staff to focus on putting the show together. If you haven’t volunteered yet, come join the fun!
We have also updated our Booster Wishlist with some of the items we currently need for the season. We are especially in need of bottled water. If you are able to help purchase or donate an item, every contribution helps! Please click here to check out the Booster Wishlist.
MANDATORY POPCORNOPOLIS FUNDRAISER
Our annual Popcornopolis Fundraiser is underway! Each family is required to sell a minimum of eight (8) bags of popcorn. All profit from bags sold thereafter (50% of the cost) will be credited to students’ accounts. This is a great way to raise money for Marching Band, or to get ahead on Winter Guard or Indoor Percussion donations.
🎁 BONUS: The student who sells the most Popcornopolis will win a $50 Visa Gift Card!
ALL ORDER FORMS AND MONEY ARE DUE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH.
🍿 Students were sent home with a fundraising brochure and order form.
Sell a minimum of eight (8) bags or $80 in sales.
Write your name clearly on the top of your order form.
Collect money at the time of the order.
Promote to family, friends, coworkers, and social media to maximize sales. You can also text it out to make things easier.
Make all checks payable to “Gahr Band Boosters” (please ensure your name is written in the memo line).
Popcornopolis orders typically take about 2-3 weeks to arrive. Students are responsible for distributing orders to the customers they sold to once the shipment is received.
❌ Prefer to opt-out? You may turn in the $40 profit instead.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT – NEXT TUESDAY
Please note that next Tuesday, September 1st is Back to School Night at Gahr HS.
Students will have a minimum day schedule, and rehearsal will run from 1:00-4:00PM instead of our normal Tuesday evening rehearsal.
Make sure students bring lunch to eat after school. There will be no 5:30-8:45PM rehearsal that evening.
THANK YOU BOOSTER PARENTS!
Thank you to all of the parents who came to our first Booster Meeting of the year! We had a tremendous turnout and loved seeing so many new and returning families getting involved. A special thank you to ABCUSD Board Member, Jeanie McHatton, for joining us and for her continued support of the Gahr Band & Color Guard program!
It’s not too late to become an official Gahr Band Booster Member! Membership is just $30 per person and is a great way to support the Gahr Band & Color Guard program. Your Booster Membership also includes a “Jungle Boogie” Field Show T-Shirt and Gahr Marching Gladiators clear cinch bag – perfect for the clear bag policies now in place at football games and many of our competitions.
Our next Booster Meeting is Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30PM in the Band Room. We hope to see you there and are excited for an incredible year!
GAHR JAZZ I & II OFF TO A GREAT START!
Awesome work this past week Jazz Band! We had 100% attendance and are off to an incredible start with Jazz I & II!
We’re excited to keep building both groups and getting into more music this week. Please continue to arrive early and be ready to play:
6:50AM Band Room Opens / Set Up
7:17AM In Your Seat Playing!
We are still looking for a few more experienced saxophone players to round out our instrumentation. If you have previous jazz experience or are a strong saxophone player interested in joining Jazz I or II, please talk to Mr. Loney ASAP!
REHEARSAL PREPARATION & WHAT TO BRING
As we continue into the season, please make sure you are prepared for every rehearsal. Students should begin hydrating 24 hours before rehearsal, eat throughout the day, and get plenty of rest so they have the energy necessary for safe and effective participation. Please do not come to rehearsal without eating or properly hydrating.
BRING TO EVERY REHEARSAL:
Instrument/equipment/music
1-gallon water jug
Hat (no visors)
Athletic/tennis shoes (no sandals, Vans, or Converse)
Athletic clothing (no jeans or baggy pants/shorts)
Sunscreen/sunglasses
Dot book (Winds, Battery, and Color Guard)
Please make sure all personal items are labeled with the student’s name. Students may keep rehearsal items in their Band Room locker so they have everything they need when rehearsal begins.
STUDENTS – TAKING THE NEXT STEP
As we transition from learning basic marching skills into more and more of our actual field show, please understand that the expectations and demands will continue to increase at each rehearsal.
During Band Camp, making mistakes like being off by a few counts, having feet out of time, or missing a drill spot by several feet may not have seemed like a big deal. However, once we put those skills into the actual field show – with students moving quickly and much closer together – those same mistakes can become safety issues.
The drill and marching will never be perfect, and mistakes are part of the learning process. But what we DO expect is for students to be receptive to comments and corrections from the staff and to make an improvement each time we do something again.
We also expect students to retain the information taught during rehearsal and be able to consistently recall, replicate, and perform it. As we learn more and more of the show, this becomes increasingly important.
Please don’t take corrections personally. The goal of every correction is to help you and the entire group improve.
Every person on the field matters. We all have a special opportunity and responsibility to work together to create something amazing that is bigger than any one of us!
Let’s have a great week and keep pushing forward!
ORLANDO PERFORMANCE TRIP – DEADLINE TODAY
If you are interested in traveling with the Gahr High School Band & Color Guard to perform at Walt Disney World during Spring Break 2027, this is your last chance. The deadline to register is today, Monday, August 24th.
We have approximately 100 students signed up, and this trip is shaping up to be something truly special. We still have room for additional performers and would love for even more students to be part of this unforgettable experience.
✨ WHY THIS TRIP IS SPECIAL
This is a once-in-a-lifetime high school experience. We will perform and march down Main Street at Walt Disney World — an incredible opportunity that very few programs get to enjoy. Students will also participate in a Disney Imagination Campus Workshop, working with Disney professionals in a behind-the-scenes learning experience.
Performance at Walt Disney World
3 days at Walt Disney World
2 days at Universal Studios, including Epic Universe
Airfare, hotels, meals, and transportation included
Travel with Gahr staff, a professional tour manager, and hotel security
📋 Click here to download the full trip itinerary.
✅ HOW TO REGISTER
1. Visit www.etadventures.com
2. Click Login
3. Enter Trip Code: gahr27
4. Create an account
5. Submit your deposit
🔁 TO MODIFY YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENT SCHEDULE
1. Click Payments
2. Select View/Modify Recurring Payments
3. Adjust your remaining payments as needed
⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTES:
This trip is open to all members of the 2026–27 Gahr High School Band & Color Guard, including current freshmen.
Students are required to register in quad rooms (4 students per room) for safety purposes and to help keep costs affordable.
This is a student performer trip only. Parents and family members are absolutely welcome to travel to Orlando independently to attend performances and enjoy the parks, but all parent travel arrangements must be made separately.
If your account was previously cancelled due to missed payments, don’t worry! Contact the tour company and they can reinstate your account and help spread any past-due balance across the remaining payment schedule.
We typically take a major trip like this only once every four years. Especially for incoming freshmen, this may be your only opportunity to participate in an experience like this during high school.
This trip will be filled with incredible performances, lifelong friendships, and memories that students will remember forever. We hope you’ll consider being part of this amazing experience!
For questions, please contact:
Dee Dee Varney
dvarney15@gmail.com
(562) 413-3068
WBA CHAMPIONSHIPS – PARENT HOTEL FILLING UP FAST!
Planning to travel to Fresno for the WBA Championships November 21-22? Our discounted Parent Hotel block is filling up FAST!
This year, the band will travel up early Saturday morning and stay one night, returning home late Sunday evening after WBA Grand Championships.
We have a discounted parent room block at the Homewood Suites Fresno, located right across from where our students will be staying!
November 21-22 | $179 + tax
Complimentary Breakfast & Parking
The official booking deadline is October 22, but rooms are already filling quickly. If you’re planning to go, reserve your room ASAP!!
3RD DONATION OF $175 PAST DUE
The 3rd Donation of $175 was due Friday, August 21st. This is critical for us to cover costs for instructors, production costs, competition registration fees, and so much more. Color Guard students must be caught up with all donations in order for us to purchase their costume.
We accept cash, checks made payable to “Gahr Band Boosters,” or credit card payments through our website.
We highly encourage families to pay the entire donation if they are able. Thank you for supporting our incredible students and helping us make another unforgettable season possible!
GAHR BAND JACKET
Get your official Gahr Marching Gladiators Band Jacket! Jackets are $145 and come fully embroidered. We accept checks to “Gahr Band Boosters” or cash. Please complete a separate order form for each jacket you order.
ORDER DEADLINE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH
MARCHING BAND WEEKLY REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
For the fall Marching Band season, all sections rehearse on the same days and times. Rehearsals begin and end at the scheduled times. Please allow an additional 15-20 minutes after rehearsal for students to help put away equipment and props before leaving.
MONDAYS
3:30-6:00PM
TUESDAYS
5:30-8:45PM
Students should use the time after school to complete homework and eat dinner.
WEDNESDAYS
3:30-4:30PM Wind Sectionals
THURSDAYS
3:30-6:00PM
SOME SATURDAYS*
8:30AM-5:00PM
*Click here for the full calendar
GAHR INVITATIONAL FIELD TOURNAMENT – SIGN UPS!
We are excited to announce that the Gahr Invitational Field Tournament will take place on Saturday, November 7th, right here at Gahr High School! This year, we are proud to welcome over 30 bands from across Southern California for an incredible day of marching band!
This is the one competition you should NOT be sitting in the stands watching. The Gahr Invitational is our biggest event of the year, and it takes a huge team of volunteers to make it happen. We need ALL HANDS ON DECK!
From concessions and parking to tickets, hospitality, merchandise, and more, there are many ways to help throughout the day. We will have thousands of students, families, and spectators in attendance and cannot do it without your support.
If you haven’t signed up for a shift yet, please click here to sign up to volunteer.
Let’s make this the biggest and best Gahr Invitational yet! 💙💛
ATHLETIC CLEARANCE THROUGH HOME CAMPUS
All students participating in the 2026–27 Gahr High School Marching Band & Color Guard are required to complete athletic clearance each year and must have a current athletic physical on file.
Parents should create an account and complete the clearance process through the following website: https://www.homecampus.com/login
After completing a physical exam, families will need to scan or take photos of both pages of the form and upload them to Home Campus as part of the athletic clearance process.
Click here to download the required physical evaluation form.
Students may still complete their athletic physical through Anderson Chiropractic Clinic in Los Alamitos. They are continuing to offer athletic physicals for just $20 cash. Call ahead to schedule an appointment at (562) 594-6538.
PROGRAM DONATIONS – MARCHING BAND
The Gahr High School Band & Color Guard program is largely self-funded. Student donations make it possible for us to provide the outstanding educational and performance opportunities that define our program each year.
The 2026 Marching Band Program Donation is $775 per student. This donation directly supports essential program expenses, including instructional staff, music, equipment and instruments, uniforms and costumes, props, production materials, transportation, and more. This year’s donation also includes our trip to the Western Band Association Championships.
Families may submit the donation in full or according to the following payment schedule:
$250 – 1st Donation – Past Due June 1, 2026
$175 – 2nd Donation – Past Due July 20, 2026
$175 – 3rd Donation – Past Due August 21, 2026
$175 – 4th Donation – Due October 2, 2026
➡️ Click here to make a donation online
If your family is able to, we strongly encourage paying the full donation at the start of the season. Early donations help us purchase materials and cover significant upfront expenses such as props, equipment, instruments, registration fees, and other program needs.
Your support helps provide students with exceptional educational experiences while developing discipline, confidence, responsibility, teamwork, and leadership – skills that extend far beyond the marching field.
Please Note: Program expenses are based on each student’s participation in the season and are incurred regardless of individual attendance at rehearsals, camps, or performances. Missing any portion of the season does not reduce the program’s expenses associated with that student.
Thank you for your continued support of the Gahr High School Band & Color Guard!
BAND & COLOR GUARD REGISTRATION FORM
ACTION REQUIRED >> All NEW and RETURNING members of the Gahr Marching Gladiators must complete the 2026-27 Band Registration & Participation Form. Please have a parent or guardian complete this form together with your student. The form takes about 10 minutes to complete.
ASB CARD & TRANSPORTATION
Please make sure you have paid for your student’s Gahr High School ASB Card ($85) and Transportation Fee ($90). These school fees are paid directly to Gahr High School at the Finance Office during school hours.
Students who choose not to purchase an ASB Card will instead be required to pay the $225 Transportation Fee.
TWO GREAT WAYS TO RAISE MONEY
Use the fundraisers below to raise money for your marching band donations! This can also go towards Winter Guard and Indoor Percussion. This is a great time to get ahead on your remaining program donations before the competition season gets busy.
Field Show Program Ads - Earn 90% of the profit from all field show ad sales. Ads range from $25 to $175. Many local businesses are looking for ways to advertise to the community. See Mr. Loney to get a past field show program that you can use as an example when selling ads.
Student Sponsorship Letter - 100% of the money from sponsorships goes directly to your student account. These take a few hours to complete and mail out, but the return on investment is HUGE if you can make $400-500! This is a great way for family and friends to help support your student.
📆 IMPORTANT DATES
8/24 ORLANDO TRIP DEADLINE
8/28 Pep Rally / Away Football Game vs. Cerritos
8/29 Saturday Rehearsal 8:30AM-5PM / Uniform & Prop Party!
9/1 Rehearsal 1:00-4:00PM / Back to School Night!
9/3 Frantone’s Fundraiser 5-10PM
9/8 Popcornopolis Order & Payment Deadline
9/11 Band Jacket Order Form Deadline
9/12 Saturday Rehearsal 8:30AM-5PM / Clothing Drive
9/16 Monthly Parent Booster Meeting @ 6:30PM
9/18 Homecoming Rally / Homecoming Football Game
9/19 Saturday Rehearsal 9AM-1PM / Homecoming Dance
9/25 Mandatory Fan Pledge Kick-Off 3:45-5PM
9/26 CSBC MAX! Preview of Champions Show
THIS WEEK:
MONDAY 8/24
ORLANDO PERFORMANCE TRIP DEADLINE
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz Band attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!
6th Period – Color Guard, Battery, Front Ensemble rehearsal
3:30-6:00PM Marching Band rehearsal (everyone)
Optional: Tom Kubis Big Band at the Gaslamp
TUESDAY 8/25
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz Band attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!
Study Hall during periods 4/5/6
After School – Homework/Dinner/Change
5:00PM Set up for rehearsal
5:30-8:45PM Marching Band rehearsal
WEDNESDAY 8/26
7:30AM Band Room open
3:30-4:30PM Wind Sectionals (Memorize Mvt. 1)
THURSDAY 8/27
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz Band attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!
6th Period – Color Guard, Battery, Front Ensemble rehearsal
3:30-6:00PM Marching Band rehearsal (everyone)
FRIDAY 8/28
WEAR YOUR FIELD SHOW T-SHIRT TO SCHOOL
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz Band attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!
2ND/3RD/4TH PERIOD – Students excused for Pep Rally
Pep Rally Performance during school
After school – Hydrate and eat dinner
”AWAY” FOOTBALL GAME VS. CERRITOS HS
5:30PM WINDS & BATTERY CALL TIME
6:15PM COLOR GUARD/FRONT ENSEMBLE CALL TIME
6:35PM Walk to stadium, set up in visitor bleachers, and play
7:00PM “Away” Football Game vs. Cerritos HS starts
Halftime – Mingle and snacks with Cerritos HS
9:30PM Approximate game end time*
9:45PM Walk back to Band Room. Clean up Band Room
10:00PM Dismissal
HYDRATE AND GO TO BED!!!
SATURDAY 8/29
7:45AM Band Room open
Eat a good breakfast and arrive early!
8:30AM-5:00PM Important Saturday Rehearsal
8:30AM-12:00PM Block 1
12:00-1:00PM Lunch – Bring $5 for penne pasta
1:00-5:00PM Block 2
5:00PM Clean Up / Dismissal
CLOTHING DRIVE — SAVE THE DATE – Our clothing donation event will take place Saturday, September 12th! Clean out your closets and help raise money for the program. WE ARE ASKING FOR EACH FAMILY TO PLEASE DONATE AT LEAST THREE (3) KITCHEN-SIZED TRASH BAGS OF CLOTHING/BEDDING. We will be raffling off gift cards to the students who donate the most!
