UPDATE – WEEK 3
Great improvement this past week! Thank you to everyone who supported the program by eating at The Kebab Shop last Wednesday. This week, support us by going to YOGURTLAND this Wednesday anytime from 4-10PM! We have a BIG WEEK ahead with our 1st home football game vs. Cerritos HS on Friday! The drumline will also be performing during the lunch rally on Friday.
Please note that the 3rd Donation of $175 is due this Friday, August 29th.
ALL STUDENTS: Wear your 2025 “And Sew It Goes” field show shirt to school on Friday! For the football game, wear your field show shirt and athletic shoes. Band members wear jeans and guard members wear black leggings. Continue to stay hydrated, stay on top of your homework, and read the schedule below carefully so you are fully prepared. Let’s have another awesome week before we head into a three-day weekend!
STUDENTS: Please hydrate 24 hours before every rehearsal. You must come prepared with a working instrument, all necessary equipment, your music binder, dot book, athletic clothes and shoes, a hat, and a one-gallon water jug. Items can be dropped off in your band room locker before school. These requirements are non-negotiable for safety reasons. Students who arrive unprepared will be sent home and lose participation credit.
THANK YOU PARENTS
A huge thank you to all of the parents who helped out on Saturday with lunch, uniforms, props, and merchandise. If you haven’t volunteered yet, you’re missing out on all the fun!
PARENTS: We need your help on Friday with concessions, merchandise, and pushing equipment on and off the field. Parents who sign up and volunteer for at least one shift get into the game for FREE!
SIGN UP LINK >> https://tinyurl.com/cerritos-home-game
3RD DONATION OF $175 DUE THIS FRIDAY
The 3rd Donation of $175 is due this Friday, August 29th. 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!
MANDATORY POPCORNOPOLIS FUNDRAISER
Our annual Popcornopolis Fundraiser is now underway! Each family is required to sell a minimum of seven (7) 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 AND an awesome gift basket donated by Mrs. Varney!
ALL ORDER FORMS & MONEY ARE DUE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND.
🍿 Click here for a PDF of the fundraising brochure that was handed out to the students.
Sell a minimum of seven (7) bags or $70 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 your social media circle to maximize sales.
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 $35 profit instead.
1ST HOME FOOTBALL GAME THIS FRIDAY 8/29
Our 1st Home Football Game is this Friday, August 29th against Cerritos High School! After 6th period, students will have a break to eat dinner and change. PLEASE NOTE THAT DINNER IS NOT PROVIDED. Students will wear their 2025 “And Sew It Goes” field show t-shirt and athletic shoes. Band members wear jeans and guard members wear black leggings.
STUDENT CALL TIME AT THE BAND ROOM IS 5:20PM TO WARM UP AND SET UP FOR THE GAME. The band will perform the Star-Spangled Banner before the game (at 6:45PM), pep tunes and drumline cadences throughout the game, and at halftime, the entire Gahr Marching Gladiators will perform part of our 2025 field show production! Attendance at all rehearsals this week is extremely important for students to be prepared.
All WIND STUDENTS are required to have a flip folder and a music lyre in order to play pep tunes at the game. These items can be purchased directly from Mr. Loney, and range from $10-20.
Also on Friday – the DRUMLINE will be performing cadences for a LUNCH RALLY! This will also include cymbal players. Students who are performing will be excused from 4th period to warm up and set up, and part of 5th period put away equipment and have extra time to eat lunch. The attire is the same as it is for the game – field show t-shirt and jeans.
THE GAHR MARCHING GLADIATORS ALWAYS STAY UNTIL THE END OF THE GAME TO CHEER AND SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL AND OUR FOOTBALL TEAM!
LAST CHANCE TO JOIN GAHR JAZZ!
THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO JOIN! We are off to a great start and it’s going to be a phenomenal year. Jazz Band also counts for HONORS CREDIT!!
Zero Period Rehearsal Schedule (During Marching Season)
MONDAYS – Rhythm Section (piano, guitar, bass, vibes, drum set)
TUESDAYS – Winds with Mr. Loney and Mr. Chaffee (saxophones, trumpets, trombones)
WEDNESDAYS – Off
THURSDAYS – Everyone with Mr. Loney and Mr. Chaffee
FRIDAYS – Everyone with Mr. Loney and Mr. Stevens
On time attendance is critical. The Band Room will open at 6:55AM. Attendance will be taken promptly at 7:17AM, and rehearsal downbeat will begin at 7:20AM.
ADDITIONAL REQUIRED BAND ITEMS
All band students are required to have a black sleeveless compression shirt, black compression shorts, and long black socks as part of their uniform. These are considered mandatory uniform components. Compression gear and socks can also be purchased at most sporting goods stores, such as Big 5 Sporting Goods, which often offers them at a lower cost.
OPTIONAL (BUT REALLY COOL) BAND JACKET!
Get your official Gahr Marching Gladiators Band Jacket! Jackets are $135.00 each. We accept checks to “Gahr Band Boosters” or cash. Please fill out a separate order form for each jacket you order. THE DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH. Click here to download the jacket order form.
GAHR INVITATIONAL SIGN UPS!
We are proud to host the 10th Annual Gahr Invitational Field Tournament on Saturday, November 8th right here at Gahr High School! This is one of the largest field show competitions in Southern California, and it takes an incredible team effort to make it happen.
This is a huge undertaking and we need ALL HANDS ON DECK to make it a success. From concessions to parking, tickets, hospitality, and more – every parent plays an important role.
WE EXPECT ALL FAMILIES TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE GAHR INVITATIONAL FIELD TOURNAMENT. If you haven’t signed up for a shift yet, please click here to sign up. This is the one field show competition you should NOT be watching your student perform in.
SAVE THE DATE: Our first Gahr Invitational Committee Meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 16th at 7:30PM in the Band Room. We would love to see everyone there as we begin planning for this exciting event!
Let’s make this the best Gahr Invitational yet!! 💙💛
NEW STUDENT DROP-OFF SYSTEM
Zero Period Jazz Band: Students should still be able to get dropped off near the Band Room before school and come in through the black patio gate.
Large Instruments/Equipment: Students who have large instruments/equipment can get a pass from Mr. Loney to be dropped off near the Band Room and come in the black patio gate.
General Drop-Off & Pick-Up: Please follow the designated yellow arrows for student drop-off.
ASB CARD & TRANSPORTATION FEE
All students are required to purchase an ASB Card and pay for Transportation. When purchased together, the total cost is $120 ($60 for the ASB Card and $60 for Transportation). Students who do not purchase an ASB Card will be required to pay $150 for Transportation.
To avoid the higher fee, make sure you have turned in $60 for the ASB Card and $60 for Transportation directly to the school at the finance window in the front office.
ATHLETIC CLEARANCE
All students participating in the program must complete an athletic physical. Gahr is transitioning to a new platform called Home Campus for athletic clearance. Please hold on to your physical paperwork for now. If you have already uploaded paperwork through FamilyID, you will need to resubmit it once the new system is live. Thank you for your patience and flexibility!
PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS
Private lessons are one of the best ways to grow as a musician. One-on-one instruction helps strengthen fundamentals, prepare for auditions, and reach personal goals. This applies to both concert and jazz! If you’re interested in starting lessons and would like recommendations for local teachers, please email me and I’ll be happy to connect you.
MORE WAYS TO RAISE MONEY
Use the fundraisers below to raise money for your donations! Extra money can also go towards Winter Guard and Indoor Percussion. Now is the BEST time to fundraise before school starts!
Field Show Program Ads - Earn 90% of the profit from all field show ad sales. The ad prices 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 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 your family and loved ones can help support.
THIS WEEK:
MONDAY 8/25
6:55AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I and II attendance – RHYTHM SECTION ONLY
7:20AM Jazz I and II start time – RHYTHM SECTION ONLY
Wind Ensemble/Concert Band with Mr. Loney & Mr. Miller
3:35-6:00PM Winds, Front Ensemble, and Color Guard rehearsal
6:00-9:00PM Battery ONLY rehearsal
TUESDAY 8/26
6:55AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I and II attendance – WINDS ONLY
7:20AM Jazz I and II start time – WINDS ONLY
HW/STUDY HALL DURING CLASS
AFTER SCHOOL – Finish HW and eat dinner
5:00PM Set up for rehearsal (cross country until 6:15PM)
5:30-8:45PM Tuesday night practice in stadium (Mvt. 1 & 2)
WEDNESDAY 8/27
MEMORIZATION TEST – STAR-SPANGLED BANNER
3:30-4:15PM Sectionals (Memorize Star-Spangled Banner / Mvt. 1 make ups)
4:00-10:00PM YOGURTLAND FUNDRAISER!
THURSDAY 8/28
6:55AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I and II attendance (everyone)
7:20AM Jazz I and II start time!
6th Period – Color Guard, Front Ensemble, Battery rehearsal
3:30-6:00PM Marching Band rehearsal and run-through (everyone)
DRINK A LOT OF WATER BEFORE BED.
FRIDAY 8/29
WEAR 2025 FIELD SHOW T-SHIRT TO SCHOOL!
NO JAZZ BAND (Use the morning to make sure you’re prepared for the game)
2nd/3rd Periods – Review for game
4th Period – DRUMLINE + CYMBALS excused to practice for lunch rally
LUNCH – Drumline performing at lunch rally! (everyone come cheer and support)
5th Period – Drumline excused for beginning to put away equipment and finish eating
6th Period – Review for game
HOME FOOTBALL GAME VS CERRITOS HS
After school — Change and eat dinner (not provided). Wear field show shirt and athletic shoes. Band students wear jeans and Color Guard students wear black leggings.
5:20PM STUDENT CALL TIME (winds pep tunes, battery cadences, pit push to stadium)
6:20PM Walk to stadium as a group (bring water jug, flip folder & lyre)
6:45PM Star-Spangled Banner & Fight Song (pre-game)
7:00PM Home Football Game vs. Cerritos HS
8:00PM Half-time performance
9:30PM Approximate game end time*
9:45PM Walk back to Band Room
10:00PM Approximate dismissal*
*The end time of a football game varies. The Gahr Marching Gladiators always stay until the end of the game to support our school and team. Please have your student call you for pick-up time or check Remind for updates.
Have a great three-day weekend! Sell as much Popcornopolis as you can!!
FUNDRIVE CLOTHING DRIVE 9/13 — SAVE THE DATE – Our FUNDrive clothing donation event will be Saturday, September 13th! 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!
