Awesome work this past week across the entire program! Thank you to everyone who came to Wednesday’s Parent Booster Meeting and to all the students who came to our first Lunchtime Leadership Class! Please eat at The Habit Burger & Grill this Wednesday, March 11th anytime from 4-9PM and show this flyer to support the band and color guard. Don’t forget to set your clocks forward for Daylight Saving Time. Please read the important information below so you’re prepared for this week.

On Friday, the Gahr HS Wind Ensemble gave a wonderful performance at the 24th Annual CSUF Festival of Winds. It was incredibly rewarding to hear the musical growth, expression, and maturity the ensemble has developed while performing such challenging repertoire. Watching their hard work come together on stage was truly special.

Both Gahr HS bands will perform this week at the ABCUSD Band & Orchestra Festival on Thursday, March 12th at the Whitney MAC. The Concert Band performs at 5:30PM and the Wind Ensemble performs at 8:00PM. This festival is FREE and open to the public, and we invite families, friends, alumni, and community members to come out and enjoy an evening of outstanding student performances.

Our Winter Guard had an outstanding weekend at the WGI Manhattan Beach Regional. The team performed strong shows on both Saturday and Sunday, earning 3rd place in WGI Scholastic Open Regional Prelims and Finals! The students and staff have worked incredibly hard and made tremendous progress as they continue refining their production. We are so proud of the dedication and growth this group has shown. Thank you to all of the parent volunteers and supporters who helped make this weekend possible!

This weekend, Gahr Indoor Percussion will compete at the WGI Ontario Percussion Regional. This national circuit competition features the best drumlines from across the country. We have an important week of rehearsals as the students put the finishing touches on the show in preparation for this major competition. Full attendance at all rehearsals this week is extremely important.

ALL WINTER GUARD & INDOOR PERCUSSION MEMBERS SHOULD BE CAUGHT UP WITH THREE DONATIONS BY THIS POINT. This is critical so that we are able to pay for costumes, production costs, and our instructional staff. Please take care of this right now if you are not caught up. Please click here to make an Indoor Percussion Donation and click here to make a Winter Guard Donation. Thank you.

Band & Guard Families: If you’re at the store this week, please consider picking up an item from the Drumline & Guard Wishlist. These donations go a long way in supporting our students throughout the season. Thank you for always taking such great care of these hardworking performers!

ABC DISTRICT BAND FESTIVAL THIS THURSDAY 3/12

We’re excited for the ABC District Band Festival this Thursday, March 12th at the Whitney MAC! Below is the rehearsal schedule for this week as we prepare for the performance:

Tuesday 3/10
Wind Ensemble sectionals – 3:30-4:30PM (in place of rehearsal)
Concert Band rehearsal & run-through – 3:30-6:00PM

Wednesday 3/11
Wind Ensemble full run-through – 3:30-4:30PM

Make sure you’re listening to recordings and practicing daily. Students must be in attendance for the sectional/rehearsal or they may not be eligible to perform at the festival.

Both ensembles will perform for a panel of expert adjudicators and will receive a valuable clinic session immediately following their performance. The festival is FREE and open to the public, and we encourage families to attend and support our musicians! Parents are also welcome to observe the clinic session following the performance – we simply ask that everyone remain quiet and courteous in the clinic room.

ALL BLACK CONCERT ATTIRE – Solid black, long-sleeved, collared, button-up dress shirt, black dress pants/slacks, long black socks, and black dress shoes. We want to look as professional as possible for the adjudicators, so no dark gray, pin stripes, t-shirts, or sweats. If you wear a belt, please make sure it is solid black.

ABCUSD FESTIVAL SCHEDULE – THURSDAY 3/12

TAKE INSTRUMENTS AND MUSIC WITH YOU AFTER SCHOOL.
4:30PM Call time at Whitney HS wearing ALL BLACK concert attire
5:00PM Concert Band warm up
5:30PM Concert Band performance!
6:00PM Concert Band clinic (in Band Room)
6:30PM Pizza Dinner (provided)
7:00PM Watch Ross perform
7:30PM Wind Ensemble warm up
8:00PM Wind Ensemble performance!
8:30PM Wind Ensemble clinic (on stage)
9:00PM Clean up / Dismissal

Please make sure you have arranged transportation for your instrument and equipment.

WGI ONTARIO PERCUSSION REGIONAL THIS WEEKEND

📌 ITINERARY: https://tinyurl.com/drumline-itinerary
ℹ️ WGI INFO: https://www.wgi.org/event-details-page-alt/?eventId=a0tUy00000ZhlsdIAB&division=Perc
🎟️ TICKETS: https://www.wgi.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Ontario-Regional-Perc-Ticket-Information.docx-3.pdf
✅ VOLUNTEER: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E48AFA82EA3F8C61-62817405-31426#/
📍 ADDRESS: Chino High School – 5431 Jefferson Avenue, Chino, CA 91710

This weekend, Gahr Indoor Percussion will compete at the WGI Ontario Percussion Regional. This national circuit competition features the best drumlines from across the country. We have an important week of rehearsals as the students put the finishing touches on the show in preparation for this major competition. Full attendance at all rehearsals this week is extremely important.

Saturday’s WGI Regional Prelims will take place at Chino High School. Please note that the schedule will be adjusted for us to perform at 1:25PM, giving extra time for students attending Prom. If we qualify, we will advance to WGI Regional Finals on Sunday at the Toyota Arena!

LUNCHTIME LEADERSHIP CLASS THIS FRIDAY!

We are excited to launch a new Lunchtime Leadership Class for students who want to grow as leaders within our program and beyond. Our first Lunchtime Leadership session last week was a great start!! We had approximately 40 students in attendance, and the discussion and participation were excellent. If you miss the first one, you can still join us this Friday at lunch!

IMPORTANT: Participation in this class is required for any student planning to apply for a leadership position. However, you are absolutely welcome to attend even if you are unsure about applying. This is a great opportunity to learn, grow, and challenge yourself with no obligation.

We will meet once per week in the lounge room. You may bring your lunch and eat in the room during the class. At the conclusion of the 5-week series, leadership application packets will be made available for those who are interested. Again, you are not required to apply – this class is open to anyone who wants to develop their leadership skills. We encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity and invest in their growth as leaders!

DRUMLINE & GUARD SPRING SHOWCASE PROGRAM AD FUNDRAISER!

Students – This is a great opportunity to raise money for your student account while supporting our Winter Guard & Indoor Percussion programs. We will be offering a program booklet for the ABCUSD Drumline & Color Guard Spring Showcase, and you can earn money by selling advertisements!

The ABCUSD Drumline & Color Guard Spring Showcase has grown into a major event, featuring performances from middle and high school programs across the district. This creates a great audience for local businesses to advertise, as well as an opportunity for families to purchase ads recognizing and celebrating their performers.

For the program, we offer two advertisement options, both in FULL COLOR:

$50 Half-Page Ad or Shoutout

$100 Full-Page Ad or Shoutout

Each ad sale directly supports our program, with 50% going to the participating student’s account and 50% supporting our Winter Guard and Indoor Percussion programs.

What you should do:

Reach out to family, friends, and local businesses
Ask for support through an ad purchase or student shoutout
Start now so you maximize how much you can earn

All ad designs should be submitted via email to darren.loney@abcusd.us.

The deadline to sell or purchase an ad is Friday, March 20th.

Take advantage of this opportunity and raise money for yourself and the program!

SEE’S CANDY SPRING FUNDRAISER KICK-OFF!

We are excited to kick off our 2026 See’s Candies Spring Fundraiser, running this Monday, March 2nd through Wednesday, March 18th! This is a great opportunity for students to raise money directly for their individual accounts while getting some yummy candy and treats to your family and friends.

All sales are completed online through a personalized student link, and orders are shipped directly to customers – making this one of the easiest fundraisers we offer. You won’t have to distribute anything. Just create a personal message that you can copy and paste to your family and friends – through text messages, email, and social media posts!

All band and color guard families will receive their individual links via the Yum-Raising system. The first few letters of your first name should appear in your personalized link.

Students can earn 15-50% profit depending on the items sold, with all proceeds going directly to their account. Be sure to check out the product list for full pricing and profit details!

If you have any questions, please contact Vickie Gonzales at gahrbandboosters25@gmail.com.

WINTER GUARD & INDOOR PERCUSSION T-SHIRTS

WINTER GUARD & INDOOR PERCUSSION SHOW SHIRTS ARE HERE! Shirts are just $20 each and are a great way to support our talented performers at shows and competitions. They also make great gifts for family members and friends. GET THEM BEFORE THEY’RE GONE!!

2027 ORLANDO TRIP – IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Thank you to everyone who attended last week’s Orlando Trip Parent Meeting! We had an incredible turnout and are very excited to offer this opportunity to our students. If you were unable to attend the parent meeting, please review the full information packet here.

The Orlando Trip is open to all current 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade Band and Color Guard students and will take place during Spring Break from March 25-30, 2027.

This once-in-a-lifetime experience includes:

Round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations
Transportation throughout the trip
3 days at Walt Disney World
2 days at Universal Orlando (including Epic Universe)
Performance in the Walt Disney World Parade
A Disney Imagination Campus Workshop
Daily meals provided through dining cards
Professional tour manager and overnight security

Trip Cost: $3,175 per student (quad occupancy – two beds, four students per room)

Students can begin registering now to secure a spot and start monthly payments. To register:

Visit: https://www.etadventures.com/
Click “Login” at the top of the page
Enter Trip Code: gahr27
Select “Access Account” and create your account
Complete your reservation

DON’T WAIT! We strongly encourage families to register now to secure their student’s spot.

THIS WEEK

MONDAY 3/9
INDOOR PERCUSSION DONATION OF $200 PAST DUE
WINTER GUARD DONATION OF $225 PAST DUE
7:17AM Jazz I & II – attendance
7:20AM Jazz I & II – downbeat
9:30-11:45AM – Clarinet pull-out with Beto
2:30-6:00PM Indoor Percussion (battery & front ensemble)

TUESDAY 3/10
7:17AM Jazz I & II – attendance
7:20AM Jazz I & II – downbeat
3:30-4:30PM Wind Ensemble sectionals
3:30-6:00PM Concert Band rehearsal & run-through
5:00-9:00PM Winter Guard Rehearsal
5:00-7:00PM OPTIONAL: Chris Stevens Trio at Spaghettini

WEDNESDAY 3/11
THE HABIT BURGER & GRILL FUNDRAISER 4PM-9PM
6th Period – Percussion study hall
3:30-4:30PM Wind Ensemble run-through
3:30-5:00PM Concert Band clarinets with Beto
6:00-9:00PM Indoor Percussion rehearsal

THURSDAY 3/12
7:17AM Jazz I & II – attendance
7:20AM Jazz I & II – downbeat
5:00-9:00PM Winter Guard Rehearsal

ABC District Band & Orchestra Festival at Whitney HS!
4:30PM STUDENT CALL TIME IN ALL BLACK CONCERT ATTIRE
5:30PM Concert Band performance
8:00PM Wind Ensemble performance

FRIDAY 3/13
NO JAZZ BAND
12:50-1:20PM Lunchtime Leadership Class!
2:30-6:00PM Indoor Percussion Rehearsal

SATURDAY 3/14
WGI ONTARIO PERCUSSION REGIONAL @ CHINO HS
📌 ITINERARY: https://tinyurl.com/drumline-itinerary
ℹ️ WGI INFO: https://www.wgi.org/event-details-page-alt/?eventId=a0tUy00000ZhlsdIAB&division=Perc
🎟️ TICKETS: https://www.wgi.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Ontario-Regional-Perc-Ticket-Information.docx-3.pdf
✅ VOLUNTEER: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E48AFA82EA3F8C61-62817405-31426#/
📍 ADDRESS: Chino High School – 5431 Jefferson Avenue, Chino, CA 91710

SUNDAY 3/15
TBA – WGI ONTARIO PERCUSSION REGIONAL @ TOYOTA ARENA
📍 ADDRESS: Toyota Arena - 4000 E Ontario Center Pkwy, Ontario, CA 91764