So proud of every girl in the program and so thankful for Guard parents who supported their daughter every step of the way. We appreciate the focused attention to detail and willingness to learn, change, and go with every ebb & flow of the season.
Here is the info for these last two fall weeks...
Tuesday = Practice 5th & 5-7:30...wear layered weather appropriate clothes!!
Wednesday = Practice 5th
Thursday = Senior Pep Rally 5th...no Tig practice afterschool!! That morning wear anything & everything PINK...bring...black bag with poms/pep dress on hanger/jazz shoes/black bike shorts to guard room first thing that morning.
Friday = Teacher Workday = no school for students. Report at 6 p.m. wearing black unitard...bring black guard bag containing all items you are supposed to have with you.
Next week...
Practice Tuesday & Thursday...no game Friday...Alabama State Band Championship at Muscle Shoals HS is Saturday, Nov 3rd!!!
Dinner & A Show is Monday, November 5th at OGHS...required!!
More details will be sent out next week about these events.
Other Important Reminders...
All Tig rules, regulations, policies and procedures apply now and during the remainder of the school year. Those already on probation need to be very mindful from now until end of May that another visit to ISS or a suspension...for any reason...will remove you from the squad.
Tigerette Budget...Guard money was spent & financial sheets for Fall 2018 will go home with girls next week.
Band Fees...all took care of this...Thank You!!
Home Concessions...parents worked or prepaid buyout OR owe a no show fee NOW...Thank You!!
Off Season Fundraising...Concert Band girls are required to continue to participate in band fundraisers. WG girls are required to fundraise for WG.
Spring Band/Guard Trip...payments are due monthly...watch our Remind texts...please keep those notifications turned ON!!
The Summit Christmas Parade is Friday afternoon/night, November 16th...REQUIRED EVENT. Tigs will need a WHITE Turtleneck, WHITE MATTE leggings, WHITE fold down socks, and WHITE converse or ked-like shoes. We will practcie a couple days during school that week. Candy Cane Costumes will be issued the day of the event. Timeline TBD.
Band/Guard Christmas Party is Friday, December 7th...it is required!! Cute Christmas Casual dress. Students will bring an assigned dish to share...there will be dancing & karaoke for those interested. It is always a blast!! Moms welcome...no siblings or non-band friends. More details posted closer to event.
Tigerette Tryout sign up for next year will also happen in December!! A new physical form will be required for tryouts. No late forms will be accepted. Girls must have everything done, ready, and turned in on time or they will not be permitted to participate...this includes returning vets!! Tigerette Tryouts = January 7-11, 2019....we scheduled tryouts in January again this year to avoid conflict with state contest dates. A NEW doctor signed physical form will be due at tryouts. Sign up and more tryout info will be given out first week of December. Our Captains will be needed daily afterschool that week to assist with teaching tryout material.
Concert Band and Winter Guard will begin fully on Tues, Nov 6th. Guard girls received a grade 1st 9 weeks which reflected their work as a Tigerette on the field. Looking ahead their work ethic in class along with unexcused absences or checkouts from band class will impact 2nd 9 weeks band grade. The only “excused” absence from class are ones labeled “P”...given when the student produces a doctor’s excuse or when the student is given a “Principal excused absence” for a college day or something similar. Band/WG is your scheduled class and it is a graded subject. Do not show up late with a pass from other teachers, & do not ask to leave the band class to do work for other classes you have scheduled. Band is not an off period or your study hall. Please also remember that our BDs also have input as to those chosen for leadership roles in coming years....a girl who is “stellar” on the field but a “stinker” the remainder of the time should not expect selection for leadership.
Holiday Concert, District Concert, Spring Concert...all TBA...these are required events!! Employers can’t require a student to miss a required school event or a rehearsal for an event. If written verification for employer is needed see one of us immediately. It is STUDENT'S responsibility to inform the employer about school required events in a timely manner...failure to do so will not excuse your absence. Please make sure that you listen to Directors for information that will be announced about these events.
Schedule Changes...please be reminded that any student requesting a schedule change out of band for 2nd semester automatically removes themselves as a member of the band program & from their position as a Tigerette. No schedule changes permitted mid-semester. Written request from Parent for 2nd semester is due this month to the Guidance office. If you are not following procedure/rules, if you tell others you don’t like guard, or if you are posting negative comments/pics/snaps on social media...you obviously might want to consider leaving at semester. We want every girl to be happy and the group honestly only need girls involved who enjoy what they are doing and really want to be there!!
Off Season Grades...Tigs must maintain an overall 70% average each grading period. Parents will be notified in writing if there is a problem with grades. Members on “Grade Probation” will be dismissed from the squad if they do not improve/maintain an overall 70%.
Off Season Conduct...Tigs are still expected to maintain Satisfactory conduct. Stay out of the office!! Follow the dress code, do not be tardy, do not skip class, do not cheat, do not lie, be respectful, keep your lips (and everything else) to yourself, be a kind, sweet, cooperative young lady at school, in your social life, and at home!!! If school, social, and home problems are impacting your Guard involvement those issues are being logged and you must understand fully that those type issues can impact leadership decisions in the future.
Off Season Hair...Tigs agreed to maintain a shoulder length hairstyle. While we feel sure that some of you may need a good trim as the season ends, do not think for a second that a chin or shoulder touching length hairstyle, or drastic color change is okay...we view this as defiance. Very simply stated, it is not what you agreed to do when you tried out last year so don’t do it!!! COLOR = NATURAL!!! Please have hairdressers do any/highlighting/lowlighting/coloring by working off your natural hair color...the real color of your hair is the one growing at the roots. Again...know that continual hair issues can impact leadership decisions down the road.
Off Season Weight...extra pounds weaken your ability to move & perform with ease. PLEASE eat healthy, drink water & work out to get in shape...tryouts for next year are in about 12 weeks.
Off Season Skills...please take an honest look at skills in all areas and work to improve in the off season. Flags, weapons, and body!! Girls are not guaranteed a spot on next year’s squad. We had several girls who worked soooo hard but struggled to keep up all fall...it would really be in their best interested to enroll in a local dance class and/or take private spin lessons from one of our Juniors or Seniors during the November & December to help grow their ability & performance skills.
Tigs and Winter or Spring Sport Participation
Coaches are recruiting girls because of their strong work ethic. We have NO PROBLEM with Tigs being involved and participating in other school extracurricular activities as long as all involved (student, parent, coaches) understand the following...
1. Tigerette and Band commitments including all in school/out of school practice and all events scheduled for the groups must be the #1 priority. (Winter Guard members are not permitted to participate in other sports during NOV DEC JAN FEB MARCH 1st and first weekend of April 2018)
2. Tigs choosing to or sharing time is not an option when a conflict arrises. Tigs must honor the first commitment they made and that was Band/Guard last January when they tried out and made Tigerette/Fall Guard.
3. All Tigerettes must & will be in their assigned band class all year long. Tigs will not be excused from their assigned band class for anything other than team travel to an off campus game, meet, or match at the time designated by coach in faculty email. They may not miss band class to practice another sport.
Please remember as well...
Tigerettes will be involved in tryouts for just over a week in January and that Tigerette Tryout Clinic attendance is now required by Jefcoed so there is NOT an option to "choose or share" time that week.
Tigerettes will also be involved in some parade prep practice for our spring trip in March!!
And last but not least...one of our VERY favorite things...
END OF SEASON GIFTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We will celebrate the end of fall season on the bus ride home from Muscle Shoals on Saturday night, November 3rd...so of course all girls are required to ride the charter bus to & from that event!!
Each of the 27 girls will need to bring their own JUMBO shopping bag and ALL are expected to bring something gifty to put in everyone's bags. Doesn't have to be a certain price or a certain type thing, just needs to be girly & fun!! Let your wallet be the guide on what you purchase/make and be sure you send at least 27 of whatever gift & food item you choose...see below. Please remember we have 2 Seniors who deserve some extra special treatment!!
Food assignments by grade levels...
Juniors & Seniors = chicken fingers/nuggets, lady finger type sandwiches
Sophomores = veggie/cheese/fruit snacks
Freshmen = salty snacks
7th & 8th grade = sweet snacks
Rebecca and I will furnish a cooler with drinks and trash bags. Items must be individually packaged, bagged, or wrapped...think finger foods packed for travel.
We will have girls bring in boxed/bagged gift items probably Thursday before. Food items will come in closer to actual travel time. Everything MUST be prepped & ready for distribution when they arrive. Each girl will share her gift with others on the ride home, we will enjoy food items together at that time as well...our Seniors and a few others will share their final thoughts on the season.
Senior gifts may be personalized with names (Alexis or Cheyenne) but all other gifts should be exactly the same without names or grade level markings. And ps...pic frames & season photos are nice but girls already have tons of those via social media.
