Dropping off and Picking up your student at the HS
When does my student get her/his formal band uniform?
All formal band uniforms are stored in the Uniform Room in the HS band hall, formal uniforms will not be taken home. The day of a game, contest or concert, the students will be given a specific time period when they can pick up their uniform at the Uniforms Room, and get changed into their uniform. On these days, the student will need to bring their gray t-shirt, gray Lycra shorts, marching shoes, long socks and their gloves. During marching season, please refer to the weekly announcement sheet to identify whether the students are wearing the black or white bibbers (pants) for that event. If they are wearing black bibbers, students will need to bring their long black socks and black marching (Viper) shoes. When they wear the white bibbers, they will need to bring their white marching (Viper) shoes and white long socks. After the event (game, contest or concert) the students will change back into their street clothes, and turn their uniform back in to the volunteers in the Uniform Room.
Why did we have to buy white and black gloves?
The formal band uniforms have one black sleeve (left) and one white sleeve (right). Students will wear a black glove on their left hand and a white glove on their right hand, to coordinate with their formal uniform.
What happens on game days?
On game days, students report to the band hall as soon as school as school is dismissed, to prepare for the game by gathering all their equipment, practicing music one last time, and changing into their uniforms. For home games, students do have the ability to leave to get meals, but need to be back at their designated time (the Band Council also sells meals before home games as a fundraiser for their activities, so consider supporting this very worthwhile venture by purchasing your home game meals from them!). When the second quarter of a game is almost over, the band leaves the stands and goes onto the track to begin warming up. The Tiger Band performs their marching show on the field during the half-time break. At home games, they remain on the track in front of the crowd, playing spirit songs to pump up the crowd for the beginning of the third quarter, before returning to the stands for the rest of the game.
After the game, the band remains at the stadium until most of the crowd has left. Sometimes, they will run through the show one more time in the stands. Members then march out as a group, and return to the high school band hall. If the Tiger Band has been in formal uniform there is a strict procedure that the students must follow to return their uniforms to the Uniforms Room, which may take up to half an hour or more to process all the students. If you are waiting for your child, we welcome your assistance with unloading trailers and buses. The volunteers who have been working the event would love some extra hands helping them get things unloaded and put away! No training necessary to help, just go up and ask “How may I help you?”
What happens on contest days?
The Tiger Band usually competes in 4-5 marching contests each season, in addition to any UIL contests. We compete in contests to get feedback on our performance from qualified judges. From this, we can assess our progress in marching, musicality, performance, and overall development of our program. In addition, it is exciting to see how we line up against other bands across the State.
Contests are generally a full-day affair, with report time early in the morning and return time late at night. The time that the Tiger Band reports to the band hall to leave for a contest depends upon the performance slot they are assigned. The Directors’ weekly email will always inform you of the report time. Students will get their uniforms and load the trailer (sometime this is done the night before, if there was a football game performance). After a brief practice, the students board the buses for the contest. There are usually two rounds of a contest – prelims and finals. You can stay tuned to the Tiger Band Boosters Facebook page to see these results when they are available. Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend contests – you can serve as a chaperone and ride the bus, or you may bring your own car and cheer from the stands. The band boosters provide students with a meal (usually a sandwich, chips and cookie) and a snack. If it is going to be a particularly long day, however, you may want to send an extra snack with your student. Upon returning to the school, all equipment must be unloaded and uniforms turned in before students can leave. The volunteers who have been working the event would love some extra hands helping them get things unloaded and put away! No training necessary to help, just go up and ask “How may I help you?”
What happens at practice?
Practice may be held at the high school or at the high school stadium. During the summer, practices are held according the the directors schedule. PLEASE CHECK THE CALENDARS, WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS, MARCHING BAND CALENDAR OR REMIND FOR THE CURRENT TIMES!
The keys to surviving summer practices are comfortable clothing, plenty of sunblock and HYDRATION! Be prepared to do a lot of laundry, as your student will likely want (need) to change clothes between practices!
During the school year, most practices are held in the morning, so students will probably want a clean shirt and deodorant before going to classes. For Monday night or any other evening practices, many students bring a ‘second lunch’ to have after school before practice.
How Can Parents Help with Practices?
Thank you to all of you who have signed up to help with Summer Band, starting next Tuesday! We still have a great need for volunteers, especially in the General Assistance category.
Are there special clothing requirements for Monday night practices?
For evening practices (typically Mondays, occasionally on a Tuesday), all students are required to wear solid white shirts ordered with uniforms. This is so that the directors can observe the movement of the band as a whole, without anyone standing out because of their clothing. Parents are encouraged to come up and sit in the stands for the last 30-45 minutes of practice to watch the students run through the show. They appreciate the crowd and the applause!
What is the difference between Contest Meals, Away Game Meals, and Home Game Meals?
During Registration, you signed up for meals for your student for the marching season. Contest Meals are required for all students, Away Game Meals and Home Game Meals are optional for purchase but parents must provide a meal if one was not purchased. Contest Meals are what we serve the students the day of a contest. It can include one or two meals, depending on the length of the day. Meals are served at the contest location by the Contest Meals team. Contest meals are typically a boxed meal (sandwich, chips, cookie, bottle of water) from caterers such as Jason’s Deli, Schlotzsky’s, Chick-Fil-A, or can be a pizza meal (2-3 slices of pizza, bottle of water). You and/or your student selected their meal choice through the online registration forms. Away Game Meals are provided by Pok-E-Jo’s, and they are delivered to the high school. Typically, these meals are eaten at the school before loading the bus, but sometimes are taken with them on the bus, depending on the schedule. You selected the specific meals through the online registration forms. A master list of the student’s choices is posted in the practice room hallway, in case your student can’t remember what they ordered. Meals are handed out by the Away Game Meals team. Home Game Meals are offered to students for $6 a meal, and they are provided by the Band Council. The meals can be either pizza, cookie, and soda or a hamburger/hot dog, cookie, and soda. These home game meals are eaten at the high school prior to the football game. If you do not register for the Away Game Meal or the Home Game Meal, you MUST provide a meal for your student.
Do I need to send food or snacks with my child on Contest Days?
The Band Boosters plan out snack breaks for the students, as needed. The Directors work with the Contest Meals team to determine the number of meals and snacks needed for each event, keeping the students refueled through the day. Snacks include fruit (a banana or an apple)and a Clif Bar or granola bar. We tend to serve Clif bars (chocolate chip, peanut butter, white chocolate macadamia nut) more often than the Nature Valley Oat and Honey Crunchy granola bars, just so that the students have more protein. If your child needs very specific snacks, or needs a LOT of food during the day, you may choose to send additional healthy snacks with yourstudent.
What snacks are students given at the football games?
Snacks include fruit (a banana or an apple) and another small snack (pretzels, fruit snacks, etc.) Our volunteers do their best to ensure the students with dietary restrictions have safe snacks, but please ask your student to double check the labels on the snacks to ensure they do not contain any restricted contents.
Do all families need to volunteer to help? How do I find out about the volunteer opportunities? And do I need training?
The Tiger Band students and directors rely heavily on parent volunteers to make the band program successful. The students and directors CANNOT do it all alone. For example, there are over 500 volunteer tasks just to support the band at the football games alone. An additional 200-plus volunteers are needed for contests. With only 175 students in the Tiger Band program, this means we need parents volunteering at least five different times and two different concession stand times in order to cover the needs.
Have you looked at the on-line volunteer sign ups at SignUp.com? Go to the Booster website home page (DSBandBoosters.org) and click on the Volunteer link on the home page. There is a wide variety of things to do: chaperoning, moving pit/percussion equipment, concessions stand, help with uniforms (sewing, ironing, handing out uniforms), hand out meals, pick up color guard equipment, and more. In order to cover all of the needs, the Band Boosters are asking each family to volunteer for one shift at the Concession stand during a home football game, and at least three other volunteer shifts with any of our teams. No training is required, you will be given instructions upon your arrival! It is a great way to help the Tiger Band, and get to know the studentsbetter!
If you can’t be at the football games or contests, there are A LOT of other ‘behind the scenes’ things that need to be done too. The Band Booster President or Secretary can help you find something that meets your skills and time constraints. Email them at President@DSBandBoosters.orgor Secretary@DSBandBoosters.org
Additional volunteer needs, or shortages of volunteers are also communicated via email from the President of Band Boosters (from President DS Band Boosters notify@membershiptoolkit.com).
Does anyone take pictures during the games, contests, or concerts?
Yes, the Band Boosters have some very dedicated parents who take LOTS of pictures of the students in the stands and on the field. Pictures are posted weekly in SmugMug. Look for this logo at the bottom of the home page of the Band Booster website. This link is also available at the BandWebsite (dsbands.org/hs). Click on the link, pictures can be viewed, and you can purchase copies. A percent of the purchases goes back to the Band Boosters, and ultimately to the Tiger Band.
Where do I go to find information about the Tiger Band program?
Currently there are two websites where parents and student can find information about the band program, fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, band calendars, and more. The Band website is dsbands.org/hs. Please go look around at all of the information posted on that site. The Boosters also have a website (dsbandboosters.org) which is currently where the Membership Toolkit link, volunteer link, Booster Board information, and fundraiser information is posted. In the very near term, this information will be moved to the Band website, so that we will have a single website where both parents and students can get the latest information.
Is there a Facebook page?
Yes,the “2022-23 Tiger Band Family” page is the official communciation page for the current Tiger Band program where parents and immediate family can view current happenings. The “Dripping Springs Tiger Band Boosters”is also a Facebook page for the Tiger Band program where extended family, friends and colleagues can view Tiger Band happenings. We post fast-breaking news, quick announcements/reminders, and contest play-by-plays on the Facebook page. You don’t have a Facebook account? We have a feed of the Facebook posts displayed on the home page of the Band website(dsbands.org/hs).
What is Membership Toolkit?
This is the online system that the high school and middle school bands use to complete most steps of the annual registration process, collect fees, communicate with parents, and provide a parent and student directory. Each of the schools has its own standalone system, so as your child moves up to high school, you will need to create an account in the HS Membership Toolkit system. Go to dsbandboosters.org/membershiptoolkit.com to get started. The email account(s) that you list for the parents will be what the Band Boosters will use to communicate to you throughout the year. Your annual fees will be collected through this system, and most fundraisers will collect orders and payments through this system.
Can’t find the answer to your question here or in the Parent Handbook? Just send your question tothe DS Band Booster President at President@dsbandboosters.org.