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Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by When? on 4/15/2026, 11:29 am

When should marching band practice happen so all students can be in attendance? Mondays are JH volleyball games. Tuesday are HS volleyball games. Wednesday is Church. Thursday is JV and JH football games. Mornings before school is Cross Country. Do you hold practice all those days and hope they come once? But how to get them all at the same time?

Re: Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by Beecher on 4/17/2026, 8:29 pm, in reply to "Do You Have A Solution?"

In my small school situation I never have everyone at the same time unless there is a bye week. We practice Monday, Tuesday & Thursday to make sure everyone is set. The real trick is choosing and writing sets for this:
6' 30" of music max
30 sets max

Re: Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by Maybe on 4/15/2026, 4:11 pm, in reply to "Do You Have A Solution?"

We're fortunate (not the kids) where cross country happens two hours before school, so that gives us the hour right before school. I don't know how those kids do it, especially with their cross country meets so early in the morning after a football game, but somehow they all manage to show up and get the job done.

Otherwise, I pretty much plan to rarely have everyone together. I have drum majors fill in the holes so that the band can still march around that spot and so the drum majors know what's going on in order to help the kid when they're back.

Re: Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by older than dirt on 4/16/2026, 11:40 am, in reply to "Do You Have A Solution?"

I am different in my charting. Any Jr Hi marchers are a combined part of the form. My admin will not let Jr Hi be in HS class. So, they rehearse as separate forms in sets and flow. On Mondays, everybody but Jr Hi Volleyball rehearse. I also expect the volleyballers to get it done or they are alternates.

Re: Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by Just do it on 4/16/2026, 8:34 am, in reply to "Do You Have A Solution?"

You're never going to avoid all of the conflicts. Dodge the big ones if you can. Otherwise you just have to deal with it. Plan your music and your drill accordingly.

My JV football kids always miss Thursday. Volleyball girls always miss Tuesday. Mondays are National Honor Society (most of the officers are band kids).

I don't know why the junior high activities are causing you conflicts, unless you are in such a tiny school that you have 7th and 8th grade marching.

I make it very clear to the kids that they have to catch themselves up. I support them doing multiple activities, but I'm not reteaching what I went over while they were gone. If everyone around them knows the drill, they can usually pick it up pretty quickly. We can't do any outside rehearsal during the school day so we learn music in class. They don't perform until I am confident they know their stuff.

Re: Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by Maybe on 4/16/2026, 8:07 am, in reply to "Do You Have A Solution?"

Maybe alternate between Monday and Tuesday. Still won't have everyone but at least then you get a chance to for everyone to rehearse and aren't punishing the other kids with extra rehearsals.

Re: Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by DesertJazz on 4/15/2026, 9:14 pm, in reply to "Do You Have A Solution?"

We do Mondays 6:30-8:30pm and catch most of the kids - no HS conflicts, then Wednesday after school 4-5:30 (we don't have athletes at that one), and Thursdays 6:30-8:30 (No JH Football, Cheer, or JV football players at all on away games - they usually trickle in on home games).

The 'main' practice of every week is definitely Monday night. Thursday is usually a pretty good practice too. I've debated about switching the Wednesday to Tuesday, but having a Tuesday night to recharge after a late Monday seems to work out better.

Re: Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by Curious on 4/15/2026, 2:51 pm, in reply to "Do You Have A Solution?"

I am able to have some JH students participate with the high school marching band. I have full rehearsals on Monday evenings from 6:30-9:00. You can't avoid every conflict imaginable. I may have one or two missing each rehearsal.

Re: Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by ForeverN00B on 4/16/2026, 11:04 am, in reply to "Re: Do You Have A Solution?"

Yeah, it's more about managing how many will miss, and trying to set your schedule where every kid will be served at some point, even if you don't serve them all at the same time. We have rehearsals 6-8 Monday and Tuesday and we go out during class time when wet bulb allows. When there's conflict, we typically yield until the week of contest.

Re: Do You Have A Solution?

Posted by Me on 4/15/2026, 12:50 pm, in reply to "Do You Have A Solution?"

How many of your kids are in volleyball? How many JH volleyball kids are marching?

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