IBC stands for Independence Band Committee. It is the parent-run booster organization that supports all aspects of the Indy Band program. From helping with fundraising and volunteering to organizing meals, travel, and equipment logistics, the IBC plays a vital role in making sure our students and staff have everything they need for a successful season. All parents and guardians of band and guard members are considered part of the IBC, and there are plenty of ways to get involved!

CutTime is an online platform we use to keep band parents informed and organized. It helps you stay up to date with announcements, view the band calendar, track your student’s participation, make payments, and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Everything you need to support your student throughout the year is all in one convenient place.

Registration for the 25-26 Marching Band Season is now open! Please fill out the form below to register for marching band. The cost for Marching Band this year is $300. Rookie Members are also asked to pay a $200 uniform fee to cover shoes, member shirt, track bag, etc. Money and health forms will be due at the start of band camp. Your student can sign up, here!

Band camp is a fun and important part of our season. It’s where we learn most of our halftime show, build team spirit, and set the tone for the year. To make the most of this experience, students need to come prepared each day with the right items and a great attitude. Below is a list of what you’ll need for a successful week at band camp.

Please make sure you have eaten breakfast before coming to band camp each day.

• Instrument

• Gallon Water Jug

• Music

• Hat and Sunglasses

• Sunscreen

• Crossbody Phone Strap (We will be using an app to do picture drills this year)

• Dot book (for students that do not own a phone)

• Pencil

• Proper attire/athletic shoes

• Sack lunch (dinner will be provided)

Leadership Camp is for juniors and seniors only and is a one-day camp prior to Rookie and Guard Camp.

Rookie Camp is for all new marching band students. This three-day mini-camp takes place the week before band camp to give them a head start on basic marching fundamentals.

Guard Camp is also a three-day mini-camp that also occurs the week before band camp.

We communicate with students through a few key channels: Schoology, email, and in-person announcements during class and rehearsals.

All students should be part of the Marching Band Schoology Group, and Color Guard members should also join the Color Guard Schoology Group. These groups are used to share important updates, reminders, schedules, and resources.

Students are also expected to check their school email regularly and to listen for announcements during rehearsals. Staying connected through these platforms is essential to keeping up with everything happening in the band program.

To help our band run smoothly and ensure every student’s success, we follow a clear attendance policy. Please review the expectations below so you know what is required throughout the season.

• Students are expected to be on time to start rehearsals.

• The start time of the event is the start time NOT when you should show up.

• Students should show up at least 30 minutes before the start of a rehearsal

• Performances will have a scheduled call time for students to show up.

• Absences from a rehearsal and performance:

• Students are expected to be at ALL rehearsals and performances. Anything that can be scheduled should be scheduled around all rehearsals and performances.

• Any unexcused rehearsal or performance absence could result in you not being eligible to participate in the halftime performance of the next football game. Frequent absences will result in a parent conference to discuss future eligibility in the organization.

• Homework and grades are not a valid excuse for missing a rehearsal or performance. Holding them out of rehearsal due to homework or grades hurts the entire ensemble, not just your student.

• We all know things and events come up. In the real world, people get paid-time-off (PTO) or some form of sick/personal leave. With this in mind, students are allowed to miss rehearsals and performances as long as they are communicated well in advance (~2 weeks). They will need to fill out a form stating the date missing and the specific reason for their absence.

• Frequent requests to miss, may result in you being pulled from the ensemble.

• Please note, if there was new material taught, we may ask you to sit out a performance for the safety of the other performers.

• Emergencies are handled on a case-by-case basis. Parents should email in the event of an emergency as soon as possible.

• Parents and students should work together to ensure they are at every rehearsal and performance at the correct time or communicating absences.

Marching band is a team effort, and every rehearsal and performance is essential to our success. Students are expected to come prepared, arrive 30 minutes early, and communicate clearly about any conflicts. They are to be there to rehearse and not to socialize, and to treat all staff with respect. Please review the following expectations carefully so that we can work together to make this season safe, smooth, and successful for everyone.

Please remember to have the following at practice:

• Instrument

• Music

• Water Jug

• Hat

• Sunscreen

• Dot book

• Pencil

• Proper attire/shoes

Students in the IHS Band Program are held to the highest standard and this includes in academics as well. During marching season, students are expected to maintain their grades and assignments.

Students are asked to maintain above a failing grade in all of their courses (including band).

Any student whose grades fall below a 70 in two classes will not be eligible to travel with us to away games until their average is pulled up. The only exception to this policy is through a student having a conference with the director, and we discuss a plan to help raise their grade.

Home Games: We begin with a short practice, then eat dinner provided at the school. Students change into uniforms, line up, and participate in the Indy Walk to the stadium. During the game, we play pep band tunes in the stands and perform our halftime show. After the game, we exit the stadium together, return uniforms and instruments, and students are dismissed in the band room parking lot.

Away Games: We begin with a brief practice session, followed by dinner, which can be provided at the school or the mall. After changing into uniforms, we depart on school buses. Students may bring their provided cinch bag on the bus for water bottles and any other loose items. Upon arrival, we march into the stadium together, play pep tunes in the stands, and perform at halftime if scheduled. After the game, we will exit the stadium together, load the buses and trailer, and return to Indy. We will then unload, put away the uniforms and instruments, and dismiss students in the band room parking lot. While traveling back to school, parents will receive a text notification with a time estimate to meet their student in the band room parking lot.

Bus Rules:

• Max two people per seat

• You must ride the same bus every trip

• The front two seats are reserved for chaperones/directors/staff

• Only one person per blanket

• No loud music

• No yelling

• No standing

• When leaving the bus for the last time, please, put up your windows and clean up your trash.

• You will be called back on the bus if it is dirty to clean it.

• Leave the bus better than you found it.

• We want to do everything in our power to arrive safely to our destination. That starts with us allowing the bus driver to focus on their driving. Please be mindful and do not become a distraction.

Uniform rules:

• Keep your uniform clean.

• Be careful when eating and drinking.

• When in the eyes of the public, you are always in uniform of some kind.

• The director will let you know what that uniform is prior to any performance

• No one gets to wear parts of your uniform.

• If they have not gone through the rehearsals and put in the work, they do not get to wear the uniform. This includes significant others, siblings, parents, family members, and friends. It is your uniform, not theirs.

• You will always hang up your marching uniform the correct way and put it back neatly in your garment bag and uniform room.

Wilco is a county-wide exhibition that brings together all the high school marching bands in Williamson County. Each band performs its halftime show in a non-competitive setting, allowing students to showcase their hard work and enjoy the performances of their peers. It’s a fun, community-building event that celebrates the dedication and talent of student musicians across the county.

The Game Day Live Pep Band is an audition-only ensemble that competes alongside competition cheerleaders. The season culminates in a competition hosted at Disney World in February.

Independence Pep Band and Competition Cheer have earned the title National Champions four times in the past five years. The Indy Band also earned the National Champion title for the inaugural Pep Band Division this year.

Auditions for the GDL Band are typically held in August. Performers are expected to show off their

dance skills, play the school fight song, and additional music.

The band programs for all of the county's high schools offer a US Flag subscription service for the families within their school zone. For a yearly fee, they will place a US Flag in their front yard for 5 patriotic holidays throughout the year. Families of band students then sign up to deliver & post flags in the mornings and pick them up before sundown that night. You've probably seen these flags out many times and just didn't realize it was a county band family that put them there. But now you will get a chance to be part of the fun and support your Indy Band at the same time.

The Flag Fundraiser is our largest fundraiser, and we ask that every band family sign up for 3 routes throughout the year.

You can email Julie Holt, our 2025-26 Band Chair at ihsbandchairman@gmail.com