Glossary

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The district uses WGBT (Wet Bulb Glove Temperature) to keep you, our students, safe.  The monitor is on top of the aux gym.  We have a very limited amount of field rehearsal time but your safety is our first priority.  Indoor spaces will be found and alternate rehearsal plans made.  And if we can smell smoke, we shut down immediately.

More questions?  Reach out to our athletic director, Ms. Tacy Duncan.  tduncan@riversideunified.org

If you have to miss a rehearsal, make sure to let Ms. Hernandez, your section leader, and your coach know in advance. 

If you have to miss a rehearsal, make sure to let Ms. Hernandez, your section leader, and your coach know in advance. No performance if you missed the last rehearsal.

Attend the performance to help and it will not affect your grade. 

Everyone stays on the field until everyone is ready to leave.

• Coaching debriefs
• Gak pick up
• Props put away
• Trash picked up
• Help the pit!
• Better than we found it!

If you have to miss a rehearsal, make sure to let Ms. Hernandez, your section leader, and your coach know in advance. 

If you have to miss a rehearsal, make sure to let Ms. Hernandez, your section leader, and your coach know in advance. No performance if you missed the last rehearsal.

Attend the performance to help and it will not affect your grade. 

Everyone stays on the field until everyone is ready to leave.

• Coaching debriefs
• Gak pick up
• Props put away
• Trash picked up
• Help the pit!
• Better than we found it!

The annual Banquet is a semi-formal celebration held at the conclusion of the season to honor the hard work, growth, and achievements of all the ensembles. The evening features a shared meal, the presentation of awards, and an emotional farewell dedicated to the graduating seniors. More than just an awards ceremony, this special event brings together students, staff, and families to reflect on the season's memories and celebrate the tight-knit community built on and off the field.

All musicians should have music binders that accommodate their fall show and pep band music, plus other warm ups and exercises.  Students should have each page in a sheet protector.  Binder clips are suggested.  Keep a pencil and dot cards in your music binder.  Binders should be with you at every rehearsal.  

Our instructional staff brings a wealth of experience to the Riverside Poly Band and Color Guard program.  These dedicated educators work alongside our students each week, providing specialized instruction, mentorship, and encouragement while helping each member grow as both a musician and a performer.

Ella Young, High Woodwinds

Daniel Kinoshita, Saxophone

Nathan Banegas, Design, Trumpet & Visual

Kaiden Waterman, French Horn & Visual

John Cross, Mellophone & Visual

Wendall Kelly, Trombone

Vincent Garavito, Tuba

Tate Kinsella, Design, Front Ensemble

Luisa Veloz, Front Ensemble

Henry Hill, Upper Battery

Ashley Yu, Lower Battery

Shawn Hartmann, Guard Director

Jules Cordova, Guard Coach

Jeremiah Ortiz, Guard Coach

Clear communication is essential to the success of our program. The Riverside Poly Band website serves as our central hub for schedules, forms, handbooks, and other important information. Families should also join ParentSquare, where announcements, reminders, and time-sensitive updates are shared throughout the year.

The Google Calendar, which is linked on both the website and ParentSquare, always contains the most up-to-date schedule for the program. Because performance schedules occasionally change, families and students should refer to the Google Calendar for the latest information.

Event Call Sheets are posted on the Google Calendar and the website as soon as performance times and event details are received by the director. These call sheets include arrival times, performance times, uniform information, transportation details, and other event-specific instructions.

Each week, Ms. Hernandez sends a weekly schedule with important reminders and upcoming events. These weekly updates are also posted on the website for easy reference.

If you have questions that are not answered on the website or in ParentSquare, please contact Ms. Hernandez at aehernandez@riversideunified.org.

Students are responsible for knowing the rehearsal and performance schedule. Checking the Google Calendar, ParentSquare, the website, and the weekly schedule regularly is an important part of being a successful member of the Riverside Poly Band and Color Guard. Parents are encouraged to help their students develop this habit by reviewing upcoming events together.

Students who wear the Riverside Poly Band uniform are required to wear compression shorts underneath the uniform every time it is worn.

Compression shorts improve the fit and comfort of the uniform while also allowing students to change modestly before and after performances when changing facilities are unavailable, such as in parking lots or other event locations.

Compression shorts should fit closely and comfortably without restricting movement. They are widely available at retailers such as Target, Walmart, sporting goods stores, and online. Students should plan to have their compression shorts with them at every performance and event requiring the band uniform.

The dress guidelines outlined here are strongly enforced to ensure that everyone in the ensemble is dressed professionally and uniformly for performances. If in doubt as to what to wear, stay as conservative as possible. Students who arrive for a concert improperly dressed will be sent home to change or, if this is not possible, will have their grade automatically lowered and may be pulled from the concert. Consistent failure to maintain a professional appearance in performance will have a negative effect upon one's grade. All students should be aware of concert attire guidelines and have the necessary clothing available, including color guard and percussion members. 

MEN 

* Black tuxedo or suit (pants and jacket; provided) 

* Pressed white dress shirt. (provided)

* Black bow tie. (provided)

* Black cummerbund (provided) or black tuxedo vest (optional). 

* Suspenders are permitted, but they must be either black or white. 

* Black dress socks (no ankle socks). 

* Black dress shoes (no cowboy or combat boots). 

WOMEN 

* Plain black, floor to mid-calf length gown with long or 3/4 sleeves (provided).

OR 

* Long or mid-calf black skirt or black dress slacks, with a black top having long or ¾ sleeves. If you wear slacks, they must be loose and flowing - nothing tight, and no jeans. 

* Black hose and black dress shoes. No open-toed shoes or sandals. 

* No excessive jewelry. No sequins or sparkles. Hair accessories must be black, silver, or gold. 

* No plunging necklines, rising slits (dress and skirt slits must not exceed six inches in length), low-cut backs, or displays of midriff. Wear a slip if your outfit requires it. 

* Toes, knees, and elbows must not be visible.

Courses

Dot book

Courses

Gloves are worn by all members of the band while in uniform.  Brass players wear gloves with full fingers while woodwinds wear fingerless gloves.  One pair per uniform is purchased for the season from the VP of Uniforms.  If lost, a new pair must be purchased by the member from the VP of Uniforms.

Honor Band

Parades

Season Contributions

Fall Marching Season

Fall Marching Band (Winds and Percussion)

• $500 requested family contribution

Fall Color Guard

• $500 total contribution split 
  • $250 designated costume fee
  • $250 requested family contribution 

Winter Guard & Winter Percussion (Second Semester)

• Separate competitive season
• Additional instructional staff
• Competitions and travel
• $250 designated costume fee
• $250 requested family contribution 

SCSBOA (Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association) is the organization that provides adjudication for most marching band competitions, concert festivals, solo and ensemble festivals, and parade reviews throughout Southern California.

SCSBOA establishes the standards used to evaluate student performances and provides written and recorded feedback from experienced music educators to help ensembles grow and improve throughout the season.

In addition to sponsoring festivals and competitions, SCSBOA offers prestigious Honor Groups, which recognize outstanding student musicians from across Southern California through a competitive audition process.

Families are encouraged to visit the SCSBOA website at www.scsboa.org to learn more about the organization. The website includes Honor Group audition information, audition materials, accepted student lists, festival and marching band event calendars, field championship information, parade resources, and other educational resources for students, parents, and directors. Individual competition results are typically published by the host school or event rather than on the SCSBOA website.

Section Leaders

Students interested in performing solo and ensemble pieces in concerts or in an SCSBOA Solo and Ensemble Festival are encouraged to find appropriate pieces on the UIL PML website.  For reference, Symphonic Band students should perform pieces that are grades 2-3, and Wind Ensemble students should perform pieces that are grades 3 and higher.  

https://www.uiltexas.org/pml/

Sports Conflicts

Uniforms are provided for all members of the band and color guard.  Two band uniforms will be provided for this year's band:  The brightly colored ID uniform with the bell on it, and the darker-toned competition uniform.  The ID uniform will be used for parades and Poly events.  

The color guard will be provided with their ID uniform:  an orange tunic and leggings.  

All students need to take outstanding care of their uniform.  Color Guard uniforms are each worth $250, and band uniforms are worth $600 and $750 each.  

In addition to their provided uniform, band students must purchase performance shoes and gloves.  These will be sold by our VP of uniforms in late summer.  Under their uniform, band students must wear the green performance tee, compression shorts and tall black socks.  

In addition to their provided uniform, color guard students must purchase performance shoes and the correct garments for under their uniform.  In addition, they must purchase their seasonal uniform (fall and spring).

Spring percussion students must purchase their seasonal uniform (spring only).  

Varsity Honors can be earned by students who with to push themselves to achieve more within their activity.  Students who complete the requirements will receive an activity honors patch for their letterman's jacket.  

Wind players - Enroll in both concert ensembles (Symphonic Winds & Wind Ensemble) for two years; Participate in Honors Musical or District Honor Band for two years; Audition for All-Southern, All-State, or RCC Sousa Honor Band for two years.  Perform in an SCSBOA Small Ensemble Festival for one year.  

Percussionists - Enroll in percussion class and a concert ensemble for two years; Participate in Honors Musical or District Honor Band for two years; Audition for All-Southern, All-State, or RCC Sousa Honor Band for two years.  Perform in SCSBOA Small Ensemble Festival for one year.  

Varsity letters are awarded at Awards Banquet to all freshmen who have completed a full year of participation in both marching band and their spring ensemble without missing any performances.  After their varsity letter, members who continue will receive an activity pin (2nd year) and service bars (3rd and 4th years).

Vipers (DSI Viper Marching Band Shoe) are the uniform marching shoe worn by all musicians in the band and percussion.  Vipers are ordered at the beginning of the year by the VP of Uniforms.  If lost, members must then order a replacement pair online.

Fill out this form to help the boosters take care of our Poly Band & Guard students:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScx3mjcn4bZWLNiKucgprJFm46l5kZPdTrlM0XVljfXTYkqGg/viewform

Go to the Riverside Unified School District website for information about how to get clearance to volunteer.  

https://www.riversideunified.org/parents/volunteer-opportunities