Some frequesntly asked questions from rising 9th graders:
- Is marching band a class offered during the school day? No, marching band is not a class. The marching band is one of the most visible units of our band program, however, so there will be some time spent working on Marching Band music during the first few weeks of school in all band classes.
- I'm not sure about all those older kids, will they be mean to me? NO WAY! When you step into a high school band its like you suddenly have 100 new friends. Band is the largest student group at Kell High School. As you walk through the halls you'll see lots of people you recognize from band. Just imagine having that many friends on your first day of high school.
- Can I be in sports and in band? Yes. We have people in band that participate in just about every sport: tennis, swimming, football, track, wrestling, baseball, soccer, etc. We sometimes have to juggle schedules, but we will work it out. Marching band and concert band take the most amount of time, and discretion should be used before overloading.
- Will I be able to get all my subjects in and be in band? Yes you can. Band students are the top students in the school. The students learn to budget their time and generally have higher grades especially during marching season.
- If I am in band, can I also belong to other student clubs? YES! In fact, most of the Kell band students belong to a second, and sometimes third student club! We encourage involvement!
- Do I have to start early as a freshman? Yes. Since middle schools do not march, this is the only opportunity to get freshmen caught up on marching fundamentals and music for next fall. You must learn the system before you can perform in the show!
- High school is so hard, will I be able to keep up my grades? Yes, you will. Band students learn better than any other students how to manage their time, and typically score higher than non-band students on standardized tests. Band students on the whole make better grades than non-band students…it’s a fact!
- Will I have time for band? Yes, you will. Everyone has the same amount of time, and anything worth doing takes some time. During marching season, it takesMonday, Tuesday and Thursday nights with football games on Fridays. After football season, the time demands outside of school are significantly less.
- Will the work be too hard for me? NO! Everyone starts from scratch, and like anything else, with hard work and practice you will get it. That’s exactly why you need to be in band in the first place. Band helps you develop a good work ethic. Anything – sports, a job, etc. – takes work to be good. There is nothing wrong with work! We have never lost anyone in this program due to working too hard!
- I’m afraid of tryouts, do I have to? Yes and no. Everyone who signs up for band is in band, regardless of how well you play. You don’t audition to “make the band,” but we will have you audition during the year to make sure we have you placed in the best possible spot for your instrument.
- I’ve heard that band is expensive. How much does it cost to be in the band? - Fortunately, not as much as you might think!!! Sure it will cost SOME money, but it will be much less than many other programs and various other activities in the area. We are also able to have several fundraisers throughout the year to help students with the financial obligations of participation. Those of you that have been a part of travel sports, band may even seem like a bargain! If you have difficulty paying the band fees however, please see the direct
Frequently Asked Questions
Kell Bands Booster Association - KBBA
PO BOX 965338
Marietta, GA 30066
Kell Bands Booster Association is a non-profit, 501(C)(3)
