We use emails, the Milton Band website (Membership Toolkit), and GroupMe to keep families informed throughout the season.
Every member is important and necessary to the group's success, so it's important to attend every practice and performance. Please look over the band calendar to identify and avoid conflicts, and schedule appointments around practices and competitions whenever possible.
Exceptions: School-sponsored activities such as All State (band/chorus), Georgia Honors Program (GHP), or other academic commitments are handled case by case. Holly works around major school band and chorus dates when scheduling shows.
Elective absences (family vacations, planned trips, etc.) are not excused. If you expect a conflict, discuss it with Holly before contract submission day.
For all JV and Varsity families. JV wraps up at 6:45 and Varsity is rehearsing that evening, so come a few minutes early, grab your student, and stay for the meeting! Please sign in when you arrive so we can make sure everyone gets our emails.
- Thu Nov 12
- Nov 23-27: Thanksgiving break
- Dec 21-Jan 3: Winter break
- Mon Jan 4: Teacher workday
- Mon Jan 18: MLK Day
- Feb 15-19: Winter break
- Mon Mar 15: School holiday
- Tue Nov 10
- Thu Nov 12
- Nov 23-27: Thanksgiving break
- Dec 21-Jan 3: Winter break
- Feb 15-19: Winter break
- Thu Mar 25: No practice (X27 Exhibition at 7 PM)
Milton Winterguard competes in events sanctioned by SAPA (Southern Association for Performing Arts) and WGI (Winter Guard International). The week before each competition, members receive instructions on when to arrive and what to pack. A typical competition day starts around 8 AM and students return to school by about 3 PM. All dates are on the band calendar.
JV and Varsity travel together by carpool to all competitions so everyone arrives at the same time. Parents who have completed the required chaperone and carpool forms can drive. Drivers meet in the Milton bus lane at the set time, and the lead chaperone assigns students to each vehicle.
We're so grateful for every parent and driver who shows up! To help our performers stay focused, we ask all parents and non-lead chaperones to follow these guidelines.
Holly and the staff have the kids covered. Your job is to get them there safely. Once you arrive, relax, watch the shows, cheer from the stands, and have fun! Hovering stresses out the staff and the kids, so the best thing you can do is enjoy the trip and trust the process.
- You're welcome to walk with the group to the warmup area. But you are welcome to drop off and pick up later!
- When pre-warmup begins (about 30 minutes before performance), all parents except lead chaperones head to the gym to find seats.
- No conversations with performers during warmup. Let them focus.
- Follow behind the students. Please don't rush ahead to claim seats before the floor is set.
- Head to the exit area to help with shoes and jackets as students come off the floor.
- Let staff finish the post-performance meeting and equipment loading before greeting your student.
- Medical needs are handled by staff. Please let them do their job.
- Once shoes are sorted, you're welcome to help roll flags!
- Everyone loads together and leaves together. All drivers caravan back to Milton as a group.
- Please don't leave early with kids without prior approval from the lead chaperone.
Every family is required to volunteer during the season. Opportunities include driving competition carpools or equipment, chaperoning, building props, donating water and snacks, delivering or serving meals, and more.
Already have an FCS employee or substitute teacher badge? You're all set. Just fill out the Volunteer Badge Form.
- Register here: Supervised Volunteer
- Watch the training video (about 10 minutes) and fill out the application using your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID.
- Bring your ID to the school office during school hours and let them know you registered.
- Fill out the Volunteer Badge Form so we have it on record.
- Register here: Unsupervised Volunteer
- Watch the training video (about 10 minutes) and fill out the application using your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID.
- Register for fingerprinting on Idemia's website with service code 2TGQXV. Any location works.
- Wait for your background check to clear (3 days to 2 weeks).
- Pick up your badge at the FCS Badge Office: 6201 Powers Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta (Mon-Fri, 8 AM-3 PM) or 4025 Flat Shoals Rd, Union City (Mondays only, 8:30 AM-3:30 PM).
- Fill out the Volunteer Badge Form so we have it on record.
Fees vary based on JV or Varsity, the number of members, and which uniform items you need. All purchased items belong to the student and are used for their whole time in the program.
- Performance costume
- Instructors and staff
- Show design (drill, visual, and music) and clinicians
- Competition registration fees
- The competition floor
- Equipment (flags, rifles, and sabres) and props
- Equipment transportation and maintenance
- Practice space for away competitions
- Chaperone competition tickets and first aid supplies
- Varsity: 18 team dinners (every Tuesday practice plus the Nov 4 and Nov 5 long practices), some competition meals, and hotels for overnight trips (Huntsville and Dayton)
- Show shirt
- Backpack (new members only)
- Shoes (new members only)
- Varsity: Wind suit (new members only)
Backpacks and wind suits can be used every year as long as your student is part of the Milton Guard program.
We want every kid who wants to do Winterguard to be able to do it. If the dues are a stretch this year, help is available and we'd love for you to use it.
Just send a quick note to our Band Director, Chris Shumick, at director@miltonband.org. It doesn't have to be formal or long. Let him know you'd like some help and a little about your situation, and he'll take it from there. He handles these himself and keeps them confidential.
Please don't let cost be the reason your kiddo sits out! Not sure where to start? Reach out to me at guardvp@miltonband.org and I'm happy to help.
- Account: New to Milton Band? Create a new account. Returning? Add your student if they aren't on your account yet.
- Everyone: Add Winterguard to your student (choose JV or Varsity).
- Complete your forms on the Open Forms page: FCS Required Forms and GHSA Required Forms (every family, every year), Medical Summary (new families), and Physical Upload (a new physical every year).
- Register and pay using the JV or Varsity button above. This is where you order uniform items (show shirt, backpack, shoes) and pay the participation fee. To save without paying, click "Save and Continue" and come back later. To pay now, click "Checkout."
- Undergarments
- Makeup and other personal care items
- Gloves (for members who spin weapons, not required)
- Food at competitions
- Water bottle (1/2 gallon jug for Varsity; last season's bottle is fine)
Registration has three parts: set up your account and add your student to Winterguard, complete the required forms (FCS, GHSA, medical summary, physical, and contract), then register and pay for JV or Varsity. Step-by-step directions and the JV and Varsity registration links are in the Register section above.
