Dear Parents and Guardians,

My name is Pam Czekay, and I am the Marching Band Director at Shawnee High School. Marching band is one of the greatest activities that Shawnee High School has to offer. I’d like to introduce you to the group and answer a few common questions incoming parents and students have about our marching band program. 

What makes marching band different from other activities? 

Every single person is important and nobody sits out. There is no such thing as a benchwarmer in marching band. All band members must work together as a team in order to be successful.

Being involved in marching band teaches students about work ethic, dedication, time management, and teamwork. Being a member in the marching band improves musicianship skills, and also allows students to form lifelong friendships. 

Here is what some of our current students have to say about marching band:

"The Shawnee Marching Band has given me the opportunity to meet new people and form lifetime friendships. Marching Band is my second family." 

"Being surrounded by so many great people has really allowed me to come out of my shell and grow as an individual."

 "The Shawnee Marching Band has given me new friends; great people I never would have met otherwise. It has also helped to improve my trumpet skills so much. I learned more lessons here than in any other activity I've ever done."

Band Camp:

Marching band includes a summer band camp in August. We use this time to learn our season show and to build and strengthen friendships. Our summer camp allows you to get to know upperclassmen and gain 80+ friends before school even starts!

Band camp is not required, but the few who have missed all of camp tend to struggle and often drop out. This is because band camp is almost 40% of our practice time for the season!

Season Schedule/Summer Absences:

Many travel over the summer. We understand that you may miss some summer practices. The general rule for summer attendance is if you are in town, you should be at practice. Most importantly, just communicate with me if your child cannot attend. Please click the link on the sidebar to view our season calendar.

Our first practice is July 13th. Except for the Memorial Day Parade, our season ends by the end of November. Marching Band is a fall activity and does not interfere with any winter or spring sports.

How does the time commitment affect students?

Marching band is a commitment, but well worth it. Students eagerly anticipate Friday football games with their friends and weekend competitions. Sometimes parents are concerned that the time commitment may negatively impact their child’s academics. Based on personal experience, many of our members say that their academics have been positively impacted by marching band, as our program instills good time management skills. In fact, 90% of our members say they do better academically during the season because the structure of the schedule helps them to budget their time more efficiently. 

Interested in joining us or want more information?

If you’d like to sign up or are interested in receiving more information, please go to "2022 Marching Band Sign Up Links" on the side bar and fill out the 2022 Season Sign Up Forms.

Please feel free to email me at pczekay@lrhsd.org with any questions you may have! We hope you'll join us!

Sincerely,

Pam Czekay 

Marching Band Director, Shawnee HS