Band Camp Week 2
What a great first week of camp!
It’s been hot. The days have been long. Its a ton of information all at once.
I hope you had a blast. You have already made so much progress. It is amazing to see how far you have come in 5 short days. Keep it up!
It was so much fun to see many of you at Golf N Stuff and our Family Picnic this weekend. Thanks to all of the volunteers that made those happen, and for all the other volunteers throughout the week bringing out water jugs, hiding ducks, making and serving food, restocking first aid kits, and continuing uniform fitting.
Keep pushing! This is the home stretch. See you all on Friday at our Preview Show!
New Absence System!
We’re trying something new! (Which is sometimes a little scary.) Please bear with me as I work out the kinks. I have been working on a few systems that will help me and the staff stay much more organized. One of the first family-facing parts of it is an absence request form.
If you are going to miss a rehearsal for any reason, please fill out this form as soon as you are aware of the absence.
Ok, now the scary part for me. I am not a software engineer, but I think I have it working right. But as with all of these things, there will be bugs. The way this should work is that when you submit a form, you get an automated confirmation email. When I approve/excuse/deny the absence, you will get another email. You may be asked to submit a doctor’s note, etc.
If you get an email that doesn’t make sense, or you think is a mistake, please bear with me!
Moving to this system is so helpful for me from a productivity standpoint, and a planning standpoint. Last week I got something like 50 separate emails about missing parts, or all, of rehearsal. The program has grown enough that it is really hard to keep track of it all. It is also important to know who will be missing when we are planning rehearsals for the day.
Thanks for your understanding and patience!
Speaking of Absences…
we have had a great week of camp, but
it is essential that students are at all scheduled rehearsals!
This week, there were a number of absences. Students have been missing for all sorts of reasons.
What we do is a group activity. We all rely on each other. When 1 person from a section is missing, that section no longer functions how it will in a performance. Every tweak we make to balance, tune, and clean the sound is an inaccurate picture of what it will be. Every drill move we learn is an incomplete picture. So much of what we do relies on building strong muscle memory so we can perform, entertain, and create art. Without the foundation that we build every day in rehearsal, students do not get to where we are trying to get to as a group.
Band camp is a lot of hours all at once, but they are some of the most important hours of the year. When we get into the school year, we will get to a point where we only have 1 rehearsal to do a project.
It is a sacrifice, but a worthwhile one. You NEED to make rehearsal a priority.
That means scheduling doctor’s appointments, dentist/ortho appointments, haircuts, family birthday celebrations, etc. for times outside of the rehearsal day. The school schedule is busy during the marching band year, but we have intentionally left Tuesdays open for you. Plan accordingly.
We need a culture of students who show up. If we can establish that, the sky is the limit. Thank you for your work, and I’m looking forward to a great year.
Band App
The Band App is one of the main ways that we communicate with you throughout the year. Make sure you are signed up for the new one (Cerritos High School Band 2026-2027) and have NOTIFICATIONS TURNED ON please! You should be checking the Band App regularly!
Join the band app by clicking here: https://band.us/n/abafb379V0rfR
Quick Overview
Here are the big things to know:
✅ Required every day: instrument/equipment, water, athletic clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, hat, food/snacks as needed, and a ready-to-work attitude
✅ Athletic Clearance due ASAP
Week 2 at a Glance
Monday, August 3
Band Camp: 9:00 am-4:00 pm @ CHS (lunch break 12:00 pm-1:00 pm)
School Distribution for band. Your student should attend camp as normal, and will leave to go to distribution at their assigned times.
Alpha Last Name A-E: 8:00-9:00AM
Alpha Last Name F-K: 9:00-10:00AM
Alpha Last Name L-R: 10:00-11:00AM
Alpha Last Name S-Z: 11:00AM-12:30PM
There will be a student leadership meeting immediately following camp this day. Leaders, plan to stay a few extra minutes!
Tuesday, August 4
Band Camp: 9:00 am-4:00 pm @ CHS (lunch break 12:00 pm-1:00 pm)
🧋 7 Leaves Dine Out fundraiser. (Click here for more details)
Wednesday, August 5
Band Camp: 9:00 am-4:00 pm @ CHS (lunch break 12:00 pm-1:00 pm)
Thursday, August 6
Band Camp: 9:00 am-2:30 pm @ CHS (lunch break 12:00 pm-1:00 pm)
We will be ending camp a bit early today. DCI Prelims are being streamed at the Long Beach Regal theater. We are encouraging all students who are able to go watch!
Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Friday, August 7
Band Camp: 9:00 am-4:00 pm @ CHS (lunch break 12:00 pm-1:00 pm)
We will have our Parent Preview Show to wrap up the week. Student call time will be 5:00 pm, and we will be providing the students dinner. Gates will open for parents at 5:30 pm, and the show will start at 6:00 pm.
What Students Need Every Day 🎒
Students should come prepared for both indoor and outdoor rehearsal. Please bring:
Instrument and all needed equipment (reeds, valve oil, etc.)
Music, coordinate sheets, dot book, pencil, and binder/folder (more info to come regarding this)
Large water bottle (most students have a gallon jug of ice water)
Athletic clothes appropriate for movement (shorts and t-shirt that are comfortable)
Closed-toe athletic shoes
Sunscreen
Hat and/or sunglasses (it is bright and hot- hats are REQUIRED)
Lunch/dinner/snacks as needed
A few “please don’t make future-you regret this” reminders:
🚫 No sandals
🚫 No Crocs
🚫 No slides
🚫 No boots
🚫 No small water bottles
We will be outside, and students need to be dressed in a way that allows them to move safely, stay healthy, and actually rehearse well.
Attendance and Rehearsal Expectations ⏰
Band camp is where we learn the foundation of the show and build the habits that make the season possible. It is very difficult to make up the information from a missed rehearsal, especially when we are learning drill, music, and ensemble responsibilities at the same time.
Please remember:
Students should arrive early enough to be ready to start on time.
“On time” means ready with instrument/equipment, water, music, and materials.
Students are expected to communicate ahead of time if there is a conflict.
Students should take care of themselves: hydrate, eat, sleep, and come ready to work.
We will work hard, but we will also take care of each other.
If your student has a conflict, please contact robert.westphal@abcusd.us as soon as possible.
Athletic Clearance 💪
All students participating in the music program next year need a new Athletic Clearance on file with the school.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uO7AWi0VgI_yITFgupmi-zyokhcFR0yN69h9lu2BNNs/edit?tab=t.0
✅ General Overview
All athletic clearance is done online via HomeCampus.com.
Required for all students participating in sports or auxiliary units.
Only one clearance packet per school year, even if the student participates in multiple activities.
New packet and physical are required each year and expire at the end of the school year.
Physicals must be dated on or after April 1, 2026, for the 2026–2027 school year.
Allow up to 5 school days for processing a complete packet.
📝 Clearance Process
Go to HomeCampus.com→ Select California.
Login or create an account with parent/student emails.
Select “Start Clearance Here!” → Search “Cerritos” → Choose the correct school year/sport.
Fill out student info → Click “Save and Continue”.
Upload documents:
Physical form (with physician’s stamp, dated/signed)
Medical history questionnaire
Optional: Private Vehicle Use form (if student drives themselves)
Confirmation email sent when clearance begins.Clearance completed once reviewed. Status viewable online.
📄 Physicals
Signed, dated, and stamped by a physician.
Performed after April 1, 2026 (or within one year of submission).
Forms downloadable from the school's site or accepted electronically (e.g., from Kaiser, if questionnaire is also uploaded).
🏥 Insurance Requirement
All students must have health insurance.
Low-cost options available via Myers-Stevens & Toohey.
💲 Transportation Fee
Mandatory annual fee (yes, it is cheaper to get the ASB card!):
Option A: $175 (includes ASB card)
Option B: $225 (transportation only)
Payable to the ASB office via cash or check.
📧 Contacts
Ana Herrarte (Athletic Secretary): ana.herrarte@abcusd.us – For help completing the form.
Todd Denhart (Athletic Director): todd.denhart@abcusd.us – Response times may vary.
Final Reminders 📌
Students and parents should check the Band App regularly.
Families should make sure all forms, payments, and clearance items are completed by their Uniform Fitting date.
Please label water bottles, binders, and personal items.
Students should start hydrating before camp, not just during camp.
Get sleep. Band camp is much harder when students are running on empty.
Thank you for helping us start the season strong. I’m excited to see the students come together this week and begin building the version of the Regiment of Gold that we will become this year.
See you at camp!
Mr. Westphal
Director of Instrumental Music
Cerritos High School
