Resources

• BOA – acronym for Bands of America, the name of the company that puts on high-level marching band competitions of Regionals, Super-Regionals and Grand Nationals (Grand Nats).
• UIL – stands for University Interscholastic League, the governing body over Texas school competition.
• Charms – the online program the band directors use to track finances, maintain a calendar, post handouts, etc. Memorize your login and check the site often.
• Uniform Day – a Saturday at Bowie where we all come together to have students fitted for Formal Uniform, summer uniform, take pictures, sign up for volunteering, etc.
• Formal – refers to the formal marching uniform.
• Summer Uniform – what students wear to football games before they transition to the Formal. Includes the black shorts, red polo, black belt, white tennis shoes with no-show socks, visor, and red water bottle.
• Bibs – the ski-bib type portion of the formal marching uniform.
• Gauntlets – the trapezoid-shaped part of the formal that velcros together over the student’s wrist and covers part of the lower arm. It has 3 buttons on it.
• Gloves – typically white gloves are worn. Flutes cut the fingers off.
• Shako – the hat your student wears with their formal uniform. It has an opening in the top for a plume – feather or other decorative insert provided at performances.
• Vipers – the black shoes the students wear with their formals. You will most likely be purchasing two pairs, one for practice and one for competitions (used to be called Dinkles – old band parents may still call them that).
• Spandex – the undershorts that students should wear under their summer uniform and their formal uniform.
• Show Shirt – a t-shirt that the band directors design and produce for each marching season. It has a graphic on the front with the show’s name and list the students on the back. You will want one; watch for the order form.
• Dot – your students spot in the marching show. For example, there are 25 flutes that are marching in the show. The show designer has used a computer program to track each persons’ movement. A flute might be known as “F22” to designate their marching position (F=Flute, 22=number within that section).
• Dot Book – the small spiral notebook that your student will make. It will contain the schematic of their part of the marching show. Usually students use shoe laces to create a strap that enables them to wear their dot book.
• Pit – the grouping of students playing non-marching instruments at the front of the field, such as marimbas, keyboards, etc.
• Drum line – the students carrying drums and march on the field.
• Guard – short name for the Color Guard.
• Winter Guard – after marching season ends, Color Guard continues on in a Winter Guard program with new show, music, and competitions.
• Rookie – anyone new to the band program… parent or student.
• Major –shortening of the Drum Major’s title
• Letter Points – in order to “Letter” a student must obtain a certain number of letter points. See the Band Handbook in Charms
• Alternate
• Fair Share – the Band Directors make a budget for the school year for each of marching band, concert band, Color Guard, jazz band, and steel drum programs. The total expenses of each budget are divided by the number of students in that program to arrive at your “Fair Share”. If your student is in more than one program your total Fair Share is calculated by adding the sum of those parts.  (EX: Marching Band Share + Concert Band Share= Total Fair Share.)  Due on Uniform Day or in payments as scheduled with the band director. Fair Share will not include any trips like London or Grand Nationals. Fair Share typically includes transportation costs, entry fees, feeding of students during competitions, music, clinicians, technicians, etc.
• Burgers at Burger – a fun Saturday evening where the band parents come together with hamburgers, hotdogs and potluck items to socialize and enjoy watching the students march what they’ve learned during summer band camp.
• Bulldogs and Hot Dogs – a Bowie school-wide event showcasing every single club/activity at our high school on the last Saturday of August, rain or shine. Bring your $$ and purchase food items, spirit wear and booster membership. Open to all Bowie community, including feeder-schools. Band performs, Football players are introduced, cheerleaders and dancers do their thing. IT’s the season’s biggest pep rally!
• Playoffs – After the conclusion of the regular football season, Bowie typically advances to the playoffs. Band attends but does not march.

All performances, either audio or visual, are not for commercial purposes, but are for nonprofit and educational purposes for the Bowie Band program.

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