Pride of Falcon Nation

The time has come for you to make your course selections for your upcoming 9th grade year. We are very excited to have you join the ranks of the Pride of Falcon Nation Band! The Pride of Falcon Nation Band is the largest spirit group on campus, as well as one of the most successful organizations at North Forney High School. We look forward to you being a part of our Tradition of Excellence!

We would like to answer some questions you may have in order to make the process of joining high school band as easy as possible!

In this newsletter you will find all of the information about the 2025 Pride of Falcon Nation marching season.

Students and parents need to access the course selection by login to Skyward. Make sure you select Band I-C. This will reserve your place in the Pride of Falcon Nation Band. If you have a different class from Band I-C, no worries. The band directors will make sure you are in the correct band.

**High School Band fills your students requirement for PE & Fine Arts Credit. Your student will not need to take a PE elective for this graduation requirement.

Below is the step by step process from the counselors.

How to complete your course selection online:

• Log into your Skyward account
• Click the endorsement tab on the left, ensure that your endorsement is correct (if it is proceed to the next step, if it is not make the appropriate change).
• Click the "SCHEDULE" tab on the left
• Once in the schedule tab you will see a ink of the far right that says "Request courses for 25-26," you will need to click that
• In the new window that opens you now be able to add the courses you want to select for next year (make sure you select classes that add up to 8 credits). You must select 3 alternates
• You will not be able to sign up for early release or any of the tryout/application courses at this time; please pick courses in their place.

Once you are done close the window and your choices are saved

Thursday, April 24

5:00pm - 7:00pm Spring Camp #1 for all 2025-26 POFN Band members. Students will be outside from 5-7pm. Please make sure you have water, shorts & athletic shoes.

6:30pm - 7:15pm Incoming Freshmen Parent meeting

7:15pm - 8:00pm Parent Social (Opportunity for incoming parents to meet current band parents)

Saturday, April 26th 8:00am-1:00pm

POFNB Registration and Supply Day

Thursday, May 1 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Spring Camp #2 for all 2025-26 POFN Band members. Students will be outside from 5-7pm. Please make sure you have water, shorts & athletic shoes.

Thursday, May 15 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Spring Camp #3 for all 2025-26 POFN Band members.Students will be outside from 5-7pm. Please make sure you have water, shorts & athletic shoes.

Tuesday & Wednesday, May 27-28 8:00am - 1:00pm

Spring Camp #4 for all 2024-25 POFN Band members

Spring Camps

Spring camps are required for all members of the band. This is when we start our marching season and important fundamental information is shared. Spring camp is on the following dates:

• Thursday, April 26th 5-7pm
• Thursday, May 1st 5-7pm
• Thursday, May 15th 5-7pm
• Tuesday, May 27th 8am-1pm
• Wednesday, May 28th 8am-1pm

Summer Tuesdays

These rehearsals are required for band members that are in town. If students are out of town at camps or on vacation then they will be excused. These will just be playing music rehearsal inside. We plan to get a head start on our warmups, drill team music & the show music.

• June 3, 10, 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22,
• 8-10am Woodwinds& Front Ensemble
• 10-12pm Brass, Battery & Colorguard

Drumline Camp: Required camps for all percussionist

• May 27-28 8am-1pm & 2pm-6pm
• May 29-30 4pm-8pm
• May 31 8am-12pm
• July 21-25 7:30am-10:30am & 11am-2pm

Guard Camp: Required camps for all colorguard members

• May 27-31 8am-1pm & 2pm-6pm
• May 29-31 8am-12pm
• July 21-25 7:30am-10:30am & 11am-2pm

Summer Band Camp

Rehearsals will begin on Monday, July 28th for all winds. Rehearsals will continue until the 1st Day of school. Please make sure to arrange to be back from any summer vacation activities in time for the start of Summer Band Camp. All members of the Pride of Falcon Nation Band will be required to be in attendance.

Varsity Football Games

You can plan to have performances on at Varsity Games on Friday nights beginning August 29th, and continuing until Mid-November (or later when the Falcons make the play-offs!). There will be some Thursday night games. Full schedule can be found on our North Forney Band Google Calendar

Competition Dates

The following dates should be reserved for Marching Band competition days:

Saturday, September 20st: North Texas Drumline Contest (Just Percussionist)

Saturday, September 27th: Melissa Marching Showcase

Saturday, October 4th: USBands Dallas Regional

Saturday, Octover 11th; Royse City Classic

Saturday, October 18th: UIL Region Marching Contest

Saturday, October 25th: UIL Area Marching Contest

Registration for all members will be on the morning of Saturday, April 26th. This is our annual process for getting all of your information updated and getting all of the student marching band supplies ordered for the next school year. This is also where each student will get their band fee paid and/or set up payment plans as needed. Here's a list of items that we take care of at band registration.

• Setup Student and Parent account in Presto. Presto is our management system for the North Forney Band
• Setup communication with the Band App and the band calendar
• Complete UIL required paperwork
• Receive information on required UIL physical
• Sign up for band supplies that are needed
• Student fitting for summer uniform and band uniform
• Payment of band fees and setup payment plan

Step 1: Sign up for a time with this link
TBD

Step 2: Fill out the student and parent information at the top of the band registration form. Do not fill in any information below "Band Director Please Verify" There are 3 different forms (Winds, Percussion, Color Guard). Please make sure you have the correct form for your student. We must have a hard copy of the form on Saturday. You are welcome to print and bring it filled out or we will have copies to fill out on Saturday.

Winds Registration 2024-2025.pdfdrive.google.com

Percussion Registration 2024-2025.pdfdrive.google.com

Color Guard Registration 2024-2025.pdfdrive.google.com

Step 3: Complete online links
- Presto Assistant
- Rank One
- Band App 2025-26
- Band Google Calendar
All links and instructions can be found in this document.

NF Band Registration.pdfdrive.google.com

Step 4: Attend Band Registration this Saturday, April 26th in the North Forney Band Room. Park on the east side of the school and enter the glass foyer labeled Performing Arts Center. Upon entering NFHS take a right and go down the 400 hall to the band room. Returning band members will need to bring the following items for inspection: Blue Band Shirt, Black Band Shorts, Band Cap, Marching Band Shoes, Band Water Jug & Band Poncho.

Step 5: Please be prepared to pay for the 2025-26 band fees. Our boosters except cash, check & card payments. Any checks can be made out to "POFN Boosters" $0.30 transaction fee and 3% processing fee will be added on all credit card payments.

Please email Mr. Gist any questions at jagist@forneyisd.net

All students participating in the Pride of Falcon Nation Band will be assessed annual activity fees. These fees are utilized to offset the costs associated with the band program that are not supplied by Forney ISD. Fees will be assessed at Registration, and payments will be made in monthly installments until the balance is paid in full. Fees that are not paid in full by the end of the current school year will be carried forward into subsequent years, and must be paid in full prior to your student’s graduation date.

It is our sincere belief that all students deserve a high-quality music education. No student will be denied participation due to financial hardship.

Band fees are determined by the amount of supplies that each student will need. Below is a breakdown of the band fees. The payment plan is an option for all band members and the amounts could change depending on what items the band member needs. The payment plan will be established with a band director at band registration. The amounts given in this breakdown reflect a new member (Winds)

Payment #1

$200 on April 26, 2025 (Band Registration)

Payment #2

$150 on May 15, 2025

Payment #3

$150 on June 15, 2025

Payment #4

$150 on July 15, 2025

2025-26 band fees that are paid in full at band registration will receive a discount

We will be passing out a fundraising opportunity in late March. The funds raised will be applied towards your band student's fees.

At this time we do not have the 2025-26 band fess finalized. Below are this year's fees and can be a guide to figure out the amount of the band fees.

The Pride of Falcon Nation uses a google calendar to keep all rehearsals, performances & band events current. All band details in regard to the calendar can be found in this one place. Please feel free to add it to your personal calendars.

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=bm9ydGhmb3JuZXliYW5kQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ

We have a great school day schedule for our band classes. Both high schools are on a modified block schedule which means that students will attend some of their classes "A" day and some of their classes "B" day while students will attend some classes daily. The great news for band at both high schools is that students double block their band class, meaning that they will attend band class daily as they do now. Consistent, daily rehearsal as an ensemble is crucial to our success as a program. In addition, the band room is a place our students feel safe and at home with their friends, so we are thrilled that they will get to see their band family daily. Below we have provided a sample of how band can fit into a student's schedule. We know that this will be a simple process for some students, and it will be a more complex scheduling process for other students, depending on their course needs. Please know that we are committed to working with each student individually and his/her counselor to ensure each student's scheduling needs are met. Please reach out to Mr. Gist or your child's counselor with any questions.

The schedule outlined above will be for all of the students involved in the Pride of Falcon Nation Band. We ask that all appointments be made on around these rehearsal times. There are no excused absences from rehearsals. Attendance is extremely important as every absence affects the entire group. The UIL Contest Band must be dedicated to the end goal of a “perfect performance.” While many students will not start the year in the UIL Contest Band, students will have the opportunity to challenge for a contest spot.

The marching band contests scheduled for the 2025 season will be a special and very important opportunity, and student commitment is expected. This is when our students have the opportunity to perform for judges and an engaged audience. So many great memories are made at marching band contests. We plan to give our students the best opportunities to perform at the highest level in the best stadiums. We must have every student present as absences directly affect the performance and can influence the ratings.

The following dates should be reserved for marching band contest days:

Saturday, September 20th: North Texas Drumline Contest (Just Percussionist)

Saturday, September 27th: Melissa Marching Showcase

Saturday, October 4th: McKinney Marching Invitational

Saturday, Octover 11th; Royse City Classic

Saturday, October 18: UIL Region Marching Contest

Saturday, November 25th: UIL Area Marching Contest

Yes!!! You can be a member of the high school band and participate in other activities, such as athletics (Football, Volleyball, Basketball, etc.) other Fine Arts activities (Theater, Cheerleading, Strutters, etc.) or any other courses offered at North Forney High School.

We have many students who participate in other activities around campus. The key is planning all 4 years of your high school career to fit in all of your graduation requirements while participating in the electives of your choice.

The North Forney Band High School Course Selection Guide is a great starting resourse.

There are many similarities between Middle School Band and High School Band. Students will still participate in All-Region, Solo and Ensemble, UIL Concert and Sight-Reading, Campus Concerts etc.

The main difference is the Marching Band experience. Many students find the marching band component to be their favorite part of their band experience! Our students perform at all of the football games, attend multiple marching contests, and get to perform in front of large audiences on an almost weekly basis! More performances means MORE FUN!!!

The extra performances associated with the high school band means extra time spent with the friends you have made in middle school band, as well as the friends you will make when you meet the other students in the Pride of Falcon Nation Band!

Students will be placed in their ensemble (Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, or Concert Band) by audition. Auditions will take place later this semester, after UIL Concert and Sight-Reading activities have concluded. Audition etudes will be provided to your student by their middle school band director prior to auditions.

Members of the Pride of Falcon Nation Band Staff will visit your student at Brown MS & Jackson MS to audition them. Students will be placed in the ensemble where they are most likely to experience successful and positive performance opportunities based on their ability level. Results will be released prior to the end of the school year.

Email: jagist@forneyisd.net
Website: http://www.northforneyband.com/
Location: 6170 Falcon Way, Forney, TX 75126
Phone: (469) 762-4210
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nfbandcluster
Twitter: @NorthForneyBand