Odem Bands Schedule – Week of 7/14/2025
I hope this message finds everyone well and rested from the summer break! We have reached that time where we’ll be starting up summer band stuff for The Spirit of OHS for our 2025 Season. Just a reminder, physicals are required for participation in Marching Band in Texas. It’s the same form/policy as Athletics. We can see if forms have been turned into Athletics via RankOne. We also share our forms with them when we receive them. Physicals are required every other year from a doctor, but the medical history questionnaire must be completed each year. You may find that form here: https://www.uiltexas.org/files/athletics/forms/PrePhysFormRvsd1_10_20.pdf PLEASE NOTE: STUDENTS CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN OUTDOOR REHEARSALS UNTIL WE HAVE THIS COMPLETED!!!!!
This week we have Leadership Training on Wednesday and Thursday at school, and then Friday is a Leadership Camp we are taking our students to, hosted by Flour Bluff HS, and run by Blue Devils/USBands. Saturday is the DCI Southwestern Championship that we are taking interested students to. If students have already signed up, there’s no need to do so again, but we do still have tickets available. Please get in touch with me if they wish to go ASAP. We also have a limited supply of extra tickets available for parents of students who wish to attend. Please get in touch with me via Remind or email at rashs@oeisd.org .
That takes us to next week, July 21st, where we begin camp in full. The schedule for the first two days is a little bit different as we’re going to focus on Guard and Drumline during the day, have an afternoon full band rehearsal, and then marching practice in the evening. I’ve included all of that on an updated Summer Band Schedule here: https://tinyurl.com/25OdemSummer. Dates haven’t changed, but we have adjusted some times to accommodate better what we can achieve with student and staff days. We also have our full fall schedule here: https://tinyurl.com/25SpiritOHSFall .
Our students must come to school for all rehearsals and practices for the units! If for some reason they’re not able to make it, be sure to get in touch with me as soon as possible. We make final determinations for who gets marching spots and who’s an alternate, primarily based on this!
Students for all rehearsals need to come dressed in school-appropriate clothing. No crop tops, bare midriffs, or sleeveless shirts for ladies; gentlemen should not come in shirts with the arms ripped off, cut into the sides, or in tank tops. Tennis shoes or marching shoes should be worn; absolutely no Crocs or sandals should be worn for marching practices. This is a safety concern, as students cannot flex their feet correctly in them. We will have our half-gallon water jugs that we will hand out in the first week of outdoor practices. Students are responsible for them from then through the season.
As we approach these days, we strongly encourage students to make sure they are out and about and moving in the days leading toward camp outdoors if they can. It takes about a week of time to get acclimated to the temperatures.
I will send out more specific hydration reminders next week!
DCI Southwestern Trip:
Students need to be at the High School at 9 am on Saturday. They should bring money for lunch at a fast food place at Northstar Mall, and then we will go to the Alamodome for the event, where they can pick up food for snacks/dinner. The schedule is still tentative until scores from contests are finalized today, but the first corps should march at about 2 pm, and the results are at 9:44 pm. There will be souvenirs that students can buy from the different corps at this event. The Alamodome does have a clear bag policy that should be adhered to!
For any incoming freshmen or younger students who is marching with The Spirit of OHS and traveling on this trip, please make sure we have a travel form: http://www.odembands.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/2015-2016-OHS-Medical-Release-Forms.pdf
2026 Florida Trip
We still have spots we can fill for the Florida Trip! Incoming 9th-12th-grade band students, or JH Front ensemble members, are eligible to travel on this trip, and we can still add students.
If you missed the meeting, you may find a copy of the packet here: https://tinyurl.com/msrnkua6 . Registration is still open on their site: https://bobrogerstravel.grcoll.co/v2/go/odem26
Payment options and forms are handled through their website. I encourage students to attend this trip; it will be a fantastic experience for them, and it is only really possible for most of them as a group like this!
This Week’s Schedule
| Day: | Event: |
| Monday: | Band Hall Closed |
| Tuesday: | Band Hall Closed Owl Band Booster Meeting 6:30 pm |
| Wednesday: | Leadership 9 am – 3 pm (Hour lunch Break at noon) |
| Thursday: | Leadership 9 am – 3 pm (Hour lunch Break at noon) |
| Friday: | Leadership (7:30 am at Band Hall) Return about 6pm Bring money for lunch |
| Saturday | DCI Southwestern Championship – At Band Hall at 9 am, Return about 1 am |
Upcoming Events:
| Day: | Event: | Time: |
| July 16-18: | Leadership Training (Section Leaders and Drum Majors) | |
| July 19: | DCI San Antonio Trip | |
| July 21st: | Summer Rehearsals start for everyone | |
| July 31st: | Annual Marchathon | |
| August 20th: | Meet the Band (Owl Stadium) | 7:30 pm |
| August 29th: | Odem vs Ben Bolt (Ben Bolt) | |
| September 1st: | Afternoon/Evening Marching Rehearsal (We do rehearse on Labor Day!) | |
| September 5th: | Odem vs. Falfurrias (Owl Stadium) |
Full Fall 2025 Calendar: https://tinyurl.com/25SpiritOHSFall
Thank you for your help and support of these amazing students! Please contact us if you have any questions!