Marching Spartans
Welcome to the 2026 Marching Spartans show: Midnight Express under the direction of Rebekah Psihountas.
The band also is grateful for the support of the Marching Spartans Instructors: Nate, Ricky, Jessica, Brandi, Nick & AJ.
Important Information from Mrs Psi:
Remind
I use Remind as my form of communication. I have created a NEW remind group for parents and students. Please join the respective group. Veteran students and parents will also need to join these new groups as I will be deleting the others soon. Every student is required to be in the Remind group. I also need at least one parent (more are welcome) for each student in the parent Remind group. Remind is the only form of communication I use when trying to send out messages to everyone. I very rarely send mass emails. The parent group is where I send out updates to parents about our travels (when we are on the way back from games, etc). I also send out a “Plan for the Week” message at the beginning of each week so you can know what to expect. Please make sure to join or you will have no idea what is happening. You can either download the app and enter the codes below or text those numbers and codes to just receive text messages. It is all free.
Virtual Band Hall
Go to mounttaborhsband2026.com
Use the password from Mrs. Psi’s email on July 2nd, or else email or send a message via remind if you have forgotten.
From there, scroll to find music and recordings for your instrument.
Here are some details for the year (please read everything as this is all important information):
Rookie Camp
Rookie camp is for anyone (colorguard, percussion, or winds) that has never marched before. This also includes those that did not attend band camp last year. Marching band leadership is also expected to attend rookie camp. Any veterans that would like to attend are more than welcome. Rookie camp will be July 15 & 16 8am-12pm. A portion of this will be outside. Bring a reusable water bottle and wear athletic clothes and tennis shoes.
Band Camp
Band camp is required to participate in marching band for the season. This is where we learn all fundamentals and begin learning the competition show. To put the time into perspective, one day of band camp is equivalent to almost two weeks of afterschool rehearsals. We will get more done during band camp than during any rehearsal during the school year. It is very important that everyone attends all of band camp. If there are any conflicts, please let me know and we will try to work it out. Band camp will be July 20-23 & July 27- 30 8am-5pm. There will be a lunch break and students will need to bring their lunch.
We will have a required Parent Meeting after camp on Thursday July 23 at 6pm in the auditorium. Please make sure there is a parent/guardian represented for each student. The biggest question I get every year is “What do the fees cover?” This will be discussed at this meeting. So please make plans to attend.
In preparation for camp, please start spending some time outside. This summer has proven to be a hot one. The more you are out in the sun, the easier camp will be. Go for a walk each day or sit outside and read a book/do summer assignments. Start drinking lots of water. Try to stay away from sodas and junk food. They will only make band camp more miserable for you. We will have shade, water, and cooling towels. But getting used to the sun now is the best way to not be miserable at camp in the heat. EVERYONE MUST HAVE A REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE FOR EVERY REHEARSAL (including rehearsals after band camp). We will have ice water available for students, but we will not be providing cups to reduce waste. I cannot stress this enough; everyone needs to have a water bottle for their own use. I do not recommend sharing water bottles.
At the end of band camp (Thursday July 30 at 5pm), we do a Friends and Family night where we show everyone what we have been working on for two weeks. Then we all have a meal (potluck style). Be on the lookout for an email with a sign up for this dinner. We will probably end rehearsal early (around 3pm) that Thursday to give everyone a chance to rest or do what they need to before the preview.
**If you have any conflicts with band camp, please let me know as soon as possible. If you have already told me about a conflict, please reply to this email or send me a message on Remind just so I have it all in one location to remember.
Rehearsals after band camp
Rehearsals after band camp and after-school rehearsals will be as followed: Mondays 4:30-6:30pm will be for colorguard and percussion only (this time may be extended to 7:30). Tuesday and Thursdays 4:30-7:30pm will be for everyone. All rehearsals are mandatory. I kindly ask you not to schedule any kind of doctor/dentist appointments on these days if you can avoid it. But if you cannot avoid it, you must provide a doctor’s note to be excused. If your student is one who likes to get themselves in trouble, please do not use taking away rehearsals, games, or competitions as a form of punishment. This hurts the entire group and that is not fair to any of us. Talk with me and I can help implement any other consequence during our rehearsal time (push ups, laps, cleaning the band room, sorting music, etc) to make up for it. Hair and nail appointments are not valid reasons to miss rehearsals and should not be scheduled during times there are known rehearsals scheduled. Several unexcused absences from rehearsals may call for removal from the group.
Football Games
The marching band attends every varsity football game that the team plays, including playoffs. Games are Friday nights and usually start at 7, but that can change sometimes. Here is the schedule for next season:
August 21: Home vs. Reagan HS
August 28: Away @ Lake Norman HS
September 4: Home vs. Page HS
September 11: Home vs. West Forsyth HS
September 18: Home vs. Northwest Guilford HS (homecoming)
September 25: Bye week (no game) but will most likely have rehearsal instead
October 2: Away @ North Davidson HS
October 9: Home vs. North Forsyth HS (8th grade night?)
October 16: Away @ Oak Grove HS
October 23: Home vs. Atkins HS (senior night)
October 30: Away @ Glenn HS
November 6,13, 20, 27 (Black Friday), Dec. 4, 11: Possible Playoff Games
All games are required, even if students do not attend school for a holiday or teacher workday.
Competitions
The MTHS Marching Band travels to marching band competitions and festivals. This is where bands compete in classes based off size and perform for other bands, parents, and judges. Students enjoy this a lot and is a large reason why we perform a challenging marching band show. These competitions are on Saturdays ranging from the end of September to the beginning of November. We will not perform every week during that span, but keep the following days open for an all-day marching event:
September 26
October 3 (SAT day)*
October 10
October 24
October 31
*We will NOT have a competition on October 17 as I have prior engagements that are out of town for that day
*If you are planning on taking the SAT or ACT please choose a different day.
Other SAT Dates: August 22, September 12 and November 7
Other ACT Dates: September 19 and December 12
Jamboree/Parades
The marching band performs in two parades in Winston-Salem. They also perform at he WSFCS Jamboree where all the schools in the county come together to perform their halftime/competition shows for each other.
The WSFCS Jamboree is currently TBA as we are waiting from guidance from the district on when this event will be held
The Veteran’s Day Parade will be Saturday, November 7.
The Holiday Parade will be Saturday December 5.
Dues
Marching Band does require dues for the season. With everything, one season costs well over $15,000, and we cannot supply that on our own. The dues for this year are $250 for winds and percussion and $350 for colorguard. There was a deposit of $50 due on May 22nd. If you have not paid this deposit, please pay this as soon as possible or plan to bring this payment in on the first day of camp. Your deposit will go towards your total dues. You can pay the rest in whole or pay in smaller installments throughout the season. We take cash or checks made out to MTHS Band. If you need to pay online, go to this link (). Just be sure to include the student name in the description. Here is a recommended schedule for payments:
| Date | Winds/Percussion | Colorguard |
| Friday, May 22 (deposit) | $50 | $50 |
| Monday, July 20 | $50 | $60 |
| Friday, August 7 | $50 | $60 |
| Friday, September 4 | $50 | $60 |
| Friday, October 2 | $50 | $60 |
| Friday, October 30 | any dues not paid | $60 |
** Any unpaid dues after November 6th will be added to student account and will follow them until graduation
All dues are to be paid by November 6th unless you have spoken to me to make other arrangements. If there are any financial troubles, please let me know. No one should be deprived of music because of finances. If we have worked out an arrangement in the past, please reach out to me again if you still need assistance.
Parent Volunteers
Marching band takes a lot of people to run successfully. This includes the parents. Moving equipment to chaperoning to getting food and other things that I, the marching band staff, nor the students can do. We do have a parent volunteer coordinator that will get things rolling. Parents, be on the lookout for a volunteer email with more information. We DESPERATELY need more parent volunteers this year at football games and competitions! Please consider helping out! Right now, here are a few things I know we will need:
Band Camp chaperones in the morning every day
Pulling the band trailer
Bus driver (possibly 2 let me know if you are interested in getting a CDL to drive a bus)
Front Ensemble crew for home games and competitions
Stands chaperones for football games
Chaperones for competitions
Uniform supervisor
and others
We need your help for this season to be great!
Other Information
I will be sending home forms during the first few days of camp. These will include the membership contract, travel and medical permission forms, and other forms you may need to have filled out. Be on the lookout for these once camp gets started. Students will not be able to travel with us unless I have all forms filled out.
Before our first competition and for away games, we will be in a “Class B” uniform. It will be the band t-shirt that we will provide, khaki shorts or pants. Please look into buying some khaki shorts and/or pants for the season. I suggest having a pair of shorts and pants to prepare for the season. We start out in the heat, but the end of the season will be colder. I suggest getting athletic shorts/pants that are khaki colored. These can also be worn under their main uniforms as well.
Class A uniform will be the traditional marching band uniform. Students will need their band shirt (included in dues), activity/gym shorts, black socks, and will need to purchase marching band shoes if they do not have any yet (generally $40-$50). Colorguard will have their own uniform that is show-themed (included in dues).
There is usually a drivers ed class or two that runs during marching band season. I understand how hard it is to get into drivers ed, but PLEASE sign up for a time that is after marching band season is over so you are not losing rehearsal time and hurting the band by not being at rehearsals for two weeks.