David and I are your Band Parent Representatives for 2021-2022 Marching Year!  Our role is to be the liaison between the Band Directors (Mr. Palmer and Mr. Johns) and all the parents.  We will be organizing chaperone opportunities for practices, games and competitions, and helping to ensure the safety of our kids.  

Our kids have grown up in the Walton band program (both of them playing clarinet and marching) and our youngest Sophia will be a Junior this fall.  We’ve been a part of this program for over 5 years and it has meant so much to us to watch our kids each grow as individuals through music as they developed many life, relationship and personal skills by being part of the band.

Whether you are new or a “seasoned” band parent, please know that the Directors, Staff and Band Board are all here for you!  We will communicate with you any updates, changes or notifications for safety guidelines or requests from the band directors as we all move forward together.  Feel free to reach out to us for anything at all as we want this year to be as successful as it can be for your kids and family.

A few highlights and how we want to continue our Walton band traditions, safely: 

1. Keeping students safe is our Top Priority! - The parent volunteers who chaperone at practices, performances and football games help ensure that protocols are followed and help protect students from COVID, injury, the heat or whatever comes our way.  YOU can be a Chaperone and provide us extra eyes and hands to assist.  Chaperoning is a great way to get involved as much as you are able AND watch our students grow musically and personally, while getting to know other band parents.  Together, we foster the diverse, fun and safe community that IS The Walton Raider Marching Band!
2. “Hydrate - Don’t Dydrate!”  You’ll hear the kids say this (really, all the time).  We watch closely and help ensure the kids have adequate water throughout the practices and games.
3. Practices are FUN!  For certain, the students work HARD!  However you will be amazed how quickly they learn the marching techniques, music and the choreography - it is truly something to watch unfold week after week! 
4. FRIEND DAYS MAKE MEMORIES.  This is what the kids call the all-day Saturday practices in the fall.  The memories made on Pride Field (what we call the parking lot where the kids practice) are for a lifetime. 

Let’s make these traditions happen this year!

We encourage you to have your student come and try out marching at our 2021 Spring Training week, Monday, April 19th through Friday, April 23rd from 5:30-7:30pm at Walton.  Please come by while your kids learn, and we’d love to meet you and talk about the wonderful program we have at Walton.

Sign up for Walton Spring Training (click here) and watch the presentation (click here) your kids saw in their band class.  Please reach out to us with any questions.

Go Raiders!

Rachel & David Wilson 

Band Representatives, 2021-22 Walton High School Marching Band

Bandrep email: bandreps@waltonband.org