General Information and FAQ
Looking for the CHS Band TLDR? You've found it! Read on for high-level information about all the CHS Band happenings, with links to learn more.
Meetings
All-Parent "Band Booster" Meetings – The Band Boosters refers to ALL band student parents. Our meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at 7 pm in the CHS band room and last approximately one hour. All are invited to attend. This is a great place to hear what is going on, what is coming up, and meet other parents. See the calendar for up-to-date meeting dates and times (occasionally days/times need to be changed).
New Parent Meetings – There is a Band Booster meeting for new families in March that will provide you with lots of information regarding Marching Band. There is also a mandatory parent meeting on the 1st day of Band Camp at 7 pm in the CHS band room. It is very important that you stay informed about the wonderful things our children and the band are accomplishing and how you can support them.
Volunteering
Volunteers are a vital part of the CHS band programs - we can't do what we do without every family participating, props aren't going to push themselves! We need every family to commit to 45 hours of volunteer time throughout the season. It sounds like a lot - but many of those hours can be at competitions - and you'll probably be there anyway.
Volunteering is also incredibly fun! Please check out the volunteering page to learn more, find out how to get connected, and what opportunities are available. When you volunteer, you get to see what your kid(s) are up to, meet other parents, and contribute to the success of our organization. Keep an eye out for emails requesting help and join the fun!
Marching Band Fees
The CHS Band Booster Club aims to pay for 50% of band program costs. The rest of the costs are covered by band families in the form of the Annual Family Contribution (AFC). The CHS Band program receives very little funding from BVSD and Centaurus, so these fees are critical to pay for things like uniforms, competition fees, transportation costs, additional staff, and more.
For the 2025 -2026 school year, the Annual Family Contribution (AFC) is $500 for the first student in band and $250 for each additional sibling.
The first half of the AFC is due during band mini-camp. The final payment is due on the first day of band camp. For information on how to make these payments, visit our Make a Payment page.
We want all kids to be able to participate in band, so we make a limited number of band grants available to students every year. Grant requests are due prior to band mini-camp. We also coordinate a number of Family Fundraisers throughout the year to help cover AFCs and other fees.
Important Note: AFCs only cover marching band fees. Other band programs, such as Winter Percussion and Winter Guard, have additional fees. Please see each individual band program page for more information.
Please contact the Treasurer at treasurer@centaurusband.org if you have questions.
Fundraising
The band offers many opportunities to raise money. We have General Fundraisers that contribute to the overall annual program budget and Family Fundraisers for students to earn money towards their AFCs and other individual fees.
Band Booster Communications
Each Monday, you'll receive a weekly newsletter with important information including upcoming rehearsal and competition schedules, important meeting information, updates on how the band is doing at performances, and more. Reach out to the communications team if you aren't receiving this important email!
In addition to the weekly newsletter, we occasionally (as sparingly as possible) send specific email requests about timely needs for anything from needing volunteers at a competition, to asking for help building props, to preparing food prior to a competition. During marching band season, Boosters also use a channel on the Band App for real-time parent to parent communications at competitions.
Band Boosters also manage the CHS Band social media channels, linked via the icons at the top of this website. Join us on your favorite channel and spread the news by liking and sharing our content!
Band Leadership
Aaron Vogelsberg is the director and has instructors that help out in the summer. Drum Majors are students that are selected through auditions to lead the marching and pep band under Mr. V.'s direction. Section Leaders are upper classmen appointed by Mr. V and are responsible for making sure their section knows the music and drill for the season's show. The Band Booster Board works with Mr. V to have a successful season and set goals for the future.
Marching Band Camp
The marching band participates in two camps every year, Mini-Camp (two days at the beginning of summer) and Band Camp (two weeks, usually the last week of July and the first week of August).
These camps are important to kicking-off a successful marching band season. The kids come together as a group working to accomplish a huge goal – learning the music and marching drill that will be their performance in competitions and at halftime shows at home football games. It is hard work - but also a lot of fun! Mr. V sends out a detailed letter about Band Camp Do’s and Don’ts in the summer.
Practices
During the summer, there are weekly sectional practices. After band camp in August, practices become more frequent, typically held two days per week after school, usually from 6–9 pm, and all day on Saturdays.
Marching Band Competitions
Get ready for Bandtober! Competitions are held on Saturdays, usually begin in early October, and last through Regionals and State (weekday competitions) at the end of October. Held at high schools around the state, they are very fun, very long days! Students usually have an early morning call time and often return around midnight. Check out the band calendar and watch your email for more details about upcoming competitions. Colorado Band Masters is the governing body of band competitions in Colorado. They organize the fall marching season as well as concert band festivals.
CHS Marching Band has a long history of success in Colorado. From 2012-2016, the band ruled as 3A State Champion. In 2017 we moved to Class 4A, to provide us with more competition and the ability to further improve our program. In 2018, CHS Marching Band placed 8th at the State 4A Competition. After no State competition in 2019 (snowed out) or 2020 (no competitive season due to pandemic), CHS Marching Band placed 3rd at the 2021 4A State competition. In 2022, CHS improved upon that to place 2nd in the 4A State competition. The 2023 State Competition ended early and prelim standings became the final standings - with the Marching Warriors in 1st place! In 2024, the band placed 5th in State Finals.
Winter Programs
CHS Bands offers two winter programs for students who wish to continue competing after Marching Band season ends.
Winter Guard – The CHS Winter Guard program runs from November-April and includes several competitions culminating in the State Championship. Our Winter Guard has consistently places top in the state and continues to grow. The CHS Winter Guard placed 5th in the 2025 Rocky Mountain Color Guard Association state championship!
Winter Percussion Ensemble – The Winter Percussion season runs from November - April and includes several competitions culminating in the State Championship. The CHS ensemble placed 2nd at the 2025 Rocky Mountain Percussion Association state championship!
Social Events
Did we mention that we love to have fun? In addition to gathering at competitions, we typically get together for several band social events for families - potlucks, concerts, and end-of-season parties. Stay tuned to email communications and social media for all the upcoming events and details.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much volunteering is asked of each family?
To adequately support our band program, each family should plan to volunteer a total of 45 hours throughout the year. There are many volunteer opportunities available including pushing equipment onto the field at football games or competitions, hemming or washing uniforms at home, driving kids around, feeding the kids, coordinating a fundraiser, and much more. Try everything at least once, and see what you like the best. It really is a lot of fun!
Each family is asked to be involved in our biggest fundraisers: Marchathon (August) and CBA Regionals (October).
How do I sign up to volunteer?
Volunteer opportunities are communicated to families primarily via email and at the Parent Meetings. Opportunities exist for competition days, fundraisers, and to assist the various Board Chairs with subcommittees. Parents receive email links to the sign-up sheets (usually via the weekly newsletter). For general volunteer questions, contact Lori Winslow (Booster President) or Holly Welty (Booster Vice President) and they can get you connected!
BVSD Volunteer Application - We encourage every volunteer to complete this BVSD volunteer clearance which is valid for 12 months (this must be completed each school year). This clearance includes a background check and covers anyone who will spend time with the kids without the direct supervision of a BVSD employee. Examples could include working in the uniform room, working on props, chaperoning, etc. There is a a background check fee associated with this clearance that will be noted on the BVSD volunteer site.
What is CutTime and how do I sign up?
We track all of your payments towards your Annual Family Contribution (as well as extra fees such as shoes, shirts, Winter Percussion, Winter Guard and individual sales credits) in an online database program called CutTime. Each student has their own CutTime account. Account statements are sent out periodically and you can view your account status and contact information any time within CutTime.
You should receive a "magic link" to access CutTime shortly after completing your student's band forms. This link can be used to access your student's CutTime account at any time. Please reach out to the Band Boosters Secretary at any time if you need to be sent/resent the magic link.
Who do I contact if I am not getting information?
To update your contact information, please email the Centaurus Band Boosters Secretary and Database Administrator at centaurushs.band@gmail.com.