TUCSON, Ariz. - On a typical summer day, the more than 280 members of the Catalina Foothills High School marching band would be out on practicing, but this year that isn't the case.
“Basically none of that happened," said Renee Shane-Boyd, the Director of Bands for Catalina Foothills High School.
Every summer about 250 students also head to band camp toward the end of summer, which also didn't happen because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Well the thing is everything stopped," said Shane-Boyd.
Shane-Boyd added that despite the fact students couldn't take part in the usual marching band and choir activities, staff have been hard at work planning for their return.
She said staff have come up with different safety protocols to put in place to keep students in marching band and choir safe.
“It involves face masks for performers and modified face masks where mouth pieces can actually fit through," said Shane-Boyd.
The plan also involves taking practices outdoors to increase the amount of spacing between students.
When it comes to sharing instruments, Shane-Boyd said the district has chosen to do away with that.
“Our district has invested in some instruments so that every student who uses a school loaned instrument has their own and won’t be sharing," she said.
She added that although there is no date set as to when students will return to in-person learning, officials continue to plan for the safest protocols.
