Combined Schools

COMBINED SCHOOLS POLICY:

WGI recently changed their policy for those schools combining members from multiple schools within a school district.  As a WGI circuit partner we follow all WGI policies and will be reviewing each combined program on a case-by-case basis.  If your scholastic program combines students from multiple schools, please read the information below and then follow the link to the application so we can review your situation.  Combined Schools will need to resubmit their application each year and provide new principal letters, per WGI’s new policy.

All participants of any group competing in any scholastic class must have approval for participation in any AIA-sanctioned event by the administration of the sponsoring school(s). 

Scholastic groups are defined as follows:

Single School:

A group whose total membership are students from the same school, schools that directly feed into that school, or home-schooled students that reside within the school district boundaries. (You DO NOT need to fill out this application if you are a single school unit)

Combined School:

The purpose of the combined schools policy is to encourage participation from scholastic groups that may have limited resources while keeping the integrity of the scholastic classes intact. Combining schools for the purpose of competitive advantage is contrary to this policy and will not be approved.

A group in any scholastic class may apply for approval to combine students from multiple schools
within a school district under the following guidelines:

  • Multiple groups within a school district may be approved to combine on a case-by-case review by AIA.  In very rare cases, schools from different districts may combine if approved.
  • Groups combining students from multiple schools within a school district may not have another
    group in the same division (Color Guard, Percussion, or Winds) participating locally with a Circuit
    Partner, AIA, or with WGI.
  • School districts with multiple competitive field marching band programs within the district will
    be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for approval to combine students from multiple schools.
  • If approved, all combined groups may be required to compete using a school district name or, under rare circumstances, a combined name approved by AIA.
  • Scholastic groups utilizing students from parochial, vocational, or charter schools, must apply
    for approval under combined school guidelines.
  • The group shall submit a letter from the principals of the participating schools approving the combined program by January 1st, 2025
  • Groups applying to combine students from multiple schools must apply for approval by December 31st, 2024
  • AIA will have the final determination on whether a group will be permitted to combine students from multiple schools. If application for combined schools is denied, the group has the option to either not include students from other schools or compete in an independent class.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

If your application is accepted, a letter from the principals of the participating schools approving the combined program will be required by January 1st, 2025.

APPLICATION

SAMPLE COMBINED SCHOOLS PRINCIPAL LETTER

COMBINED SCHOOLS PRINCIPAL LETTER UPLOAD