Band Parenting 101 Home Games

Transcription

1 Band Parenting 101 Home Games Most of these typically have a call time around 5:45 p.m. The students, however, will need to be at the band room a lot earlier than that, so they can get hair braided, put their uniforms on, get out their instruments, and report to the assigned location so that we can BEGIN at call time. We can always use parents in the band room helping with hair, moving equipment, and a ton of other things. Just start asking parents that look busy and they will guide you in the right direction. Long hair needs to be braided. If you can do it yourself, please do, because it saves us a ton of time. If not, there will be boosters at the band room to help. If you need your hair braided, please arrive very early because there will be a line. Hair needs to be off the collar. Guys too! Students are not fed by the boosters prior to home games, with the exception of Homecoming which is crazy due to the Homecoming Parade. Dinner for home games is on your own. Always plan to pay admission to get into the games, even when you are working. Football and cheerleading parents also have to pay. The main reason for this is that we have to be able to pay our security, referees, and other staff that are necessary in the stadium. The Fine Arts Program gets all the money from concessions, so gate admission is really the only way the school can pay for game nights. Thanks for understanding! Students sit on the far west side of the stands. Band parents sit in the very next section across the aisle. Band parents should wear their red boosters shirts (or another red shirt). We also appreciate signs that show support for the band during performance. Cheering and applauding for the band is encouraged! At home games, the visiting band performs at 6:40 p.m. (if there is a visiting band). Our band always stands during the performance of another band as a sign of respect. It would be awesome if band parents would do the same. Band members are expected to stay for the entire game. Please do not ask to release your student early unless absolutely necessary. There s more to the evening than just the show. Your student s participation points will be lowered accordingly based on the amount of the game they miss. 1

2 ***********************Important Rules for in the Stands************************** Please remember that the band is there to do a job, which is to support the football team. We have established these rules not diminish the amount of fun the students are having, but to maintain an organized and polished presentation to all that see our band. -Non-band members (including family) should never be in the band section unless you are working as a band booster that night, and even then you will be on the outsides of the band, not mixed up in the middle with the students. The students have a hard time doing their job right when other people are creating a distraction for them. -Alumni band member also should not be in the band section. They can be there at the Homecoming Game only. -Please do not carry on an extended conversation with your student from across the aisle. Also, please do not feed your student while they are in uniform. Water is provided by the boosters and is readily available throughout the game for the students. -If you ever see (or hear) anything inappropriate in the band section, please notify Mr. B immediately so the problem can be taken care of quickly. A quick response typically will keep the problem from happening in the future. -Students are allowed to use the rest room during games. However, they must be in groups escorted by a band booster. This is for security AND so that someone can hold parts of their uniform while they are busy. Students are not to leave for the rest room until they have received permission from a drum major (this keeps us from having too many people gone at once.) Band boosters should check with a drum major to make sure the group has permission to go prior to taking them away from the stands. ***************************************************************************** The drumline/pit will leave the stands to prepare for the performance when there are 10 minutes left in the 2 nd quarter. The rest of the band will leave when there is 8 minutes left. We will get plumed, and then warm-up in sections prior to warming up as a group. Typically, the halftime show will begin around 8:00 p.m. The band will most likely finish their show by playing the Fight Song off the field. The band will then go to the east endzone and create a huge spiral around Mr. B, where he will give feedback to students prior to releasing them back to the stands. WE ask that nobody but band staff and students enter this spiral. During the 3 rd quarter, the SLT (Student Leadership Team) will meet with the student leaders from the visiting band. Only SLT students go down for this, so that we still have a band left to play during the 3 rd quarter. We will not allow a non-slt student to go down and visit just because their friend is in the other band. This could easily turn into the entire band disappearing for the 3 rd quarter. 2

3 Also during the 3 rd quarter, we distribute the band newsletter that is created weekly by the students. Please help us clean these up if you see them sitting around after the game. Please remember that this is a student publication. We try our best to edit everything, but every once in awhile we miss something. I apologize in advance if this happens, and please understand that on my list of priorities for game day, reading the student newsletter isn t very near the top. Between the 3 rd and 4 th quarter, the band traditionally plays Louie Louie. We ask that all band parents, families, and friends learn and join in on the Louie Louie dance. Don t worry, you ll figure it out quickly. During the 4 th quarter, the drumline goes out on the track and performs for the crowd. The remainder of the band is expected to stay in the band section. This drumline performance has become an amazing phenomenon here at MVHS, the students in the crows quickly become drumline groupies it s fun to watch how many people DON T watch the game during the 4 th quarter because it s more fun to watch the drumline. Other band students are not allowed to join the drumline on the track. After the game. the band lines up to march back to the band room. Only band students are to be in this line-up. On the way, the band stops at the main academic building and performs a couple stand tunes under the roof (very loud!) We love it when spectators come see this. It is very interesting. Upon return to the band room, all band members are expected to sit down immediately (prior to removing their uniforms) and watch the video of the performance on the big screen. It is best NOT to load equipment back into the band room until AFTER the video has been shown. Any non-band members who are in the band room during the video viewing must remain in the back of the room quietly, as it is a big teaching moment for the band. (This year, we might not be able to accommodate people other than band kids in the room to watch the video, simply because the maximum occupancy for fire code in the room is 220 people. With band kids and staff, it s going to be packed.) Mr. B will provide feedback (positive and critical) for how the band can improve the following week. You will know when the students are done, because Mr. B will call them to attention, and dismiss them using the dismiss command, After dismissal, students may remove their uniforms, hang them, and turn them back in. The student uniform managers will not accept a uniform until it is hung properly. Students must take anything that doesn t fit in their locker home with them after the game. Any and all leftover stuff will be placed in lost and found, and eventually sent away to goodwill. Quite often, students within the band will organize visits to Sonic or other students homes after the games. This is a wonderful bonding time for the kids, and I would encourage you to allow them to take part in these activities. However, please understand that these are not official band events, and band staff will typically not be present. Sometimes parents like to organize get-togethers at restaurants after the games as well. Just ask around at the games or organize one yourself! This is highly encouraged. If you are new at this whole band parent thing, try and get some parents together that include those who have been 3

4 around for a while. You will learn a lot about what s going on just by sitting down and having some fun with the vets. Away Games When we travel to another school, call time is earlier because of the travel time. Sometimes these times will seem very early, but please understand we are driving in school buses during rush hour to get where we are going. Students are encouraged to bring water bottles on the bus early in the season to stay hydrated. We do not provide water on the buses, but it will be available when we arrive at our destination. The band boosters provide food at no charge to any band students that wish to eat prior to an away game. It is great food, and the boosters put a great deal of effort into organizing these meals. You students will get some great food! One of the biggest differences with away games is that we have to take our band semi-trailer loaded to the gills with all of our stuff. It takes a very long time to load this truck, and we need the students to help by getting their instruments out to the truck on time. Students that need to load ANYTHING on the truck must have it out there no later than one hour prior to call time. This is called Truck Time. That means students need to be at the band room one hour prior to call time. If things appear to move quicker, as the season progresses we will make Truck Time later. We will need chaperones to ride the buses so that there are adults on every bus. If you are not an official chaperone, please do not plan on riding the bus, as we are packed to the gills. Chaperones should help maintain order on the bus, but at the same time, allow the kids to have some fun. Try and get the feel for what the driver is comfortable with. Some like the singing, some don t. Most don t like the high-pitched screaming. Students must be seated at all times while the bus is in motion. That s probably the biggest thing you can help with if you are a chaperone. At away games, the Toro Band is the visiting band, so we perform at 6:40 p.m. Remember that we will be facing the home side, so you will see the back side of the band. You are welcome to watch on the other side if security will let you over there. Every school is different in that regard. Also, please remember that you will need to pay admission at away games. I recommend getting there no later than 6:15 p.m. just in case parking is crazy and you have to walk a long way to the stadium. Away games have the same rules as home games. Sometimes the stands are much smaller than we are used to at home, so we adjust the band seating area accordingly. There are some games that the entire away side is literally packed in, with standing room only. Better to get there early if you know we are play a major opponent, Don t forget that away games will be later nights than home games, due to the travel home. We still watch a video and all that after away games too, and it takes just as long to unload the truck as it does to load it! 4

5 Competitions and Festivals The governing body for band events in Arizona is called ABODA (Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association). In Arizona we have a two-way system of band events. Some events are competitions, in that they actually pick a winner, and others are festivals where ratings are given, but no ranking is involved. We participate in both types this year. Bands are divided into divisions based on size. We are division 1 because we are larger than 90 performers. Division 2 bands are usually about people. Division 3 bands are typically people. Division 4 bands are below 40 people. There are 6 judges for every event. These judges sit in or on top of the press box to get the best vantage point possible. Each judge has a specialty area, called a caption : 2 adjudicate Music Performance (how we play our music) 1 adjudicates Visual Performance (how well individuals march) 1 adjudicates General Effect (the overall effect/showmanship of the performance) 1 adjudicates Percussion Performance (focuses on drumline/pit) 1 adjudicates Color Guard Performance (focuses on the guard) In addition to a score, these judges provide taped comments that we use as a teaching tool to fix errors in music and marching. The percussion and color guard scores are not factored into the overall score; however, their tapes are incredibly helpful in cleaning up problems in these areas For festivals, the tabulator looks at the total number of points and assigns a rating. Ratings are known both by a word (such as Superior) and a roman numberal (such as I). A rating of I is the same thing as a rating of Superior. The following ratings are given (this grading scale is currently under review by ABODA, so it could change by the time we start competing this year): Superior (I) = 80 points or better (out of 100) Excellent (II) = Good (III) = Fair (IV) = Participation (no rating given) = 49 and below At competitions, there are no ratings. They announce the placements of the bands, and the actual point totals they received. There is one special rating called Superior with Distinction. This is given to a band if all 6 judges give a Superior Rating in their caption. Some events have caption awards. These are special awards that recognize the top scores in each individual caption (such as music performance, visual performance, etc.) Because it s all a numbers game, it is quite possible for a group to receive every caption award, but NOT get a Superior with Distinction. That s because a group may only receive 75 points from a judge, which gives them an Excellent rating from that judge, and therefore disqualifies them from the Distinction rating. However, that might be the highest number of points that judge gave that day, so the band will receive a caption award from that judge. 5

6 Sometimes this causes confusion and people get irritated because they think it isn t fair. I assure you that everything is totally fair. Besides, it s really not worth getting all tied up in what a judge says. You can never predict a score. You probably have a better chance of winning the lottery than predicting the outcome of an event. Every judge has their own idiosyncrasies. They may be having a bad day. They may have had greasy hamburgers for lunch which gave them indigestion. What s most important to me as the band director is that the students understand that the goal is to do better than the time before. We know if we ve done that without having someone up in the booth tell us so. If we know in our hearts that we improved over the last time, then we are successful regardless of what number is printed on a plastic trophy. At competitions, they usually only announce the top 10 bands, or the top 5, or whatever. At festivals, they usually announce the rating of every band. I don t know why this is. ABODA may change that this year so that every band is announced at every event. We like to have a big crowd of red shirts at festival and competitions. It helps if all the Toro groupies sit in one place in the stands (in makes the red stand out, and the kids can see their cheering section). This is a bigger boost to the kids. When you are scattered about the entire stands, they really can t even tell you are there. You ll see other groups of parents from other schools doing the same thing. One of the categories on the judging sheet is Audience Appeal. There are some very obvious applause moments built into the show, so please cheer at the right times and applaud loudly, as this will help our score in the long run. When people hear other people clapping, they typically do the same! At marching band events, it is important to remember that it is not appropriate to exit or enter the stands while a band is performing, similar to auditorium etiquette at band concert. It is also not appropriate to carry on a conversation (especially on a cell phone) in the middle of a band s performance. While sitting in the stands at competitions or games, please be careful of the comments you make regarding other band s performances. You are probably wearing a Toro Band shirt so it will be obvious where you are from! We don t want another band to think we were talking smack about them. If we support other bands, they will in turn support us. I ve seen it happen all the time. If we are the band that gives every other band a standing ovation throughout the season, other people will start to respect us, and then pretty soon everyone else is giving US the standing ovation. Remember that comment I made about Audience Appeal? SCORE!!! It is tradition that all bands in attendance at an event will stand while the host band performs, as a show of respect. Often times, the entire audience will stand. (For example, at ASU Band Day, hardly anyone is sitting down while the ASU band performs). Most competitions/festivals have an admission fee of approximately $5 per person. This covers operating expenses. Some parents that are working with our band as helpers will be admitted free. Our V-P of Operations will distribute the free passes to these parents. Please remember that we are greatly limited in the number of free passes we receive, so it is important that these passes will be given to parents that are working on the field, with pit equipment, props, or whatever. 6

7 The band will stay at the event until the awards ceremony. Sometimes, there are two ceremonies, one at the end of each half of the day. Sometimes, they are at the end of the night, which means we have to wait a little while longer. Depending on time, students may be able to remove their uniforms and then return to the event to watch. Other times, they ll need to stay in uniform for the duration of the event. Please don t take your student away before the awards ceremony unless absolutely necessary. They need to be there for the joy (or the disappointment) of the rating or score. This is part of the learning process, as is watching the performances of other groups. We cheer for ourselves regardless of the outcome of the event. No booing is allowed at any time. ASU Band Day, NAU Band Day, and the State Marching Festival offer professional group pictures of the band that are for sale online. Students will get info when the picture is taken and payment can be sent in the mail the following week. Money for these photos go directly to the photographer, not to Mr. Burgener. They are completely optional, and provided by the festival/competition as a service to you. We don t get any kickbacks. Homecoming Parade Prior to the Homecoming Game, the band marches in the MVHS Homecoming Parade. Students meet at Hale Elementary School in full uniform at 5:15 p.m. The parade begins at 5:30, and goes through the neighborhood just north of the stadium. The parade ends at the stadium. Students then have a quick break prior to coming back for the game. The boosters will feed the band kids on this night. Food will either be before or after the parade, depending on timing. More info on that later. Veteran s Day Parade All high school bands in the Mesa district are expected by the district to march in the City of Mesa Veteran s Day Parade. This is always on the school holiday, so please plan accordingly. The parade is in the morning and is typically over by noon. As a staff, we would really appreciate not receiving rude comments about having to do this parade. Remember, we have to do it too! It s also a holiday for us. But, it is really the only public service thing we do for our community every year, and it s nice for us to support the vets. It s become expected, and we need to be there. Besides, this year it s great practice for us in preparation for the parade in Hawaii and the Fiesta Bowl Parade. Senior Night At the last regular season home game of the year, all marching band seniors are recognized with their parents at 4:30 p.m. under the patio by the band room. Parents will come down to the track just before halftime and watch the show from there. Then parents will walk out to the field and meet their student on the 50 yard line, and stay out there while the band plays the fight song. This is a great memory for your student, so please plan on taking part! Playoffs We will not know if we are in the playoffs until about halfway through the regular season. If we have a higher seed, the first playoff will be at MVHS. If not, we will be away. Playoffs are sudden death, in that the team is out if they lose. The second playoff could also be at home. The third playoff is always at a neutral site. The state football championship, if we make it that 7

8 far, is at the Cardinals Stadium in December. For most playoffs, we will not know the location until the week before, so bear with us and we ll get info out to you as soon as possible. Fiesta Bowl and Hawaii We ll cover these items in great detail at upcoming parent meetings. Each is a very unique event and requires discussion. A variety of things you can help with on game day/festivals/competitions: Braiding hair Make sure students are where they need to be at call time (be a mother hen!) Check for uniform problems (torn hems, no black socks, etc.) Moving/loading equipment prior to traveling Unloading the equipment once we get to our destination Guarding our equipment when we have to leave it out Helping the pit set up prior to performance Setting drum major podiums and ladders Handing out water in the stands Pluming and depluming Taking band members to the restroom when needed Taking the props to Toro Stadium prior to home games Helping serve food prior to away games Assisting any students that aren t feeling well Chaperoning a bus Keeping non-band people out of the band area Cleaning up the band area at the end of a game Cleaning up the band room at the end of the night And, last but certainly not least. Cheer like crazy for the band and support them in their performance! 8

9 There s probably a thousand more things I could list, but this is a good start. If you ever don t know what to do, just find a booster who looks like they know what they are doing and they will help you. It might be that everything is already covered, or you might be a hero and be able to cover something that was forgotten about. It s a busy, stressful time because there s so much going on. Don t be intimidated by that. Just jump in with both feet and you ll eventually get more comfortable with knowing what needs to be done and when. And, always keep your patience hat on. It becomes a crazy zoo in the band room. People get stressed, and everyone is running around. Nobody is intending to be rude, and nobody is trying to boss you around. Sometimes it s just easier to shout something to somebody from across the room rather than swimming through the sea of band members to get you and speak quietly. This isn t because some is mad or being bossy. They are just trying to be quick about things so that everything gest done. It would be wonderful if we had a core of helpers that could handle pit equipment and drum major podiums at each performance. That way, when we go to competitions, people already know where to put things and we don t have any accidental set-up errors. It helps to practice! We appreciate any and all help we receive. We may not always remember to say thank you, but please know that we appreciate and love all of our helpers. We literally could not survive this without you. 9