Jonathan Law High School Band-Guard Handbook 2012-13
Welcome to the Jonathan Law High School Marching Band & Color Guard! Our group has enjoyed a long and successful history and we are happy to welcome you to our family! As with any organization, we depend on the participation and enthusiasm of our parent volunteers. Whether it s helping at a concession stand, doing publicity, loading and unloading equipment, helping to coordinate a fundraiser or any other way you can help, WE NEED YOU! We look forward to meeting you if you are new and are happy to see you again if you are a returning participant. Let s get ready for a wonderful season. Welcome! The Band & Guard Parents Group Band & Guard Who s Who Band Band Director: Mr. Paul Marino pmarino@milforded.org Asst. Band Director: Mr. Brian Jurczyk brianjurczyk@yahoo.com Percussion Director: Mr. Mark Allen Guard Guard Director: Mrs. Pam Rossman pshriver05@yahoo.com Asst. Guard Director: Ms. Amanda Sanders Band & Guard Parents Group Co-President: Mrs. Kathy Walker jlhscopresident@gmail.com (203) 887-5016 (cell) Co-President: Mrs. Jennifer Miller jlhscopresident@gmail.com (203) 640-9125 (cell) Treasurer: Mr. Gary Tobin jlhstreasurer@gmail.com Secretary: Mrs. Tina Saller sallerct@optonline.net Fundraising Coord. Mr. Jeff Miller jeffmiller@optonline.net
The Many Seasons of Band & Guard The Jonathan Law Band and Guard units consist of several distinct performing groups each with its own season and audiences. August November: Band & Guard Starting in mid-august, the Jonathan Law Marching Band and Color Guard begin their work for the fall performance season. Fall performance commitments include: Football Games: During Football season, our Band & Guard members will perform at all home football games in uniform. They will also perform at the Thanksgiving Game every year (no matter where it is played). We encourage our band/guard members to attend away games, as well, as a show of support. MAC Competitions: In addition, our Band & Guard competes in the Musical Arts Conference (MAC). The MAC Competitions are juried competitions where band/guard groups from the tri-state region participate in a 7-8 week performance schedule. At these competitions, the Law Band/Guard presents a 7-10 minute show, while being judged and scored by music professionals on such measures as precision, musicality, and other performance measures. The Law Band/Guard participates in as many of these competitions as possible, depending on the funds available. While performing in football game half-time shows and parades is paid for through the school, our participation in the MAC schedule is completely self-funded through the Jonathan Law Band/Guard Parent Group. It is for this reason that parental support is vital to our continued participation in MAC. -1-
Fall 2012-2013 MAC Competition Schedule (all are Saturday show dates) September 15th - Brookfield 22nd - Naugatuck 29th - Trumbull October 6th - Newtown 13th - Bethel 20th - Shelton 27th - Jonathan Law (Our Home Show ) November 3rd - Norwalk 10th - Championships, Kennedy Stadium, Bridgeport TICKET FEES, 2012-13 Spectator Tickets: Adults: $10.00; Children: $7.00 Directions to each venue can be found at the MAC (Musical Arts Conference) website: www.musicalartsconference.com. Detailed information regarding the scoring procedure, MAC bylaws, and much more can also be found there. Check the website for the latest information. December: Concert Band Season In December, our band students continue honing their musical skills by learning a new set of selections specifically for the Winter Concert. Practices will be held during the school week in the evenings. The formal schedule, as well as the performance date, will be relayed to the students during the school year. -2-
January - March: Jazz Band Competitions and Winterguard Competitions During this time frame, the Jazz Band and the Color Guard units perform independent of each other (as opposed to the Marching Season where all members perform together as a coordinated unit). Jazz Band and Percussion As with the Marching Season, our music students compete in a juried performance schedule during the winter months. The main component of this work is performance in the genre of Jazz. The Jazz Band group learns a new set of material and performs in the MAC continuum. The Percussion group also participates in a juried review schedule through MAC without any other musical accompaniment. Winterguard Color Guard members perform in a special winter competitive season called Winterguard. As with the marching season, our team competes against other Winterguard groups and is judged by a group of professional adjudicators. The group performs to prepared music and uses a wide variety of props in its show. Parent involvement is vital for the Winterguard season. -3-
Band & Guard Camp August 20-24 In August, all returning and new members of the Marching Band and Color Guard are expected to participate in Band Camp. Lasting a full week, Band Camp is the time-period when students learn the music; the marching routines; the show format; and most importantly, get to know each other! Band Camp is held at Jonathan Law High School. Attending Band Camp is a major commitment on behalf of the Band/Guard members and the staff. While the hours spent may seem grueling at times, this preparation period pays off 10-fold in the pride they feel when they perform flawlessly in competition later in the year. -4-
Band & Guard Camp Schedule, 2012-13 Band Guard Monday, Aug. 20th 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21st 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22nd 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23rd 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24th 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. A Special Note for Newcomers: An important component of Band Camp is the fact that your child will get to know a large number of other kids -- at all grade levels in a relaxed, fun environment. Our members are an extremely loyal group and they sincerely welcome all newcomers. This helps many students as they adjust to their new life at Jonathan Law. Band & Guard Camp Essentials Instrument Make sure your student eats BREAKFAST every day of Camp Snacks Lunch or Dinner in a small cooler marked with their name (NO carbonated drinks) LOTS OF WATER OR GATORADE Sunscreen Bug Repellent Good Sneakers the kids are on their feet all day! Hats and Sunglasses Shorts and lightweight clothing are acceptable (tank tops, although not acceptable for school attire, are acceptable during band camp) School dress code is not followed during band camp, but common sense should be! -5-
Band & Guard Camp: Meal/Break Periods Depending on the day s schedule, your child will have a lunch or dinner break, as well as several short breaks throughout the camp session. Students should bring their lunch (or dinner, in the case of evening Guard practices) with them upon their arrival to Camp ( brown bag ) but please note we do not have access to a refrigerator. It s a good idea to put it in a small cooler (along with an ice pack) and make sure his/her name is on the outside. Snacks/Hydration Band Camp is hard work and it s important that we make sure our students take frequent breaks to get a short rest, to re-hydrate, and to have a small snack when needed. Fruit, nuts, or other healthy snacks are recommended. Carbonated beverages, such as soda, are NOT allowed. Band & Guard Member Packet During Band Camp week, each member of the Band & Guard is given a Member Packet. In it, you will find: - Bus Permission Slip - Student Information Sheet - Band Apparel Purchase sheet (purchase of bandwear is optional) - Ad Packet - School Permission Slip It is VERY important that you review ALL of the materials included in this packet and complete/return ALL of the required forms. Your child will not be able to participate in the competitions until all of this paperwork is complete. -6-
Practice Sessions Once the School Year Begins Once the school year begins, Band & Guard members will continue to have practices; some are during the school week and some are on Saturday Competition days. Participants will work on their drills, their marching and their music. The practices are shorter -- but the weather can still be intense. Make sure that your child has water on the hot nights and wears warm clothes on the cold nights. 2012-13 Weekly Practice Schedule Tuesdays & Thursdays: 6:15 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Band & Guard members are expected to be lined up and ready complete with instruments and equipment outside the Band Room Doors NO LATER THAN 6:15 p.m. It is important that your child adopts a homework routine early in the season so as not to miss important academic assignments and study time. Saturday Competition Practice Days Practice sessions held on Competition Day are sometimes daunting and make for a long day. Band & Guard members practice in the morning, take a long lunch break, and then after one more short practice begin to get ready to load the equipment and get dressed in their uniforms before heading out. Breaks: Students cannot leave the premises without a parent or guardian during the lunch break. Students can eat their lunch at the school during the break period. -7-
Homework: Students have an opportunity to do homework during this time period. Since many of our older band students have been through the same classes, they are more than willing to help younger band members. Adult Supervision: In addition, there are many adults available to help during this down time, including Mr. Marino (who is a teacher at Jonathan Law), Mrs. Rossman (the Guard Director), and several members of the Band Parent Association. We can always use adult volunteers for this; please indicate your willingness to help by contacting any of the Band & Guard officers listed at the beginning of this booklet. Uniforms for Band Members The Band Uniform is comprised of several separate pieces. The following pieces are all provided to your student free of charge but must be returned at the end of the school year. - Uniform Top/Shirt (dry clean only) - Pants (dry clean only) - Hat - Gloves - Gauntlets There are a few pieces the student needs to purchase on his/her own to complete the outfit. These are: Black Socks: Band members must wear black socks in order to perform. We recommend you purchase several pairs at once and have your student put them in the bottom of his/her uniform garment bag. -8-
Black Marching Shoes: Special marching shoes are ordered through Mr. Marino, the Band Director. The shoes usually cost approximately $25 per pair. Details will be available as we get closer to the start of school. Uniforms: Care & Cleaning Toward the completion of Band Camp, your child will be fitted for his/her Marching Uniform. Each piece of the uniform has an assigned number and your child is expected to keep track of each of the pieces of his/her uniform all season. Your child will need to return his/her uniform at the end of the school year, in the garment bag it is issued. It is important to return all the pieces that were originally assigned. Cleaning the Uniform: Clean your child s uniform when he/she first receives it at the beginning of the season (the uniforms have been hanging in a hot closet without ventilation all summer and are usually very musty). Tops: Must be dry cleaned. We suggest you take it to C&R Cleaners in Devon; they are familiar with our band wear. Approximate cost is $9. Pants: Must also be dry cleaned. See above. Gloves: Are machine washable Uniform Care During the Year: When your student returns from a Band performance, they must place all of their uniform pieces in their uniform garment bag. Top and pants must go on a hanger; gauntlets, gloves go in the bottom of the garment bag. Students can also store their shoes and extra black socks at the bottom of the bag, if they wish. Hats are to be put back into the hatbox. Throughout the season, have your child bring home his/her uniform for periodic cleaning. Weather conditions often have a lot to do with how dirty -9-
our band uniforms may become. It s much better to do maintenance cleanings here and there than to wait for a whole year and find you ve got quite a mess on your hands. Taking proper care of your uniform will help it last for a long time AND will make it easier for our parent volunteers to handle them when distributing before an event, and when getting them back into the closet at the end of the night. Uniforms for Color Guard Members Uniforms for our Color Guard members are handled a little differently than those the Band members wear. Because every performance season is unique and is composed/choreographed based on that year s musical theme, the Color Guard costumes change from year to year. In addition, these costumes are custom-made specifically for your student. That said, the Color Guard members pay for their costumes but they are also able to keep them at the end of the season. The cost of the costume varies from year to year; you will receive more information about this as the season nears. Guard Shoes: Color Guard members also need to purchase special guard shoes. These shoes are ordered through Pam Rossman, our Guard Director, and cost approximately $25. If you can borrow a pair from a sibling or former guard member that match this year s color scheme you are more than welcome to use them! -10-
MAC Competitions: How Does That Work? All band and color guard members usually will begin preparing (at Law) late in the afternoon of the competition. Students put on their uniforms, load the buses, pack the equipment, and get on their way. Upon arrival to the performance venue, the students are ushered to a holding area assigned for our school. Competition organizers will monitor the movements of each band s location as they move through the holding areas prior to their scheduled performance. Parents can check the performance line-up on the MAC website to get an idea as to when Law will step off. Because of the tight schedule, students are not usually able to have dinner until AFTER their performance. It s a good idea for your child to bring a snack for the bus ride. All competition sites have concession booths during the competitions; food is normally moderately priced and $8-$12 should be a good rule of thumb for your child to bring to the competition. Returning to Law: The Band & Guard members usually return to school very late in the evening (oftentimes 11:00 p.m. or later). It s a good idea to have your child call you for a ride when they are getting close to the school. This will give you ample time to get to the school just as the buses are arriving. PLEASE NOTE: Band & Guard members may not leave Jonathan Law s parking lot until: - Buses are cleaned out and checked - Uniforms must be hung on the racks - Instruments must be put away in the instrument closet - The Band & Guard equipment truck has been unloaded and all contents have been put away -11-
CHECKLIST FOR COMPETITION DAYS: Band - Uniform (Top, Pants, Shoes, Hat, Gloves, Gauntlets) Guard - Costume (Costume, Shoes, Accessories) Black Socks (Band) Black Band T-shirt (for under the uniform) Homework/Books Instrument for Band Members (normally kept in the band room) Flags/other equipment for Color Guard members Hand warmers during the cold season Appropriate clothing for the weather Blankets or other appropriate apparel (layers!) A change of clothes for after the performance (we suggest band and guard members purchase and wear items from the Band & Guard Apparel Order Form; items are offered at cost as a convenience to our band & guard members not a fundraiser). When the students wear Jonathan Law apparel, it makes it a little easier for the chaperones to keep an eye on them. A competitive spirit and the desire to perform their best! Competition: Safety and Security Band and Guard members are NEVER allowed to go off on their own while at a competition. A large group of chaperones are always on-hand to monitor where our students are and make sure they stay safe and in the vicinity of the group. Throughout the competition program, band/guard members are expected to stay with their school group in the same section of the bleachers. If there is a need to go off somewhere, students must get permission from the Band or Guard Director FIRST. Our rule is Leave in 3s. -12-
The band will return to the bus after their performance to put away instruments and change clothes. They are not allowed to go back to the bus at any time unless authorized by the band director or a chaperone. Medical Assistance: A band parent will usually have a first aid kit! Please notify the band director and/or a band parent chaperone of any medical issues at the beginning of the season. It s also important to fill out and return the Student Information Sheet that is included in the Band Packet you receive during Band Camp. Competition Etiquette Every member of the JLHS Band/Guard is representing the band, the school and the city. Treat other bands with the same respect and dignity that you would expect. It is NOT acceptable to boo or put down other bands or band members. It is your job to be supportive of your fellow band/guard members and for teams/students from other schools. Public displays of affection (PDA) will not be tolerated. Please advise your child that they are representing the band and the school and should behave accordingly. -13-
Parades The JLHS Marching Band and Color Guard generally participates in the following Milford Parades: - Veteran s Day - St. Patrick s Day Parade - Memorial Day Parade Naturally, these are subject to change, per the Band Director and the school principal. How Do Parades Work? For all parades, the band meets at the school, takes a bus to the parade step off area and returns to the school on the bus. No child will be allowed to leave the parade with his/her parent or guardian. All students will return to school on the bus at the conclusion of the parade. -14-
During the Parade: As with the MAC Competitions, our Band & Guard members must remember they are representing our school at all Milford parades. Students MUST be respectful (no swearing or inappropriate gestures, for example). Oftentimes the parades have a solemn overtone (i.e. Memorial Day) and our students must be mindful of the reason they are there. For the warmer weather parades, band parents make sure bottled water is available for our marchers. [Over the course of a year, the Band & Guard parents normally need approximately 100 cases of water please help us by donating a case or more at any time during the school year.] It is also important to make sure your child has eaten a light meal and is hydrated before leaving the house. Appropriate Clothing for the Weather It is very important that your child wear appropriate clothing for the weather of the season. If the weather is warm your child must be careful to wear lighter clothing underneath his/her uniform. If it s cold have your child dress in layers in order to stay as warm as possible. The best rule of thumb here is to use your common sense. -15-
The Band & Guard Parent Group It s All About the Kids If you are new to the Jonathan Law Marching Band and Color Guard group, perhaps our motto will help you see what we re all about: It s For the Kids. The purpose of the Parent Group is to support the Band and the Guard in any way we can whether it s fundraising, building, painting, sewing, or volunteering in dozens of other ways. As mentioned earlier, the school district only funds projects that are considered requirements of our Band students (primarily, the Winter/Spring Concerts and our participation in Milford s parades). Everything else is NOT covered by the school system and that s where we come in. The cost to attend a single marching competition is approximately $1000-$1400 with additional costs if the show is out of state. In order to operate a program of this magnitude, volunteer support is essential. And the good news is you re already a member of the Parent Group! There are no dues and the only requirement is to have a child in the Band or Guard (Band & Guard alumni parents are also welcome!). The JLHS Band & Guard Parents Group normally meets on the first Tuesday of the month throughout the school year. Meetings are about an hour and a half long and are very informative. We use this time to recap all prior activity with the Band & Guard, review our finances, and discuss future plans. We heartily urge you to attend our monthly meetings as they are a good way to stay up-to-date and to help with future planning. -16-
Band & Guard Parents Meeting Schedule 2012-13* All meetings are held at Jonathan Law High School in the Band Room. September 4 February 5 October 2 March 5 November 13 April 2 December 4 May 7 January 8 June 4 *subject to change; check the district website calendar just prior to make sure a meeting is still scheduled. Get on the E-Mail Distribution List We have developed a mass-email system to let parents know when an event is coming up, if there are any changes in anything, or to send out reminders of events or deadlines. Please make sure you complete the Student/Parent Information Form enclosed in the Packet that was distributed during Band Camp! We also have a link on the Jonathan Law website (Band & Guard). We suggest you visit it often. www.milforded.org -17-
Volunteering Opportunities There are many different ways to volunteer, based upon your own personal time available and your skill set. We need volunteers for the following: Prop Committee ~ getting groups of people together to brainstorm, create, build, paint, and maintain the props needed for a show Uniform Committee~ getting people together to organize uniforms for alterations; to pin uniforms to alter and to sew the alterations Pit Crew (full season commitment) The Pit Crew is a group of band parents who volunteer to help with equipment; move props on and off the field during our performances and assist the band where needed. This is a season long commitment. It is a lot of work, and requires commitment but is most rewarding in the end. Your willingness to help as a part of the Pit Crew includes ALL of the following: - Load the truck (at Law, ~ 1 hour prior to departure) - Upon arrival at venue, unload the truck - Move all show equipment to the staging area and help assemble for the performance - Disassemble all the components quickly and help move them off the field at the completion of the performance - Load equipment back on truck and secure the vehicle - Unload equipment upon arrival at Law As a member of the Pit Crew, you can travel to the competition either on a bus with the band or in their own vehicles. -18-
Due to the nature of the work involved with this aspect of our performance season, we have a limited number of Pit Passes that are assigned to the members of the Pit Crew. A Pit Pass grants you FREE admission to the MAC competition. Once the Pit Crew s work has been completed at a MAC performance (our students have completed their performance and the equipment has been loaded and secured in the truck) you are welcome to take a seat in the stands and watch the rest of the show. If this interests you, please see any one of our Parent Group Officers as soon as possible. This group is set up very early in the season in order to be ready for the first competition. Phone Person ~ call parents who haven t responded to emails (list provided by the secretary) for different events or notifications Fundraising Committee ~ (addressed later in this handbook) Donation Coordinator/Donation Team: This group works to request and organize the various items we need to have donated throughout the year cases of water, cases of soda, foodstuffs for bus rides back and forth to competitions and other items. Bottle and Can Drive Coordinator: we need one or more people to help coordinate the Bottle & Can Drive that we conduct every month. -19-
Fundraising: Without it We Can t Exist Our Fundraising efforts are the lifeblood of our Band and Guard programs! We are a self-sufficient organization. While performing in football game half-time shows and parades is paid for through the school, our participation in the MAC schedule is completely self-funded through the Jonathan Law Marching Band and Color Guard Parent Group. It is for this reason that parental support is vital to our continued participation in MAC. The cost to attend a competition ranges from $1000 - $1400 per show. In addition, our fundraising pays for all the props, equipment, and other supplies needed to participate at this competition level. That said, you will see that we conduct many fundraisers throughout the year. While we understand that families cannot participate in all of these, we ask that you support as many of them as you can. Based on the budget in place for this year, our financial needs equate to approximately $500 per student. Some families have mentioned that rather than participating in our many fundraisers, they d prefer to write a check. That is perfectly acceptable. Checks can be made to JLHS Band & Guard. Make sure you note your student s name on the check so it is accounted for it properly. -20-
The JLHS Home Show (Fall: Sat., Oct. 27) Every year, our school hosts two MAC Competitions at Jonathan Law: one in the fall and one in the winter. These are called our Home Shows and are considered our most important revenue generators. Our involvement in the Home Show includes running the Food Concession, creating the Program Booklet, Air Grams, Bake Sales, and other novelty items that we sell during the show. For families who find fundraising difficult, your volunteer support for this event is highly desirable. Volunteer hours are appreciated just as much as selling items through fundraisers because this event would not be possible without volunteers. Students who need to accumulate volunteer hours for outside reasons (i.e. Confirmation; Graduation with Distinction) are also welcome to help out in a variety of roles. Some of our current fundraising activities include: A monthly can and bottle Cookie Dough Sales drive (3rd Saturday of every Mother s Day Plant Sale month at JLHS Parking Lot) Giant Tag Sale Oyster Festival Booths Graduation Flower Sale Home Shows (marching band, Pasta Dinner winter guard, percussion and Vendor Fair jazz competition) Poinsettia Sales Home Show Program Yankee Candle Sale Boosters and Ads Peanut Sales Breakfast With The Easter AND MORE. Bunny You will receive more information about each of these as the year goes forward. -21-
Music is the universal language of mankind.