Band Parent Meeting - June 14, 2012

Mr. Pirzer's Report:

Next year’s band 135+ students – more students than in previous years

Showed video of last season’s state championship show – Illusions.

Band communication:

• Most of the communication is done via email, so it is important that you get on the email  list – please complete the 1 page form and return to Carolyn Lukert.
• Please get in the habit of checking your emails daily if you can.  During marching season, emails with a tremendous amount of information will come out on Monday morning for the week ahead.

Medical Info:

• Medical form – please complete and return ASAP–  this is necessary for all trips, but you only have to complete the form once each year.  75 of the 135 have been returned so far.
• Dr. Berry – thanks to those who have already turned.
• This band camp was pretty mild.  Only a few kids had to sit out for a few minutes early in the week.
• Next band camp – 12 hour days – need to be able to tolerate the heat.  Also, will need volunteers to help out.  Make sure your students get enough sleep and eat right.  Also, stay hydrated.  They should work on conditioning over the summer.
• Mr. Pirzer on the topic of nutrition/exercise:  steady exercise, make sure diet is of high quality – no soda, monsters, red bulls – Gatorade and water are OK.
• We carry typical over the counter Tylenol, Advil, etc.  If you need to have special medication, Dr. Berry will take it, log it, and hold it in medical bag.  (examples: inhalers, insulin epi-pen)

Calendar:

• This calendar should have everything we are going to do for the entire school year.  Reviewed highlights. 
• Note: the band only performs home GHS football games – cost about $550 per game just to go the home games, competition $1500 minimum.  It is very costly to transport the kids.  Transportation this past year was in excess of $20,000.
• Our 1^st 2 football games this year are on Thursday nights – our 1^st 2 games.  The remainder of the games are on Friday.

Competitions

• ALL students MUST be at ALL competitions and football games (which are our practice for competitions).  We get docked points when a student is missing from a competition.  All need to be there for rehearsals, as well.  We are off on Wednesdays, so please try to schedule any appointments for Wednesdays.
• State champs will be at Tropicana Field, both prelims and finals (since we have moved up to 4A).
• Indoor drumline schedule not on calendar yet.  Like Marching band minus the band – percussion instruments only – in spring.
• Schedule is busy but not unreasonable.  We actually rehearse less than 2 other bands in this county.

Band Relationships:

• Very tight-knit group.  Band room opens at 7am so students can study. 
• They do have to learn how to manage their time … they will learn!
• Project due tomorrow is not an excuse for missing band.
• If they say they do not have homework, they are probably lying  J
• Afterschool – when practice is from 5:30-8 – students can go home and come back, can get together as a group and hangout somewhere like coffee culture or starbucks, books –a- million.  Band room is locked as Mr. P is practicing somewhere else.  The media center is also open till 4pm..

Opened floor for questions.

Are we 3 or 4A?

Marching 72 woodwinds, which make us a 4A.

Introduced Booster Board

Fair Share – Vital for the running of this band.

$525 for band members

$650 for color guard, which includes fall and spring season

We provide many fundraisers to enable students to be able to earn as much of their fair share as possible.  First fundraiser involves selling cups.  More to come on this.  Most of the fundraisers are on the calendar. 

We need to purchase additional instruments ($8K for pit alone).

Miscellaneous:

• If you know how to sew, please contact Dr. Roberta Teller.
• If someone wants to check out an instrument for the summer, please see MR. P tonight.
• Instrument rentals are $50 per semester.  Students need to take care of these rentals
• Next Saturday – June 23 – Orlando citrus bowl – Drum Corp International – is having one of its first competitions of the season.  Cheapest tickets are $20.  This is something you don’t want to miss.  No matter what your student plays, they will not want to miss it.

Meeting adjourned and moved into auditorium to watch performances.