How Do Parents Get Involved?
PARENT INVOLVEMENT = A SUCCESSFUL BAND PROGRAM
Are you a parent of a band student? Then you are a Band Booster!
We welcome you and look forward to working together.
We sincerely hope this guide will answer some important questions about time management, time commitment, band fees and how to pay for them, fund raising, and uniforms. We would also like to give you some “insider” information on what it takes to be a band student, and a band parent!
Getting involved in the band program will give you the opportunity to share with your child the last four years of their education, these years fly by. Your child might say they rather not have you around, but most parents actually learn they appreciate your involvement.
MVSD is fortunate to have a great directors, and staff. The band parents are needed to support the director, and help with the details of fundraising, transporting, feeding and watering an organization this size. The band needs parents to be able to function; it is for this reason that we urge you to get involved. Join one of the many committees; we need your help. Grandparents, siblings, or any member of your family can get involved and make a difference. Band is a great way to meet the parents and the kids your student will be spending much of their time with for the next few months.
TIME MANAGEMENT will be the most important tool that your children will acquire when they become members of the LNHS band program. The students quickly learn that they must use their time wisely. Time not spent in practice should be spent doing schoolwork. Remember that most band members are Honors or AP students and realize grades are important.
Your student will learn how to keep a schedule, how to be punctual, and how to set priorities. Our schedule will be placed on the board at school, on our charms calendar.
Your child will also become punctual. They will be taught the meaning of the phrase...
“If you’re early, you’re on time;
if you’re on time; you’re late”.
Helpful Hints to Save You Time and Grief:
• Make your child responsible for being prepared. The first time they forget something will be the last!!! They learn to be resourceful when they have to be.
• At the end of each practice session there are usually announcements – listen up!
• Network – This is how we meet each other. It is also one of the best ways to get helpful hints on band parenting from others.
• Carpool to competitions when parent buses aren’t available.
• Be prepared to cheer! The band loves it when they have their own cheering section.
• Keep extra gloves, socks, needle & thread, etc. in your car or purse just in case.
• Visit the band web site to stay informed.
• Make sure you contact information is current on charms. www.charmsofffice.com
You Know You are A Band Parent When. . . .
• You make three more trips than expected to drop off you child with everything they need.
• You carry spare black gloves, needle and thread, safety pins, black socks and duct tape in your pocketbook.
• You can’t pick your child out of the crowd because they all look alike.
• You no longer speak of your child as a fourteen-year-old daughter/son, but as a “freshman trumpet, freshman flute,” etc.
• You prominently display a band calendar in the kitchen, and have band dates marked on the calendar in your purse.
• You use your oven more for baking goodies for bake sales during home football games or treats, than for sit-down meals.
• You know that you will be wearing something white, silver and/or navy every Friday night and on Saturdays.
• Early is on time and on time is late.
• You don’t leave home without cushions to sit on, camera and camcorder!
• You are cheering with other band parents.
Band Fees = Fund-raising
There are many questions about the economic impact of the Band Program. While your middle school programs traditionally did not have fees, the high school band program is very different. When we hear the bottom line, we sometimes wonder how we are going to be able to raise the funds needed for our children to be able to continue the pursuit of their musical interest. We do not want the economic factor to keep any student from participating in band. Throughout the year there are many opportunities to raise money to pay for band fees. There have been families that did not pay anything out of pocket for their student to be in band, due to their successful fundraising.
The fee schedule is broken down into regularly scheduled payment amounts. You can deposit smaller amounts into your child’s account ahead of the payment due date. This can be done all through the year so you don’t have to come up with all the money at one time. The best way to learn about these fundraising opportunities is by keeping informed; and the best way to keep informed is by visiting the Band web site and attending the Band Booster meetings that take place all year long.
We welcome you and look forward to working together.
We sincerely hope this guide will answer some important questions about time management, time commitment, band fees and how to pay for them, fund raising, and uniforms. We would also like to give you some “insider” information on what it takes to be a band student, and a band parent!
Getting involved in the band program will give you the opportunity to share with your child the last four years of their education, these years fly by. Your child might say they rather not have you around, but most parents actually learn they appreciate your involvement.
MVSD is fortunate to have a great directors, and staff. The band parents are needed to support the director, and help with the details of fundraising, transporting, feeding and watering an organization this size. The band needs parents to be able to function; it is for this reason that we urge you to get involved. Join one of the many committees; we need your help. Grandparents, siblings, or any member of your family can get involved and make a difference. Band is a great way to meet the parents and the kids your student will be spending much of their time with for the next few months.
TIME MANAGEMENT will be the most important tool that your children will acquire when they become members of the LNHS band program. The students quickly learn that they must use their time wisely. Time not spent in practice should be spent doing schoolwork. Remember that most band members are Honors or AP students and realize grades are important.
Your student will learn how to keep a schedule, how to be punctual, and how to set priorities. Our schedule will be placed on the board at school, on our charms calendar.
Your child will also become punctual. They will be taught the meaning of the phrase...
“If you’re early, you’re on time;
if you’re on time; you’re late”.
Helpful Hints to Save You Time and Grief:
• Make your child responsible for being prepared. The first time they forget something will be the last!!! They learn to be resourceful when they have to be.
• At the end of each practice session there are usually announcements – listen up!
• Network – This is how we meet each other. It is also one of the best ways to get helpful hints on band parenting from others.
• Carpool to competitions when parent buses aren’t available.
• Be prepared to cheer! The band loves it when they have their own cheering section.
• Keep extra gloves, socks, needle & thread, etc. in your car or purse just in case.
• Visit the band web site to stay informed.
• Make sure you contact information is current on charms. www.charmsofffice.com
You Know You are A Band Parent When. . . .
• You make three more trips than expected to drop off you child with everything they need.
• You carry spare black gloves, needle and thread, safety pins, black socks and duct tape in your pocketbook.
• You can’t pick your child out of the crowd because they all look alike.
• You no longer speak of your child as a fourteen-year-old daughter/son, but as a “freshman trumpet, freshman flute,” etc.
• You prominently display a band calendar in the kitchen, and have band dates marked on the calendar in your purse.
• You use your oven more for baking goodies for bake sales during home football games or treats, than for sit-down meals.
• You know that you will be wearing something white, silver and/or navy every Friday night and on Saturdays.
• Early is on time and on time is late.
• You don’t leave home without cushions to sit on, camera and camcorder!
• You are cheering with other band parents.
Band Fees = Fund-raising
There are many questions about the economic impact of the Band Program. While your middle school programs traditionally did not have fees, the high school band program is very different. When we hear the bottom line, we sometimes wonder how we are going to be able to raise the funds needed for our children to be able to continue the pursuit of their musical interest. We do not want the economic factor to keep any student from participating in band. Throughout the year there are many opportunities to raise money to pay for band fees. There have been families that did not pay anything out of pocket for their student to be in band, due to their successful fundraising.
The fee schedule is broken down into regularly scheduled payment amounts. You can deposit smaller amounts into your child’s account ahead of the payment due date. This can be done all through the year so you don’t have to come up with all the money at one time. The best way to learn about these fundraising opportunities is by keeping informed; and the best way to keep informed is by visiting the Band web site and attending the Band Booster meetings that take place all year long.
