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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

drive (3rd Saturday of every

month at JLHS Parking Lot)

Oyster Festival Booths

Home Shows (marching band,

winter guard, percussion and

jazz competition)

Home Show Program

Boosters and Ads

Breakfast With The Easter

Bunny

Cookie Dough Sales

Mother‟s Day Plant Sale

Giant Tag Sale

Graduation Flower Sale

Pasta Dinner

Vendor Fair

Poinsettia Sales

Yankee Candle Sale

Peanut Sales

AND MORE….

You will receive more information about each of these as the year goes

forward.

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“Music is the

universal

language of

mankind.”