Band you have hearts of steel. I am so proud of the way you have taken the news of our season. Instead of throwing in the towel and giving up because of our fewer football performances, you have buckled down and learned the entire pregame drill and dance in two days!
I am incredibly proud of you. You really are the spirit of pep!
Here is what is coming up in the next two weeks:
This Week:
- M 8/24 - Practice 6-8p
- T 8/25 - LT Meeting 5-6p, Practice 6-8p
- W 8/26 - First Day of School! - Begin regular practice schedule - Practice 3:15 - 4:15
- R 8/27 - Practice 3:15 - 5:15
- F 8/28 - Football: Home v. Adena
Week Following:
- M 8/31 - Practice 3:15 - 5:15
- T 9/1 - Practice 3:15 - 5:15, LT Meeting 5:30 - 6:00
- W 9/2 - Practice 3:15-4:15
- R 9/3 - Practice 3:15 - 5:15
- F 9/4 -No school! Football: Home v. Eastern Pike
Coming Up:
- W 8/26 - First day of school for students
- F 8/28 - First Football Game! (Home v Adena)
- F 9/4 - Football: Home v Eastern Pike
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Regular Practice after School Starting
On August 26, students will have their first day of school and marching band will shift to the regular season practice schedule. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays we will practice 3:15-5:15; Wednesdays we will practice 3:15-4:15. If you dress up for school, please pack your marching shoes and outdoor clothes. 10 minutes from the end of the school day until the start of the practice is only enough time if you are prepared, so be prepared.
As a side note: on August 26, the marching band will have practiced 77 hours. From August 26 to the end of the season, there are only 80 hours of practice left. From a practice standpoint, when the school year hits, we are half way done with the season.
Practice Before Football
On football game nights, the marching band will stay after school to practice and go directly from practice to the football game. Students will not have the opportunity to go home and come back, so bring everything for the game with you: black socks, marching shoes, summer uniform, hair pins, make removal wipes (for excessive makeup that may effect uniform).
Friday Night Food
Here is a link to the schedule the team came up with for feeding the band Friday nights. For quick reference here is the schedule of Friday night food:
- Game 1: Saxophones + FC
- Game 2: Drumline + Trumpets
- Game 3: Low Brass + Flutes/Clarinets
Football Game Tickets
On August 19, the Governor of Ohio gave orders for how to protect students and spectators for present circumstances. Point #7 of this order (read it here) limited spectators at contests to 15% of fixed seating capacity. Mr. Ewry measured it out and arrived at 286 for our new max capacity. (110 visiting, 176 home)
With only 176 spectators coming to see roughly 88 students between the football team, cheerleaders and band members, the fairest way we saw to divide up tickets was equally between all participants --> 2 tickets per student.
At the football scrimmage last week, they asked each visitor at the gate who they were here to see. I do not know if they will have physical tickets or if they will usse that same system of checking at the gate. I will let you know when I know. Be prepared for either.
Decisions Yet to be Made by Student Leadership
- What music will we perform for games 3 and band shows?
- Will we modify our practice schedule?
- What specific steps will we take to keep morale high for this unique season?
- Are there other performance opportunities we would like to pursue?
- How will we adjust our previous goals to reflect our current reality?
Reminders
- If you are showing any of the symptoms we screen for daily (cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, contact with COVID), please stay home and get well.
- If you miss practice, please:
- Spend time memorizing your music on (new) SmartMusic
- Practice the dance (recording on Google Classroom)
Thanks for reading. If you have any questions, or if you need to miss practice, please let your section leader know!
See you soon!
NT