May 2018 Band Parent Meeting Minutes

Post date: May 23, 2018 1:34:42 PM

May 15, 2018, Band Parent Meeting Minutes

Facebook page: Bartlett High School Bands

Email: bhsbands1@gmail.com (Send an email to this address to be added to the mailing list. Indicate if

you would like to volunteer.)

Webpage: bartlettbands.org

Twitter account: @BHSBands1

Eric Hollaway: erichollaway@u-46.org (Send an email with any scheduling issues.)

Introductions and Volunteer Opportunities

BHS Band Director Eric Hollaway started the meeting by having the parents of incoming freshmen for

the 2018-2019 school year introduce themselves to the rest of the group. Band Parent President Jodi

Blake then stood to state that there are many volunteer opportunities for parents of students in the

band throughout the year and to encourage participation in these fun and worthwhile efforts. Stay

tuned for sign up forms to get involved.

Band Classes (all are part of the Marching Hawks, as is the Color Guard)

The different bands, in ascending order, are: Varsity, which is the freshman band (meets during first

period); Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble. Auditions for band and chair placement

for the upcoming school year occur at the end of the first semester (i.e., December 2017 auditions were

for placement in the 2018-2019 school year). Students may get a P.E. waiver due to their participation in

the Marching Band, which gives them a little leeway in their schedule. It is exciting that band enrollment

is up, even as total enrollment at Bartlett High School is decreasing.

Marching Band will play for four home games in the fall (which will be at Bartlett High School for the first

time ever)! In addition, the Marching Band will perform at the 10/4 U-46 Marching Band Festival to be

held at Elgin High School. The band will have rehearsal from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on each Thursday evening

that precedes a home football game.

Summer Band Schedule

The schedule was updated 4/24/18; current high school students have a hard copy of it, and it was in

the packets delivered by Sandy Martin to the middle schools. Students need to sign up for summer

events, such as the Independence Day Parade (BHS and Eastview) and Bandorama, which brings

together 5th through 11th grade students, by 6/1. The sign up documents are on the Facebook page and

have been emailed to bhsbands1@gmail.com Parade rehearsal is 6/27 from 6 to 8 p.m. The parade is

July 8 with a noon call time.

Optional outing: Drum Corp International (DCI) Tour of Champions show at Northern Illinois University in

DeKalb, Saturday, July 14. This is a group of 17-21 year-old brass players, percussionists, color guard

performers, and drum majors who perform in multiple marching bands and compete throughout the

summer. More details will be shared soon about the evening performance.

Uniforms and Spiritwear

Band members wear a green dri-fit shirt and navy shorts underneath their uniforms. Uniforms are

provided by the high school, and there will be uniform fittings during several evenings after band camp

at the end of the summer. Students will purchase black band shoes and gloves through the band and

provide their own crew- , thigh- , or knee-length black socks to complete the uniform. Prices, at cost, are

as follows:

Dri-fit shirt - $15

Shorts (new this year) - $20

Shoes (limited sizes available) - $35 new, $15 used

Gloves - $2 regular, $6 percussion (if available)

Spiritwear is available for students and parents, including hats, sunglasses, shirts, etc. and is also sold at

cost. Current high school students were given an order form on 5/17.

Students will wear the dri-fit shirt and shorts at the Independence Day Parade and should order them

now. Current high school students may likely be able to wear the dri-fit shirt they purchased as a

freshman. Shirts and shorts that have been ordered will be given to students at the 6/27 parade

rehearsal.

Fundraising

There are two types of fundraising the band does: (1) for the general band fund (e.g., t-shirts for the bi-

annual Disney trip) and (2) for the students’ individual accounts that go to defray the cost of the Disney trip.

Both types of fundraising are optional to participate in. Currently planned are:

• A car wash Saturday, 8/4, at the Mobil at Stearns & 59 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Old towels that

people don’t need to have returned to them are needed for this event, along with student and

parent volunteers. Students get money credit to their individual accounts for the time they work

at the car wash.

• Restaurant nights, regularly throughout the year. The funds go to the general account. Typically,

there is a flyer that can be brought to the applicable restaurant and a certain percentage of the

purchase goes to the band.

• Gift checkbooks. The funds go to students’ individual accounts. Band members will be given

these during band camp to sell to family and friends. The checks are for area restaurants and

businesses and give a discount for the purchases. Half of the cost of each checkbook goes

toward the band member’s individual account.

• Fill-the-House-for-the-Mouse bowling event and dinner Saturday, 11/10, at the Wheaton Bowl

(2031 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton) for people 21 and over, though student fund-raising is key to the

event. Most aspects of the fundraising for this event go to students’ individual accounts.

• Possible trivia night in February or March at the Bartlett Fire Barn.
• Other opportunities to be announced!

Other Band Activities

These bands begin after Marching Band season ends.

Pep Band: for home girls’ and boys’ basketball games, except Saturdays. Students must sign up for and

participate in half of these. Participation in each additional game results in the student having to play

one less scale on his or her final exam in May.

Jazz Band (optional)

Big Band (optional)

Pit Band: Orchestra for the fall and spring musicals

Winter Band: Does a concert of holiday-themed music in December. Money is raised for the Northern

Illinois Food Bank at this event.

Upcoming Event

Graduation band rehearsals are 5/21 and 5/23 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and call time for the 8 a.m.

graduation at the Sears Center is 6:30 a.m. on 5/26. Students in the graduation band know who they are

and should wear a white shirt on top and black pants or skirt on bottom. No ties. Mr. Hollaway will

provide donuts for breakfast.

Miscellaneous

Mr. Hollaway said he has received a lot of compliments about our hosting of the Fox Valley Music

Festival on 4/30 and expressed his thanks to everyone involved.

The Steering Committee will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. on 5/22 in the band room.