Hello, Band Parents and Students! Mr. Thomas sent out this news and notes via email:
First — IF it is hot Friday night we will marching in T-shirts and Shorts. Everyone needs to have BLACK shorts to go under your uniform or to wear as the uniform in case of hot weather. With that, you will wear your LONG (NOT ankle) black socks and marching shoes. Dr. Thomas will alert everyone to the attire for the night either Thursday evening or Friday during the day. Either way, you need black shorts anyway.
Tuesday – Marching Band rehearsal 6-8p for ALL Marching Band members including percussion, color guard, and horn line. This was on your yearly calendar so should be no surprise but wanted to remind everyone. It comes at a good time since we have our first home game this Friday! We will finish the first movement drill Tuesday evening marching and playing. Pit – this will be your first opportunity to put the music together with the rest of the band on the field.
Wednesday morning class (7:00a) – continuing to stabilize tempos on the field with the entire band, pit, color guard, and dance team.
Friday morning 7:00a – prep cheers for the game. 7:30a march the halls of West. 8:30a – outside for run-throughs of pregame and halftime.
4:00p call time for all band members in the band room to change into uniform. You may just stay after school if desired, but you must be changing into uniform by 4:00. Roadies will begin to load the equipment truck.
4:30p – load busses and depart for South stadium.
5:00-5:30p – rehearsal on the field at the stadium
5:45p – dinner served by BAW parents.
6:20p – dress in full uniform and prepare for pregame.
6:40p – Pregame begins. Parents you will want to be in the stands around 6:30.
7:00p – the game begins
9:00(ish) – the game ends, band reloads truck and busses and returns to West
9:30p – arrive back at West, change into street clothes, unload equipment truck
**9:45p – students free to depart.
** Students are free to leave ONLY AFTER the truck is completely unloaded. Parents, PLEASE make sure you are at the band room ready to pick up your student when the truck is unloaded so everyone can go home. The directors must wait until the last student is gone. Please don’t make the directors wait for you – we have families too. 😊
Friday – For a grade
Marching Band – Movement one is due passed off from memory to a section leader or director.
Freshman Concert Band – Alma Mater is due passed off in Canvas for Dr. Thomas.
Parents – we have several openings that need parent volunteers at the game from Chaperones (on the busses) to Tailgate servers, to Roadies (loading/unloading and field crew). You can volunteer in CHARMS, or contact Dawn Schnake (dawnschnake@gmail.com) to see exactly what openings still exist.
Marching Shoes that were ordered are in the ensemble room clearly marked with your name. T-shirts should come in this week.
Parents – if you are coming to the game and don’t know where to sit, the Band Parents usually have a Banner that says WEST PRIDE on the south side of the press box. If you go to that area, you will find other band parents to sit with AND be close to the West Pride Marching Band. Please come join us!
The stadium is open, no restrictions on number of people attending! Please be considerate of others if they choose to wear a mask; and if you are concerned about COVID, do wear a mask. It’s optional.
Thanks,
Bill Thomas,
Director of Bands, Shawnee Mission West