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Frequently Asked Questions
Should students wear their uniforms when they report to the school for a game?
Can my child leave the game early if we have another commitment we need to attend?
What happens if it rains?
Is there food available for my child at football games?
I hear that middle school students are sometime invited to join in. What is this all about?
What about movie nights or parties at someone’s house?
I hear that many students go to the diner after games. What is this all about?
What time are the games over?
What is Adopt-a-Family?
Is there an end-of-season celebration for the marching band?
I hear that the band offers merit awards to some seniors. What is this all about?
When and how should band members turn in their uniforms?
What is the purpose of the Band Parents Association? Do I have to attend the meetings for my child to be in the band?
Should students wear their uniforms when they report to the school for a game?
Most students report to the high school with some part of their uniform on -- perhaps wearing the pants, shoes, and socks and carrying the jacket, gloves and hat in the garment bag. Some students arrive without the uniform on and change completely at school. Whatever works for you is fine, but please remember three things: (1) You need to be completely dressed and ready to go by the time Mr. Udell requests (2) Please remember the garment bag! It is a great tool for keeping all of your uniform pieces together and (3) Remember to bring a change of clothes in case you go to the diner after the game (so you don’t have to show up in your uniform!)
Can my child leave the game early if we have another commitment we need to attend?
Attendance at all performances is very important. If your child must leave after the Band performs there are two requirements: (1) Your child must personally tell Mr. Udell ahead of time and (2) you must meet Mr. Udell at the game or festival to escort your child home. At no time will your child be allowed to leave the game or performance venue alone to meet you in front of the school or any other location. Parents must report to Mr. Udell directly to pick up a child. If a student leaves the Band unescorted, a call will be placed to the police department to locate that student immediately!
What happens if it rains?
The Band usually performs, even in the rain. If it is drizzling, we perform through the weather. If it is a sustained downpour, Mr. Udell may cancel the Band performance because it is harmful to the instruments, even if the football game continues to be played. If it begins to rain very hard during a home game, Mr. Udell will bring the students back to the Band Room where they may call their parents. During away games and festivals, students may go back to the buses until the rain stops. Check your email and this website for cancellation info. Also, it is helpful if your child carries a cell phone (but keeps it OFF during performances!)
Is there food available for my child at football games?
During home games, there is a snack table located on the ground level in front of the bleachers where the Band sits. The Band Parents Association provides drinking water and hot chocolate. Parents are asked to bring an item to contribute to the snack table. Homemade or store bought -- the kids love it all!! We only ask that you do not bring anything drippy or messy that might stain the uniforms (no sauces or strawberry juice, for example.) Please make sure the food is pre-cut into bite-sized pieces and placed into a disposable container or into a reusable container that is clearly marked with your last name. Just drop off your plate or box of goodies at the snack table as you arrive for the game. If you’re not staying, have your child bring it to the band room and the Pit Crew will get it down to the field. NOTE: Though parents sometimes contribute sandwiches, cheese cubes, veggies, seedless grapes, and other healthy items, don’t count on this being your child’s evening meal. Frequently the snack table holds cookies, cupcakes, popcorn, chips, and other snacks/desserts, so he/she should eat a healthy meal before coming back to school for the game. Also, band members are only allowed access to the snack table during the third quarter of the game (when they take a break from playing in the stands), so it can be 8 pm or later when they eat. By the way, band parents are welcome to eat or take home the leftover food once the fourth quarter begins!
For away games and festivals, if ordered during Band Camp, The Band Parents Association provides an opportunity for students to purchase a boxed meal. These meals are prepared by a local caterer, America on Rye. They are delivered to the high school, packed in coolers and distributed at the games and festivals. For festivals that are added to the schedule after Band Camp and for band members who did not pre-order away food boxes, students must provide their own bagged lunches. These can be placed into the coolers and distributed at the same time as the boxed lunches, but please be sure that the child’s name is on the bag! Some locations also provide food at snack shacks so students may want to bring some money, but please don’t rely on this as the only way for your child to have something to eat.
I hear that middle school students are sometimes invited to join in. What is this all about?
At one home game per season, middle school students from all of the sending districts are invited to sit with the marching band and play their instruments while the band is in the stands. The middle school students are invited to raid the snack table too once the regular band members have had a few minutes to get their initial snacks. During the field show, the middle school students stay in the stands to watch the show along with the members of the Away team’s band who always march around the field to watch the show from our side of the field. Band members should make every effort to welcome and encourage the middle school students at any time, but especially on this night, since they are the future of the marching band!
What about movie nights or parties at someone’s house?
Occasionally, the marching band holds a movie night. Everyone who is interested in coming usually just meets at the mall (usually in front of the theatre) at a specific time. There is no adult supervision. Students arrange for their own transportation and pay for their own tickets & treats. Sometimes, a student hosts a party at their house for the band. There has always been a parent present at these parties in the past, but you should treat this situation like any party your child may attend and find out the details by calling the parent.
I hear that many students go to the diner after games. What is this all about?
It has long been a tradition for students to stop off at the Stirling Diner (located on Valley Road) for a bite to eat and chance to relax together after home games. This is not a structured activity. Students arrange transportation amongst themselves. Please note that there is no adult supervision at the diner and students must pay their own bills. Unless a student wants to sit in the diner in his/her band uniform, it is a good idea to bring a change of clothes to the game!
What time are the games over?
For home games, students are usually finished marching back to the Band Room by about 9:30pm then they need a few minutes to put away their instruments.
For away games, it depends on how far we’ve traveled. Usually we get back somewhere around 10:30pm. Please note that this is an approximate time, though. It is helpful if your child carries a cell phone so they can tell you when they are nearly back at school. Also, remember that they will need a few minutes to put away their equipment after they get to the school before they are free to leave for the night.
What is Adopt-a-Family?
Local agencies seek the generosity of volunteers to help them fill holiday wish lists for many families in need in our neighboring communities. Each year, the WHRHS Marching Band signs up to ”adopt” one needy family. Our goal is to provide this family with all of the items requested on their holiday list, as we have done so successfully in prior years.
Needy families provide a charitable agency with a wish list of items that each member in the adopted family needs. This usually includes winter coats, clothes, school supplies, grocery store gift cards, household goods, and other basic necessities along with a small number of nice-to-haves that most of us would consider regular holiday gifts. Once the charity gives us the specific list for our “adopted” family, it will be mailed to all band families with a request for each family to sign up to purchase and wrap one item off the list.
To participate, when you receive your copy of the wish list, call or email the Adopt-a-Family coordinator listed in the letter to reserve the item you wish to buy so that we don’t end up with duplicates. Sometimes band families join together to share the cost of a more expensive item. If you want to contribute but don’t have time to shop, consider donating cash which can be used by our Adopt-a-Family coordinator to buy any remaining items at the end or contribute gift cards to stores like Wal-Mart or Target. There is no obligation to give and nobody will follow up on an individual family-by-family basis to make requests. Hopefully, though, each family will consider contributing. The needy families and charities which support them throughout the rest of the year are extremely grateful for the help, financial relief, and caring we give.
Once you’ve purchased your gift, please wrap it and place a post-it note on the outside telling the contents and name of the adopted family member for whom the gift was purchased. The post-it notes help the coordinator tell what has been purchased so far. Drop your gift off in Mr. Udell’s office or bring it to the Band Banquet in December.
Is there an end-of-season celebration for the marching band?
The Band Banquet is usually held in December at The Primavera in Stirling. Attire is dressy but not formal. Along with dinner and a chance to relax & chat together after a busy season, awards and speeches are given. Adopt-a-Family gifts can be dropped off at a table as you enter the dining room. Though the football season is over at that point, the marching band still has quite a few activities that happen throughout the rest of the year, so be sure to listen for announcements and instructions for activities in the late winter and spring.
I hear that the band offers merit awards to some seniors. What is this all about?
Though it is dependent on finances each year whether / how many merit awards are offered, typically the Band Parents Association offers up to three merit awards to seniors who have been active in the marching band. Watch and listen for announcements in April or May regarding the criteria for applying; usually students are expected to submit essays regarding their band experience. If merit awards are offered, the winners are selected by a committee of band parents who do not have seniors in that year. Student names are only known to the coordinator who collects the essays and are not told to the rest of the committee members until after the winners have been selected. Awards are announced at the spring Concert Band concert in June. For the 2008 - 2009 school year, the Band Parents Association was proud to offer three awards of $600 each to deserving students. Note, however, the amounts and number of awards can vary from year-to-year depending the level of success of the recent fund-raising activities.
When and how should band members turn in their uniforms?
Put the uniform and tux (if a tux was borrowed), into garment bag labeled with the name in the clear plastic pouch and return it to Mr. Udell. Please check the pockets for any of your belongings. Reminder, the school has instituted a policy to charge Band Members for any pieces not returned and they will notify you in writing listing the item and the charge.The items to be returned are listed below:
Marching Band Members
Uniform Jacket & Gold Braided Cord
Pants / Suspenders
Gold Sash
Raincoat
Hat (name inside) & Hat Box (name outside)
Garment Bag (with your name in the plastic window outside)
Note: Tuba players, pit members, and the drum line were issued berets and not hats.
Color Guard Members Tux Pieces
Black Tunic Black Jacket
Garment Bag Black Pants
Practice Flags Bow Tie
Raincoat
What is the purpose of the Band Parents Association? Do I have to attend the meetings for my child to be in the band?
Though attendance at Band Parent meetings isn’t strictly required, it is highly recommended. At the meetings, decisions and announcements are made regarding upcoming events and issues are resolved regarding band activities. The marching band can only function effectively with significant parent involvement. Having said that, if all parents take on some volunteer work, no individual parent has to work all that hard. This can be as simple and off-the-cuff as selling raffle tickets at a single football game, helping kids find uniforms that fit during band camp, or bringing food for the kids to share at home games. For those who are willing to join a small, informal team to get the social benefits, there are opportunities to help in the Pit Crew, Band Parent Association management team, fund-raising committees, or Band Banquet committee. Though requests will be made as needed for people to help with whatever needs to be done, people are never pressured to take on volunteer activities they do not want to do, so attending the meetings is quite safe! It also only works if everyone is also enjoying what they do!
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