Resources

When you register, sign up for Band for both Fall and Spring semesters.

1. Be as involved as possible. Those who do a variety of activities develop stronger friendships and bonds, have more fun and develop their skills faster than those who have limited participation.
2. What you give is what you get. If you want to experience great performances, you must take the time to prepare. Learning your parts quickly allows more focus during ensemble rehearsals to be on style and matching qualities. Waiting until the last minute to prepare for a performance or for an audition typically ends in frustration. Excessive absences also take away from the finished product. Be a productive member in order to gain the greatest benefit.
3. COMMUNICATE. We can work through almost any conflict, but not if we are unaware of the problem until the last few days or hours prior to the event(s). Check calendars early and frequently. Talk with ALL parties involved if there is an issue. Please don’t try to manipulate the situation by playing the coaches, sponsors, or teachers against each other. We have a dedicated and very cooperative faculty and are flexible with all situations. There is no chance of “over-communicating.” As soon as you know about conflicts, e-mail the directors, and follow up as the event nears.
4. Parents: Volunteer! You can gain a lot by being around the process. You will get to know the students, see the progress and make friends among the other parents in our activity. We can always use assistance with everything from chaperoning to equipment crew, fundraising to event coordination, uniform preparation to serving food. There’s a place for everyone. Find the thing you enjoy doing and help out in that aspect of the band program.
5. Students: Ask for help when you need it. We have a wonderful staff and many talented instructors available. They are always willing to go the extra mile to help students improve! Private lessons are the key to rapid improvement of skills. Nearly every musician in the All State Bands and Orchestras study with a private teacher. One-on-one advice and assistance is the fastest way to improve!
6. Be flexible. In a large, multi-faceted program, things do not always go exactly as planned. An event gets rained out…a bus is late….a football game goes into overtime. Many times, we have no control over these situations. We will communicate as quickly and clearly as we have accurate information. When we get a last minute change of plans, we will let you know the moment we get things sorted out.
7. Be a “receiver” of communication. Just as a star quarterback needs talented receivers, we need for folks to get the information that we make available. We use many means available to communicate (Facebook, Twitter, Website, E-mail blast, Google Calendar, etc). All we can do is get the information out there. You have to be our “receiver” in order for us to complete the pass.
8. Parents: Band is not a discipline tool for bad grades or behavior problems at home. We need all members fulfilling their performance obligations. If your student allows their grades to fall, then take away computers, TV, Facebook, cell phones, Instagram, etc. Take away car privileges, cancel prom attendance, sell their tickets to the concert or play that they are planning to attend, WHATEVER…but please don’t mess up the remaining student’s efforts and performance by creating a gap in the music or routines by pulling your kid out of band. Yes, we know that they enjoy band and taking away something they enjoy can manipulate them into doing better, but when it affects the rest of the group, we need to search for better solutions.
9. Parents: You are our best audience. Nothing is more disappointing to a teenager than spending weeks getting ready for a performance, then looking out and seeing mostly empty seats. Come to the performances; applaud loudly the efforts of the performers. Sit together at marching band events. Promote your band program. Invite relatives, friends, and potential future band members to the concerts and performances. We need big crowds!

1. Communicate (a lot). We send information out through multiple sources. Visit the band website often (weekly). Sign up for any and all band social media outlets (LNHSBands Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.) Put our events on your calendars or subscribe to the website calendar. E-mail the band directors with questions/conflicting dates. Open and read emails from the band instructors and the band boosters. “We didn’t know…” is a difficult statement given the myriad of communications outlets that we utilize.
2. Understand the dynamics of a large group with both curricular and extracurricular components.
   When we have a rehearsal scheduled after school (for any activity), we will rehearse until the time indicated on the schedule. For example, if we have marching practice until 8:30 p.m., we will wrap up rehearsal and announcements at 8:30. It will take several minutes for your student to walk from the field to the band room, put away their instrument, gather their belongings, probably chat with friends, and get back out to the car. 
3. Understand that there are expenses to participating in this type of activity beyond the obvious costs of instruction and travel. If your student plays a reed instrument, they have to purchase reeds. If they play drums, they will need to buy sticks and mallets. If they damage their instrument, it costs to have it repaired. They will need things like black socks to wear while in uniform. We wish that there was a magic fund to cover all costs, but that just doesn’t exist.
4. We schedule the minimum amount of time that we feel is necessary to prepare for performances. This means that EVERY practice and performance is “mandatory.” We expect all students at all scheduled rehearsals and performances. If an absence is unavoidable, communicate this well in advance of the absence via email to the director.
5. Grades are not based on attendance. Grades are based on achievement.
6. Yes, you can do all of our activities and get good grades, take AP/honors classes, etc. Students across the country do it every day. Some of them continue music in college. All it takes is careful planning and flexibility in scheduling.
7. We need parent involvement. There are hundreds of little activities that can be done with a minimum time and effort investment. Uniforms need to be inventoried, handed out, collected, and stored. There are many events to chaperone. You could help with hospitality for an event. Helping assemble packets for registration, trips, etc. might be your thing. Making some phone calls to prospective members can be done in your spare time. Perhaps you can help decorate for the banquet. Like working with media? How about band yearbook, website, or newsletters? Maybe you could be a driver to take kids to speak at the middle schools during recruiting visits. No task too small…all help appreciated!
8. Be careful with social media! This applies to parents as well as students. You can present yourself in a positive manner or in a very negative context. Keep things positive and support our mission of performing with passion and pride while serving our students, school and community.
9. Once calendars are published, every effort is made to stick to those schedules. We do not “hold back” events. As soon as things are confirmed, they go on the calendar. Unfortunately, emergencies arise, events get cancelled (or new events get added at the last minute) and these are totally out of our control.

Half of the games, which is usually 7-10 per year. Students sign up for pep band games, so the schedule is flexible with other activities. Most students end up having so much fun at games, that they go to far more than the requirement.

For football games, we wear our full band uniform with the coats, spats, and overlays. For pep band games students can wear the official band polo or sweatshirt. Some of the early football games, we might wear polos due to the heat. Both polos and sweatshirts can be purchased through the spirt wear orders that take place multiple times throughout the year.

Yes, since the skills we practice in jazz band are built on the skills we learn in regular band. The exception is students who play bass, guitar, or piano.

Yes! We understand summer schedules can be busy and we are flexible. We always love to have as big of a band as we can at each parade, but if you have to miss practice or a parade, we understand. Some practice is better than none!

Yes! We set the drum line in the summer, which gives the line the time they need to develop their skills and technique, and come together as a unit. It is not required to participate in summer band; however, there students will be placed where there are openings on the line.

Yes, as a percussionist you are using some of the school’s most expensive equipment. The rental fee goes into maintaining these instruments so they work year after year. In addition the fee goes to providing replacement drum heads, as well as all sticks and mallets.