MARCHING BAND PRACTICE CANCELLED TODAY 9/28! PLUS.......MARCHING BAND LIVE! PASS (TICKET) REQUESTS & INFO

Marching band practice is cancelled for today 9/28 due to impending rain. 

Unfortunately, we aren't able to practice inside so we don't have any other option.  Next practice is this Thursday, October 1st from 6 to 8:30 p.m.  See below for IMPORTANT info about tickets/passes for our live performances:

MARCHING BAND LIVE!  PASS (TICKET) REQUESTS & INFO

We are excited to be able to offer live performances for marching band on October 19th and 21st!  Each marching band student will receive 2 "passes"  for ONE of our marching band, live performances (see below).  Physical tickets will not be issued - we are using a Google form where you may request your "pass".  Due to State and local guidelines, we must follow these procedures.  If there are more than 2 guests signed up for a student, they will be contacted and removed from the pass list.

ALL students will perform at each performance.  However, they are only able to have 2 guests at ONE of the performances as listed below.  Performances are at the football stadium at 7 p.m.  Admittance is through the main gate only and you MUST: be on the "pass list" and wear a mask in order to enter.  Masks must remain on at all times while you are in the football stadium.

SCHEDULE - please select the appropriate request for your student's grade:

• Freshman and Sophomores (9th & 10th grade) may have 2 guests per student on Monday, October 19th (rain date is Tuesday, October 20th):   

            Click here for:  9th & 10 Grade Student "Pass" (ticket) Request 

            

• Juniors and Seniors (11th & 12th grade) may have 2 guests per student on Wednesday, October 21st (rain date is Friday, October 23rd).  We will have a special, Senior recognition segment during this performance.

            Click here for:  11th & 12th Grade Student "Pass" (ticket) Request

Scheduling conflicts?  Please contact Laura Allegoet at ALLEGOEL@HOWELLSCHOOLS.COM by Monday, October 12th.  Passes must be requested by Thursday, October 15th (Google Form will be turned off for reservations after the 15th).

CHECK BACK AT 4:30 FOR MARCHING BAND PRACTICE DECISION

Because the weather forecast keeps shifting, Mr. Smigell is waiting until 4:30 to make a decision about marching band practice this evening.  We're on a limited practice schedule so Mr. Smigell would like to have practice but we will cancel if it looks like rain is 100% likely.  Check back at 4:30!  :)  Thanks!

NEW! MARCHING BAND PRACTICE SCHEDULE CHANGES!

MARCHING BAND SCHEDULE - REVISED!

We have encountered a few scheduling conflicts with the use of the football stadium so need to make some changes to the marching band practice schedule.  The revised dates are highlighted.  Here is the schedule for the entire season (all practices start at 6 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m.)

Monday, September 21

Wednesday, September 23 (6 to 7:30 p.m. - earlier dismissal) *

Monday, September 28

* Thursday, October 1

Monday, October 5

* Tuesday, October 6

Monday, October 12

Wednesday, October 14

Monday, October 19 - live performance for limited audience

Wednesday, October 21 - live performance for limited audience

Marching band performances are scheduled for Monday, October 19 and Wednesday, October 21 with a limited audience (around 7 p.m.).  The same show will be performed on both days. We are in the early stages of planning and need to determine how many "tickets" each student will have in order to stay within State and school district guidelines for attendance.  More details to come in the next week.  We will also film performances and share them on-line so everyone can see our great Highlander marching band perform!

MARCHING BAND PRACTICE CANCELLED FOR TOMORROW 9/14/2020 DUE TO VIRTUAL LEARNING DAY. THERE IS STILL PRACTICE SCHEDULED FOR THIS WEDNESDAY.

 

Hello Everyone,

Well, we knew this was going to happen sooner or later.  Looks like it will be a short one for now.  Since all learning is supposed to be virtual tomorrow, marching band practice is cancelled for tomorrow 9/14/2020.  At this time we still plan on having practice this Wednesday from 6pm-8:30pm.  We know about as much as you do right now.  Don't worry yet, they said right in the email this one is because they are being extra cautious.  Everybody stay safe and act responsibly.  AND PLEASE KEEP CHECKING THE BLOG! :)

-Smigell

MARCHING BAND PRACTICE DETAILS / HEALTH FORM / UPDATE

We're excited that we are able to start things up again and have a "modified" marching band season. As many of you have heard, as of right now, MHSAA has made the decision to only allow football players, coaches, cheerleaders and a limited amount of spectators at football games. Marching band, poms and any other groups are not allowed. However, we are moving forward with marching band practices AND we've been given the green light to have marching band performances whether they are live and/or by video - that's great news! It's going to be a great marching band season!  We will have definitive plans and dates for performances to share soon.

Here's what we know for sure: Marching band rehearsals start this Monday, September 14th!

• Weekly practice schedule until mid-October:  
• Monday, September 21
  Wednesday, September 23 (6 to 7:30 p.m. - earlier dismissal)
  Monday, September 28
  * Thursday, October 1
  Monday, October 5
  * Tuesday, October 6
  Monday, October 12
  Wednesday, October 14
  Monday, October 19 - live performance for limited audience
  Wednesday, October 21 - live performance for limited audience
• We understand that some of our members may have scheduling conflicts as we start up.  That's okay!  Please make it to practice if you can but, we understand if you need some time to figure out work schedules, etc.
• Students should arrive for practice at 6 p.m. - check in is at the exterior band room doors where we will take temperatures and allow students into the band room in small groups to get instruments.  Practice is at the football stadium.  Unfortunately, no spectators or visitors are allowed.

HEALTH FORM:  CLICK HERE FOR HEALTH FORM!

• Students/Staff/Instructors/Chaperones will be required to fill out our online health form prior

   to the start of practice EACH DAY - the health form must be filled out on the same day

   that your student is checking in. You can't fill it out the day before.

• Just fill out the form and we can check it on our computer at school. No need to show us the form on your phone. This form is to aid in contact tracing purposes should someone become ill.

• Students/Staff/Instructors/Chaperones that show any signs of illness are expected to stay home

   and alert us! Email Mrs. Allegoet at ALLEGOEL@HOWELLSCHOOLS.COM if you can't attend practice!

WHAT TO WEAR / BRING:

• MASK!  Put your mask on a lanyard of some sort...you don’t want that on the ground.
• Bring a water bottle with your name on it.
• Instrument, music, flip book, lyre, pencil
• Dress for the weather! The temperature will drop throughout practice - dress in layers!
• Wear comfortable, school appropriate clothing - no short-shorts or offensive tshirts.  
• Wear tennis shoes or other marching appropriate footwear. 
• Sunglasses and/or hat

Questions?  Feel free to email me at allegoel@howellschools.com or Mr. Smigell at smigellj@howellschools.com  Thank you!  - Laura :)

In class update and BIG MARCHING BAND ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Hey all!  This is a big post, but I need to work on it so check back in about 24 hours for much more information.  These are the main points.  All of them are important :)

1. Marching band is happening now.  Details soon about whether or not we play at football games

2. There will be marching band practice next week Monday(9/14) and Wednesday(9/16) evening 6:00-8:30pm.  We expect there to be some conflicts, especially the first week.  Please email myself Smigellj@howellschools.com or Mrs. Allegoet Allegoel@howellschools.com if you cannot make it.

3. You kids are heroes!  I am so very pleased and proud of literally every single one of my students.  So cooperative, so generally positive, so understanding of the situation.  They make me think we just might make it through the year.  Parents, get them some icecream!

4. We have learned some things so far.  There are some things your child (especially those in my morning classes) would benefit greatly from:

    a. Appropriate clothing for outdoor rehearsals.  Please remind them to check the weather and bring a windbreaker/rain jacket or hoodie to school if it is going to be cold or rainy, or wear shorts if it is going to be hot. 

    b. EVEN ON SUNNY DAYS, THERE IS DEW ON THE GRASS IN THE MORNING.  I have had to bring two pairs of shoes.  Might be a good idea on the days they have band to bring a pair of old shoes so they don't have to have wet feet all day. This is not usually the case with concert (9th grade) band, as their class is in the afternoon.

    c. We asked all the kids to bring a 3 ring binder for class.  It's much better for outdoor rehearsals.  We purchased 1000 sheet protector sleeves so when they bring it in, the get a little gift from us.       

Ok that's it for now.  Check this post again in a day or so and Ill have more info/discussion

-Smigell

NOW THERE'S FOOTBALL AGAIN?!?!? (Marchig band update)

Hi Folks!


Before we any further, PLEASE ALSO READ THE POST BELOW THIS ONE FOR A GENERAL BAND UPDATE.

If you want the TLDR (Too Long, Didn't Read) version of my post here it goes:

TLDR: Yes I heard there's football. 😜 Of course we are going to try and do marching band in some fashion along with it, we are like peanut butter and chocolate (For the record, we are the chocolate).  We are going to wait and see what they come up with and proceed accordingly. Be ready for the strong possibility of rehearsals resuming soon. Now please stop blowing up my phone and emailing me because I don't know anything more just yet 😏    And with that, let's go and enjoy our fine Labor Day Weekend.


Okay, now that we have that out of the way, a bit of discussion:


-I know that they said there's Football. Don't get too hype just yet.  You'll notice they have promised football then cancelled it, now are promising it again.  It is completely possible they are going to flip flop again in a few days. 

-Even if they DO have football, there is a lot of hand wringing and teeth gnashing about how many people can actually be on site.  We may be limited as to how many people can be in the audience.  There may not be an audience at all.  There may not be band or cheerleaders allowed, or a limited amount of band/cheer/pom.

-None of this is going to be clear for a few days.  I know that everyone is excited (I am too. Quite frankly marching band is one of the activities that I feel I can safely pull off) but the devil is always in the details.  I don't think MHSAA has really thought this through very well, and whatever they do come up with, it isn't going to be what you'd expect.  There is a lesson from Ben Franklin that I live my life by.  It's about paying too much for your whistle.

-My plan for us is to wait until the dust settles and then make a plan that let's us be as "marching bandy" as possible within the realm of sanity.  Again, I love marching band, it is in our best interest to do marching band if we can.  What we are not going to do is force something stressful and unduly complicated on the kids (or more realistically, let them force it on themselves) just so we can say we had a season.  I'm sure there is a middle ground in there somewhere.  If/when we start rehearsing again after school, I THINK it will not be until the week of September 14th, but that could totally change.

-In order for us to safely continue marching activities and for us to be eventually ready to rehearse inside, we are purchasing band-specific PPE and will be needing volunteers for the sewing corps to help make bando masks.  More information will be forthcoming.  If you are good at sewing, please email me at smigellj@howellschools.com or mrs. Allegoet at allegoel@howellschools.com so I can have this group ready when we get the right pattern.

Anyway, that's all the news that's fit to print.  Our kids are fantastic.  Howell is a good community.  Marching band is the greatest activity of them all.  How can we fail?... Wait, don't answer that 😁

-Smigell

THINGS ARE GOING WELL IN CLASS! (We need people who can sew!)

Hello everyone!  Thank you for reading this little post about how things are going in class!

Well...

All things considered, they are going great!

-  The kids are all wearing their masks, even past the normal requirements during band activities.  99.9% of the time they are following my guidelines for playing , and the anomalies are fixed once I remind them. I am sincere when I say THE KIDS ARE FANTASTIC!  I really could ask for nothing more from them.  At every turn they have been cooperative and "on board" with all of the changing guidelines and procedures I have been throwing at them.  I really think that if we KEEP IT UP and not slack in our vigilance, we will be able to make it through this year with some pretty cool things being able to happen.  I am so proud of all the children, and want to give them the best experience I possibly can.

-We have been taking things slowly at first to figure out what we can do safely.  As we get more data from other places and as we accomplish things without incident, we will continue to progress in increasing the amount that we can play and maybe even perform.  I appreciate everyone's patience.  I know it will pay off in the end with the best outcome possible.

-In the band room, we have managed about a four foot distance for the chairs (which by the way is larger than almost any other distance in the school right now) and when we play outside, we currently are staying ALWAYS over six feet away (usually more like 9).

-At this time we are only playing outside.  This poses a problem sometimes when it rains.  When it rains we will be working on music theory, conducting, music history, and sometimes a little bit of sitting around (just a little)

-We have ordered band specific PPE for most wind players.  They are special bell covers that are recommended for indoor rehearsal and suggested for outdoor rehearsal.  I feel that for long term we will eventually be requiring them for outside playing as well (These days you really CAN'T be too careful).  They will arrive in about a week and a half.  The cost will be between $10 and $20.  We are expecting people to purchase these covers from us.  We understand that some people may be hurting financially and are prepared to cover the cost for some families.  Please email me at smigellj@howellschools.com if you and your family fall into that category.

-People who can sew, please read!
There are two designs for masks that I would like to have produced.  One is for flute players and one for the rest of the wind players.  If you can sew and would be willing to be part of the HOWELL BANDS SEWING CORPS, please email me at smigellj@howellschools.com or Mrs Allegoet at allegoel@howellschools.com .  These masks will be used in conjunction with the bell covers that we ordered.  We need about 30 of the flute masks and around 175 of the general band masks (percussionists are the lucky ones in this, as they are the only group of kids that can currently play inside and do not need a special kind of mask).


Ok that's about it.  I wanted to put out a post about the good things happening in band.  If you think about it, this kind of is a battle for the soul of music in the schools.   We must keep the flame alive in any way we can. Band is definitely not the way it used to be, but with hard work, patience, and a lot of flexibility, it can be enriching, worthwhile, and fun!

-Smigell





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