Hello Marching Band families,
My name is Jacki Mrakitsch. I am the new Band Assistant to our wonderful new Director is Lisa Lachowski. We are very excited for the new season and the pleasure to lead this program.
First up on the agenda is squad leader day on August 4th. Start time is 7am to try on uniforms. If your student needs a school owned instrument, please show up early. We will be starting at 8am sharp, come to the band room to find out if we will be on the practice field or the normal field. We will finish around noon.
Second up, Newbie Day. If your student is NEW to marching band, we highly recommend that they come to this pre-camp practice. Squad leaders come to this day as well. We will start at 8am in the band room and take the freshman over to the correct field for the day. If your student needs a school owned instrument, please show up around 7:30am. We will be covering everything that the students will need to know in order to be successful in marching band. We should end around noon and I will stay late to answer any questions that parents or students may have.
Band Camp Departure day, August 7th
Report Time is 6:30am. Please make sure that your student has a reusable water bottle for camp. We will have sleeping room sign ups at check-in and it is first come first serve. When you arrive, you will come in through the exterior band room doors and get checked in, then if your student has any medication, even over the counter, it needs to be checked in with Dana Sleder, our band camp nurse. ***Medications must be in the original container in a ziplock bag with the student's name on it. Your student is prohibited from carrying their own medicine except for an EpiPen and an inhaler. If your student has any medical condition that requires medical devices or splints or braces, make sure they bring everything they need in order to be successful. The recommended packing list is attached below.
Leading up to band camp, make sure your student is drinking plenty of water. They are most likely not drinking enough water, so make sure they increase their water intake as much as they can. A good rule of thumb is “pee clear” or very light yellow. If your kid has not already started walking and spending time outside, they need to be working up to greater distances and long periods outside in the higher heat.
While we are at band camp, your students will most likely have no cell service, we do ask that you please refrain from texting and calling. If there is an emergency in which you need to contact us, please contact me via cell phone at 517-915-8425. We try to make this experience as enjoyable as possible. We will be busy learning music and drill as well as having fun at a bonfire, watching a movie and playing games, a dance and a talent show. Your students will be making all kinds of new friends and immersing themselves in marching band.
Lisa and I are fully aware that your students will be missing orientation. The buildings will be open on Friday August 12 for students who would like to walk through the buildings and find lockers and classes.
Home Football games are mandatory.
Report time is 4pm on the field ready to go for practice before the game.
Dinner is served via tailgate around 5pm.
Step off to march to the stadium is at 6:30.
Pregame should be around 7pm.
Halftime will be around 8pm.
Game ends around 9-930pm.
Students will march back to the band room and be dismissed after uniforms are returned.
Your students are required to stay for the pre game practice, tailgate, step off/march to the field, pregame, duration of the game, the march back to the band room and then will be dismissed from there, if there is some sort of emergency or extenuating circumstance, please email either myself at mrakitsj@howellschools.com or Lisa at lachowskil@howellschools.com and we can discuss the options.
We ask for volunteers to help run the tailgates, as well as taking care of the students in the stands. There will be a Sign-Up Genius for each game. If there are any parents that will be at every game, and would like to volunteer to be dedicated to setting up our new podiums during the games, please email me at mrakitsj@howellschools.com.
Away football game Pep Bands are optional.
If we choose to have a Pep Band, your student may sign up if they want. It is a ton of fun and a good way to support the football team. Students are responsible for getting themselves to/from the game. We will meet outside the entrance gate of the away stadium and enter together. Students do not have to pay to get into the game as long as they enter with the group, however parents must pay if they choose to stay for the game.
HOMECOMING is September 30th.
This is a long day for the marching band. This is an all day event packed with different events. Students CANNOT go home between any of the events, they must stay for the entirety of the day and can go home after the football game. There will be a blog post closer to the day that will have all the details you need to know.
Marching band wraps up mid October with the last home football game. We do participate in the Fantasy of Lights parade the day after Thanksgiving in downtown Howell, as well as the Memorial Day parade on Memorial Day in downtown Howell. The Marching Band will have practices closer to the parade dates.
For all Howell Band information, you can find it all on the band blog: http://hhsbands.blogspot.com as well as the Howell HS Band Facebook page and the HHS Band Facebook Group
Any and all questions can be sent to myself at mrakitsj@howellschools.com or sent to Lisa at lachowskil@howellschools.com
