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Parents
Helpful Information for Band Families
Marquette Marching Band (MMB): Includes percussion (pit and battery), winds (brass and woodwind instruments), and color guard. You might also see it listed as MMMB (Marquette Mustangs Marching Band).
Band Boosters: An organization made up of parents and guardians that fundraise and support Marquette Bands.
Volunteer: We can’t do it without you! Volunteer and come to the band booster meetings. You will be asked to commit time, energy, and sometimes simple donations. No experience is necessary; there are tasks that require specific skills, but most opportunities do not, and you might find something you enjoy doing. Getting involved in the band program will give you the opportunity to share with your child the last few years of their education. Plan to attend as many Booster meetings as you can. They are a great source of information.
Communication: You will receive information via email from our Parent Portal called Membership Toolkit (MTK). You might also receive information via text or social media. Go to our band website www.Marquette-Bands.com for band information and to sign up/access MTK.
Fees: Marching band fees help pay for band camp, band banquet, 8th Grade Night, equipment, competition fees, advertisement, professional services, transportation, clinicians and so much more. The art programs are given a minimum amount of money from the school district and we, the parents, need to help make up the difference.
The Black Box: An actual black box where you can turn in forms and money. It is a large metal box that sits on the floor in the band room. It is in the corner on your left.
Student Account: This is an individual account that is set up for each member of MMB. There are individual fundraisers held throughout the year. The profits from what your child sells go into his/her account and you can use this money for the child’s marching band fees, trips, etc.
Football Games: A great place for the band to practice their show for an audience while in uniform. All parents are required to help at one football game. You can help with moving pit equipment to and from the football field or props (putting together, moving to and from the football field, and holding up). You are not limited to helping only once, you can help at more than one football game if you like.
Football Program Ad: You can purchase a Football Program Ad (handed out at the April meeting or emailed at a later date). This is an ad that will be printed in the MHS Football Program so you can give a shout-out to the MMB or to your child.
Competitions: All parents are required to help at one competition. You can help with moving pit equipment to and from the football field or props (putting together, moving to and from the football field, and holding up). You are not limited to helping only once, you can help at more than one competition if you like. If you are not helping, you can sit in the stands with other MMB parents to cheer the kids on. Competitions last all day. The show is not complete when they go to their first competition. Each competition will have a little more of the show added to it. By the last competition, the entire show will be performed – so don’t miss it! Bring with you (or keep in your car): warm clothing/blanket, sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses if it is sunny, stadium seats or something to sit on, cash for the admission fee, concession food, and souvenirs.
Wounded Warrior Benefit: This is an event held at St. Alban’s Country Club in the fall that some of the marching band members (winds and battery) attend. This is during the morning on a school day. The band performs the National Anthem before the Wounded Warrior Golf Benefit begins.
MMB Swag: A few times each year, the Band Director will send an email with links to an order form for purchasing various MMB logo apparel. Hopefully soon this will be available on MTK.
Band Banquet: Held at the end of the school year.
Yes, It’s Worth It!: You may feel overwhelmed or have questions. The time commitment appears very overwhelming, but it truly isn’t as bad as it looks and the marching season goes by quickly. Ask any current MMB parent and they will be more than happy to help you out. Remember that you are not alone. All of the rides, time, and effort that as a parent you put into getting your child to and from practices are worth every second. Your child may get discouraged at first. There is a lot of repetition, hot sweaty days, failures, and disappointments. Once the show starts to come together, everything changes. This is the point where your child will fully love marching band! Most of the kids adore marching band by the end of the season, so make them tough it out for the whole season. (It will be worth it.) If you can push past the confusion and the chaos, you will get hooked like the rest of us. There is no way to describe how amazing this experience can be, but if you get involved you will find out for yourself.
Tips to Surviving Marching Season
Summer: Practice once or twice a week (percussion and guard have their own schedule).Band Camp is mandatory and is held in mid-July. Try to get doctor visits/family time, etc. done in the summer, as it is really hard to get anything done during marching season.
Practice: Once school starts, practice will be after school. (Practice begins/ends at different times depending on the weekday, and students then need to help bring the equipment in from the practice field, so often it is later.)
Uniforms: Students will receive two T-shirts (one Marquette Band and one show shirt). Nonguard members will also receive a dry-fit undershirt and shorts to wear under their uniform. Marquette Band shirt can be worn to school on spirit days and may be worn at some football games. “Show” shirt will represent the theme of that year’s show and have the competition schedule on the back. These are worn during competitions after the performance. Students must wear the dry-fit under uniforms. Most students will wear the dry fit to competition under their jeans and show shirt. This makes it easy to change into/out of uniforms on a bus.
Football Games: Students need to be in uniform (with socks, shoes, and instruments) by 5:30 pm for warm-ups. Guard and Percussion will have their own call time and schedule. Parents/guardians are encouraged to sit behind or next to the band in the band section of the stands. It is very important to support the band.
Competitions: Held on Saturdays. These are all-day and often late-night events. The band will travel to schools, perform the show, and compete for trophies. There is usually a preliminary and a final performance. Parents are strongly encouraged to attend to support the band. Often the exact itinerary isn’t known until a few days before the competition, so leave the day open if possible. The competition websites can give you general information, directions, format, etc. The website, www.midwestmarching.com, provides information and can usually link you to the website for a specific competition. Send your student with around $20 for food at the competition.
Travel: Some years the band will take an overnight trip to participate in an out-of-town competition. This is usually in October. The band also takes a Summer Trip once every 4 years, usually to Florida.
Parental Involvement: We need it!! Every parent needs to volunteer in some way. Band Booster meetings are held monthly and are a great way of finding out what is going on. We need all families to assist us with props/equipment at one football game and one competition day. (You can do more than one – so don’t limit yourselves – it is fun!)
Fundraising: Biggest band fundraisers are Craft Fair and Rock n’ Roll Bingo Night. We need everyone’s help with these.
Tips for success in the band: Be on time and be prepared. Practice. Stay hydrated. Don’t freak out. It will be hard at first, but you will get it.
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