Alumni Liaison

For the sake of continuity and historical perspective, a graduated member of the board serves on the current band board each year.

 

Band Banquet

Our band students are recognized for many honors and awards.  At the end of the year, the band director celebrates their many achievements with trophies and plaques at a banquet.  Parents are needed to organize the event and order the awards for presentation at the awards banquet.

 

Concert Programs

Concert programs are printed for each band performance.  Parents are needed to design the concert programs and forward the file to Mr. Weise, who will then arrange for printing.

 

Concessions

MHS band sponsors the Vienna Band Camp each summer where students in the district can attend a four-week camp to develop proficiency on their instruments.  As a fundraiser, the band parents run a concession stand during the 30-minute break time each day.  Parents are needed to manage the sales and purchase the items for resale. We also run a concession stand during All-District Band.

 

District Band

For the past few years, McLean HS has hosted the All-District Band auditions.  Parents are needed to help with registration, building set-up, refreshments for volunteers, and tabulation.

 

Equipment

During marching band season, the instruments and equipment used in the percussion “pit” need to be moved on and off the football field.  It is also trucked to competition sites.  Many parents are needed for each event to move the equipment on and off the field very quickly.

 

Fruit Sale

The fruit sale is another band fundraiser held in the late fall.  Fruit is pre-ordered by the community and picked up at the school.  Parents are needed to contact band parents and community members to place their orders.  They are also needed to work the tables on distribution day in December.

 

Color Guard Liaison

The color guard is a fully integrated part of the marching band in the summer and fall marching season, comprised of students who may not necessarily be band students. At the completion of the marching season the color guard is joined by other members from the school community and participate in the indoor, Winter Guard competition circuit, traveling throughout Virginia and other states. A parent is needed to serve as a representative for the guard to the band board to assist in managing schedules and resources.

 

Hospitality

Hospitality provides breakfast for parents and students on Tag Day in the fall and Raffle Day in the spring, refreshments for the judges’ room for All District auditions in January and dinner for the spring band banquet.  The hospitality committee also organizes a pot-luck dinner for the parents and students before the preview show of the marching band performance at the beginning of the school year and provides water for all bus trips.

 

Jazz Liaison

Our Jazz Band is made up of students from both concert and symphonic bands.  They have their own concert and rehearsal schedule under the direction of Scott Weinhold.  A parent serves as a representative for the jazz ensemble to the band board.

 

Publicity

The MHS Band is a source of pride in the McLean Community.  It is important to publicize our special events and achievements to the public in order to maintain the great support it has given to our program through the years.  A parent is needed to work with the local papers and school media to advertise the great work of our students.

 

Raffle

Our spring fundraiser is a raffle. Students sell tickets to neighbors, friends, family members, in the community door to door, and at shopping centers. Many parents are needed to drive small groups of students to sell tickets in the neighborhoods. The raffle drawing is held at the spring Pyramid Concert in May.

 

Scrip

Grocery scrip cards are sold at face value to band parents and interested community members for use at Safeway and Giant food stores. The band receives a 4-5% profit for every $100 card sold. The whole band will benefit as the profits help allay expenses for band trips.

 

Spirit Wear

“MHS Band” t-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets are worn by students, friends and family during football games, marching competitions and fundraising events to show support for our band program. Orders are placed in the spring and distributed at the beginning of the year.

 

Summer Marching Program

The summer marching program is a three week event where our marching band and color guard learn the music and the drill formation for their award-winning half time performances.  Parents are needed to chaperone, organize social activities and provide assistance to the instructors.  This is a wonderful bonding experience for all.

 

Tag Day

This is our biggest fundraising event, held on a Saturday in September.  Students dress in their marching band uniforms, perform in small ensembles at local shopping centers and ask for donations to the band.  They are also driven to neighborhoods going door to door for contributions.  This has been a tradition in the community for many years and is well received.  Many parents are needed to chaperone at the shopping centers, drive students to the neighborhoods and work in the “counting room.”

 

Trips & Chaperones

Travel arrangements need to be made when the band goes on the road for competitions.  They attend several local and regional competitions.  Parents are needed to book the commercial travel arrangements, collect and record the student forms and payments and coordinate chaperones.

 

Uniforms

Marching Band and concert uniforms are the property of the band.  Parents are needed to fit and assign uniforms to the students and maintain rental records and payments.  The occasional repair and cleaning is also part of the job.

 

Website Manager

A parent is needed to maintain our website by updating information provided by the band director and other board members throughout the year.