Hello Parents!
I am an ANCIENT band parent who wanted to take a moment to explain why it is critical that we have a minimum of 6 parents at the lock-in on Friday. I have been lucky enough to join the band for the past 3 lock-ins, and I wanted to let you know what the parent duties are, so that perhaps more people will sign-up.
Parent Duties:
1) We need monitors in 5 locations:
At the opening to the long hallway to the percussion rooms and orchestra room (this monitor also watches the gaming room, and keeps students out of the closet corridors) There is also a sensor there that is easily tripped.
In the theater – monitoring the enclosed lobby as well as the main seating area.
A roaming monitor for the uniform rooms, and checking the hallway between the band hall and theater.
A monitor in the main front hallway to make sure no one opens the doors and set off the alarms.
The band director on duty will be in the band hall to monitor laser tag.
2) Parents to monitor the Coffee/Hot Chocolate Stations and Snack Tables
We use a combination of Kuerigs and instant hot water pots to keep the students caffeinated all night long. Making sure that creamers stay cold, helping with the boiling water for hot chocolates, discouraging students from having too much coffee, and reminding students to clean up is an all night job!
3) Helping to supervise the clean up. SUPERVISE being the key word – the kids do all the cleaning. This means that all the areas are returned to the original setup, and completely clean. There are not custodians on duty, and Anderson is a busy place with events throughout the school all weekend.
One of the reason we ask for 6 parents is so that we can rotate the duties, and give each other breaks. The PAC is a large area, and we just need people there as an extra set of eyes. Just like during the school day, we can’t have students in rooms without adults. You aren’t there to discipline, you are there to monitor! If there is an issue, than you get the band director on duty. In my experience, the only issue we have ever had was in the kids accidentally setting off the alarms.
If we can’t get enough parents, then the directors will have no choice but to cancel the lock-in. It can not be run without parent support all night long.
Lots of great band parent bonding can occur at a lock in! If your student is attending, then please consider signing up for a shift. Embrace the exhaustion.
Jill Spencer
Here is the link: