Barb Pride

Pride.

It creeps into your words. And then your attitude. And then your bearing.

Subtle at first.  Stronger and more sure as the barren cornfields of DeKalb recede temporarily.

Why are you going to Ireland?

“My son or daughter is marching with his/her high school band in the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin….”

“We’re a tour group following our high school’s marching band which has come to Ireland to perform.”

“I’m headed to see my kids perform with their high school band at several places including marching in the Saint Paddy’s parade.”

And, the people who ask have been genuinely interested.  From young guys headed to Vegas to revel in March Madness betting to flight crew members to the passenger randomly seated next to a Marching Barbs fan. 

“That’s fantastic …. Have fun…. Enjoy your trip …. Good luck to your group… We hope your children have an amazing time”.

Fantastic for sure. Amazing, no doubt.

Barb Pride 

January 11th Is Not the End of the World.....

Who knew that the second Wednesday of 2017 could cause so much angst?

JANUARY 11TH ... Yep, it's been looming for a while.  January 11 has been the listed due date for final student travel payments on the Gateway portal for the student portion of DHS Band's Ireland trip since pretty early in this whole process.

There have been some other deadlines along the way. For those of you who observed them with the utmost reverence, kudos. Tour companies appreciate you.  

But .... by-the-book types may be surprised to learn that individual interpretation on those previous deadlines have varied.  Not all families rushed to meet those exact dates. Sometimes, close has been just fine. The true key all along has been meeting the benchmarks ... such as when to have a particular percentage paid in order to have airline tickets booked.

This particular laisez-faire set-up is not our doing.  Rather the less-than-firm deadlines seem to be normal operating procedure of this & other travel companies specializing in this kind of trip.

Fundraising has continued all along but closing out everything and accounting for how we could benefit students isn't a quick & easy process ... especially by a mix of people over a holiday period when school is closed. Additionally, payments this school year have grown a bit more complicated by new in-house rule changes at DHS.

Our goal has always been to provide as much benefit per student as possible.  In meeting that goal, we have likely added to the stress levels of each family sweating the Jan. 11th deadline.

Given my own experience in NEVER worrying about those payments for any deadline yet, I decided to call Gateway today to suss out some info that might be able to help my fellow DHS band parents.

Shout out to Cliff in accounting at Gateway.  Not only was he helpful, but it was interesting to talk to him about marching band special trips and what Gateway & other tour companies go through during the high season of specialty travel for bands - the period from just before Thanksgiving to the start of the new year. 

Cliff's point was this: 

"It was never our intention to make it [January 11] a hard & fast date.  We want everyone to travel."

He went on to explain the company has to put dates in for reference and to make sure some benchmarks are hit along the way.     

Based on what Cliff had to say, here's what I can tell you....

• He assured me NO ONE will be cancelled come Jan. 11.
• He noted that many people use Jan. 11 as a "mail by" date ... as in mail your check by that time.
• He forewarned .... the automatic electronic notification about overdue payments is set for Jan. 16. That will not change.  
• Students will likely NOT be removed even on that specific date.  I can tell you from managing the companion trip, some small overdue payments have lingered for a bit on that trip without repercussion.  But, you may get pretty pointed emails. And, that's okay.
• Not to add to your stress, but remember 1/16 is a holiday.  There won't be mail.  It may make you crazy, but dealing with things come Tuesday or Wednesday WILL be okay .... especially if any payment you sent is postmarked on or before 1/11. The company reps aren't automatons devoid of soul. Cliff noted specifically delays they are expecting on payments from groups hit with that East Coast storm this last weekend. 
• As I previously recommended, Cliff also suggested you look at  your student's account for the total amount owed for that last payment. Subtract the fundraising amount you are certain of.  Send the difference.
• Gateway's online payment system is only set to cover known amounts, such as past due amounts or current trip amounts.  You cannot make partial payments online. Your only option for sending a partial amount different from official numbers already plugged into or calculated within the system is to send a check or money order.  As I noted before, if you jump online to pay before the partial fundraising money is credited, you are only hurting your own wallet.
• When you send your payment by mail, be very clear ... student, trip, etc.  Also, share your specifics, ie: Note - our final payment is XXX/Gateway should be receiving X amount in fundraising dollars directly from DeKalb High School Band so please find our anticipated balance of XXX enclosed.
• Again, for peace of mind .... simply mail your partial payment on Tuesday or Wednesday. A post mark on or before 1/11 is critical.  Paying for expedited shipping is not necessary.

(If it makes you feel better, the Clark family's final payments will only be going in the mail tomorrow ... or maybe, Wednesday. I've been a writer all my life. Hitting deadlines exactly is standard for me.)

From our end, please know .... information on the fundraising money is on its way to Gateway in Monticello, MN. The amount listed on your child's slip from last Friday is the amount that is set to be credited to his/her name.  As Mr. Lundin noted in his email, any student whose trip was already fully paid didn't receive a slip (or money).

(Shout out to Angel & Mr. L ... a trip of this magnitude is all new territory for the Barbs ... as is working so closely with a parents group of our size.  We've undoubtedly tried their patience more than once.)

If you are like our family (one student was absent on Friday and one student put that slip in band binder & didn't think to get it at the end of the day), then we appreciate that some of you didn't see the slip.  As always, you can reach out to the Music Department when you have questions like that.  Student account info resides there.

Know now ... you will likely get an automated email on 1/16 or 1/17. If the various forms of payment haven't all matched up quite yet, such an email may even talk about that payment being overdue. 

I'm advising right now .... as long as your student didn't already have a large past due amount, don't sweat the small stuff.  Chill on 1/16 and 1/17 (there are good margarita specials at Eduardo's on Tuesday night anyway!).

Check back later next week.  Hopefully by that time, all the mail will have arrived, all of Gateway's accounting reps will have plugged things in and you'll be set to go. If there is any math or accounting discrepancy that has you owing a few bucks at the end, you can always pay that online then.  

Cliff explained that their bean counters have to put dates in for reference. Someone has to make sure some benchmarks are hit along the way and that the trip will actually be funded.   

Cliff and I talked about the busy season for band trips that is just now ending.  He was truly gracious in noting that - not only are companies like Gateway crazy at the end of the year - but these companies know that schools are closed and staff and volunteers have other things going on with the holidays.  Like us, they are just ramping back up.   

Planners understand ....  parents are anxious for more info and details. At this point, meeting to parcel out incomplete details that might change won't help.  Mr. L's email noted he will hold a meeting later when he has concrete details to share.

For the Companion Trip .... we are working to coordinate a meeting as there are a few things to work out. But, the companion trip is on a time frame slightly later than the student trip.  (Which is a good point to remember .... companion trip final payment deadline is 1/26.  We're going on the same basic trip, same basic time, courtesy of the same company.  That might give you some peace of mind that 1/11 isn't an OMGMUSTMEETORDIE deadline.)

The steering committee is meeting this week.  We will discuss a group meeting possibly later this month to promote what we have remaining. Our focus will be the BPO activities and fundraising. We won't be answering your questions about student travel. If you ask and we don't respond well, I'll just apologize right now.  The crush of fundraising oversight and coordination has us - okay, I mean specifically ME - worn out.

In the mean time, I've been working on a travel article for a client, With some of that info in hand, I have started creating a blog for our DHS families about some good resources, helpful things to know now, tips on what you can do in the coming weeks.

I will post a link soon.....

UPDATE: GATEWAY DOES PLAN TO SEND A REP FOR A MEETING. They would prefer we coordinate a single meeting for both trips.  Gateway normally does this about a month in advance ... so be watching for info on a February meeting.

What I do when the World Series, Election and Local Marching Band season is over

Now that pesky presidential election is all out of the way except for the wailing and wringing of hands, it's time to get on to the most important event of the week: the Bands of America Grand National Championships.  This spectacular competition kicks off in Indy bright an early Thursday morning, starting a process to whittle the approximately 100 entries down to a single band who earns the right to proclaim itself as the best in the nation for the next 363 days.

For me, the best of 2016 may alway have an asterisk behind it - at least in my own head - because two true power houses won't be on hand vying for the title.  The defending national champion - Broken Arrow, OK - is skipping in Indy in favor of a trip to the 2017 Rose Parade in just a few short weeks. Flower Mound, TX - although winner of the tough San Antonio super regional and ranked at the top by HornRank.com - won't be competing in Indy either.  

Still, there will be no shortage of truly fantastic bands.  As a distraction from the 2016 U.S. presidential election results and the resulting hateful commentary that has filled my social media feeds today, I've chosen to focus on work today as much as possible.I'd be lying, however, if I didn't admit that the prospect of tomorrow's band championship kick-off has been calling my name.  

So, it's time for me to get my predictions in order.  This is my personal equivalent of a March Madness bracket or following the World Series My predictions are little more than my personal yearly challenge for myself to see if I know anything at all about marching bands on the national level.  Last year, 11 of my 12 finalist predictions made semi-finals and seven made finals.  I am not always that prescient. Otherwise, I'd be lying on a beach drinking a frozen beverage courtesy of my lottery winnings! No .... wait ... I mean I'd be having dinner in Indy before getting a good night's sleep at a hotel near Lucas Oil Stadium, dreaming of 3 more days of marching competition!

The top five bands in 2016 I believe most likely will be: 

Avon, IN

Tarpon Springs, FL

Leander, TX

Carmel, IN
Ronald Reagan

At this point, my money would be on Avon to take it all, but you can never ever count out Texas, especially The Woodlands. Both Tarpon Springs and Carmel have won the big title in the last few years, so they are perennial threats. At the end of the day, it's a band competition which means anything could happen.  

The Illinois band most likely to make finals is Marian Catholic. The dominant band in Illinois for more than 30 years, MC has the longest tenured finals appearance record of all high school bands in the nation, making finals more than 30 years in a row! They slipped into the bottom third of finals' placings last year, but, after a slow start this year, they are finishing strong. Although I am still not a fan of what Marian Catholic does, I can't deny their vaunted place in history. They can clean and finish like no other band in Illinois.  

The list of other Illinois bands providing the Grand Nationals experience for their members reads like a who's who for the best ensembles in the state. Most finished well in finals at ISU .... Morton, Lake Park, Lincoln Way, and Lockport.  And, tiny Herscher is going (someone please tell me still how they are marching 1A in Illinois) and so is Murphsyboro and Limestone - a band I think is outstanding and pretty underrated.

But, if I had to pick just one Illinois band other than Marian Catholic to make the semi finals in Indy, I'd go with O'Fallon Township. In fact, I'd go out on a limb to say OTHS is THE best band in Illinois over Marian Catholic right now.  But I have no doubt I am in a tiny minority on that opinion.

I am happy to see New Philadelphia, OH marching in Indy.  In a time when marching band has progressed far afield from the early days of BOA, it's nice to see bands like the Marching Quakers or Marian Catholic still hanging around from the early 1980s.

I am also curious about the high school from Fort Mill, SC and wonder is that a growing program courtesy of sharing a hometown with Carolina Crown?

No matter my list of favorites or my love of an underdog, the list of bands I am going to go out on a limb to say will make semi finals.....

Avon, IN

Tarpon Springs, FL

Leander, TX

Carmel, IN

Blue Springs, MO

Vista Murietta, CA

Wm Mason, OH

Marian Catholic, IL

O'Fallon Twp, IL

Vandergrift, TX

Ronald Reagan, TX

Wando, SC

Franklin, TN

Hebron, TX

Owasso, OK

Union, OK

Ben Davis, IN

Lake Central, IN

Homestead, IN

Claudia Taylor, TX

Am also going to add these couple, although I think they could be hurt by their very early initial go on Thursday morning....

North Hardin, KY

Clovis West, CA

Dobyns-Bennet, TN

Some small schools will make semi-finals because of class placement but I can't even begin to really predict them.... maybe Archbishop Alter ....very likely Adair out of KY. I just don't know the small schools that well and their scoring is always, always, always a crap shoot.

Who will final? Part of this is easy-peasy and part of it's a gamble for me to predict. Once you narrow things down to the top 15-20 bands in the country, figuring out the top 5 seems easy enough (although positions within the top 5 could easily shift) but predicting  #6-12 is tough.  So ... my finalist predictions in no particular order are:

Avon, IN

Tarpon Springs, FL

Leander, TX

Carmel, IN

Wm Mason, OH

Marian Catholic, IL

Blue Springs, MO

Vista Murietta, CA

Owasso, OK

Hebron, TX

Homestead, IN
Wando, SC
Ronald Reagan, TX

Who will win?  I'd be most likely to put my money on Avon.  But, I don't think you can count out some of the top Texas bands or Tarpon Springs.

We will find out late Saturday night.

And, then, it's time to be depressed until the indoor season starts early in 2017. Only Macy's and the Tournament of Roses Parade can keep any marching band fan from sinking into total depression come Sunday morning.  

Only 123 days until I get to head to Ireland to watch my current favorite high school marching band make some appearances on an international stage. And .... only about 32 weeks until the 2017 Drum Corps season kicks off!

Making Sense of the U of I Competition

Here are some handy things to know if you plan to travel to U of I to watch the DHS Marching Barbs perform at Memorial Stadium. Most importantly, read info about BAGS and CAMERAS near the bottom.

Admission - $10 adults / $5 seniors & students (under 5 free)

Ticket booths located along Kirby Avenue near the South Tunnel 

DeKalb marches at 4:30p.m.

You can find the full schedule at illinoismarchingonline.com .... click festivals .... look for the Illinois Marching Band Championship large band division.

For info on the competition....

https://bands.illinois.edu/content/illinois-marching-band-championships-event-logistics-2015

Parking... Free the day of the event. 

The Northeast and Northwest of the State Farm Center will be available for spectators to park. Lot 31, west of Memorial Stadium will be open for spectators as long as there is no rain! If there is rain, all spectators will need to park along the streets near the stadium and any available and open lots around the stadium Parking is free the day of the event! 

Souvie program - $5

Event Tshirts are available - $10 for short-sleeved / $15 for long-sleeved.

You can order an official DVD. Will add the form in the Facebook comments. NOTE: You may not take your own video. FYI ... because of licensing, this is super standard at big competitions from high school marching band to drum corps. 

The Barbs should take an official band photo after the kids perform.  Will post more links & info after the competition. The company doing these photos is the same one that shoots DCI Finals in Indy. 

ABOUT BAGS .....

Large bags, backpacks, book bags, duffle bags, and other large bags are not allowed in Memorial Stadium • Small bags such as purses and diaper bags are allowed • All permitted bags are subject to search

ABOUT CAMERAS....

Video cameras are prohibited in the stadium • The use of any video or audio devices are strictly prohibited from being used in Memorial Stadium.

Pit crew should note .... you may not take video OR even still photos at the field level.  Still photos are okay from seating levels. 

Taking to the Street in Cortland and to the Field in Marengo

The Marching Barbs will make their first official competitive run with this year’s field show this coming Sunday in Marengo.

The high school marching band competition at Marengo is part of the town’s Settlers’ Days festival. There is a competitive parade prior to the field show competition, but DHS does not participate. Instead, the Marching Barbs support the non-competitive Cortland Parade as part of their dedication to community outreach within their own school district. This community support is especially important this year given Cortland’s recent donation to Ireland fundraising.

The Marengo band competition is a fundraiser for Marengo HS music/band and is held at the high school’s football stadium (110 Franks Rd, Marengo, IL 60152).

The price of admission is not yet listed on the Marengo band page or in the Settlers’ Days marketing materials. However, last year it was $6/adult to get in.  Parking has traditionally been free.

Please consider supporting the concession stand, but you might want to be sure to go BEFORE DHS arrives as our students can overwhelm the Marengo Band Boosters.  Concession offerings are typical fare … hot dogs, walking tacos, snacks & such. The apple cider donuts are always a big hit in Marengo! Send some money or consider packing a hearty snack for your student as Sunday is a long day.  

Call time for the Cortland parade will be at 11 a.m. The members of the Marching Barbs should gather at DHS to dress & prep. The parade itself is at 1 p.m. in Cortland. For more info, visit the town’s posted info at:

http://www.cortlandil.org/index.asp?SEC=48AF31D9-8EA8-47DA-A8B9-EF971F79114E&DE=25162639-8CED-4DF7-8BE3-79F91EDB5880&Type=B_EV

Following the parade in Cortland, band students will grab a hot dog meal from the parade organizers. Then, the ensemble will return to DHS for a bit of practicing before they load the trailer and head to Marengo. REMEMBER ….students should wear shorts & this year’s official band t-shirt under their uni.  NO eating in the uniform jackets.  Encourage your student to take a blanket and a jacket.  (If you need an affordable spirit blanket, the Band Parents still have a limited number of marching band and general DHS stadium blankets perfectly sized for individuals available for $20. Email dekalbbandparents@gmail.com if you’d like to purchase one before Sunday).   

The Marengo competition offers a limited number of “shout-outs.”  For a small fee (in previous years $3 each or 2 for $5), you can write a message to your student or the band. These messages are read as DHS takes the field to set up or as the band comes off the field after their performance.  These shout-outs are a great opportunity to wish your student good luck, thank instructors, cheer on the band, etc. Again, this offering is a fundraiser for the Marengo band program. You will find the table where you can purchase these between the entrance to the field and the stairs to the stadium.

Local competitions such as the one in Marengo provide an opportunity to take in the world of the marching arts beyond what you experience with your student’s involvement in the Marching Barbs. Make the most of your admission fee and arrive early enough to see other bands.  To be considerate of the bands performing, you will only be allowed to enter and exit the stadium during the brief periods between band performances.

For many, marching band competition is part art and part sport. For good bands with supportive crowds who appreciate hits - or impact points - within a show, you can expect cheering and such.  Cowbells, horns, etc., are not unheard of before a performance begins or after a band finishes. Cheering as the band performs can be fine during a show as this is not an indoor concert. For some bands, the more the crowd responds, the better the band will do. Especially cheer your heart out as soon as the Barbs finish and don’t be afraid to give them a standing ovation!

If you are focused on specifically seeing your student, sit lower in the stadium. If your goal is to enjoy the full performance and general effect of the Barbs’ run, sit as high as you can and as close to the 50 yard line as you can.   

The schedule for Marengo is pasted below.

If you’d like a bit of info on judging for marching band field show competitions, check out this article on Illinoismarchingonline.com:

http://ilmarching.com/?p=1375

Field

Class 1A 4:00 PM: Oregon 4:15 PM: Morris Community 4:30 PM: Dwight Township 4:45 PM: Marmion-Rosary 5:00 PM: Genoa-Kingston 5:15 PM: Sandwich 5:30 PM: Break Class 2A 5:45 PM: Evergreen Park 6:00 PM: Grayslake Central 6:15 PM: Kaneland 6:30 PM: Sycamore 6:45 PM: Prairie Ridge 7:00 PM: Break Class 3A 7:15 PM: Rockford 7:30 PM: DeKalb 7:45 PM: Evanston 8:00 PM: Wheeling Exb 8:15 PM: Marengo

Sweet 16th

When K. came in to our lives bright and early the morning of June 22nd back in 1999, one of the first feelings was simply thankfulness. But I wasn't just thankful for what most new parents are - health baby, 10 fingers, etc. Instead, I was thankful she was a girl so maybe... just maybe... I'd have someone who would go with me to do the things her dad didn't enjoy: horse shows, musicals, drum corps.

 

K. probably doesn't remember, but I tried to convince her to love drum corps when she was still a preschooler. I'd take her to watch evening ensemble run-throughs when she was 4 or 5 and the Madison Scouts were in town. They practiced at what was then the high school and evening run throughs were free.

K was much interested then. Something must have stuck though because Madison would be the corps she loved best the first year she actually began enjoying drum corps.

Although she wasn't interested at all when I tried to introduce her to drum corps back 12 years ago, something caught my eye at a souvenir stand as I came out of a stadium one night by myself after a local competition. It was a light-weight, kid-sized flag. I bought it.  K spent a bit of time being what she called a "flag runner" but then that flag spent a lot more time getting "planted" at the tops of "mountains" around here than it did getting spun or tossed to music. Poor ol' flag has had a hard life (see the photo above). 

But, maybe those trips to watch practice and that flag planted a seed that rooted and simply needed time to grow.

In elementary school, K had no interest in learning an instrument or taking lessons.  In 2010, she was NOT interested in joining middle school band.  Fortunately, many of her friends were all joining so she had a change of heart. As late as 2012 she didn't think she'd go on to join band in high school, because ... get this ... she didn't want to MARCH.

In December 2012, she attended a memorial for a beloved high school band director in another town. She heard touching stories from two strong decades of marching band history. She saw dozens of trophies put on display one last time before they were tossed in the dumpster. K couldn't believe that so many middle aged adults filled a gym just to reminisce about marching band.  I wouldn't fully understand until later that this one event actually made a difference in her thoughts about band and essentially changed her life.

We aren't spending the day with our daughter who turns 16 today. There is no over-the-top sweet 16th party like you see on TV. In fact, there's no party at all. There is no driver's license in her immediate future because she isn't even in town.  There's not likely even her own car any time soon. Why?  Her money (and some of ours, as well as some from generous friends and family, even) go somewhere else today.

Today, she is marching. K will spend seven & a half hours working with 84 other kids perfecting a show that only fits well on a football field. It's a show those kids will continue perfecting 'til the beginning of August. Tonight, she'll sleep once again on the concrete floor of the Armory in another town in another state.

Why?

Because ... at some point in time, the kid who didn't want to march fell in love with it enough to pursue it at the highest levels, despite her own physical limitations. Not only did she come to love playing her instrument, she realized she loved marching. And, then, she realized she could march AND perform at the same time by joining color guard.

Perhaps that sad flag served more of a purpose that I thought.  That sad flag still lives in our back entry way. We are not allowed to throw it away.

Who knew it was a portent of things to come? Although they aren't the same volunteers who will feed my kid today and stay with her at the Armory tonight, it was volunteers from the very same organization she marches with who made & sold that flag 12 years ago.

Turns out ...they knew what they were doing.

Who needs a birthday party when you can spend your birthday pursuing your dreams?