FHS Band Chaperone Guidelines 2007-2008
Thank you for volunteering your time as a chaperone for the Freedom High School Band. The following is a list of guidelines to better help you understand what is expected of the students and yourselves at events. After reading the guidelines, if you have any further questions, please ask the head chaperone or one of the directors.
General Guidelines
The first aid kit and medical forms are to be carried by the chaperones at all times. All chaperones should be aware of who has these items in case of an emergency. In an injury occurs please use your best judgment on how to handle the injury, and do not be afraid to ask for assistance.
There should be one chaperone for every 10 students on any given trip. Our band is approximately 120 so therefore we will have at least 12 chaperones.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages by any student, chaperone or staff member is strictly forbidden. Chaperones are NEVER "off-duty" during a band function.
Smoking is illegal on all OCPS property. Chaperones should never smoke around students as this sets a poor example and is detrimental to their health. Smoking at any band function is illegal for students and will result in disciplinary action. Chaperones may smoke if away from the students and are not causing problems for others around them.
Football Games
Before departure and arrival to a football game, attendance must be taken at each bus. Students are assigned a bus to sit on both to and from the football game. Chaperones are to check off students at the doors of the bus as they get on and then chaperones are the last ones on the bus.
Water is the bloodline for the band before and after performances. It is an important responsibility that is taken care of by the chaperones. Water coolers should be filled at all times and cups should be available to the band students. It in extremely important that students have access to water before warm-up and after a performance.
Plumes are handled by the chaperones and cared for by the chaperones. Plume boxes will accompany the band at all games and be distributed in the hats during warm up. Plumes will be taken off of the hats as soon as the band is back in the stands.
Chaperones should find and mark our seating areas on arrival at away games.
The band will sit in a block and be required to sit in their appropriate sections.
Students are to stay in the stands and be ready to play at any time.
Chaperones should sit around the block acting as a buffer zone.
No one is to be in the band block except the students, staff, and director.
Students are generally given a break after half-time. They are to be back in the stands and ready to play by the end of the third quarter. Chaperones should be around the concession stand and help students keep track of the game clock. Students who are late returning will forfeit their third quarter the next game. Please keep track of the students that are late to 4th quarter and give those names to the directors and the head chaperone. During the break, students are able to eat and drink. (Only water and no condiments) Also, students may visit the restroom. They may not go to the paid seating areas or bring food or water back to the bleachers with them.
Students are to stay on Freedom's side of the stadium at ALL times.
Chaperones will help monitor students during the break, being especially watchful for potential problems or dangerous situations. Get help immediately if a problem should occur! This is a time when students need the most protection and supervision.
The band will always move as a group. Chaperones should walk on each side of the band until the band enters the performing area, then drop behind the band and let the band be clearly seen. No one should "break ranks" (cut through the band) except in emergencies. Spectators and students must wait for the band to pass: paramedics don't!
If the band splits up for any reason (such as warming up in sections) at least one chaperone should go with each group, with the medical bag accompanying the largest group.
Should a single student or small group need to leave an area for any reason, they must be escorted by a chaperone. All restroom trips must be escorted by a chaperone and these trips need to be cleared with the head chaperone or director before any students/chaperones leave the block.
Day Trips
FHS Day trips will include District Concert MPA, District Marching MPA and other events throughout the year. Students will sign up for a bus for each separate trip. This will generate a roster for each bus. Roll will be taken from this roster each time the bus departs from a particular site. Students will not be allowed to switch busses once they are assigned a bus. No exceptions to this rule will be given.
Please take time to go over the student guidelines for bus travel. This will give you a good idea as to what the students can and cannot do on the bus.
Any time the convoy pulls over for restroom break or a food stop, it is important to know how much time the students have before the bus departs. If students are crossing streets to get to restaurants, a chaperone should stay at the crosswalk to monitor safety. On short stops, politely hurry students along. Chances are we are on a schedule and hanging around rest areas will not be tolerated.
Arrival at the performance site is an important time for the band. Restrooms should be located immediately and communicated to all the chaperones and staff. Find out from the directors when the appropriate time will be given to go the restrooms. It will depend on our schedule. During the performance, chaperones need to stay with the band and provide any assistance necessary. Enjoy the performance!
General Band Rules
1. Shoes and socks MUST BE worn at all rehearsals.
2. Chewing gum is NOT PERMITTED during any rehearsal.
3. NO food or drink is allowed inside the band room.
4. A band member must RESPECT his/her uniform at all times.
5. There will be NO HAZING of rookies allowed.
6. Be in your seat, warmed up, and ready to begin ON TIME.
7. Insubordination WILL NOT be tolerated.
8. RESPECT other peoples' property.
9. Public display of affection IS NOT allowed while on "band time." Remember, this is a band function - not a date!
10. A band member will wear no jewelry. fingernail polish or excessive make-up while in uniform. Leave expensive jewelry at home.
11. NEVER disrespect another band or its members, EVER!
12. Remember to always CHEER for the other bands.
13. Show RESPECT to all directors, administrators, teachers, band staff, and parents at all times.
14. Keep your language CLEAN! You never know who might be listening.
15. Remember you are a CLASS ACT. Do not do anything that would have to be explained. Always conduct yourselves as ladies and gentlemen.
Band Traveling Rules
1. Drinking alcoholic beverages and taking non-prescription drugs will not be tolerated. Immediate dismissal from the band and administrative action will occur.
2. Smoking, chewing or dipping of tobacco will not be tolerated.
3. Shirts and shoes are to be worn at all times.
4. All school rules will be strictly enforced. Any infraction of these rules will be dealt with by the band department and school administration.
5. Profanity is not a part of the Freedom Band program. Make sure that your language is never offensive while with the band.
6. Follow all instructions of Directors and Chaperones at all times. If you don't understand, ask.
REMEMBER: young adults do not roughhouse or damage property. As FHS Band member you reflect not only the values you learn at FHS, but those of your community as well.
BAND MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AT THE RIGHT PLACE, AT THE RIGHT TIME. WITH THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT--READY TO GO!!!
The Band Directors reserve the right to dismiss and send home any student who disobeys the rules and whose general conduct and attitude towards the trip and its participants is determined to be detrimental to the rest of the group.
Football Game Procedures
1. Our home football games will be played at the Freedom High School stadium.
2. All games begin at *7:30 with band report time posted for each game. (*Subject to change.)
3. Students will check out their uniform for each performance.
4. Woodwind cases will be taken into the stadium when there is a threat of rain.
5. Plumes will be issued before a show and picked up after the performance.
6. Percussionists, color guard, sousaphone and other large equipment need to be ready to load early for an away game.
7. All band instruments and equipment must be sparkling and "ready to go" for inspection.
8. No band member is permitted to leave the organization in advance of group dismissal at any time, unless excused by the directors.
9. While seated in the stands, only band members are allowed in the ranks.
10. While seated in the stands, the band will always sit in sections.
11. Attention should be given to the Band Directors or Drum Majors when they are standing in front of the band.
12. We will play only as a group while in the stands. Solo musical inspirations are not to be expressed in the stands.
13. Musicians should immediately get ready with horns up facing the front as the team scores a touchdown. The fight song immediately follows.
14. In order to move in an organized fashion, we must be able to give instructions in a rapid manner. Everyone will listen to the Band Directors, Band Staff, and Drum Majors when instructions are being given. Chaperones will assist the band in carrying out instructions.
15. All band members help load for away games and help clean the band room after games.
16. The band will march to the stadium and back from the stadium at all home games. Once we have returned to the band room, students will wait at attention for dismissal by the Band Director.
17. All performances are mandatory. If you are unable to attend a performance, you must provide a written excuse in advance. Personal illness, death in the family, weddings, and religious holidays are usually the only legitimate excuses for missing rehearsals or performances. All excuses are handled on a case by case basis.
Standards for Behavior on Buses
1. Reread the Band Rules and Band Traveling rules.
2. Chaperones should check over each bus before anything is loaded, and relay any problem or damage to the driver and band director.
3. Chaperones should load before students and spread out through the bus. The front seats on both sides of the aisle are reserved for a Director and staff.
4. Students must ride the same bus to which you are assigned. Do not change buses!
5. Students are not to put anything on or under a bus until instructed to do so.
6. Buses will load by class; students may not save seats for students in other classes.
7. Roll must be checked before the bus moves, after every stop at which anyone gets off.
8. The bus driver must be treated with respect. Different drivers have different standards, whatever they say goes.
9. Nothing is to ever protrude outside the bus windows (heads, arms, instruments. etc) nor should any item ever be throws or dropped out of a window.
10. Normal conversation is appropriate; shouting or screaming is not. Singing may or may not be OK depending on the driver, content, and musicality. Good singing might be acceptable; bad singing never is.
11. Radios are not permitted on school buses. On longer trips involving charter buses, radios with headphones are generally OK as long as no one hears them besides the person wearing them.
12. Chaperones may reassign seats if they deem it necessary; students may also be assigned to a different bus at any time at the directors' discretion.
13. To avoid problems, school bus windows stay up as we enter or leave another school campus.
14. All students are to keep the bus clean at all times. At the end of a trip, every student should check the area around which he/she was sitting, including the floor and overhead storage. The bus captain will remain on the bus to ensure that it is left in proper condition, or see that it is corrected.
15. Public display of affection between students is not allowed on any bus at any time.
16. Be courteous, do what chaperones ask and thank the drivers and chaperones when we return.
Chaperone Cards
Red cards for home games and Blue cards for away games.