2024 Marching Tigers Parent Handbook
Congratulations! You are now a part of the Plainfield North Marching Tigers and are instantly a part of the PNHS Band Boosters. Meetings are the second Wednesday of the month. We don’t collect fees to be a supporting member of the boosters, but we do expect your help to keep this program going for the support of our students. This handbook will introduce you to the exciting world of the Marching Tigers and give you some “insider” information on how you can help the organization help your student and you!
KEY ROLES
| Director | Mr. Tim Hatcher |
| Assistant Director | Mr. Jason LaVallee |
| Marching Tiger Sectional Staff / Consultants | Additional personnel hired by Mr. Hatcher to prepare for competition |
| Drum Majors | Student leaders who conduct the band at practices and competitions |
| Section Leaders | Student leaders within each section who assist section players |
PLAINFIELD NORTH BAND BOOSTERS
The Band Boosters are a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation that exists to support the Marching Tigers and Mr. Hatcher’s leadership team. The Boosters generally meet on the second Wednesday of every month at 7 PM in the PNHS Band Room. All are welcome to attend.
First and foremost, the Band Boosters are a fundraising arm for the Marching Tigers. While the band is a curricular program at PNHS, the cost to field a marching band of our size and at our level of competition far exceeds our funding from the high school. For the 2024 – 2025 season our budget is approximately $120,000. Following are just a few of our expenses:
- Staff and Clinicians (Approximately $50,000)
- Equipment and Props (Approximately $30,000)
- Bussing to and from competitive events (Approximately $25,000)
- Costumes and Uniforms (Approximately $10,000)
- Select meals at competitions (Approximately $1,500 – $2,500 per meal)
The funds to cover these expenses for the marching season come from two primary sources.
- Marching Band Fees, which are paid electronically through CutTime and AffiniPay, or by check, are due in a series of installments beginning May 30 and throughout the summer. You should have received an electronic invoice with a link embedded to make payments easy! Please see the Payment Schedule document distributed on Information Night for more information and exact dates.
- A variety of fundraisers held throughout the year account for over half of the band’s overall budget. The more successful that we are at fundraising during the year, the better our chances to keep the mandatory fee from rising.
In addition to fundraising, Booster members also support the band by volunteering for a variety of support activities. Some examples are participating in various fundraising opportunities, uniform measuring and assistance, chaperoning at competitions, assisting with the prop & equipment crew, managing student meals, participating in Fundraising
Both Fundraising & Volunteer Opportunities are communicated via Remind (see next page) in the weekly newsletter and on the PNHS Bands Website.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
2024 SIGN-UP GENIUS: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0D4CAFAB29A5FD0-49868721-2024#/
| Fundraising Committee | Plans and coordinates fundraisers. Some are established. New ideas welcome. Some fundraisers are time intensive, others are one event arrangement and done. | Meets at least once a month. May be more frequently as needed for specific events. Will meet over the summer. | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| Spirit Wear Team | Takes orders, promotes sales, and delivers items as needed. Assist with spirit wear selection and sales, requiring attendance to some football games, concerts, and some rehearsals. | Low meeting requirement. It’s more about prep for fall and then showing up for football! | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| PNHS Bands Crew | Responsible for transportation of instruments, props, and equipment to and from all competitions and home football games. crew members also maintain the trailers and the props themselves: building, repairing, transporting, repairing, transporting, reconfiguring, repairing… you get the idea | This job starts right away this summer (weekends, some evenings, flexible if you have tools and skill)… and goes throughout the fall competitions | Looking for co-chairAND always looking for a class-C license for additional transport options |
| Welcome Committee | Experienced band parents are needed to fellowship our new band parents and help them feel welcome to band events, be a resource to answer questions, and always encourage to attend the booster meetings. | Committee meets now and through the summer to start the school year, and then ceases activity until next year. | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| Snack Crew | Arranges Daily Band Camp Snacks | Meets now and cease activity at conclusion of band camp | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| Photo / Video Team | Captures photos / videos throughout year and assists with photo book compilation at conclusion of year for student keepsake and vendor fundraising | Attendance at some events, marching and/or concert. Photo book is constructed in the spring. | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| Competition and Event Chaperones | Chaperones stay with students from PNHS departure until PNHS return. They ride the buses, sit with the students, and eat the food the students are eating. For this reason, the chaperones at these events are admitted with tickets paid for by Boosters, as they are performing a service to Boosters. The chaperones are not permitted to travel separately, bring other children, or otherwise separate from the group. For overnight trips, chaperones will be paired with other chaperones for hotel stays (or crew, if your spouse volunteered!). District 202 will require overnight chaperones to be fingerprinted and pass a background check. | After sign-up, the chairperson will reach out to confirm availability to complete scheduling. ISU, U of I, and BOA are typically desired assignments, but preference is given to senior parents (its final competitions) and for overnights, those that have chaperoned at least one non-overnight before. There will be parents of underclassmen assigned to these events (not to worry) because someone needs to know how to do these the next year too! | |
| Competition and Event Meal Planning | Helps order and manage meals and snacks for competitions | While the competitions don’t start for a while, there are so many meals to be planned, that those preparations need to start right away! | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| Football Game & Event Water Brigade | Prepares water bottles for the band to use before and after halftime performances, and other events as needed | This team doesn’t get busy until the fall. Before the games, sports bottles are pulled from the closet in the band room, filled with ice and water from the kitchen, and placed in wagons to be brought onto the sidelines for the band. After the game, the wagons are brought back, bottles emptied, and eventually washed during a rehearsal usually the next day or a few evenings later. | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| Senior Night Event Committee | Coordinates senior photos (and the whole band in uniform with Mr. Hatcher), arranges making of banners for each student at the football field, flower bouquets, t-shirts, cookies, other keepsakes for our Seniors. | Event is September 6 – planning begins soon – as photos and banners take some lead-time. | Need parents of non-seniors. |
| Uniform Crew | Assists with sorting uniforms, measuring students, and other tasks for fighting students. No experience needed. | Availability needed for fittings – some during the day in July. There is flexibility. There will also be other tasks. | |
| Just Desserts Committee | Assists with organizing fundraising event in late spring (raffle baskets, bake sale, entertainment by Jazz band) | This committee starts well after marching season has concluded. | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| Bake Sale Committee | Provides baked goods (store bought works too) for band bake sales during school hours (once per month) and special events (such as the Just Desserts event). Members can also help set up and run the back sales at the school. | The bake sales will start in August and run throughout the year. The committee does not necessarily meet, but may check in to confirm details as needed after the first few successful sales. | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| Community Night Committee | Assists with organizing Community Night by coordinating spirit wear sales, concession sales, recognizing sponsors, etc. | Performance is October 24. planning and invitations to sponsors and community leaders will need to go out well in advance. | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
| Social Media Committee | Promotes band events and happenings on social media, as well as governs against undesired posts – FB, X, IG | There will be a lot to post about as the season gets underway! | Looking for co-chair (prefer parent of sophomore/freshman to be mentored) |
STAY IN THE LOOP
Mr. Hatcher uses the Remind text messaging service to communicate important information such as the Weekly News and Notes (includes a link to the calendar) and instructions / itineraries for rehearsals and competitions. Here is how to subscribe:
Text one (or more) of the following Codes to 81010:
Group Code
- Class of 2025(SENIORS): @pnhsband25
- Class of 2026(JUNIORS): @pnhsband26
- Class of 2027(SOPHOMORES): @pnhsband27
- Class of 2028(FRESHMEN): @pnhsband28
- Percussion(in addition to the class code): @pnhsperc
Social Media Links
| Main website: http://www.pnhsbands.com | Facebook: Plainfield North High School BandsPlainfield North Band Families and Alumni (Private) |
| Twitter: @PNHSBands_com | Instagram: pnbands, pnhsbandboosters, pnhs_percussion, pnhscolorguard |
| YouTube: PNHS Bands | Illinois Marching Online http://www.ilmarching.com |
MARCHING BAND GLOSSARY
This quick list of definitions will help you keep track of marching band conversations.
Adjudicators – An alternate term for the judges at a competition.
Auxiliary – An alternate term for the Color Guard. (See Color Guard, below)
Band Camp – A mandatory summer camp (7/31 – 8/5) where the majority of the show is implemented. Students will typically practice 1 PM to 9 PM every weekday, rain or shine. All friends and family are invited to a special end-of-camp celebration to see the premier of the 2023 show.
Bands of America, or B.O.A. – A regional marching band competition series the Marching Tigers attend each season. In 2023, we will begin our season at a BOA Regional event in Whitewater, WI.
Bibbers – Slang term for the bib overalls worn as part of the marching band uniform.
Brass – General term for all of the wind instruments typically made of brass, e.g. trumpets, trombones, tubas, and so on. As any brass player will tell you, it is the most important part of a successful marching band.
Color Guard – Group of performers who use dance, flags, rifles, sabers, and other props to engage the audience and enhance the musical performance. As any color guard member will tell you, it is the most important part of a successful marching band.
Drill – Series of positions that each individual member of the marching band will move to throughout the course of the show, designed for visual impact and artistic expression. The only thing keeping the Marching Tigers from being a gruesome, 150-person pileup.
Drumline – Members of the Percussion section that march with the rest of the band.
Drum Majors – The student conductors on platforms on the front and back sidelines.
Football Game – Sporting event that provides adequate time for the audience to park, find their seats, and get settled in so they can fully appreciate the performance of the marching band at halftime.
Long Black Socks – The only visible portion of the marching band uniform that the students are expected to provide. Not long blue socks. Not short black socks. Not white socks of any length. Long. Black. Socks.
Mellophone – A marching-friendly version of a French Horn.
Metronome – Known familiarly as the “Met”, a machine that produces a hugely loud pinging noise at various beats per minute to assist the band in keeping time during practices. You will be able to hear it during summer camp from several blocks away.
Percussion – General term for all instruments played by striking them with a hand, foot pedal, or mallet to produce sound (far more than simply “drums”). As any percussion member will tell you, it is the most important part of a successful marching band.
Pit – Members of the Percussion section that, due to the large instruments they play, remain stationary at the front of the playing field.
Plume – Tall, decorative feather added to a shako for visual effect.
Shako – The hat in the marching band uniform, typically worn during parades or competitions.
Sousaphone – A marching-friendly version of a tuba.
Spirit Wear – Any article of clothing that promotes: a) this year’s show, b) your individual student’s instrument or section, and/or c) the Plainfield North Marching Tigers. Spirit Wear is the easiest way to find (and be found) by your fellow Marching Tigers fans in the stands at events.
Theme Days – Each day during Band Camp will have a theme to add a little fun and good-natured section rivalry to camp, such as Superhero Day, Twin Day, Section Color Day, Crazy Hat Day, Dress Like Your Favorite Character from Medieval French Literature Day, and so on. (Okay, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea.)
Woodwinds – General term for all instruments that create sound by passing air across a wooden or plastic reed, or an air hole, such as oboes, clarinets, flutes, and saxophones. As any woodwinds member will tell you, it is the most important part of a successful marching band.