Request for 8th Graders to march with band denied

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EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – In March 2021, the latest revisions to Board Policy IDE(3) were made for Competitive Interscholastic Activities. This month, Band Director David Wiebers submitted a request to allow a waiver to the policy for the band.

That waiver would allow a small number of students in the 8th grade to march with the high school band. Wiebers told the board that the waiver would help the band as it has had middle schoolers march before. With stated benefits to the students, retention rate, the high school band, and the middle school band, the request would allow the continuation of the practice in spite of the policy.

Policy IDE (3) states,

The Board of Education (“the Board”) hereby adopts this policy regulating competitive interscholastic activities.

1. Each middle and high school principal is responsible for properly supervising and regulating competitive interscholastic activities in his or her school and shall ensure that all staff members adhere to the school system’s athletic guidelines, this policy, and related rules of the State Board of Education. The principal may delegate responsibility for supervising one or more student activities and clubs to a member or members of his or her professional staff, provided such individuals must act under the principal’s direction.

2. A student wishing to participate in interscholastic competitive activities must be enrolled full time in the school that sponsors the competitive activity. (Dual Enrollment students are included in the “enrolled full time” group eligible to compete.)

3. Retention of students for athletic purposes is prohibited by the Gilmer County School System.

4. Each principal of a school covered by this policy is responsible for ensuring and maintaining documentation of adherence to the requirement of this policy.

5. Permission must come from the Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee for a coach to have practice on a non-school day (Ex: snow day).

Because of line 2 in the policy requiring a student to be “enrolled full time in the school that sponsors the competitive activity,” a student of Clear Creek Middle School cannot be allowed to march competitively with the Gilmer High School band.

Wiebers said that middle schoolers who have marched with the high school return to their middle school program with stories and experiences to share, increasing interest in the high school program. It also increases the level of excellence for those students involved as they are introduced to the higher level program earlier than normal. Wiebers said that since only the highest level members of the middle school band are allowed to participate, it keeps the number lower while maintaining quality.

https://youtu.be/Sbn_vlyxV1k

Wiebers said, “I don’t view it as a high school position, I view it as a six through twelfth grade band program.”

Assistant Director Holly Kinsey also spoke during the meeting supporting the request with her own story of when she was in middle school band and was given the opportunity to march with the high school. She spoke about how the experience reinvigorated her desire for band. She said she was bored with band at the time, and it was the gifted program for marching with the high school that gave her a bit of a push to continue.

However, all of this would be in direct violation of the policy due to IDE(3). Thus, the request for a waiver.

Even with participation, students have faced restrictions and extra requirements when participating in high school band as a middle schooler, according to Kinsey. They must be accompanied at all times as Kinsey spoke about busing the students and following in her car to the high school. Additionally, in long or overnight trips, these students must be accompanied by their parent and they would room with the parents in overnight situations.

The board also unanimously approved the policy, as it currently exists, in March, two months ago. Additionally, Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs stated in the regular meeting, “I can’t, in good conscience, with the feedback we’ve received, recommend a change to that policy.”

Much of the board agreed as the motion came to approve a waiver from board member Joe Pflueger. A second to the motion never came, meaning the motion died and a waiver was not approved. Thus, eighth grade band members cannot participate in high school band due to the standing Policy IDE (3).

‘Band’ing together for music amid a virus

Bobcat's Corner, Feature News
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Being a member of the Gilmer High School Band requires effort, lots of it. From long practices in the sun with July heat for Band Camp to carrying up to a 20 or 30-pound sousaphone across 80 yards of open football field while wearing a uniform, this program can be physically taxing.

Or perhaps you are in Color Guard or Winterguard, performing maneuvers with a flag, rifle, or sabre while enhancing the show through dance, practicing in the same heat, but performing the taxing dance moves instead of carrying an instrument.

According to estimates and planning from GHS Head Band Director David Wiebers, the average student from Band Camp in July to the end of school in May, spends an average of 580 minutes, or just over nine-and-a-half hours, weekly on the program through class, camp, practice, and whatever else is needed.

Achieving as much as the Gilmer High School Band has achieved over the years is not easy, taking time, practice, effort, and no small amount of talent.

And that’s in a regular season.

bandAmid COVID, the Band has functioned very differently, operating the similar hours of practice, striving just as hard for excellence and “Superior” ratings at competitions and shows. Consistant Superior ratings are even harder, like the superior rating the symphonic band received just last week at Dawson County High School for Large Group Performance Evaluation through the Georgia Music Educators Association.

The band program, in all of its forms, has changed because of the virus. While the schools allow and conduct virtual learning in classes, Band has to work a little different. Individuals train, but a band has to operate and perform as one. It takes dedication from students who attend after school practices, Band Camp, performances. Things you cannot do from home.

Each student putting in the same or more effort as they always have, but for fewer performances, fewer chances to get that perfect show, fewer chances to shine for judges and audiences. Both Band Booster Vice President Christy Prisco made note of this being a devastating blow to band members as they have gone from a normal year averaging between 40 to 50 performances a year overall between football nights, parades, symphonic concerts, jazz band performances, and other shows.

This year, that number was 17. A total of 17 performances divided between the entire program. Only 17 chances to showcase the effort that students put into their music.

“That’s the number one thing that we’ve been affected by, is the morale and motivation of our kids… Getting kids to buy in and work hard towards something knowing that they could potentially not be performing it… it’s frustrating for the kids.” said Wiebers.

winterguardFewer performances on the field for half-time shows is only on point as the school has had to cancel pep-band for basketball games. They have cancelled performances for the jazz band and symphonic band like annual showings at the Festival of Trees during Christmas. They have cancelled the band’s annual trip to perform elsewhere, in other states for other people, seeing a small part of the world.

Unfortunately, for a performance based program like band, less shows means less exposure. Less exposure means less fundraisers, Less fundraisers means less support. Less support means increasing costs and increasing difficulty in nearly every facet of a program that has seen success after success over its storied history. Due to Covid-19, the program has lost key successful fundraisers, such as their most important event with Apple Festival Parking but also events like Monthly Spirit Night and this year’s Annual Gala and Silent Auction.

It means a harder time for parents who are members of the band boosters, who are the chief group for fundraising for members of the band.

On top of these issues, the situations have forced the band to increase its annual price per student for membership. The increase in annual fees is going from $225 to $325. Wiebers said the need comes as the band program really wants to maintain the greatest instructors and maintaining the essential building blocks for success.

However, Director Wiebers offered hope and a welcome to all students who want to be a part of the program, despite the increase in membership fees and funding amid the virus. He said, ” Do not let money be the reason your kid does not do band… Money is no thing, we will get your kid involved, one hundred percent, in this band.”

bandWhile the need is clear, the Director stressed the issue again as he asserted a desire to get more kids involved. He said, “The most important thing is that we want your kid in the band program and having a great time. We want to teach your kid, that’s what we want.”

It’s the band boosters who are a part of that process to make sure every student that signs up and wants to perform can perform. It is the band boosters, together with Wiebers, together with individual trainers for each instrumental section, that brings the Gilmer Board of Education motto of “Every Child, Every Opportunity, Every Day” to a program like the band.

It’s programs like the Gilmer High School Band that take a young man from Middle School back in the days when former Band Director Joe Pflueger then taught in the Middle School and Steve Calhoun was Band Director. That program took that young man to college for a degree in Music Education who then took his years of experience in performance into DCI (Drum Corps International) marching for Spirit Drum and Bugle Corps and then on to several years of the same excellence in a program to other counties in the state where he taught music.

But since COVID, it is harder for the program. Harder for students, harder to fundraise, harder to continue the history of excellence.

Harder, but not impossible.

Wiebers stated, “Gilmer Schools has done the best job possible during this pandemic as far as making things as normal as possible.”

The Board of Education funds part of the band as they always have. Through the budget each year, there is funding made available. Filling the gap between funding and need comes through the efforts of the Band Boosters and creative answers to the ongoing issue with the virus and new requirements for the program. Band Boosters have brought about change in the way they fundraise. New ideas like the band’s GoFundMe make small headway in the goal for the remainder of this school year, the summer, and fall marching season. Prisco was part of the group who launched the GoFundMe saying, “There are many costs that come with running a successful award winning program from staff, to props, flags, costumes and instruments.”

With stretch goals like personal thank you videos from the band, its sectional and overall leaders, and videos updating behind the scenes of what each ensemble is working on, the program holds an overall goal of $20,000.

bandBut $20,000 itself is only a portion of the estimated total for the next year. With a normal year of fundraising, the boosters program collects closer to $150,000 for the whole year. While the number of students in each year can change total costs, the boosters are still seeking more options to achieve more for the students. That’s why other programs like an auction or the band selling show shirts and gear from current and former shows are another new answer to the need.

According to Prisco, some things like paying the royalties to be able to play certain songs for the shows, instructors for sections, and instruments are just a few of the key things that the bad starts with before adding on much of the extras in support of the program.

Funding is not the only changes what the GHS Band and Director Wiebers has instituted. Adapting to the challenge is a part of the process, as he says he still looks to include, work with, and improve students who may have needed to quarantine for a time.

Solo practice sessions at home will cover the same music that the band is working on together. This ties in with a new program, called Smart Music, that listens to students play and offers feedback on missed notes or other key areas before allowing them to repeat the practice until the student is happy with it and submits a final playthrough for Wiebers to then listen to and continue from there.

Additionally, while very few may have noticed, this years half-time show for the Marching Band included social distancing practices and a drill that kept every single student at least six feet from anyone else at every moment of the show. A specific drill created wholly in response to the COVID virus.

With numbers decreasing, Wiebers has said it’s gotten easier as less and less students are out or quarantining.

Unfortunately there is no answer yet for the drop in shows. While the program’s stellar new Winterguard has seen successes in its formative years, it suffers from cancelled competitions and reduced showings the same as all of the ensembles throughout the year.

winterguardThat hasn’t stopped students from maintaining the quality, motivation, and spirit of the music, obtaining Superior ratings and continue to perform stellar shows for the community.

The Winterguard has one more competition this year on March 27, 2021, at the Buford Arena. The Band still has its silent auction fundraiser on May 6 at 6 p.m., the same time as their Spring Concert on Pflueger Field behind Gilmer High School offering a picnic style setting.

Past that, the program is already looking at next year for the designs and show for then, teasing an all original show for the band, Wiebers said he is excited for the future of the program, the future of the students, and the future of music coming out of Gilmer High School.

Much attention has been brought to artist and musicians over the years through “save the music” events as funding has dwindled. But now, a new challenge comes during a virus that seems to be doing as much damage socially as it does to an individual person.

Roy Ayers once said, “The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.”

In today’s world, with everything so socially distanced, a musical connection among people can be one lifeline back to normal. And the path may come through the hard work and sweat of students to make that music. But it takes a community willing to listen to the music and support it to allow it to thrive.

Gilmer cancels make-up graduation along with other July activities

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ELLIJAY, Ga. – In addition to this weeks announcement of cancelling the prom, Gilmer High School has also announced that they will be cancelling the graduation ceremony scheduled for July 17.

According to a statement from Gilmer High School, “Gilmer County Schools and Gilmer High School have been in contact with the Gilmer County Department of Health and Gilmer County Emergency Management for the past several days to make decisions regarding events scheduled to take place at the high school. Even though all of our events were planned in a manner to keep students and staff safe, we have been advised against holding large group gatherings (those with more than 50 people in attendance) at this time, even if being held outside. We initially planned to have students on the field, seated six-feet apart, and allow only two guests per student to accommodate social distancing requirements in the stands. Due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in our community, we have been advised by officials to cancel the graduation event scheduled for Friday, July 17th.”

graduation

As with previous graduations, this year’s event was scheduled to be held outside on the football field.

However, Graduation is not the only event being cancelled or having restrictions as sports and other activities to be held in July as students are trying to slowly start returning to school.

The statement said, “With regard to sports on the high school campus, we are following strict guidelines from GHSA with regard to social distancing, hand sanitizing and the sanitizing of equipment. Athletes are screened each day, which includes temperature checks, and their responses are recorded to help with contact tracing. Over the past few days, we have had 13 student athletes, some of whom were in attendance at a community event last week (where several people have tested positive for COVID-19) and others who were identified during the screening process, who are being quarantined and cannot participate in practice for the next 14 days. Two sports, wrestling and cheerleading, have cancelled practice until further notice. We continue to monitor the remaining sports still practicing and are prepared to cancel their practices for 14 days should that be necessary.”

Gilmer High’s Marching band has postponed their “Band Camp” from Monday, July 13, to Monday, July 20. Next week they will work with small groups of students for easier monitoring, and then full Band Camp will begin on July 20th.

The High School said, “It is much easier to monitor small groups of students on a daily basis, than it would have been for us to comply with the necessary guidelines to ensure the safety of more than 400 students at prom, and an additional 600 at graduation.”

They went on to add, “This is not what any of us wanted for our students. We all believe in giving our students the greatest high school experiences possible, but will never risk the health and safety of anyone. We greatly appreciate everyone’s understanding and look forward to being able to have everyone back together soon.”

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