Seventh/eighth adjudicated group performance ​+ kings island trip

Greetings, families! If you have a seventh or eighth grade band or orchestra student please review the following information from Mr. Heath and Mr. Stanley, and note upcoming deadlines:
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Here is the permission slip [editor's note: this permission form is available in your individual parentsquare account] for the Kings Island trip on Saturday, May 6th, 2023. Please have this form filled out by Wednesday, April 12th. Ticket prices are $35 each and must be paid for by Friday, April 14th. Tickets must be paid for through SPS EZPay (the same medium in which school lunches are paid for). If your student has a season pass to KI, they can use this ticket for the day, just be sure to let Mr. Stanley or Mr. Heath know if your student is using their season pass. 

Here is the full schedule for Saturday, May 6th: 
  • Students report to GHHS at 8 am. We will use this time to warm up and get ready for the performance. 
  • 8:30 am-9:00 am will be the performance time and judges will give comments to each group after the performance. 
  • 9:15 am pack up and load buses. Bus pick up/drop off location is TBD. 
  • Departure for Kings Island 9:30 am sharp. 
  • Arrive at KI at approximately 11:00 am. We will eat our packed lunch before we enter the park. Students will find their group and chaperone at this time, who will then give their tickets to their group members. 
  • Whole group check-in at 4:00 pm. 
  • Dinner at approximately 5:00 pm with chaperone/group. Chaperones will be in charge of choosing what and where to eat for dinner at the park. 
  • Meet at the front entrance at 7:45 pm. Take roll call before we head to buses. 
  • Departure for home at 8 pm. 
  • Arrive back to GHHS at 9:30 pm. 
A few things to note:
1. Students will wear their band/orchestra polo shirt for the performance and to KI, primarily so students can be easily identified at the park. Tennis shoes are a must. NO FLIP FLOPS/SANDALS. 
2. Students are NOT required to go to KI, but ARE required to perform that morning. 
3. Students who are traveling on the bus to KI MUST ride the bus on the way back home. Absolutely no exceptions. 
4. Students must bring a packed lunch to eat, and must bring money to buy dinner/snacks at the park. Suggested total is $25-$30. 
5. Tickets cannot be refunded for any reason. 
6. Students must behave themselves and follow all of the same rules and guidelines that apply to school, as stated in the Code of Conduct. 

If you are interested in chaperoning, please reach out to Mr. Heath or Mr. Stanley ASAP. Tickets will be covered if you chaperone. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Heath or Mr. Stanley and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have. We will send out a reminder/update once we get closer to the performance/trip. Have a wonderful spring break! 
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Finally, an additional note from the Band Parents Association: confidential financial assistance is available if needed for your student to participate. The BPA is committed to ensuring that all students are included in band/orchestra activities. Please contact Mr. Heath, Mr. Stanley, or Mr. Hinkle to arrange. 

​(Updated April 7, 2023)

ADDITIONAL Q&A -
​GET YOUR ANSWERS HERE!

Have additional questions? Here's some additional detail we have gotten from the directors in response to other parents' questions. If your answer isn't here, feel free to contact Mr. Heath or Mr. Stanley directly.

Q: What should my student wear for performing?
A: Your student should wear their GH band/orchestra logo t-shirt or polo for performing and for the trip to Kings Island. For bottoms and footwear, they can be more casual than a typical concert - shorts, skirts, jeans and leggings are fine (but please ensure they are school appropriate). Tennis shoes or other comfortable closed toed shoes are acceptable - but please no sandals or flip-flops, as these are not suitable for running around and riding rides at Kings Island.

Q: Is this a concert? Can I watch?
A: The performance is not a true "concert" and will take place in the GHHS Band Room, not the auditorium. The purpose is for the students to play for another music professional besides their own directors and learn and hear feedback from those professionals. Because of space and seating limitations, as well as the desire to move quickly and efficiently to get the students on their way as soon as possible, the directors have requested that there be no audience for the performance. 

Q: How should my student pack lunch?
A: Please ensure your students packed lunch is in entirely disposable packaging. The directors do not plan to return to the buses between eating lunch and heading into the park. 

Q: How much money should my student bring?
A: The directors recommend $20-$30 for dinner and incidentals. PLEASE NOTE THAT KINGS ISLAND IS A CASHLESS PARK. Your student can use Apple Pay or Google Pay if they have it on their phone. Otherwise the directors recommend a prepaid card (which you can obtain at Kroger or Giant Eagle) or your credit card.

Q: If I am chaperoning, do I have to ride the bus? 
A: No! But please be aware that you will likely have to pay for parking at the park, since you will not arrive with the buses. Please meet the students and directors at Kings Island no later than 10:45 am for timely assignment of groups and entry into the park. 

(Updated May 1, 2023)