It’s Tuesday!!!!  Which means this is the traditional publishing day for Game week FYI’s.  Please read this one thoroughly as many things will be different from a typical game day.  Keep an open mind and read this FYI though the lens of, “we weren’t even sure if we’d be able to play football or have the band attend games in general 2 weeks ago.”
 
Ticket Sales
 
Tickets are at a premium for all football games and many parents and families want access to the game. The reality is Governor DeWine’s guidelines for sporting events capped the spectator occupancy at 15% inside the stadiums.
 
Band senior parents will be issued 2 tickets for every home game.  All other band parents will be issued 1 ticket for home games.  Ticket sales are though Hometown ticketing and accolated by student id number.  This ticket plan is for sporting events only and DOES NOT impact the ticketing plan for band shows.  Once the link is live the boosters and I will share with our band families.  
 
This might sound unfair to some but I assure you this was the only solution that allowed every student the opportunity to have a family member there to support them. To be very candid, we anticipated this type of ticketing scheme for games and planned the additional in-town band shows to soften this news for parents of Marching Tigers. 
 
Parent Volunteers
 
Field passes for parent volunteers have been capped.  I’m able to have 8 volunteers to help unload equipment from the box trucks, move podiums into position during performance, assist the pit with equipment and help load gear back onto the trucks after the game.  Seating for the volunteers will be chairs issued by the school on the track.  (no personal lawn chairs)
 
Priority will be given to volunteers in the following order:  Executive booster members, booster committee chairs and their volunteers, senior parents (in good standing), Junior parents (in good standing) etc.  Keep in mind, game day volunteers are working hard when the game is not being played.  Be prepared to assist in the necessary capacity. 
 
Student Uniform and needs
 
All students will wear their summer uniforms for Sunday.  This includes the same uniform expectations regarding oversized jewelry and hair. Sunglasses are permitted but hats are not.  Headbands for those who need them must be school colors. (purple/white/black)  Wear your white shoes with white ankle socks. All students are expected to bring their own water jugs into the stadium. This will be a long event in the sun, do not show up with one small plastic water bottle. Students must bring a mask to the game. 
 
 
Student Drop-off and pick-up
Students and parents are asked to drop off/park in the visitor’s parking behind the visitor’s bleachers. A band staff member will meet all the students in the parking lot for a quick warm-up then block up in (socially distant) rows of two and parade in and around the stadium.
 
Pick-up will happen in the same area. Parents, keep in mind the alley that runs beside the stadium is one way only. Familiarize yourself with this area before arrival, it will save you time, frustration and help you avoid the traffic off hill road. (although with 15% capacity traffic shouldn’t be a huge issue…)
 
 
Social Distancing in the end-zone
 
We will be using chairs to sit in while performing during the game. Each row and file will be spaced out by 6 feet. It is preferred that instrument cases stay in your cars, but if this is unavoidable, they can be stowed underneath the seats to prevent any trips or falls in the band stand area.  
 
Feeding the band
 
The band boosters will provide a snack under each seat for kids during the 3rd quarter of the game. Students will not be allowed to go to concessions during the 3rd quarter due to social distancing protocol.  Students will have access to the restrooms but must wear their mask. I expect everyone to report to the stadium on Sunday properly fed and hydrated. Doing so will ensure that you have a pleasurable game day experience.
 
Timeline for Sunday
 
9:00                 Band room open at central – Begin equipment runs to Tiger Stadium
10:30                Band room Closed – No access after this time.
11:00                 All Marching Tigers report behind the visitors bleachers for warm-up and  attendance.
11:42                  Preset off the field for Pregame
11:45                  Start pregame performance
11:50                 Perform the Star Spangled Banner
11:52                 Exit the field
12:03               Kick-off Starts, coverage on ESPN2
3:30                This is a rough estimate of when the game will be over. Please look for a tweet or
                        communicate with your student at the end of the game.
TBD                 The band room will be open for roughly 30-40 minutes at the conclusion of the game. 

Dear Parents and Students,


Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we work through the details for the band show.  We have been getting additional guidance/requirements to adhere to multiple times per day.  

Per the PLSD Ticket Guidelines for this school year: All tickets for the band show are PRE-SALE ONLY.  There will NOT be tickets available at the gate.  

The ticket sale will close tonight (August 21, 2020) at 10pm.  

Please email  [email protected]  if you have any issues with ticketing or have any questions.

I will work with HomeTown Tickets to resolve any issues you may have with log in, ticket limits etc.  

Once again, thank you for your patience as we work hard to give kids this performance opportunity.  It is going to be a great evening of fellowship and music making!

Thank you!
Dr. P

Dear Band Families,

We are very excited to announce that the Central and North Marching Bands will be giving their first public performance this Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 7pm!

We are blessed to have an amazing administration that has worked hard all summer to support our bands and has worked with us to create this very special performance opportunity!

This year OMEA will be offering a Virtual Marching Band Adjudicated Event.  Bands will record their shows and submit for evaluation towards the end of the season.

Because of this, we also plan to keep our Pickerington Band Festival date (September 19, 2020) and add an end of season band show on October 24, 2020.  We plan to have our own adjudicators at our shows to give directors and students feedback as we prepare for our “virtual” video performance submission to OMEA.

Our kids have worked very hard this summer and we can’t wait to show you how much they have learned.

Due to stadium capacity restrictions and the need for physical distancing, we are required to limit tickets to two per band member.  Please see below for ticket information:

- Each band member will be allowed to purchase two tickets.
- Each ticket costs $7.
- All ticket proceeds will go towards event expenses and/or be placed in a district account that can be used for purchase of instruments, music and equipment for the kids.
- We will be using Home Town Tickets, the official ticket system for the Pickerington Local Schools.
- You will need your PLSD Student ID number to purchase tickets.

We ask that all families who attend:

- Observe physical distancing.
- Wear a mask at all times.
- Observe staggered arrival times:
    - Senior Parents: 6:35pm
    - Junior Parents: 6:40pm
            - Sophomore Parents: 6:45pm
            - Freshman Parents:  6:50pm
- Sit in assigned areas, and work together to physical distance while seated.
- When the performance is over, we will dismiss the audience by section.  Please remain seated until you section is called.

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Our students and directors have worked hard all summer to observe our Return to Play Guidelines to give us the best possible shot at having meaningful experiences this fall.  

We truly appreciate your help and support in following all guidelines for this event.

Our kids have not performed together for an audience in over 5 months…

Kids and directors are very excited to perform for you this Saturday, August 22!

HOW TO ORDER TICKETS

- You will need your student’s ID number
- You do not need to add any zeros to the number
- Please order your two tickets in the same section.  Thank you!
- This is the same ticketing service that has been used for theater and athletic events.

TICKET LINK: https://www.pickerington.k12.oh.us/pickerington-north-high/phsn-box-office/


Go Tigers! Go Panthers! Go Band!

Marc Parulekar, Ph.D.
Pickerington Local Schools Music Coordinator

Nathan Stowe
Pickerington Central Band Director

Greg Benson
Pickerington North Band Director

​

Good Morning All,
 
On Friday August 14 we received approval from the district to host a combined preview show for both the Central and North High School Marching Bands at PANTHER STADIUM.  The Central band will start the show at 7pm and will conclude with a combined band performance.
Stadium occupancy for the preview show has been limited to 20%, families will be limited to 2 tickers per family and tickets will be $10.  The district is setting up this event in Hometown ticketing, the online ticket program used for musicals and sporting events.  Once they have created this event and account I will share the link with the Marching Tiger families ASAP.   
 
I spent the majority of the weekend thinking about how best to have a show and not have any breaches in safety protocol for students.  Below is a timeline for Thursday and Saturday.  All our protocols regarding masks and social distancing remain in place.
 
Thursday
6:00 pm         Evening practice, per the calendar
9:00 pm        Students pick-up uniform, hat boxes and shoes from uniform moms.  Students who
                        normally take instruments home will continue to do so.
 
Saturday
3:00 pm           Students who store instruments in the band room report to load the band trailer. 
                          (not in uniform)
5:00 pm           Band trailer arrives at North High School for unload.
5:45 pm            Warm-up on Panther Stadium field.  (Bring Water and a Mask)
7:00 pm           Preview Show
8:00 pm           Load
9:00 pm           Return to PHSC
 
Monday
5:00 pm           Uniform return
6:00 pm           Evening practice, per the calendar
 
 
Uniform care
Please do not attempt to wash the Marching Tiger full uniforms.  Our uniform construction requires dry cleaning only.  Please make sure the uniforms are hung on the provided hanger correctly.  Specifically, make sure your child hung the pants correctly so that the pants do not become wrinkled around the knee.  We will not use gloves for this performance, and will wear our Friday night purple pants which require BLACK SOCKS.  Do not use any deodorant spray or disinfectant spray on the school uniforms.  All the uniforms will be sprayed down Monday night. 
 
 
 
Expectations
We are excited to perform and show off our efforts in front of a live audience.  This is going to be many students first performance.  Because this is a first show and a preview I might opt to use the metronome during the performance to help with confidence and cohesion on the field.  We will continue to grow as the season progresses and present the show in a format that is more-or-less what you would expect at a football game or band contest in September and October.  Please continue to cheer with pride for your favorite Marching Tiger and help North families support the North Pride.