Chaperone Guide & Bus Rules

The support and assistance of parent chaperones is necessary to the success of Band activities. Selected parents of Band students will act as Chaperones at Band functions. Chaperones are expected to support the philosophy of the program as stated by the director. Chaperones will ride on the buses and stay with the Band during the entire activity. Anyone who volunteers to be a chaperone accepts certain responsibilities and will be expected to carry out assigned duties. The Band Director will coordinate recruitment of chaperones for overnight trips. Punctuality is necessary. Chaperones are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages immediately before or during Band activities or trips. Smoking is not allowed. The Director will make rules and guidelines with the safety and welfare of the Band members in mind.

Duties & Responsibilities

Report on time and pick up your Chaperone badge from the Chairperson. Bus and duty assignments will be made at this time. Turn in Chaperone badge at event's end.

There will normally be two to four Chaperones on each bus.

Stop all conversation on the bus during roll call. A student officer will check roll and report to the Director.

See that all TCHS Band Rules are followed. Basic Rules appear in the Handbook. The Band Director as needed will provide more specific Rules.
For safety measures, Band students are to be accompanied by Chaperones at all times during any band events.

Football Games

While the Band is out of the stands (performing or off for third quarter) some Chaperones will keep people out of the seating area, while most will help with equipment.

When 4 minutes are remaining on the 3rd quarter clock, assist in reminding the students that they need to be back in the stands by 1 minute remaining on the 3rd quarter clock and that all food and drink must be finished by this time.

The Band will not leave the seating area until instructed to do so by the Director. Restrooms can be used during the third quarter when the Band is dismissed for break, accompanied by a Chaperone.

After the Band has left the seating area at the end of the game, check to be sure that all trash is picked up and left in garbage bags and that no items have been left behind.

Occasionally, a student will not ride home from a competition on the bus. The Band Director will let you know who these students are. (Notify the Band Director immediately if anyone is missing after attendance has been taken.)

When the students have left the buses at the conclusion of a trip, check to be sure that the busses are left neat and clean, that all windows are up, and that no belongings have been left behind.

If you have a problem with any student not following directions or showing disrespect, see the Band Director immediately. The role of a Chaperone is to guide and assist. The Band Director will handle all discipline problems.

If a student becomes ill enough (in the opinion of a Chaperone) to warrant calling his/her parents, the Band Director will be informed of the situation and will be responsible for contacting and discussing the problem with the parents. If there is such a problem, see the Director!

Please be reminded that your children who are not Band members are not to be brought with you when you chaperone. If you have any questions concerning chaperoning, or to volunteer to chaperone, please contact the Chaperone Chairperson.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING BEFORE BOARDING THE BUS:

·         Band Shirt

·         Clipboard with attendance sheet and a copy of the bus rules

·         Water coolers

·         Cups

·         First Aid Kit

·         Uniform Repair kit (needle, thread and safety pins) 

·         Trash bags

·         Personal items

Festivals

After the band is under the supervision of the staff, you may go into the stadium to watch the competition.

Following the performance:
Assist in moving the band back into the stadium to watch the remainder of the competition.

Maintain order in the stands, as the staff is usually busy reviewing the judges' tapes. Great pride is taken in Taylor County High School and we want the students to exhibit respectful behavior at ALL times.

Remind the students not to talk or comment loudly while another band is performing. (Negative comments should be kept to themselves.)

After the awards, assist in moving the students to the buses.

Have your student attendance-taker take attendance prior to departure.

Occasionally, a student will not ride home from a competition on the bus. The Band Director will let you know who these students are. (Notify the Band Director immediately if anyone is missing after attendance has been taken.)

Be aware that each competition is different and last minute changes are common. Your willingness to be flexible is greatly appreciated!

Note:  Departure from the competition site can be delayed due to a staff meeting with the Judges. This is a good time to make sure no one has to make a last minute trip to the restroom, and is also a good time to distribute water to those who are thirsty.

Upon arrival at the school, remind students to clean up their area (you'll have a trash bag for them to deposit trash into,) close windows, and take everything with them. When the bus is empty, double check windows, floors, and seats for trash or items left behind.

Bus Procedure

The bus ride to and from band performances is part of the excitement of being a member of the band. By following a few common-sense rules, you can help make the trip a pleasurable one for all concerned. Remember that most rules are made in the interest of efficiency and safety.  

THE FOLLOWING STUDENT BUS RULES ARE IN EFFECT FOR ALL BUS TRIPS: 

Be sure you are on your assigned bus.  

The chaperones will have a student officer check attendance prior to any bus departure. The buses will not move until this has been done. Please cooperate by sitting quietly until attendance has been completed.  

No radios, tape players, DVD players, MP3 players, etc. are to be played on the bus without headphones. If the sound coming out of the headphones is disturbing someone, ask them to turn it down.

No blankets are permitted on the bus.

Students will sit with girls on one side of the bus and boys on the other.

No excess walking around on the bus and absolutely no one is permitted to sit backwards in their seat.

We have couples in the band – THERE IS TO BE ABSOLUTELY NO PDA!

As a general rule, THERE WILL BE NO EATING OR DRINKING ON THE BUSES.

Most departure times allow you time to eat before leaving. If this is not possible, the Band Director will inform you whenever food is allowed. Please remember that trash is to be placed in the bags that the chaperones will have, and NOT on the seats or floor. 

Do be aware; however, that although the buses are locked, thefts can, and do occur. (If you find that any of your belongings are missing, report it immediately to the chaperones.) Do not bring valuables on the bus. Security cannot be guaranteed. 

LISTEN TO YOUR CHAPERONES! They are there for your safety and are following the guidelines set up by the school and the Band Director. If you want to be treated with respect, you need to give respect.

Different bus drivers have different rules. If a driver makes a request, you need to follow it, even though it may be different from another driver. They are responsible for your safety. Upon arriving at a performance site, the words to remember are, "BE FLEXIBLE." 

The situation is a little different at each place, but generally when we arrive:

Stay on the bus until told, except for chaperones. 

When you get off the bus, get your instrument and line up in parade formation and wait for directions.

In unusual circumstances, such as bad weather, your patience is greatly appreciated.

Put your instrument away and get on your bus promptly. If you have a question or problem, see if a chaperone can help you.

Following the trip, all students are responsible for closing any open windows and cleaning up trash around their seats. Make sure you take ALL of your belongings with you.

Overnight Trips

The Band Boosters will elect a Head Chaperone for each overnight trip. If possible, the head chaperone will travel ahead to the hotel to check in.  Upon arriving, make sure all rooming arrangements are correct. Students should be split by floors, by sex. Check with the desk clerk to make sure adjoining rooms are issued to students of the same sex. If not, change rooms before handing out the keys.  Make sure that rooms next to any exit, the lounge and lobby are issued to chaperones and not students.

Individual room keys should be placed in a sealed envelope with the four student's names on the outside. Using the bus charts, separate the keys by the top name on each envelope. Copy the room numbers onto your rooming list. If possible, make copies for the chaperones and give to them when you give them the keys. Otherwise you will have to read off the room numbers at a chaperone's meeting when they arrive.

Assign rooms to the Chaperones. If possible, do not assign rooms to yourself (you will be doing other things at checkout time and during the night), the nurse (they can't check on rooms while they are attending to students), or the uniform people (unless you can sew, it's amazing how many uniforms need repaired at checkout time)

Walk through the hotel to look for possible problems spots. Check on the locations of ice and vending machines. It's a good idea to make sure soda machines accept one-dollar bills. If not, you may want to get $10 worth of quarters at the front desk to save a potential problem later.

Ask the front desk if all rooms have been given 4 bath towels and 4 wash cloths. Make arrangements now, if possible, to have extra towels ready. Ask for a floor plan of hotel. Get several for the staff also. 

Give the desk your room number, so they contact you in case of problems.

Make sure premium TV service and outside telephone is cancelled in all rooms except for staff and chaperones.

Check the outside, to locate the best place to unload the students and to park the buses. If there is a way to take the students into the hotel, without clogging up the lobby, find it. It will also serve as a quick route to leave at checkout time.

Use a cell phone or radio to contact the director and let them know the best entrance into the complex and find out their time of arrival so you can meet them. 

Upon arrival of the buses, give each bus captain the envelopes with the room keys. They will pass them out on the bus, while the students remain seated. 

Instructions for the students will be issued by the director.

Try to place someone at the door, with a rooming list and floor plan of the hotel. This will help you direct the students to their rooms.

After the students are off the buses and sent to their rooms, there is usually a meeting for all chaperones. The director will conduct the meeting to make sure everyone is aware of the itinerary and to answer any questions. Try to find a semi-private location for this meeting in advance, but let the director decide where to have it.

After the meeting upon arrival at the hotel, chaperones will inspect the rooms they have been assigned.

Those students needing mediation will be instructed to see the chaperone in charge of medications. This will happen again in the morning after the wake up call.

Miscellaneous (but important) Notes

If a problem arises talk to the students involved - if that doesn't take care of the situation find the director. Don't yell, don't threaten, and don’t use nasty language. Just find the director.

Students are not permitted to smoke or drink adult beverages while on any part of a trip. If you discover someone or have suspicions - report it as soon as possible to the director. Don't make any promises about not telling or covering for someone - that isn't your job.

This will (or could be) a long trip with lots of opportunities to get tired and lots of opportunities for students to make decisions. Hopefully they will always make the right ones - hopefully you will too - however - we all do weird things away from home and when we're tired. Be careful that you don't jump down someone's throat when just a simple word or two would work.   The quickest way for things not to be fun is for you to overreact.

Check periodically with your kids to make sure that they have enough money to eat. If they spent it all on stuff - then they have to deal with that.

On occasion we will need your help to move equipment and other things –

I appreciate your help in advance.

Call the director at night only in the event of a serious problem. If it requires me getting out of bed - someone could be going home.

Have fun - stay cool - and help keep things positive and good-natured. Treat your kids as young adults, have fun with them, get to know them and tell them when they're doing a good job!