Band Camp Parent Volunteer Explanation

 

Our Band Camp is special – combining learning with team building; during this educational, social, and fun week, we all bond and truly become a tight knit family (both student band members and parents). The culture and expectations are set. Because the routines are established, new parents can step in easily and be a tremendous help to the students. I will take the excellent culture we currently enjoy and hone/modify each year’s camp to make it a better experience for all.​

 

The location of Camp Taconic, in the Berkshires, is a wonderful  locale for day trips, shopping, and the arts; there will be occasions, on a rotating basis, for parents to go into the surrounding areas during the day or evening to enjoy the area. We still need parents to help run and judge the evening activities and we encourage the parents to watch the progress of our kids through the course of the week, but the required “on call” time is really necessary for the overnights when we need parents in the bunks. I am also flexible with parents coming just before bedtime to take on a bunk, especially if they have been chaperones with us before.  

 

Meetings and Planning

I will run a parents meeting each morning after breakfast.  Our band schedule starts out with basics, which the band staff will be running while the parents and I meet each morning after breakfast to discuss open items and plan out the day’s activities. I will also have the opportunity after dinner, about 7 p.m., for a recap/touch base with everyone if need be.

 

We have established a structure in which the ”Lead Parent” will be the "go-to" person,  answering questions and being in charge between those two meetings and at night, so that I can fully devote the balance of my attention to running rehearsals with the band. 

 

Bunk Chaperone

Two parents are needed in each bunk each night from 11pm through wake up at 7:30am.  The bunk chaperone’s job is to be a pair of eyes in the room, an adult to help watch over them in case there is an emergency. Bunk chaperones are not to be disciplinarians or the generals of your platoon.  The process is simple -- If there are any problems in the bunks, the chaperone notifies me.  We can rectify any issues in a few minutes. Our kids are great, so bunk chaperoning is a piece of cake. Before signing up for a slot you can look to see who is in that room on the bunk list.  You can also switch around at camp. In the past, if parents asked to be in the bunk with their own children, we tried to accommodate that request, and we will try to do so again.  However, depending on which parents volunteer to be chaperones this summer, we cannot commit that every parent will be in a bunk with his/her own child.

 

Extra Female or Male Chaperone at Camp

These are chaperones who are at camp, and will triple up in the bunks. They are there in case one of our bunk chaperones being suddenly called away on a personal issue.

 

Night Activities

These parents will run the the night activities. Once again, since these activities are already established, it is pretty simple to coordinate.  If you enjoy leading students and have done this before, it would be a perfect place for you to join in.  Other parents, who are also Bunk Chaperones on those nights, will be there to help you.  

 

Lead Parent

This is a parent who has done at least two band camps with us, has a rapport with me, and can be an overseer of the parents.  Do not feel intimidated - if you have previously volunteered as one of our band camp chaperones, you are well qualified to take on this role.  As I stated, the camp staff is providing all snacks and water during the day, and a night snack of ice cream each night. This Lead Parent would help to organize/coordinate the night activities and any other little things we decide on each day.  They will also be the triage person who will decide if something has to be brought to me immediately, pulling me out of the rehearsal, or can wait until break time.  This parent must also be a Bunk Chaperone on the nights for which he/she signs up.