CLICK HERE for safety protocols and procedures for attending Band Camp 2020. This document is REQUIRED READING for every DGN Band Family!
Yesterday, the Illinois High School Association made a major announcement regarding fall sports. While this does not impact our band program directly, the decision to move football to 2021 will naturally bring up questions for our students and families. Anticipating your questions, please read the following Q & A:
Q & A for DGN Band Families
Q: Now that IHSA has announced several fall sports (including football) have been pushed to 2021, will DGN still hold a “Band Camp” next week?
A: YES! We believe that it is important to take advantage of the time we have been given to safely bring students together and make music! Let’s be honest: we are navigating a landscape that is continually changing, and we simply do not know how many opportunities we will have, in the near future, to come together in person and make music. Our staff has a plan to work on skills and fundamentals next week that will have long-term benefits for student musicians. Additionally, we know that students are craving the opportunity to get back to routines, interact with their peers, and pursue goals with others. Having watched the students in our Color Guard and Drumline come back to campus this week, we see the positive impact this time together is having on everyone!
Q: Will the DGN Marching Band perform during the “winter football” season announced by IHSA?
A: The challenges of preparing/practicing/performing in cold weather would be many, and we expect to be focusing on different curricular goals in February, March and April. We will consider developing limited opportunities for students to engage on a volunteer basis (not unlike a basketball pep-band) but we do not plan to run our traditional marching band program in the winter.
Q: There are so many unknowns about the 2020-21 academic year. Should I stick with band?
A: Absolutely! We sure hope you will, because we have big plans to engage our students in meaningful music making this year, no matter what form or schedule emerges as the District 99 plan. Will the band experience feel typical this year? Of course not; few things in our lives feel typical these days. But that does not mean we stop moving forward. One of the themes that emerged in our Student Leadership workshop earlier this week was “Re-imagining the Unimaginable.” Rest assured that your faculty and staff will be working hard to provide the members of the DGN Bands with a high-quality experience this year!
It is also worth noting that the school is not accepting requests to change schedules and/or add additional courses to a student schedule. All of the planning that is being done to open school in either hybrid, or remote formats, requires administrators to work with pre-defined class lists. If a student were to contact their counselor and request a schedule change at this time, the student’s only option would be to add a “study hall.”
Q: How will Jazz Band auditions work this year? Will there still be jazz classes in a remote or hybrid schedule?
A: Yes, we will have jazz band classes this year! However we are adjusting the way students audition for the Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble. This year’s auditions will be through video submission. We are working to finalize those details this week, and we will be getting that information out to band families early next week.
The DGN Fine Arts Department will adapt as variables develop throughout the school year. For now, we are focused on a safe start that provides students with a rewarding and positive experience through the exploration of Fine Arts.
