Marching Band update - PLEASE READ

Dear North Lincoln Band Family,

I hope you and your families are safe and healthy.  This email is to provide you with an update on the upcoming marching band season as well as "next steps" for the band program.  Last night, our booster board met virtually to discuss this information and assist me and Mr. Stokes with brainstorming ideas.  I am very grateful for our awesome group of parents who help provide sound advice for our program!

For the past several weeks, the high school band directors and the district administration have had several discussions regarding competitive marching band and the impact COVID-19 will have on the fall semester.  The decision has been reached by the district to cancel the competitive portion of marching band for all four band programs.  We came to this conclusion as a matter of putting the safety of our students, instructional staffs and parent volunteers first, as well as consideration to the financial risks and logical issues each band program will face with a fall season not guaranteed.  Please know that while I love competitive marching band and am an advocate for it, I do agree with this decision as the best course of action to protect the students and our organization.  To state that writing this email is a sad day in my career is an understatement!  

Moving forward, my plan is to reimagine the marching band in order to provide students with the best possible experience given the circumstances. Band camp will be rescheduled for the weeks of Aug. 3-7 (5:30-8:30pm... original post-camp week) and Aug. 10-14 (5:30-8:30pm... original first week of school) to learn a simplified halftime show to be performed at football games.  LCS is only allowing groups of 25 at a time on campus for rehearsals in a given space so the traditional 8am-8pm band camp week will not comply with these regulations.   We anticipate more information from Gov. Cooper, the NC Department of Public Instruction, and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association towards the end of this month regarding what school will look like in the fall and how football games and other events will happen. The original competitive show, Bloom, will be pushed back to the 2021 fall season.  

I ask that you be patient with me and Mr. Stokes as we navigate this new reality with school administration.  I know there will be many questions, but I ask that you wait for me to formulate a plan as my information becomes more solid.  I will send out another email with requirements for band camp and other logistics.  For now, please start getting active at home and moving your bodies!  Start getting plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids!  I promise that while this fall will look very different, I will do everything in my abilities to give students a wonderful music education and make great memories!

A separate email from our student accounts treasurer, Nancy DeAngelis, will follow shortly with specifics on band fees.  If you have immediate questions, please email her at nlbb.treasurer@gmail.com. 

North Lincoln is a STRONG program because of our awesome band families, our willingness to be flexible, and the financial security that past booster boards have helped established.  I am confident that we will get through this together, and also  reminded that we are not alone.  Many band programs across the state and country are having this same conversation.

As always, YAY BAND!

Mr. Still