Three and a Half Weeks Until the Alps

As discussed in previous posts, medical and release forms are now available. Click below for the appropriate form.

Student Medical Form

Chaperone Medical Form

Release Form for Students and Chaperones

Please fill out the appropriate medical form and the release form and return them both as soon as possible to the Band Office.

As far as other announcements, we are still waiting for 15 passports to be turned in, 10 students and 5 adults. We are also still missing 5 "Six Weeks To Go" Questionnaires, 3 student and 2 shadow trip participants. Both of these items are due immediately.

Music checks are being conducted, but only 10 out of the 220 students going have checked off more that half of their music with a director. 40 students, or 5 groups of 8, have yet to sign up as part of a trip group. Please check with your student concerning whether or not they have signed up as part of a group. This posting is also the last call for roommate groups that would be interested in combining to form the triple rooms needed for several nights of the trip. Triples will soon be assigned if there are no volunteers.

Lastly, for those of you who travel on a regular basis, we would like to make you aware of a special phone offer from "Wireless Traveler." For more information, click here.

4 Weeks To Go

While there are no new announcements this week, we continue to ask parents to check in with their students regarding their progress on music checks. If students have not checked any of their trip music off with a director, they are behind. Rehearsals for the trip will begin on Wednesday, following Tuesday night's concert. Student and chaperone passports should already be turned in to the band office, and Six Week Questionnaires are due from all participants immediately. Final reservations for meals are already being made, and the information on that sheet is important for making those decisions. Be watching for the Trip Medical Form that will be posted on this website shortly. Once posted, we ask that all trip participants fill them out and return them as soon as possible. Remember that the final document meeting is scheduled for March 17 at 7 PM in the Shaker Middle School Auditorium for all trip participants.

To whet you appetite, read a brief history of Verona, Italy, one of the stops on the trip, here.

5 Weeks Until the Alps

Here's another update regarding "Shaker Crosses The Alps." These announcements have been made during morning band rehearsals, and the band staff is asking all parents to echo them at home as well as the window of time until the trip closes.

Passports
Student and chaperone passports are due IMMEDIATELY. We are still waiting on 33 passports. The copying and sorting process described in the previous post is already occurring because we cannot wait any longer.

Marching Instruments
All marching instruments are prepared for pick-up and should have been signed out by now.

Music
Students have received 18 of the 20 pieces of music we will be performing on the trip (the Austrian and Italian national anthems will be coming soon), along with flip-folders and lyres. Flip-folders should be loaded with the music in the order that was passed out, and pages should be taped on each side to avoid losing music. Trumpet, trombone, snare drum, and bass drum players need to stop by the band office to pick up extra windows and heavy-duty rings. Testing has already begun and students who have not checked off at least some pieces from the list with a director are behind. Students should be prepared for some early rehearsals (before 8:05) in the month of March.

Six-Week Questionnaire
The questionnaire is still available here. We are still waiting for 46 student, 12 chaperone, and 21 shadow trip participant questionnaires. Those questionnaires contain important information regarding dietary restrictions and preferences that are necessary for planning meals. The order for the clothing printer will be placed soon, and students who do not return this form by Tuesday morning will not receive their trip hoodie. Medical forms will be coming out soon, please be on the look out for them and return them as soon as possible.

Finally, remember that the very important Final Document Meeting has been scheduled for March 17 at 7 PM in the Shaker Middle School Auditorium.

Audio and Video Pages Updated

Taking a break from trip updates, the "Audio" and "Video" pages under the "Downloads" heading have been updated with tracks and videos from the High School concerts on December 14 and 15. You can click on the links to watch or listen online, or you can right-click on the link, select "Save Target As," and assign a name to the file to save it to your own computer. More audio and video to come!

Trip Information, Please Read All

With the trip just over six weeks away, final preparations are underway.

Questionnaire
A “Six Weeks To Go” Questionnaire is only available on our website, here. All trip participants, including chaperones and shadow trip participants, should fill out a questionnaire and return it to the band office immediately. Students will need to select a color for their hooded sweatshirt from this chart.

Passports
Student and chaperone passports are due to Mr. Deep IMMEDIATELY. All passports need to be signed and valid through 10/10/10 (due to travel restrictions in some countries and for safety reasons). Once turned in, passports are immediately locked in the Band Office, then transported in batches to the Administration Building for copying and safe keeping until the trip. While we are on the trip, copies will be kept with each student, with chaperones for all of their trip group members, in the Administration Building, and at least two sets of full band copies will be kept by the band staff during the trip. All the real passports will be locked in hotel safes while on the trip. The process of copy and sorting so many passports takes time, so passports are needed well in advance of the trip.

Uniforms
Uniform exchange will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 9 and 10, from 3 to 4 PM in the uniform room, by the band room doors in the South parking lot for students experiencing any uniform issues. Students should try on their uniforms to make sure they still fit. Any uniform parts being exchanged should first be dry-cleaned. ALL UNIFORMS MUST BE DRY CLEANED BEFOR THE TRIP. Please make arrangements now.

Passover Seder
For those interested in the optional Passover Seder dinner while on the trip, and invitation, including additional information, can be found here. All participants are invited.

Final Document Meeting
The mandatory Final Document Meeting for all trip participants has been scheduled for March 17 at 7 PM in the Middle School Auditorium.

Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap is needed for packing the instruments and equipment for a long plane ride across the Atlantic. If you have any available, please send it in to the Band Office.

Email Updates
As the trip draws closer, updates like this will become more regular, and information will not be sent home in handouts. Please be sure that you have registered to receive email updates whenever this blog is updated. We will also be using the blog for updates, pictures, and videos while on the trip.

Travel Group Sign-up, Passports, and Uniforms

It is time for students to sign-up for their travel groups. The registration form and information is available outside the the band office and here. Also, students' passports will be collected soon and should be valid until 10/10/10. Full marching band uniforms must be dry cleaned before the trip.

Trip FAQ Sheet

A "Frequently Asked Questions" sheet, created by John Murphy and Mr. Deep, has been posted here and is also available on the "Trip Info" page. For any questions regarding the trip, please check to see if they are answered on this FAQ sheet before calling the band office.