The Patriots

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WSHSB Band Boosters

The WSHSB Boosters are band parents who contribute their time and talent to fill the variety of needs of the band program. Each job – no matter how large or small - is necessary.

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WSHSB Patriot Marching Band

For marching, the WSHSB is also known as "The Patriots." Patriots attend marching camp in June and average five parades in the summer.

WSHSB Winter Concert

With two concerts per year, our winter concert is usually held at the end of January. Concerts are FREE admission with open seating. Check our Music Resource page to listen to past concerts.

WSHSB Patriot Marching Band

Marching trimester is voluntary and open to current WSHSB members and NON-members. This includes experienced musicians who are welcome to join us for the summer marching trimester. For more details see our Summer Marching page.

WSHSB Spring Concert

Our second concert of the year is generally held mid to late May. Come hear our Junior, Senior, and Symphonic bands separately and combined.

West Suburban Home School Band

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About WSHSB

The West Suburban Home School Band, or WSHSB in short, follows the model of a community band and includes all wind instruments, woodwinds and brass, as well as a full percussion section. There are no stringed instruments ...more

WSHSB Member's News

Member's News has the link to the weekly Rehearsal Notes PDF and for quick reference, Important Dates and Deadlines and the Sectional Chart are included. Download  the weekly Rehearsal Notes for the week's practice assignments and more.

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Join WSHSB

To join the WSHSB a student must be home schooled. Those interested in joining the WSHSB, at any level but Cadet, must submit an audition video. Recommended minimum age for any level is nine. There are four skill levels to consider...more

WSHSB Band Boosters

The WSHSB has been an all volunteer organization since the band's inception in 2001. To make the band what it is and to keep our fees as low as possible; NO ONE is compensated for what they do. In order for the band to survive we rely on the assistance of ALL member families, on your gifts of time and talent.

To help share the load, we require one parent from every family to sign-up for Booster hours/slots for each trimester (winter, spring, summer) in which their student(s) is/are participating. Both the winter and spring trimester EACH require a minimum of 4 Boosters hours. The summer marching trimester requires a minimum of 2 Booster hours. The volunteer positions are posted on the sign-up site about 10 days prior to the registration deadline and are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. Some jobs are ongoing while some are one-time only. You will notice ads on the sign-up site since we have chosen the free version.


                  WSHSB Winter Trimester Jobs to be released
                                7pm, Monday, July 29, 2024
                                    First come first served


WSHSB Sign-up Schedule

Signing-up for the required Booster hours must be completed prior to submitting the registration form for each and every trimester, winter, spring and summer marching (if participating). At least one parent needs to review the job descriptions below and then use the link above to go to the actual sign-up site. Your choice(s) including date(s) and position(s) will also need to be entered on the respective registration form. Music will not be distributed until registration is complete with all necessary forms and fees submitted.

NOTE: Online sign-up is mandatory. Filling in a job on the registration form without entering your name online in the Sign-up Schedule is not sufficient. The registration form merely tells us what you chose to sign-up for. You must do both. Jobs remain open until online sign-up is completed.
If all jobs are filled during your students’ band time you will need to choose a job in another band time or an event where open spots remain.


This obligation needs to be taken seriously. Please
                 1) Do the task you agreed to.
                 2) Find a replacement if you can't fulfill your job.
                 3) Consider signing-up for an additional open job if your first was not too demanding.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

DESCRIPTION OF BOOSTER JOBS
TRIMESTER POSITIONS
WEEKLY REHEARSAL POSITIONS
MUSIC HANDLING
ADVERTISING/PUBLICITY - (concert season, both trimesters)
BAND APPAREL - (annual order)
SEC - SOLO AND ENSEMBLE CONTEST POSITIONS (annual contest)
CONCERTS (some needs for the Winter and Spring Dress Rehearsals and Concerts)
SUMMER MARCHING POSITIONS (Marching Camp and parade needs)


TRIMESTER POSITIONS
Attendance - Take attendance during one of the four band levels for an entire trimester, including verifying that every student is seated in the correct seat and if not in correct seat, having them move to the correct seat.


Adult musician (aka Adult helper)- plays an instrument as a helper in one or more of the bands for both concert trimesters

WEEKLY REHEARSAL POSITIONS
Safety Marshal - parent on duty during one of the four band levels to maintain order inside and outside the building throughout the rehearsal. Ensure members stay in the rehearsal area or allowed gathering spaces. Prohibit loitering in the bathrooms and help keep socializing noises at a minimum volume.

Percussion Loading Coordinator- Coordinate the Symphonic percussion in disassembling and loading
the trailer at the end of the night.

Practice Hall Setup Coordinator
- Lead the Cadet wind instrument families in setting up the chairs in the arc according to our seating chart layout.

MUSIC HANDLING
Music Distribution - Assist the director at her house in placing new music for the upcoming trimester in each member's file folder.
Music Filing - Assist the director in her basement with filing returned music into their folders and sorting them into the filing cabinets. In the fall, this will also include retrieving and hanging blue jackets for the upcoming jacket fitting date.

ADVERTISING/PUBLICITY - (concert season, both trimesters)
Parent to be responsible for submitting timely, short, director approved articles or items about the band for inclusion in local newspapers in the areas we serve. Topics in addition to upcoming concerts could include, recruiting, auditions, summer marching, etc. Also very important is submission of Winter and Spring concert information, location, date, and time for all their events calendars by their respective deadlines.

BAND APPAREL (annual order)

T-shirt coordinator - takes orders from band members and orders band t-shirts, jackets and sweaters, etc.
 
SEC - SOLO END ENSEMBLE CONTEST POSITIONS (annual contest)
SEC coordinator - organizes the annual Solo and Ensemble Contest

SEC Co-coordinator – assists the SEC Coordinator in organizing and as needed

SEC check-in - checks in participants as they arrive for their performance

SEC set-up helper - set up rooms for the contests

SEC Concessions coordinator – Communicates with SEC Coordinator. Picks up food and supplies for the day. Organizes and runs the concession stand for the day.

SEC Concessions helper – assists concessions coordinator for the day as needed


SEC door monitor - acts as an aide to the judge in timing student's/audience's entry in and out of the judging room; keeps order outside the room; serves the judge by providing refreshments

 
SEC Judges' lunch shopper/provider - purchase and deliver lunches for judges. You will be reimbursed.

SEC clean-up - reset facility and pick-up trash

 
CONCERTS (same needs for Dress Rehearsals and Concerts, Winter and Spring)
For Dress Rehearsals:
Logistics coordinator - organizes the plan to get all members on/off the stage correctly

Assistant logistics coordinator - helps the coordinator do the above

Rehearsal/Concert assistant - Assists Logistics Coordinator during the dress rehearsal and concert in directing musicians through on and off stage logistics. On rehearsal night, needs to arrive at auditorium 30 minutes before dress rehearsal starting time.

Rehearsal Only assistant - Assists Logistics Coordinator during the dress rehearsal in directing musicians through on and off stage logistics. Needs to arrive at auditorium 30 minutes before dress rehearsal starting time.

Dress Rehearsal clean-up - check under chairs and aisles: pick up trash. Place lost and found items in Lost and Found box on the stage

For Concerts:
Jacket/pants fitting helper - Fall only, usually a Tuesday evening in November, helps fit jackets/pants at fitting and maintains records for the current year's concert and marching trimesters

Concert music permissions coordinator - obtains all permissions necessary for performance and music rights

Concert ticket/flyer producer - graphically designs and produces concert tickets and fliers

  
Concert program producer - designs and produces the concert program

After Concert party coordinator - Notify restaurant that group will be coming

Cummerbund/bowtie distributor - generally Thursday before the a concert, distributes concert apparel accessories

Usher - direct and assist guests on concert night

Greet/lobby table/ticket collection - mans the main table in lobby, greets guests, oversees donation box, collects tickets

After Concert clean-up - check under chairs and in aisles: pick up trash. Place lost and found items in Lost and Found box on the stage

Cummerbund/bowtie collector - generally the Thursday after the concert. collects concert apparel accessories

Music collector/sorter - generally Thursday after the concert, check off band members as they return music and/or sort music into song, instrument and score order
 
SUMMER MARCHING POSITIONS (marching camp and parade needs)
For Marching Camp:
Adult marching assistant - marches along the band and corrects ranks/columns; escorts band members to bathroom or to a safety marshal as needed.

Color guard assistant – assists potential color guards with marching drills


Safety Marshal - keeps students safe from the cars at the fair grounds and watches over belongings and children in band gathering area.

For Parades:
NOTE:
For a uniform look the WSHSB DRESS CODES apply to ALL who march/perform with the WSHSB, students AND adults; band members, banner assistants, flag bearers, guard unit, Patriot Auxiliary, safety marshals and Little Patriots. The basic dress code for all begins with black on the bottom and white on the top.

Adult musician (aka Adult helper)- plays an instrument in one or more of the parades

Marching hat distributor - generally Thursday after the Spring concert (collection day), distributes hats and records numbers

Marching hat collection - collects marching hats at Overview and Orientation meeting in September and records their numbers

Adult Flag bearer - carries a full sized American flag at a parade

Adult banner assistant - Assists/supervises the children carrying the banner in a parade

Cummerbund manager – Handles cummerbunds for entire marching season, bringing them to and from the parades.

Cummerbund distributor/collector- distributes and collects cummerbunds for one of the 5 summer parades. Individual sign-up for each parade. You may sign-up for more than one parade if able.

Cummerbund washer - washes cummerbunds at the end of the summer

Patriot auxiliary - follow the band and help supervise the younger siblings behind the band

Winter Safety marshal - clears the street ahead of band; helps keep order. Light-A-Holiday parade only

Summer Safety marshal – ONLY duty is to patrol musicians and look for raised hands for those needing assistance – Must be unencumbered with no stroller to push or children to watch.

Shuttle drivers - MUST HAVE A CELL PHONE, so those needing rides can call either shuttle driver. Drive band members from the parking area  (near where parade ends) to the start of the parade. Needed for Geneva's Swedish Days, Warrenville Independence Eve, and Streamwood Summer Celebration.

Water service - brings water before and after parades



Signup here to become a WSHSB Booster
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