Game Time Changed for 10/06/18

Good Evening AI Band,

Marching Band practice is tomorrow night (Monday 10/01/18) from 7:00-9:00 pm.  Students should not be staying after school for band practice.  If they are not involved in a sport or club they should be leaving the building at 2:15 pm, and returning for practice at night.  The band room will be locked at 2:40 pm and opened at 6:00 pm.

The football game on Saturday (10/06/18) is at Christiana High School.  Due to a high number of students taking the SAT that morning, the game time has been moved from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Kickoff will be at 3:00 pm, which would usually mean that the visiting band would perform between 2:40-2:55 pm.  However, this is Christiana’s homecoming game and they have festivities, included a hall of fame ceremony, beginning at 2:15 pm.  Because of this…

The Athletic Director at Christiana High School had their Band Director contact me to let us know that there will not be time for the A.I. duPont Marching Band to perform before the game.  They are instead asking us to perform our show after the game.  I have been a teacher at AIHS for 16 years and this is a first for me.  I have been able to speak with several of our band officers and school administrators (including Mr. Palladinetti).  None of us like the idea of being told to perform after the game and we are frustrated with this situation.  I am not sure how this will turn out.

As of now, the report time to AIHS for band members will be 1:00 pm on Saturday (in full uniform). However, if we are not provided with a respectable opportunity to perform our show we may decide to not attend the event.  I will let you know as soon as I can.  Just plan on reporting at 1:00 pm on Saturday.

Richard Weaver – Director of Bands

 

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09/28/18 – Football Game Recap

Good Afternoon A.I. Band Family,

This past Friday, the marching band performed very well.  Even with the field being muddy, they put on an excellent show!  Great job!  And, our football team defeated Mount Pleasant!

Unfortunately, there were some fans at the game who decided to cause an incident in the parking lot after the event.  During the 4th quarter, there seemed to be tension between several groups of people by the concession stand.  Something was off and just didn’t feel right.  Administration called for additional state troopers.  We also decided that the cheerleaders and band members should remain in the stadium while the crowd exited after the game.

Once in the parking lot, a large fight broke out between several groups of people.  Even with the extra troopers for support, the crowd took a while to disperse.  Nobody involved in the fight was an AIHS student.  I will repeat that: No AIHS students were involved in the altercation.   Keeping the band and the cheerleaders in the stadium after the game turned out to be the correct decision.  Regardless of anything else, student safety is always our highest priority.  I hope that you will agree with me…even if it was slightly inconvenient for families picking up their students after the game.  I could not have been more proud of the way our band members handled this unfortunate situation.

Rich Weaver – Director of Bands

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Info for 9/20/18 through 9/28/18

Thursday, 9/20: Band Booster Meeting at 7:00 pm in the AIHS Library.  All parents/guardians of band students are invited to participate. Meetings are usually the 3rd Thursday of every month and last approximately 1 hour.

Friday, 9/21: If you have ordered a sub and are participating in the Sub Dinner it begins at 4:30 pm in the AIHS Cafeteria.  Please remember to bring a dessert to share.

Friday, 9/21: Home football game vs. Lake Forest.  Band report time is 5:30 pm in uniform.  The Lake Forest Band is scheduled to perform at 6:10 pm.  Football Senior Night occurs at 6:30 pm.  (This is NOT the band’s senior night.) We will perform the national anthem at 6:55 pm.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm.  Our marching band will perform our field show during halftime.

Saturday, 9/22: Inaugural HBCU Battle of the Bands at Frawley Stadium.  This event will feature 4 HBCU Marching Bands.  AI duPont and Smyrna High School will be performing before the college bands compete.  The show begins at 3:00 pm, with the gates opening at 2:00 pm.  Students are to report to AIHS at 1:00 pm to take the bus over to Frawley. Please report in full uniform with your gold marching band shirt under your jacket. While we do not have every detail of this event, I am guessing that it will finish around 4:30-5:00 pm and we will return to AIHS approximately 15 minutes after that.

Monday, 9/24: There in no band practice/event this evening due to Back to School Open House (which is from 6:00-8:00 pm.)

Tuesday, 9/25: Marching Band Practice from 7:00-9:00 pm.  Reminder that parents/guardians should be at school by 9:00 pm to pick up their student from practice.

Friday, 9/28: Home football game vs. Mt. Pleasant.  Report time is 5:30 pm in full uniform.  Mt. Pleasant’s band will perform before the game.  AIHS will perform at halftime.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

Monday, 10/1: Marching Band Practice from 7:00-9:00 pm.

 

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Week of 9/9/18

The football game from Friday has been rescheduled for Monday, 9/10/18, at 6:00 pm.  The game will be played at Appoquinimink High School (vs. Polytech). The band will NOT be traveling to perform at the football game.

There is no school on Monday, 9/10/18.

Marching Band practice this week will be Wednesday, 9/12/18, from 7:00-9:00 pm.

Mum Fundraising Forms need to be turned in by practice Wednesday night (9/12/18).  We cannot accept any orders after that date because the boosters need to place their order with the grower.

Sub Dinner Forms are due by this Friday, 9/14/18.

Our next football game is Saturday, 9/15/18 at Charter School of Wilmington at 11:00 am.  Students should report to AIHS by 9:30 am.  We will perform our show at 10:40 am.  The Cab Calloway School of the Arts Marching Band will perform at halftime.

 

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Polytech Football Game 9/7/18

The Tiger Football Team opens the regular season tomorrow evening at Polytech High School in Dover, DE.

Report time for the band is 3:30 pm.  Yes, there is a chance of rain and thunderstorms.  Everyone should still report to AIHS at 3:30 pm. We will access the weather before we depart for Dover.  Please just plan that everything will go on as normal.

We are slated to perform our show (first 2 songs) before the game around 6:40 pm.  Kickoff is at 7:00 pm.  The Polytech Band will perform the national anthem and their show at halftime.

The band will head home after the game ends.  Polytech is approximately 1 hour away.  I am guessing that we will be back to AIHS around 10:30-10:45 pm.  Students should text their parent/guardian when we depart Dover, then again when we are 15 minutes from the high school.

There is no school on Monday 9/10/18.  Marching band practice next week will be on Wednesday from 7:00-9:00 pm.  Please refer to my previous blog post for our current schedule.

Mum fundraising forms are due next week.  We can take them at practice Wednesday night.  No late orders will be accepted as the parents running the fundraiser need to place their order by the end of the week.  There is no wiggle room for this.

Sub dinner forms are due next Friday.  Please be sure to get them turned in.  This event is a great tradition before the first football game.  Parents can meet each other and then head out to the football game.  Besides, who doesn’t love Casapulla’s Subs?

My cell phone number is 302-598-4114 if any parents need to contact me for emergency situations during band events.

Rich Weaver – Director of Bands

 

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Sub Dinner

Please find a copy of the sub dinner attached to this post.  Students were given these 2 weeks ago, so parents/guardians should have seen them by now.  It will take place before our first home game on Friday, 9/21/18.

Orders are due by Friday, 9/14/18.  Please follow the instructions on the order form.

AI Sub Dinner Form

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Marching Band Schedule

Good Afternoon,

Please find the most current band calendar attached to this post.

Report time for the game on Friday 9/7/18 is 3:30 pm.

Practice next week is on Wednesday, 9/12/18 from 7:00-9:00 pm (due to school being closed on Monday 9/10/18).

 

2018-19 Marching Band Schedule 2018-09-04

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