and 10. Congratulations, Parents and Band Families - you have successfully navigated Marching Band season - from the first parent meeting to the drive home from Grand Nationals - you've been there cheering, motivating, volunteering, and supporting every step along the way, never missing a beat. We are so proud of our students. As a parent of both a senior and a freshman color guard member, I am both saddened by the end of this marching season and eager for the start of the next one. To my fellow senior parents - thank you for all you have done for our program. So many of you volunteered your time for the past four (or more) years. You have fed our kids, cleaned their uniforms, chaperoned competitions, planned, built and moved props, organized, directed, corrected, fundraised, cheered, and cried. Though this season has ended - you are not just a former member of the band community, you are part of the Jenison Band Family  - eternally. To the parents  of underclassmen - I cannot encourage you enough to step into the roles that open, maximize your band experience by joining a committee. Your presence is all the talent you need to make a difference! 

9. Now that our season has come to an end, and the dust (and pieces of turf) begin to settle, take some time and pause. Let your band member reflect. Share how much you have loved watching them grow. Remind them that they were, and are a part of something amazing. To be ranked second in the NATION for Class AA, to be nationally recognized for their talents and hard work - these are not easy feats. This accomplishment is due to dedication, hard work, respect for self, team, leaders, and their craft. They have developed skills of successful people - (while carrying an instrument - and yes that includes flags and weapons). Remind them to hold their heads high, Keep their backs tall, and take pride in their accomplishments. They have certainly earned this recognition. 

8. The work doesn't end. Even though our 2025 competitive marching season has come to an end - the work doesn't end. There is more music to be played. As parents, we get to continue supporting our band members and guard members at concerts, clinics, ensembles, orchestras, and Winter Guard! Winter Guard is already hard at work preparing their shows and preparing for their season! Parents - we must continue to encourage our band members to maintain good habits, to not forget what they have worked so hard to learn and to achieve. Trust me, the next marching season is just around the corner. Before you know it there will be whispers and theories about what the next show will be, when the announcement will come, and chatter about fundraising for next season, and preparing for the Memorial Day Parade! 

7. The banquet awaits - Monday, Dec 1 at the JCA. Students normally dress up for the banquet. Parents do not have to wear anything special. I usually will don my show shirt one more time for the season. The banquet is lengthy - BUT so was the season. Here's what you can expect: Usually the directors give a speech or speeches, the seniors do a recap, their mock election awards are given out - along with paper plate medals. Usually Mr. Z sweeps the captions in these awards for best smile, and best dressed. I love this part of the banquet because you see so many personalities shine through. We also will watch our show one last time all together. The seniors gift the directors something to remember their seasons by, and the boosters have a few words of thanks to share with the directors and the students! (You may even get to see me stand up and say a few words!) After all the reminiscing of the season - students often pose for pictures with their trophies and banners, with directors, with sections, with parents, and of course with friends. There will be tearful senior parents (I'm not crying - you're crying). There will also be treats in the lobby for all to partake in! Be sure to thank Sandy and Rachel one more time for their hard work again this year! 

6. You hopefully have already laundered band related items - but have your band member double check their backpacks, scrub their water bottles, add some fresheners to their dinkles, and put them all in a safe place for next summer. I recommend having a tote where all marching band related items can be easily found in May. In the tote I store the extra dot books, shoe strings, cooling towels, sun hats, ankle braces, muscle rub, guard tape, dinkles, band socks, mechanical pencils, compression gear, body tights... you get the idea. If it was on the list of items needed for camps - and I still have it - it's going in that bin. This takes the pressure off in the spring when it's time to locate all of these items. 

5. Did you know that YOU are a member of the band boosters? if you haven't - you should attend the next booster meeting on Tuesday, February 10th in the HS Library at 7pm. You can gain valuable insights about fundraising, budgeting, and all the behind the scenes updates that go along with being a band parent. There are many wonderful opportunities to support the band and help us maintain the level of success we have grown accustomed to. Additional booster meetings are listed on the Jenison Band Calendar - (Feb. 10, Mar. 17, Apr. 21)

4. Fundraising for marching band continues in the off season! Jenison Fine Arts volunteers at Van Andel Arena on a regular basis. The opportunity to both raise funds to support the band and earn credits that directly fund your band member account is just a few clicks away. First, join the facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1ACSZu3NYa/?mibextid=wwXIfr. Then find the sign up genius and add your name to any open shifts and waitlists! The community of Van Andel volunteers is fun, inviting, and worth your time! After one year of working a few shifts here and there throughout the winter months - I was able to finance both of my daughters' 2025 marching seasons, and most of their 2025/26 Winter Guard seasons. If you have questions about Van Andel you can reach out to me or to Hilary Fisher, Tabi Fischer, or Emily Wellman - all of whom can be found on the Jenison Fine Arts Van Andel Facebook group. A portion of what you earn will support the band program - but the majority goes directly back to your student! 

3. Now is a good time for band students (and families) to focus on all the activities that may have taken a back burner during the busy marching season. Healthy dinners as a family, cleaning up those messy bedrooms, or discovering clothing in your wardrobe that doesn't feature the Jenison Band logo or The Night Garden color palette. The temptation may be to veg out and binge watch all the shows and movies that you couldn't enjoy during the season - but encourage your band member to continue to condition themselves and take care of their bodies and minds during the off season. Healthy habits are easier to maintain than they are to start over again after stopping! Stay hydrated and stay active!  

2. Band members often delay medical procedures or dental appointments during the season so that they aren't sidelined during Band-tober. If you haven't already - schedule what needs to be done so that there is time for recovery before the next season begins. It's not a medical procedure - but drivers education starts soon for my freshman daughter - and while it may not be on your radar at the moment - or maybe you've already taken that step - but it's much easier to fit these classes in during the off season than during the summer and fall. My older kids got most of their driving hours just going to and from spring/summer rehearsals and practices! 

1. Year after year, one of my first thoughts after a season ends is "how will we ever top that?" and every year I am left in awe and amazement what this program, these directors, and these students are capable of achieving. The memories of the Night Garden will live with me now. Every time I see a firefly, hear a certain chord, catch a glimpse of a dragonfly, or notice the full moon glistening in the night sky I will be brought back to Fall of 2025 and this amazing show.

Looking forward to 2026!  Thank you Class of 2025.

Kate (the blog mom) 
Enjoy some of the photos that I've saved through the season from my own camera roll and those generously shared by other parents!

Dear Band Families,

I had the pleasure of chaperoning this first competition of the 2025 season. The number of times I said “careful with your skirt - or “waist cape” as some of us put it, was overwhelming. The fabric on the costumes is quite delicate and with the skirt being sewn into the pants it can tear easily if our kids aren’t careful. The zippers are also quite delicate. Remind your band member to take extra care while in their costume, and if something happens - they should let an adult know as soon as they can. We have a wonderful costume team who maintain and launder the costumes after every competition - they are hard working and very giving of their time! Students should remember to be polite and grateful to this team - and all the parent volunteers they encounter.

Now that our first competition is under our belt, it's time to start thinking about and preparing for the rest of the season!
Here are the top five things that I wanted to remind parents about competitions. 

1. Marching Competitions are not football games. PLEASE leave your noisemakers at home. Cowbells, horns, clappers, megaphones, loud cups - they have no place at a band competition. They are disruptive to the band, create noise that can make it difficult for judges to hear, and could impact scores negatively if that happens. By all means - cheer before we start, clap and applaud during appropriate sections - but we do NOT need more cowbell… 
2. Wear your Jenison Apparel with pride. Remember that when you put on a Jenison band shirt - you are representing the band. You should abide by the same values that are expected of our students when they are in uniform. Be respectful. Show kindness to others. Stay off your phone during performances. Watch with a positive attitude - you are not there to critique or judge - you are there to support. Keep your comments and observations about the other bands (and ours) POSITIVE. You never know who may be sitting near you, or who might overhear you in passing. Be a good sport. All of the bands competing have worked just as hard as our own kids - and they should be applauded for that! Remind anyone attending with you of these guidelines as well. Don't stand up or talk during any of the bands. Don't enter or exit the stands during performances. Be nice to the volunteers! Clean up after yourself. Don't block someone else's view with big hats or umbrellas. Be mindful of your words and actions when you're representing Jenison Bands.
3. Don’t take video or record audio. Don’t post video or audio. There are copyright rules and we don’t want to cross those boundaries. Take LOTS of photos of your band members, your friends' band members, all the band members! Post the photos on the Jenison Marching Band Parents' facebook page. Not every parent has a great view, a great camera, or the opportunity to attend - sharing photos helps us all!
4. You can check the scores from the local competitions on the MCBA website (or the BOA site for Toledo and Indy.) MCBA stands for Michigan Competing Band Association. BOA is Bands of America. For MCBA - Jenison is in Flight II based on the population of Jenison High School. For BOA Jenison is in Class AA (2A)). Scores are based on Music, General Effect, and Visual Effect. Overall scores are calculated as a sum of those scores. The judges are right there on the field to judge and make recorded comments. The band will get a chance to review those comments with the directors following the competition.
5. TRAVEL TO TOLEDO! It's a long day - but SO worth it. 

• Our next competition will be in Toledo - at the Glass Bowl Stadium. (1745 Stadium Drive, Toledo, OH 42606) Students will ride the buses to the event, and directions will be sent out by directors for the trip. It’s a long drive and students will want to double check that they have everything they need. Help them confirm that they are prepared prior to leaving. As for us, the fans, we will drive ourselves there, and park in any "A lots" on campus. Everyone is really helpful - so if you’re confused - ask someone directing traffic where to go. You pay for your parking through the PARKMOBILE APP. I’d recommend setting it up before you arrive as it takes a bit of information to complete. You will purchase tickets ahead of time on their website. 
• ​Depending on your preference you’ll buy tickets for the Prelims and/or the Finals. You will need a ticket for both events if you plan to attend both events. I recommend purchasing the day pass - this will get you tickets for both prelims and finals for a discounted rate. There are other discounts for students, seniors, and the military as well. Children 10 and under are free - but still need a ticket. Tickets are less expensive if you order ahead of time. (This savings will add up!) There is some initial sticker shock at the cost of the tickets for these larger events - but remember you’re paying to see a FULL day of amazing bands - not just our performance! I have always attended both Prelims and Finals - and Jenison has typically made Finals in the past. Plan to bring a clear stadium bag if you need to bring a bag into the stadium at all.

(I will be working on another blog with more Toledo specific information VERY soon.) There is, however, SO much great information that can be found in the blogs of the past. If you can't wait to see mine, and you're looking for information - search by keyword or by dates and you can go back and read all the tried and true tricks from the band parents who have “been there, done that.”

Way to go, Wildcats!

As always - comment or send me questions! We're all happy to help. 

Kate Cummings-Ackerman

As the calendar flips from July to August, band families begin the final preparations for band camp. Our students have been fully immersed in weekly rehearsals all summer - but band camp weeks will still be an awakening into the world that is Marching Band. I have been reviewing blog posts from previous July/August posts as inspiration for what to include here in my own post - and I would encourage you to do the same. There’s a lot of wisdom and history in those posts. Some are straightforward and informative while others are humorous with a hint of sarcasm - but the overlapping reminders and insider tips are priceless. (LINK TO AN INFORMATIVE BLOG POST FROM THE PAST) (Here is another good post - check out the images!)

Let’s start with the basics: there are THREE camps remaining this season. Pre-Camp, Band Camp, and Post-Camp. All three weeks are intense, long, and ultimately rewarding. It would be a good idea to go back and review my earlier blog post for reminders of what to expect. 

Here’s the schedule from the directors:

Pre-Camp
Monday, July 28 - Thursday, July 31;  8:00am - 4:00pm*
Lunch is "on your own" - 12:00 - 1:00 pm each day

*Don't forget our Marching Band Family Dessert Socialon Wednesday, July 30, 7:00-8:30 pm at Johnson Park! Bring a dessert or snack to share, and any fun lawn games etc!

Band Camp
Monday, August 4 - Friday, August 8;  9:00am - 9:00pm*
Lunch is "on your own" - 12:00 - 1:00pm
Dinner is served by the Band Boosters each evening

*Students should plan to stay until 10:00 pm on Thursday night for our Band Camp dance. On Friday evening, students will be dismissed after our Community Performance, around 8:00 pm.

Post-Camp
Tuesday, August 12 - Thursday, August 14;  8:00am - 4:00pm*
Lunch is "on your own" - 12:00 - 1:00pm

*Students will have their high school orientations during this week. We will accommodate those orientation times, details will be provided closer to those dates.

Now let me explain in Band Parent terms:

Band camps are mandatory. Your band member NEEDS to be there. Make sure your band member is arriving at designated locations at least 15 - 20 minutes prior to the start of camps. Students are frequently responsible for gathering items from the band/guard rooms and moving them to designated locations. As Vince Lombardi said, “If you’re early, you’re on time, If you’re on time, you’re late…” 

Make sure your band member has all of the proper equipment for the camp weeks. 

Dot book - if you haven’t picked one up yet - there are fantastic options at Dollar Tree in Jenison for $1.25. 
3 ring binder with clear paper protectors
Pencils - mechanical (there’s not pencil sharpener on the field)
String or shoelace - this is for wearing your dog book during rehearsals. 
Large water bottle/jug filled with ice and water! (freeze those solo cups!)
Healthy snack (nothing that melts) for a quick snack if needed during breaks.
Hat, sunglasses, sunblock, chapstick, cooling towel, after sun lotion/aloe
Khaki Shorts for the Community Performance (black athletic shorts for guard)
Appropriate shoes (not sandals, not slides, not crocs…)

Your band member will need to pack a healthy lunch and a snack for EVERY day of all three camps. Students will still eat together - but the meal itself is not provided. Some of the older band members will go to local fast food locations, while many others bring a sack lunch and stay at school. 

Dinner will be provided and served during band camp week by the Feed the Band Committee and volunteers. Encourage your band members to fuel their body in a healthy, well balanced way. (AND STAY WELL HYDRATED)

The Marching Band Family Dessert Social (formerly known as the MB Family Picnic) is a great opportunity to mingle and get to know fellow band parents. Bring a dessert - preferably NUT FREE. If your dish contains nuts - please label it clearly! Your dish does NOT have to be homemade - this should be fun - not stressful. This year the dessert social will be at Johnson Park, on Wednesday, July 30 from 7pm - 8:30pm. If you have lawn games you’re willing to bring - the students and families always seem to enjoy relaxing and playing together. 

The Band Camp Dance is an annual tradition for that Thursday night of band camp week. Students bring a change of clothes and some deodorant so that after rehearsal that night they can dance, play games, and have fun with their fellow band members. This is not an optional activity - it is a part of band camp and a great opportunity to bond off the field. There will be parent chaperones there and the kids make great memories and frequently carry on traditions of funny costumes, group dances, and forming inside jokes. I have seen many students cultivate friendships at the dance that continue throughout their marching band and high school years.

The Community Performance is the first formal opportunity for parents, families, neighbors, and community members to see everything that the Jenison High School Marching Band has been working on all summer. The performance will demonstrate the warm ups, the music, and typically part one of the show. I love this performance personally because you get the chance to see where your band member is on the field and hear the music. If this is your first community performance don’t be surprised that it feels incomplete - it still is - remember that the show is a continual work in progress. Remember, that any evening, during band camp, you can come to the football field at the end of the night to see the “full run through.” Honestly, witnessing the progression of the show is my favorite part of band camp. I love seeing them start from the first day and each day witnessing the beginning of the show take shape, the confidence and pride that the students have in their work.

Post Camp is the same week as Orientations. Students will be dismissed during their designated times to go to their orientations. Since school pictures are taken at orientation - band members should remember to bring what they plan to wear, and any toiletries they may need to refresh themselves as they join their classmates at their designated orientation. They will attend their open house and then promptly return to rehearsals. 

As always, if there are questions - don’t hesitate to ask! Let the countdown to “official band season” begin! 10, 9, 8…

Band Blog Mom -
Kate

10.  Prepare yourself, your family, and your friends for a busy season ahead. Add dates to your calendar, set reminders of due dates for payments, forms, and orders, set aside time to read the weekly email and to read this blog.  Want to hang out? Come join us, we will all be with the band! 

9.  The show is a work in progress all throughout the season. The directors will change, fine tune, adjust, take out, and add things in as the season goes on. The entire show will be learned in parts. At the start of the season, all the parts are not ready to go. This means that no two shows will be identical. Budget your time and funds to come to as many of the performances as you can! Remember, no recordings of the show can be posted online - it's best to come see it live! 

8. Rehearsals during the week are on Monday and Tuesday nights. You should show up to the end of the rehearsals to see the "full run." It is a great chance to see your band member in action, to learn where they are on the field,  and to get to know other band families. Don't be shy either, come introduce yourself and sit with us! Staying for the full run through is also a fantastic way to see for yourself why rehearsal might "end" at 9pm, but your marcher doesn't make it to the car until sometimes much later! (More to come on that soon!)

7. Marching Band is an investment, and needs equipment - like any other activity your marcher might find time to participate in, band members will need appropriate supplies. Quality tennis shoes and a BIG water jug for rehearsals are essential. Did you know that marchers RUN - like really run? They do stretching, conditioning, and strength building exercises during every rehearsal to develop stamina and endurance! They even have an entire, choreographed warm up routine that they do! You'll see that at the Community Performance at the end of band camp! It's amazing to see. (more on Band Camp in a later post!) 

6. What on Earth does that mean? Trust me, you're going to hear words this year that you may have never heard before. If you're like me, your child will tell you things they need, or items that they have to remember - and you'll want Google translate to help you decipher what they are talking about. Quick lesson: dinkles are shoes, shakos are hats, plumes are feathers that stick out of the hats - and you can't touch those unless you're wearing gloves! Compression Gear is tight fitting garments worn under the uniforms in order to smooth and disguise the lines of the body. Band members wear compression gear with the Jenison logo under both the traditional uniform and show costume. When in show costume, they also wear a full bodysuit for an added layer of compression. Color Guard will have a set of Full Body Tights to wear, which has a similar use to the compression Gear. (Megan will send a link for that in the Band App - an platform used by color guard to communicate information that pertains only to guard). Dot Books are spiral bound notecards on which students write down their "dots" or where they are at any point in the performance. Silks are flags, Weapons include Rifles and Sabres that are spun and tossed and caught by the color guard. If you don't know what something means - it is okay to ask - we were all there once! Glossary of marching band terms - coming soon to a blog near you!

5. Did I mention that marching band is an investment? Be prepared for some sticker shock with entrance fees. The cost to enter a competition can be pricey - but remember that this cost is NOT to just see our band perform. This cost covers the cost of seeing potentially a full day of marching band performances. Many venues offer a family deal - (2 adults and kids under 18) for a discounted price! Each Invitational is a HUGE fundraiser for the hosting band. The ticket price helps to keep the costs of band lower overall! Have cash on hand, just in case, but most venues accept card or apple pay now as well. Some larger events like Regionals in Toledo, the State Competition and Grand Nationals will require tickets to be purchased online. (More to come on those events soon!) 

​4. Order a show shirt and/or a show sweatshirt. Wear the show shirt to competitions! Some of us go so far as to find fun accessories to coordinate with the show - earrings, headbands, hats, shoes, cardigans, even some years - fancy pants! (None of this is required - but it sure is fun!) The show shirts, for parents, help us find each other. If you see a Jenison Band Show Shirt - sit with us, or invite that person to sit with you! We are your people, and you are now ours! If you don't have a shirt - you definitely should get one. There will be a couple of opportunities to order. Order on the first opportunity so that you have your shirt for the first competition. Trust me, you'll wear it so much, it will pay for itself in no time! 

3. If you haven't already - join the Jenison Marching Band Parents 2025 Facebook group page. This is a great place to ask questions, share advice, introduce yourself, get reminders, find information about fundraisers, and links for ticket sales. Some of the very talented photographers in the group share their AMAZING photos throughout the season. They generously post them to share for everyone to enjoy.

2. As the season gets started - ENCOURAGE your band members to Keep showing up - even when things get hard.  The season can be exhausting. There is a period of adjustment for the marchers and the adults. Be patient with each other and it will get better - AND it is totally worth it! Encourage your band members to attend their SECTION parties - don't just encourage them - send them. Give them permission to go. These are great social events for new marchers to get to know the other members of their section. They bond with upperclassmen, and their peers alike. (Who knows, maybe they will find a section leader who drives and can bring them home when they've forgotten something!) Encourage your band members to have fun and work hard. Praise their hard work, compliment their drive to achieve great things. We are their biggest fans and they should know it. I find myself bragging about our marching band and their hard work to anyone who will listen! 

1. If you are looking for one of the fastest ways to meet other band families who are welcoming and generous with their time and talents, AND also looking for a way to get a peek inside the inner workings of the band - have I got a suggestion for you... VOLUNTEER! Watch the weekly email for links to SIGN UP GENIUS to select opportunities that work best for you. There will be plenty and you can earn $100 off your band fees by completing 10 volunteer credits. There are MANY ways to help out throughout the season - one of the first and most frequent opportunities is with FEED THE BAND. This is exactly what it sounds like - you show up, and help serve a well balanced meal to the entire band, color guard, front ensemble, tech crew, drum majors, and directors! Sandy Terbeek and Rachel Zondervan co-chair this committee and they handle the main courses - but everything else that the band eats is donated by parents like us! If you can't donate your time - please contribute food items! (These will also be on a sign up genius sent out in the emails). Donations can be made in the form of GFS gift cards - all monetary donations are used to purchase sides for meals, snacks for bus rides, and bottled waters for football games and competition days. Feeding and watering these hard working teenagers are not easy tasks and it takes everyone contributing for it to work! ​

Looking forward to meeting all of you this season! Reach out if you have any questions! 

Kate Cummings-Ackerman

Coming off from our incredibly successful Regionals performance, I thought it would be a good idea to share some reminders for those of you who are new band parents, and for those of us who have done this for a while.  
Marching band has etiquette recommendations for competitions.  Jenison Marching Band has high standards for their students as well as their parents and families.  Here is some helpful “rules”.  These rules apply any time you are watching a band performance, including football games, after football games, exhibitions, and of course contests.​

RULE #1:   Please leave all noisemakers at home. This is extremely important at all Marching Competitions.  They may distract the performers and could even impact a band's score if the judge is unable to hear the music.  Cheering and applause are fine during a performance and may be especially appropriate after a solo or when the band or color guard achieves a particularly striking effect.  Music judges are almost always outside of the press box near the center of the stadium.  If you are sitting directly below this area, please be extremely aware of your noise level throughout our performance and the entire competition.

RULE #2:  Please refrain from talking in the stands while ANY band is performing. It is important to realize that although it is fun to visit with family and friends during a competition, it is unfair to distract other spectators from enjoying the show.  This is true at any performance, including a marching band performance.  Be respectful of all other spectators and hopefully they will extend you the same courtesy.

RULE #3:  Please turn off (or at least put on vibrate) your cell phone.  If you receive a call during a performance, please wait until that performance is over before returning the call

RULE #4: Please don’t get up to leave or come into the stands during a performance.  This is especially distracting to the band on the field and those around you.  Please do that in between performances.  Most competitions will have monitors to prevent exit and entry, but if they don't, please stay put.

RULE #5:  EVERY band that takes the field deserves our absolute attention and respect. We applaud every band that takes the field.  Remember, those kids have worked just as hard as yours and they deserve it!

RULE #6: Please don’t speak poorly of other bands in the stands, even if you didn’t like their performance.  Those other parents around you might be the parents or friends of the kids in the band you were just talking about. Always keep a positive attitude regarding EVERY band. Band is a family even in competition. Negative comments can reflect poorly on the entire Jenison Band program.

Rule #7:  Please don’t use anything in the stands that could block any spectator’s vision.  Please avoid standing in front of people trying to watch the show. If you have a banner to display, try to do so from the top of the stands or in some way that others can still see the bands.  Also do not use large umbrellas, hats etc that will block the vision of other spectators.

Rule #8:  Do not allow children to play in the stands and distract other spectators. Obviously, children are the future of this activity. It is good for them to see why big brother and big sister are always at practice and are not at home. However for their safety and as a courtesy to others they should not be allowed to run up and down steps and play in the aisles so others may enjoy the show.