Dear Marching Band student and parent,
Last Friday, July 10, WCPSS posted the following announcement:
Athletics, Marching Band and Other Co-Curricular Activities Suspended Indefinitely
A subcommittee for Athletics & Co-Curricular/Band Activities, which consists of Principals, Athletic Directors, Athletic Trainers, Band Directors, Area Superintendents, the WCPSS Athletic Director, WCPSS Director of Arts and others, has been carefully monitoring COVID-19 trends in Wake County and in the state of North Carolina.
The rise in COVID-19 cases and guidance from state officials would compel us to take extensive precautions to protect student safety should we resume activities, including daily temperature checks and health screenings, as well as strict social distancing rules.
In light of this, the subcommittee has determined that it is not prudent to resume athletic or co-curricular activities at this time, nor for the foreseeable future. Therefore, all voluntary workouts, practices and other gatherings are suspended indefinitely.
One of our WCPSS band directors who has been serving on a committee monitoring COVID-19 trends and their impact on marching band wrote me the following response to my inquiry:
“No physical rehearsals in July. Following the Governor’s announcement on schools and then the NCHSAA response, WCPSS will announce next steps. Nothing final as to the fall.”
In light of these mandates, we are cancelling our Pre-camp and Band Camp rehearsals for the weeks of July 20th and July 26th respectively. We will NOT meet as a Marching Band during the month of July. I will communicate our plans for August once additional announcements have been made by our civil and school leaders.
I wish I could provide further direction with respect to the remainder of the summer and the fall. Please also know that I have no idea what our concert band activities will look like for the school year. I would expect that within the next several weeks the answers to these questions will be provided.
I am always going to remain optimistic about the future of our band this year, as well as in years to come. I strongly believe it is the only way to approach something as unprecedented as this pandemic. As my mom would often say “this too shall pass.”
I will acknowledge that I am heartbroken concerning this decision as well as this pandemic’s effect on our society. I pray every day that we will be guided out of this nightmare through scientific breakthroughs and intelligent decisions. I will continue to advocate for our young musicians who want to return to the incomparable joy of creating music together! This is a precious gift that has been taken from us and it is essential to our overall health and well-being!
As I’ve stated numerous times in my “Doc Talks/Lessons” this past spring, it is important that we continue to engage our minds, body and spirit every day in order to remain healthy! Learn something every day! Exercise every day! And make certain that you are finding ways to truly be happy every day! We may be “frozen” or “suspended” from doing an activity that we love, but it doesn’t mean that we shut ourselves down and become less of who we are. The way that you handle yourself in this crisis is truly a reflection of WHO YOU ARE. We must make something GOOD come out of all of this!
Stay strong and positive! I am always here for you!
