CHS Music Department makes plans to 'swarm' Florida

<p class="p1">The Chester High School Music Department will continue a 16-year tradition in the summer of 2017 when it boards three Southwestern Illinois Bus Company busses and heads to Disney World in Florida.

<p class="p1">The tradition began in the summer of 2001 when Music Director Steve Colonel led the first excursion to the "Friendliest Place on Earth," with the CHS Concert Band and Swing Choir for the first performances at Disney.

<p class="p1">The band and swing choir has made a return every four years since then in 2005, 2009, and 2013. The fifth Disney experience will hopefully leave CHS Colbert Gymnasium on the afternoon or evening of May 31, 2017 and return Wednesday June 7.

<p class="p1">Steve Colonel held his first informational meeting on June 5. Several parents of former trip participants were veterans at trip-planning, but the bulk of those in attendance were novices and experiencing their first Florida Trip.

<p class="p1">Colonel began by announcing the dates for the trip and pointed out that this trip would experiment with a new timetable. Former trips have typically departed on the afternoon or evening of Memorial Day Monday and returned on the following first Monday in June.

<p class="p1">Colonel explained that that arrangement often led to musician fatigue as seniors have been graduating on the Sunday before Memorial Day and stay out most of graduation night at Project Graduation.

<p class="p1">The band would then travel all night of Memorial Day and into the next day before checking into a hotel for rest and relaxation. Once they reach Florida, time is spent on field trips and recreation at Disney World prior to the actual performances and/or competitions.

<p class="p1">By the time the performances take place, the musicians are tired, run down and not at optimal performance energy.

<p class="p1">The new schedule of departing on Wednesday will help students perform earlier in the trip and leave more educational and recreational endeavors for after the performances.

<p class="p1">Trip costs are estimated at $1,000.

<p class="p1">"The first trip back in 2001 cost $895 per person," Colonel said. "On the last trip in 2013, the cost was $950 per person.

<p class="p1">"My best guess for the 2017 trip is $1,000."

<p class="p1">Colonel noted that there are potential areas where costs might be cut a bit, but that he refuses to cut costs when it comes to some areas such as safe travel.

<p class="p1">"We have used SWIBCO for all of our trips to date," he said. "They are associated with our school district and they are a safe, dependable means of transportation.

<p class="p1">"They know the kids and they know our schedule and routine."

<p class="p1">If space is available on the buses, parents are invited to come along to enjoy the trip.

<p class="p1">"Parents are just along to enjoy the performances and other festivities," Colonel said. "All of the chaperoning and supervision is done by me and the Music Patrons Officers.

<p class="p1">"It gets very confusing if parents try to get involved with discipline or other forms of supervision."For those who want to come along to Disney for the trip there are three options regarding transportation and fees.

<p class="p1">For $1,000, tag-alongs can board the bus, ride and travel with the students and stay in the trip hotel. Park fees, most meals and passage into other entertainment are included.

<p class="p1">For a slightly reduced fee, parents and others can drive to Florida by themselves, but meet the group at the hotel and everything else after that point is included in a fee - minus the transportation expenses.

<p class="p1">"The third option is to 'pick-and-choose' which parks and activities in which you wish to attend," Colonel said. "You will decide in advance if you wish to be included in the group activities, but your fee will be adjusted based upon which choices you make."

<p class="p1">One parent asked how much the $1,000 fee covers.

<p class="p1">"The fee covers just about everything," Colonel said. "There are probably four or five meals that will have to be purchased by the students and guests.

<p class="p1">"Souvenirs are on your own, of course, but after that, all meals, transportation, Disney Park tickets and entertainment are covered."

<p class="p1">Colonel noted that each student has a "trip account" established. That account can be seen on the music website at <span class="s1">www.chesteryellowjactmusic.com</span>.

<p class="p1">Students are responsible for earning their own Disney Trip fee. Parents can simply pay the fee themselves, or there are a variety of trip fundraisers that can significantly assist in paying for a student's trip.

<p class="p1">There are seven scheduled fundraisers already and most students already have money in their accounts with fundraising that took place last year.

<p class="p1">Scheduled fundraisers include the fall Music Patrons Fundraiser; the Christmas Fruit Sales fundraiser; the CHS Music Department Cookbook fundraiser which will take place at Christmas time; a 50/50 Raffle at both the Christmas Concert and the Spring Concert; the annual Spring Music Patrons Fundraiser; and usual Florida Trip Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction, which will be held next spring

<p class="p1">The 2017 CHS Music Department Cookbook is already under way. Vicky Beers, co-music patrons president, is the chair-person of that project and is currently seeking recipes from band and chorus parents.

<p class="p1">"We need five-to-10 recipes per music department family to complete the book," Beers said. "The more the better."

<p class="p1">All band and chorus members need to get their parents to type the recipes and email them to <span class="s2">stsvecolonel@chester139.com</span> as soon as possible, but no later than July 1, 2016 if possible.

<p class="p1">It takes time to organize and submit the recipes to the professional printer in time to get them in time to sell at Christmas time.

<p class="p1">Any parent that does not have access to a computer can contact Colonel at 618-615-8335 or Beers at 618-826-5135 for assistance or advice.

<p class="p1">Colonel also would like to hear from those parents that did not attend the meeting on June 5. He has handouts for all parents and students and there are also three very important forms that must be completed as soon as possible.

<p class="p1">These forms are: 1) Permission Form for Student to Attend the Disney Trip; 2) Code of Conduct; and 3) Medical Treatment Authorization Form. All three MUST be signed and turned in to Colonel.

<p class="p1">Colonel talked about the Code of Conduct Form at length. He noted that any student that violates any of the 10 elements of the Code of Conduct may be sent home from Florida at the parent's expense.

<p class="p1">This form must be signed by both the student and the parents.

<p class="p1">Colonel said that the 2017 trip will likely include at least one Concert Band performance in one of the Disney parks and at least one Swing Choir performance in at least one of the Disney parks.

<p class="p1">Colonel noted that there will be another "huge" meeting during the first weeks of school to disseminate updated information, discuss the status of student trip accounts, collect signed forms, and answer questions about the details of trip.