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In the Race
Now, here, you see, it takes all the blogging I can do to keep in the same place. If I want to get somewhere else, I must blog twice as fast as that! You see, I'm in the Red Queen's Race...
Update - Take A look at the Franklin High School Band Performing in the July 4th Parade
By Janet Evans
Friday, Jun 27 2008, 06:36 PM
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Update 2
It looks like pressure from the Bloggers, the Civic Celebration committee, the community and students have done the job. School Board member David Works just told me that he spoke to Dr. Patz and he is working on releasing the instruments to the Drum Major so any students who would like to participate in the parade will be allowed to do so. Let's hope everything works out and that there are enough students around to have a good enough showing.
Also, Greg Kowalski informed me that Mr. Cady called Jeanine Olson from the Civic Celebrations Committee and told her the Band Director Scott Julius agreed to help coordinate the parade. I also received an email from Mr. Cady verifying this, I asked if Mr. Julius is being compensated for his leadership of the Band, and was told he was. Mr. Cady also had this to say:
I do want to say that our school does really value our community and we do understand
and respect that our community has an expectation that the school gives
back. The band has performed for community events on numerous occasions
such as performing at fund raisers for the cultural center, providing
entertainment for hundreds of our seniors each spring when we host a
dinner and first viewing of our musical and our students complete
hundreds of hours of community service every year. It is important that
we do these things, we know that and will continue to strive to improve
our efforts in this area.
An interesting turn of events.
We'll remember this quote from Dave Szychlinski for next year:
“I spoke with Dr. Patz this morning and he
promised me that no matter happens this year, we will handle this
differently in the future so this never happens again.”
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Update 1
This has nothing to do with a referendum.
I talked to the United Music Parent's President (UMPS), Rhonda Gross, this morning.
Last year the parade was run by the student Drum Major. She said there may not even be enough students available right now. This happened a month ago. The volunteers were in charge in the past.
Contracts are still in negotiations for some of the teachers right now. You can bet it will be discussed for a band teacher to participate in the parade. The School District does care about the Community. They've gotten off easy all these years because they have had a strong parent group like UMPS. Also, being that it's late...kids make plans when it gets late. They don't wait around. There aren't 300 kids sitting home waiting to march knowing that they don't have a leader. You would think the new Band Director could have stepped up, but no, he didn't have a contract. Obviously he wanted to get paid. He could be out of town too. Who knows. The UMPS President says he's good with the students.
Not everything revolves around a referendum.
It has been said to our faces at the meetings it will be a while before there is a referendum.
Do we have a date yet?
No.
They need to get land first.
The band isn't playing because many people screwed up.
Period.
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Don’t see anything but an empty space?
That’s because as of this posting there will be no Franklin High School Marching Band in the parade.
And don’t hold your breath for one either.
Franklin blogger, Greg Kowalski brought up this issue last night on his Metro Milwaukee Today blog.
I looked into it a little further today to clarify the issue.
Tanya Ruder, District Communications Specialist reports that:
“We have had some very generous parents and students who have dedicated
their time in the past to organize the band for the parade. This has
never been a school or district organized event. This year there was no
outside person or group that worked on organizing the band. The Civic
Celebration Planning Committee was notified that the band would not be
participating approximately a month ago.
While the district is well aware that the community supports the band
and would like to have them participating, the time frame for this year
is now too short to prepare them for the event. We are going to work on
having the appropriate staff for the parade next year that can work with
available students to perform in the parade. This not only ensures that
the band will be present, but they will also be well rehearsed.
We appreciate all of the support that our community shows for the
Franklin High School Band and we look forward to participating in the
parade next year.”
Dave Szychlinski, School Board President says:
“I spoke with Dr. Patz this morning and he
promised me that no matter happens this year, we will handle this
differently in the future so this never happens again.”
I find the Civic Celebration Planning Committee at fault also. If they knew about this a month ago, as stated, they could have tried to find a band from another area to participate. Hales Corners has their parade late in the afternoon. Perhaps Whitnall's band might have played in our parade. It’s just a thought…you never know. It’s just that, a parade needs at least one band.
My main gripe is that, if this was made public perhaps a community volunteer with music experience, and I know there are some of you out there, might have stepped forward and volunteered a few hours with these students to practice a couple songs for the parade and marched with them on July 4th….for free! Does money always have to be an issue here? Does a contract for a teacher have to come into play? Can a teacher volunteer their services for a few hours in the summer?
Go ahead....criticize me for bringing that up. But I sit at School Board meetings for hours and I don’t have children in school. I can battle anyone about volunteering if you want….I have many, many years of it behind me.So, Franklin citizens…enjoy the parade…
Perhaps we will have to resort to this...
"Ingenuity at its best is seen with the creation of Willimantic’s Boom Box Parade. In 1986, no marching band could be found for Memorial Day. Five weeks later, the “Boom Box Parade” concept was born, where the local radio station, WILI, plays the marching band music on the air, and thousands of parade goers loudly play their radios (boom boxes). Anyone can march in this one-of-a-kind people’s parade. The only requirements are to wear some red, white and blue and bring a radio tuned to WILI (1400AM). American flags are optional but encouraged. There is no “official” theme for the parade. Past parade marchers have included the “Traveling Fish Head Club of Northeastern Connecticut”, which in 2003 had a “herring town” entry and in 2001 had a tribute to the Frog Bridge. Grand Marshal Wayne Norman, a WILI personality, always leads the parade."
The Boom Box Parade - July 4th Celebration
But we can call it the Boomgaard Box Parade...
That's the way things in Franklin are going lately....
Happy 4th of July
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