Band Parents Association (MHSBPA)
All parents and guardians of MHS Band and Color Guard students are automatically members of the McLean High School Band Parents Association (MHSBPA), which meets at least three times each year. The MHSBPA is a tax-exempt charitable organization within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Copies of our Form 990 “Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” filed with the Internal Revenue Service are available upon request. We make our governing documents - Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, financial statements, tax returns, and other policy documents - available to the public upon request. Send any requests to Mr. Weise at CMWeise@fcps.edu.
The Officers and Directors make up the Executive Board. They meet at 7:30 pm on the second Tuesday of the month during the school year in the Career Center in the Guidance Office at MHS. All Band Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend the Executive Board Meetings. See the calendar for scheduled meetings. Attendance is a good way to keep up with Band activities.
The MHSBPA is involved in all aspects of the band program. We conduct the fundraising efforts to purchase and repair equipment, pay registration costs for events and competitions, produce award winning half-time shows and provide weekly sectional instruction from specialists on the various band instruments.
Parents organize the travel for Marching Band competitions, Jazz Band events, and the spring trip for the Concert Band, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic band. For many years, we have hosted the Fairfax County District XII All-District Band Festival at McLean High School, as well as Vienna Band Camp held at Longfellow Middle School. We organize and chaperone the summer marching activities. We work with various media to provide publicity in the community for the bands and all of their great achievements.
The MHSBPA is always looking for a few good volunteers to lend a helping hand toward our many projects and events. Please browse the through the various board leadership positions to find the best match for your special talents!
Board Position Descriptions
Alumni Liaison
For the sake of continuity and historical perspective, a graduated member of the board serves on the current band board each year.
Band Banquet
Our band students are recognized for many honors and awards. At the end of the year, the band director celebrates their many achievements with trophies and plaques at a banquet. Parents are needed to organize the event and order the awards for presentation at the awards banquet.
Concert Programs
Concert programs are printed for each band performance. Parents are needed to design the concert programs and forward the file to Mr. Weise, who will then arrange for printing.
Charms
The Charms coordinator manages the Band's communication platform, making sure all parents and students receive Band-related emails sent by the staff.
District Band
For the past few years, McLean HS has hosted the All-District Band auditions. Parents are needed to help with registration, building set-up, refreshments for volunteers, and tabulation.
Equipment
During marching band season, the instruments and equipment used in the percussion “pit” need to be moved on and off the football field. It is also trucked to competition sites. Many parents are needed for each event to move the equipment on and off the field very quickly.
Fruit Sale
The fruit sale is another band fundraiser held in the late fall. Fruit is pre-ordered by the community and picked up at the school. Parents are needed to contact band parents and community members to place their orders. They are also needed to work the tables on distribution day in December.
Color Guard Liaison
The color guard is a fully integrated part of the marching band in the summer and fall marching season, comprised of students who may not necessarily be band students. At the completion of the marching season the color guard is joined by other members from the school community and participate in the indoor, Winter Guard competition circuit, traveling throughout Virginia and other states. A parent is needed to serve as a representative for the guard to the band board to assist in managing schedules and resources.
Hospitality
Hospitality provides breakfast for parents and students on Tag Day in the fall and Raffle Day in the spring, refreshments for the judges’ room for All District auditions in January and dinner for the spring band banquet. The hospitality committee also organizes a pot-luck dinner for the parents and students before the preview show of the marching band performance at the beginning of the school year and provides water for all bus trips.
Jazz Liaison
Our Jazz Band is made up of students from both concert and symphonic bands. They have their own concert and rehearsal schedule under the direction of Scott Weinhold. A parent serves as a representative for the jazz ensemble to the band board.
Publicity
The MHS Band is a source of pride in the McLean Community. It is important to publicize our special events and achievements to the public in order to maintain the great support it has given to our program through the years. A parent is needed to work with the local papers and school media to advertise the great work of our students.
Spring Fundraiser
Our spring fundraiser is held on a Saturday in April and has taken a variety of forms. Parent volunteers are needed to organize the event, which is smaller in scope than Tag Day but a significant part of our overall fundraising effort.
Spirit Wear
“MHS Band” t-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets are worn by students, friends and family during football games, marching competitions and fundraising events to show support for our band program. Orders are placed in the spring and distributed at the beginning of the year.
Summer Marching Program
The summer marching program is a three week event where our marching band and color guard learn the music and the drill formation for their award-winning half time performances. Parents are needed to chaperone, organize social activities and provide assistance to the instructors. This is a wonderful bonding experience for all.
Tag Day
This is our biggest fundraising event, held on a Saturday in September. Students dress in their marching band uniforms, perform in small ensembles at local shopping centers and ask for donations to the band. They are also driven to neighborhoods going door to door for contributions. This has been a tradition in the community for many years and is well received. Many parents are needed to chaperone at the shopping centers, drive students to the neighborhoods and work in the “counting room.”
Trips & Chaperones
Travel arrangements need to be made when the band goes on the road for competitions. They attend several local and regional competitions. Parents are needed to book the commercial travel arrangements, collect and record the student forms and payments and coordinate chaperones.
Uniforms
Marching Band and concert uniforms are the property of the band. Parents are needed to fit and assign uniforms to the students and maintain rental records and payments. The occasional repair and cleaning is also part of the job.
Website Manager
A parent is needed to maintain our website by updating information provided by the band director and other board members throughout the year.