Travel 101
A Band Director's Guide for Planning Student Travel
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So you’re thinking about planning a trip for your group. What’s your objective? What do you want to accomplish? Are you looking for a performance opportunity with regional, national or global television coverage? Perhaps you’re interested in taking your students to an instructional seminar or clinic, band competition, special concert or music festival. Maybe you just want to reward your students with a fun trip for an outstanding season? Whatever your reason taking a trip is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Group travel presents challenges and will require extra time and effort on your part, your booster organization, parents and students as well as school approval. If you’re married it may even affect the amount of time you have to spend with your spouse and family. We’ve all heard stories about great student trips as well as those that didn’t go so well. With careful planning and the help of an established travel company you can minimize problems and provide a safe, enjoyable experience for everyone. The rewards from a well-planned successful trip will far outweigh the challenges. Before you start survey the interest and support you have for taking a trip with your staff, students, their parents, your band boosters and school administration. You’ll want everyone onboard from the start. A Planning Checklist Have a clear objective. Talk with colleagues who travel for advice on destinations, events, itinerary and a travel company they would recommend. Select a destination and event carefully consider the affordability and manageable travel distance as well as how it might fit within your school calendar. Check with other groups in your school that travel to avoid conflicts that may include the same students, travel date and fundraising. Plan early – at least 12 to 18 months in advance. Obtain the services of an established travel company. Contact references provided by your travel company. Create a budget. Consider length of trip, number of participants, and type of transportation, housing, meals, sightseeing, and extra security you want to include. Work with your travel company to create a plan within your budget. Review the itinerary with your staff and band boosters. Make final revisions to your plan and lock in your expenses. Get approval from your school administration. Establish a fundraising program. Create a payment schedule and accounting system to record student money from fundraising, donations and payments. Schedule meetings to inform parents and students about the trip. Provide information on the itinerary, cost, performance, fundraising opportunities, payment schedule and system for tracking student accounts. Keep parents and students up to date on trip information and fundraising via your website, handouts, e-mails, newsletters, and meetings. Get your community involved use newspaper, radio and television to share the word about your trip. Depending upon the magnitude and cost of your trip you may want to organize a committee to solicit corporate sponsors. Begin with a database of the major industries in your town and the places where your students’ parents work. Place a thank you ad in your local newspaper to acknowledge contributions and donations from individuals and corporate sponsors. Develop a rehearsal strategy. Make sure you are aware of and plan for any requirements unique to the event you are attending i.e. music selection, special drill or parade block requirements etc. Have a backup plan. Expect the unexpected. Consider what you might do if circumstances arise that affect your performance , cancel your trip, require major decisions on student issues, housing, transportation, meals, or itinerary changes. Talk to your travel company about their “Plan B” for these situations. Assemble a 3 ring binder using clear plastic sheet protectors with all of the necessary documents related to your trip. Include bus, housing and chaperone assignment lists, administration, emergency and parent phone numbers, contact information for all of your services and vendors, copies of all contracts, itinerary details, maps, directions and performance information. Keep this with you throughout your trip. Do a follow-up report after your trip. Survey the students, parents, staff and chaperones regarding their experience. Itemize what went well and what didn’t and create a list of the things that you can improve on future trips. Follow-up with your Travel Company. They will ask for your feedback on transportation, housing, meals, sightseeing, tour director services and security items. File your 3 ring binder with all of the financial records for your trip. This information will be a useful reference for planning future trips and also serve as a resource in the event questions arise after the fact regarding the trip.
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About the Book
Have you ever thought to yourself “I wish I knew then what I know now” or “hindsight is 20/20”? When I think back to the day that I began planning my first band trip those sentiments are true. I wrote this book as a resource to help band directors who are interested in planning student travel opportunities. While the main focus is on travel and performance with a marching band the information can be adapted and applied to almost any group whether you’re an orchestra or choir director, classroom teacher or club advisor. The content is a compilation of the things I learned through personal experience, networking with other band directors and dealing with several different travel companies over a fifteen year period from 1997 to 2012 as the director of the Butler High School Golden Tornado Marching Band in Butler, Pennsylvania. Travel 101 is a comprehensive guide that will provide a step by step blueprint for planning and executing a safe and successful experience for your students. The book covers a wide spectrum of travel related topics and is a valuable resource for either the novice or experienced group planner. Why travel? What are the benefits of a travel program? You’ll get the answers to these and other questions as well as advice and guidance on: Getting Started, Applying for major events i.e. Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Choosing a Travel Company, Creating a Budget, Planning Your Itinerary, Making Transportation Choices i.e. Bus, Commercial or Charter Air, Fundraising, Managing Student Accounts, Safety and Security, Travel Do’s and Don’ts, Liability Issues, Chaperones, Medical Concerns, Student Supervision, Dealing with Uniforms and Equipment, Public Relations, Meetings and Methods of Communication, Rooming Assignments, Packing Guidelines, Preparing for Your Performance, and Managing the Trip to name just a few. In addition I have included a resource section in the back of the book with links to various travel and event websites, a major events list, information on several travel associations and several sample forms and letters you can adapt for your own use.
About the Author
After fifteen years of successful travel throughout the United States and Canada with the Butler Golden Tornado Band Mr. Yaracs shares his knowledge and advice for planning safe student travel opportunities. The band has appeared in some of the most prestigious events in our country and has been seen by millions on both national and global television. His love for travel was fostered as a teenager touring the country with the General Butler Vagabond Drum & Bugle Corps. Born and raised in Lyndora, Pennsylvania he attended Butler High School and was a member of the Golden Tornado Band. After graduation in 1969 he entered Indiana University of Pennsylvania as a Music Education Major studying percussion with Dr. Gary Olmstead. While at Indiana he performed with numerous concert ensembles and the IUP Marching Band. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in 1973 and began his career as an elementary instrumental music teacher in the Butler Area School District. In addition to his teaching duties Mr. Yaracs served as the Music Department Chairman for sixteen years and during his tenure was instrumental in expanding the music staff and curriculum. In 1994 he spearheaded the combining of the Intermediate and high school marching bands creating one of the largest bands in the country. Outside of school he has worked as a percussion arranger and instructor for numerous bands and drum and bugle corps. He has been an adjudicator at band and drum and bugle corps competitions for more than thirty-five years. Mr. Yaracs has been nominated by his students multiple times and is listed in Who’s Who among Americas Teachers. His professional affiliations include the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Professional Men’s Music Fraternity, Phi Beta Mu Band Directors Fraternity, NEA and PSEA.