? re W Johnston High School and activities

Hello.

we are taking our second trip down in a couple of weeks to Clayton.....I have 3 boys ages 5, 10, 13 and don't forsee the move until after the upcoming school year...which means at that point I will have one in the elementary, middle and high school...

we've checked out all areas/schools in Clayton and i have a question regarding west johnston high school......I've read reviews about the school and their activities/band and would like some info.

My son (a pretty smart kids/just not motivated) is very involved with school sports (soccer/baseball) and is in band (plays tenor sax) he also is involved with private baseball and basketball leagues here....

so here's the ?, I have read a few times that if your child is in the band that they are not allowed and or supposed to be involved in other activities.....Is that true......I mean I would love for him to be involved with a great band since he is musically talented and his band teachers say he could go far with it, but I'm concerned if the school doesnt promote the opportunity to be in more than one activity....

can anyone shed any light on this.....

thanks in advance
-Suzanne:mrgreen:

 

I know Clayton High School works with athletes who want to be in band, including boys soccer (fall sport) since it overlaps with when the marching band is very busy with football games. I spoke with the band director about this when he visited the middle school in May since my son is interested in doing both in another year.

 

Having been involved in the West band in the past, I don't know that there's anything that states that they cannot be involved in any other sport or activity. But I will tell you that band (at Clayton and West) is very time consuming. Marching band involves weekly and weekend practices, plus weekend competitions, and some out of town travel. After marching season they have concert band - weekly practices and concert competitions/events, some of which are out of town also. So there's just not alot of time left for anything else - accept school work of course..:lol:

 

Suzanne, the WJHS marching band will be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year if you want to go to NYC and see them in person!





Speaking of... anyone want to buy a cookbook?... raffle ticket?... both? PM me! :mrgreen:

 

Have you looked at the school's website? http://www.johnston.k12.nc.us/education/school/school.php?sectionid=15

 

Wow

In one sense thats great and on the other its terrible....

My sons passions are for both...

I really dont think they should have to pick.....Playing the instrument is a personal thing for him...its a great gift to have and time for himself.....and obviously he loves playing in the band and jazz band at school but his sports are also huge for him.....

Here we dont have the bands as such a competitive thing....well maybe it is and I'm just not aware of how it is since we aren't in the hs yet......but I do know that many of the students are involved in many activities....

I'll have to find out more thru each hs and then go from there. I'd love for the opportunity to be there for both and then he could see what happens and decide for himself rather than one or the other.....

thanks for the input.....

 

Yeah, the whole band thing is new to me too. My older son didn't play an instrument so I wasn't involved with band while he was in HS and this son is a rising freshman. He's at band camp this week, from 9 - 6. Next week it'll be from 8:30 - 8:30! :shock:

 

Maybe you found the band's website through the school's site - but if not here it is: http://wjhsbands.org/

 

actually I was doing a school check and came across the parental feedback....honestly it wasnt the greatest in the sense that non band student parents seemed to feel their kids did not get the same "fairness" I guess you would say.....

But really I'm not worried about that.....I'm just looking for my son to enjoy being a kid and enjoy his music and play sports.....and have a good hs experience ( as if we all thought we did while we were in it ) lol.....:lol:

I just want him and my other boys to have opportunities and not be limited...

I didnt have that website so I will look into it....

This is our second trip down so we're still feeling out the areas...but when we make the 3rd one down I will have more of an idea of where will work for us and will make appts to visit the schools.

 

When I spoke to the band director (I think it was Jake McAllister), he said they had several boys playing soccer and being in the band. He did say it was easier if they played baseball since that's in the spring, but only impossible if they play football. I remember him saying it helps if the boy is very organized and motivated.

 

well thats good...lol

football"

that is the one sport we dont play........baseball and soccer are the biggest for the oldest who plays the sax.....

my middle guy plays soccer and basketball

and my little guy plays soccer as of now but he's only 5

 

I guess at one point, your son might have to decide if he is going to be a musician or an athelete. My thing is kids getting burnt out from trying to "do it all". Sometimes kids just need downtime. And sometimes, games or concerts will be missed because one takes precedence over the other and IMO that is not fair to the other kids.

I speak from experience, when our Middle School end of year band concert was half the size it usually was because kids were playing sports that weekend. It was so bad, there might have been ONE instrument in a section, or an entire section missing. I know my son was disappointed with the way the concert turned out.

 

Try and get away with that if you are an athletic sport! The NCHSSA or NCAA would not allow the football team to practice that long.

 

It's just that long for one week. They take lots of breaks and do other things during that time also. They're not (usually) actually out there practicing that whole time. :mrgreen:

 

^ Yeah, they aren't practicing the whole time. Frankly, I'm loving it... it sure keep a bored teenage busy! :mrgreen:

 

My son is in the band at WJHS. Yes, the fall is a busy time and can be overwhelming their freshman year. But last year my sophomore son did band in the fall and in the spring he did quiz bowl, Moziac (a kind of school paper) and the school play (Le Miserables - with a few speaking parts), along with spring concert band. So it can be done. Was he tired? Yes, but he loved it all. Oh, I do know that one of the other band members did tennis & track while another did soccer too. Hope that helps you.

Note: It probably helped that the band directors also are in charge of the school play.

 

High school band is very time consuming - more than you can imagine before you experience it I was at SJHS before west opened and we had a very similar schedule. However, I'm sure WJHS offers a concert band class that your son could participate instead of marching band, and then he would have time to play sports as well. (Although I highly recommend doing the marching band - best time of my life, and the friendships you make are priceless. There's not a better marching band in the area to be a member of right now!)

 

I don't think you understand. There is no rule against doing both. BUT WJHS band isn't just a high school band. They treat that as a religion there. It takes ALL of your time. This is the one band that was invited to march in the presidential inauguration parade. The only band from NC.

At WJHS band is more important than sports. And due to the fact that this will take all of his free time. How can he play a sport? He could try. But he won't be able to make it to soccer practice everyday. Which isn't fair for the other boys on the team that are there every day.

Band is life at West Johnston High School.

 

:iagree: