Dear Visual Performance Ensemble parents,
Please look over the following information regarding our championship competition. Especially for new parents, it can be confusing since this event takes place at 2 schools at the same time. Plus, we will share one charter bus with the ECG drumline as opposed to taking separate school buses. The schedule for the beginning of each day is pretty much set, but it will be flexible in the afternoons depending on our performances. We will watch other groups perform and try to fit in some time at Potomac Mills. Students are responsible for their own meals except for breakfast on Sunday morning.
We are asking each VPE member to turn in $10 to off-set the cost of the hotel and charter bus. We underestimated the cost for these items when we calculated the membership fee. This can be paid by cash or check (made payable to LMS Band) and is due before March 28.
Parents who are interested in chaperoning and/or helping with props and watch the competition will have to drive separately. We have just enough room on the bus for all VPE and Drumline members and coaches. Carpooling is recommended, especially since we have such an early departure time. Parents who would like to spend the night at the same hotel as the students on Saturday, should contact the Hampton Inn using the contact information below. A room with 2 double beds cost $92.40 including tax. Let them know you would like a room near the EC Glass group.
The following are locations we will be during the weekend:
The Hampton Inn-Stafford/Quantico
2925 Jefferson Davis HwyStafford, VA 22554
(540) 657-0999
Hotel Contact: Erika Medrano erika.medrano@hilton.com
Potomac Senior High School (VPE prelims and possibly finals here, drum line prelims here)
3401 Panther Pride DriveDumfries, VA 22026
(703) 441-4200
CD Hylton High School (possibly drumline finals here)
14051 Spriggs RdWoodbridge, VA 22193
(703) 580-4000
Potomac Mills Outlet Mall, Woodbridge, VA
Please contact Mrs. Lipford or Ms. Guske with any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your patience and support! We will also be able to answer any questions at the Friends and Family show on Thursday, March 26.
Championship Itinerary:
Saturday, March 28, 2009
5amDepart from EC Glass. Wear your unitard on the bus so it is quicker to change into uniform. We will NOT stop for breakfast, so bring it with you. Donations of juice and breakfast food is welcome. We will start hair and make-up on the bus at about 7:30
8am Arrive at Potomac Senior High School and change into uniform, finish hair and make-up.
8:30am Begin official AIA warm-ups
10:04am VPE Prelims performance
10:15am Team picture in uniform with AIA photographer
10:30am Change into Rain t-shirt and jeans and watch the rest of our class perform.
Lunch will be at the competition concessions area. Our class is so large, that it isn’t over until 2:45pm. We should know by 3:30pm if we made finals. The top 3 units from each round, plus the next overall 9 highest scoring units move on to perform at finals on Sunday. We will then travel to CD Hylton HS to watch other classes perform. Dinner will be at those concessions or at a stop between schools.
We will not check into the hotel until about 9:30pm after Assembly Line has performed. Lights out will be at 10:30pm. Students are suggested to bring a cell phone to use to check in with their parents. Students can use Ms. Guske or Mrs. Lipford’s cell phones if they do not have a personal cell phone or a calling card.
Sunday, March 29, 2009:
IF WE MAKE FINALS:We would perform anytime between 1 and 3:00pm. We would eat the continental breakfast at the hotel, check-out, and then travel to Potomac Senior HS to watch the drumline perform in prelims and then we would perform in our finals. Then we would have free time at Potomac Mills mall depending on when our finals performance was.
IF WE DON’T MAKE FINALS:We would eat breakfast and check-out at the same time so that we could travel with the drumline to Potomac Senior HS for their prelims performance. We would watch the groups that DID make finals in our class and then head to Potomac Mills.
IF THE DRUMLINE MAKES FINALS:Since we are all on one charter bus, we cannot leave Woodbridge until the drumline is done. Their finals performance time could be 2:15 and 3:30pm at CD Hylton HS. This would make our approximate return to EC Glass High School at about 9:00pm (stopping for dinner on the way home).
