Parents
You should definitely read the Intro to Crew, but then we’ve got some things just for you.
Your question may already be addressed in the FAQ. If not, send us an email and we’ll respond as soon as we can.
Expectations of Advisors
We – the advisors – are employed by Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) to advise the stage crew year-round, however we have full time jobs outside of the school system; our advisor role at SPHS is very similar to that of a sports coach.
We enjoy doing this. As much fun as we’ll all have during the year, we take our responsibilities as advisors, teachers, and role models very seriously.
We are responsible for sharing the schedule of events with students and parents. We have many avenues to accomplish this, but the primary method of contact with parents will be the crew calendar and email; you will be invited to join the crew-parents email group at the beginning of each school year. If you’re having trouble, contact us.
We are responsible for student safety during scheduled events and work days.
We are responsible for scheduling students to staff events throughout year.
We provide hands-on training in the design, construction, and decoration of theatrical sets and scenery, lighting and sound systems, as well as guidance on where to find the best tacos in the area.
We report unsafe conditions with school equipment or facilities to the school business manager.
We are required to report serious injuries to school officials within 24 hours.
We encourage parents and students reach out to us with questions or concerns.
Expectations of Students
We expect students to be involved throughout the school year, not just with our two major productions.
We expect students to be punctual when arriving to scheduled work days and events, be properly dressed, and ready to work.
We expect students to communicate with us directly to let us know they’ll be late or absent, no matter the reason. Proxying via another student is not acceptable.
We expect students to notify us immediately if they sustain an injury during work days or events or if they’ve sustained an injury elsewhere that could impact their performance.
We expect students to prioritize family, school, and personal health above all else. In fact, students must remain academically eligible throughout the school year to participate.
Expectations of Parents
We expect parents to allow their children to communicate with us directly and vice versa.
We expect parents to reach out to the advisors with questions or concerns.
We expect parents to assist with transportation of their children to and from school.
We expect parents to contribute towards meal planning. More on that as the year progresses.
Membership Fees
There are no membership fees to participate in tech crew.
Larger productions typically impose student fees to help cover after-parties, t-shirts, videos, and craft services. These fees are typically levied on all students involved: cast, crew, band, etc.
Supply List
Most of the supplies your child will need involve proper attire.
We always require:
- long pants - no shorts, skirts, leggings, tights, or yoga pants
- closed-toe shoes - no sandals, flip flops, or bare feet
Primarily for safety, but also decorum. We recommend denim or duck jeans as these materials stand up well to the trials of theatrical carpentry and set construction. During the build, clothes and shoes will get dusty, dirty, torn, and/or covered in paint. Less so during events, but things do happen during live productions.
When working events, we require:
- no ripped/torn clothing
- black t-shirt or polo, without logos
- black pants: work pants, jeans, duck, or cargo
Clothes can be purchased at Walmart, Target, Old Navy, or most anywhere else that has school uniforms; basic black Hanes t-shirts are $2-3 at Walmart, $7 for slightly nicer stuff at Old Navy, $11 at Kohl’s. Inexpensive black T-shirts are also available in 4-packs on Amazon, although not always in women’s cuts. We’ve assembled an Amazon list of “tech threads” that are suitable for working events that you can use to purchase or for comparison.
ℹ️ As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. (details)
Students may express an interest in:
- work gloves (optional)
- reusable water bottle (recommended)
- work/safety boots (optional)
We provide work gloves when necessary, but some students prefer to have their own. We recommend reusable water bottles to keep students hydrated. In both cases, we recommend each student label these items with their name. In the event that they leave their things lying around – and they will – we’ll put them aside rather than leaving them for Lost & Found.
Work boots are optional, although they do provide additional protection throughout our season. We’re happy to make recommendations as needed.