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Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks

Posted by hey on 8/7/2025, 9:12 am

What’s your procedure for students that need to use the restroom during a marching rehearsal?

Our practice field is a distance from the band hall, and the band hall restrooms are the closest restrooms to the practice field.

A student went to the restroom during an outside marching rehearsal and made an unfortunate choice. I got flack from admin because I should have been monitoring better.

Currently, students that need to use the restroom let a director know and then they can go.

Is there a better way without losing a ton of rehearsal time or taking staff off the field to monitor the restrooms?

It’s only me and the asst director. About 120 students.

Re: Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks

Posted by Thinker on 8/7/2025, 2:50 pm, in reply to "Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks"

Does your admin expect you to walk students to the restroom during class? Or can they take a restroom pass and walk themselves?

Marching band rehearsal is an extension of class, same rules should apply.

We have a restroom key on a lanyard that is the pass. My kids know to take the key, take care of their business and come back quickly. Generally they go as a group during water break.

As someone else said, we cannot monitor 100% of behavior 100% of the time. If students are fooling around, apply appropriate discipline, move on with your life.

Re: Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks

Posted by Suggestion on 8/7/2025, 1:32 pm, in reply to "Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks"

Schedule restroom breaks during marching practice. You should be taking 10-15 minute breaks every hour in this heat per UIL safety guidelines anyway, so make that a designated restroom time as well.

Re: Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks

Posted by Maybe on 8/7/2025, 1:08 pm, in reply to "Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks"

Bringing it up with the principal is a good idea.

We tend to have one or two big breaks during long rehearsals, enough for either me or my assistant to go with a group that would need the restroom and monitor. It's not that many breaks and long enough to give the kids a good rest before more hard work.

Re: Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks

Posted by Admin on 8/7/2025, 10:27 am, in reply to "Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks"

Bring it up with your principal. Ask them for a solution.

Re: Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks

Posted by Kramer on 8/7/2025, 9:52 am, in reply to "Marching Rehearsal and Restroom Breaks"

Ask admin to pay for a portable restroom for the duration of marching season. While supervision is important, we MUST teach students that they have to make the right decisions even when nobody is watching. It is impossible to watch 100% of the students 100% of the time.

All the best and good luck.

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