MTCA CHAPERONES
Note: A lot of your important info is covered on the JR page. Please start there and be very familiar with that first!
Warning: To be a chaperone is HARD WORK
Set Us Up For Success
* Learn their names! Lead by example. This is a loud and chatty group. If a staff member is talking please show the kids an example of respectful listening.
* DO NOT BE AFRAID TO PARENT SOMEONE’S KID. Today that is your job. Be kind but firm. Resolve disputes when you can, stop unsafe behavior and be empowered to act in the best interest of the kids. When its time to leave to get them somewhere on time BE FIRM, “no we cannot wait 5 more minutes for you to finish your makeup”, “no we cannot be late and ride the ride because it’s almost our turn” be the BOSS and get them where they need to be, even if you need to use tough love at times.
* You are not there to over-parent your own kid. Please do not step in as an aggressive disciplinarian to your own child. You will make everyone uncomfortable
Safety!
* Keep us together and SAFE especially while walking across streets. We walk fast and we cross the street or traverse the airport or theme park as a group. Don’t dawdle!
* Do not let anyone wander off, help the kids get to the right places at the right times.
* Make sure your chaperone partner knows where you are and vice versa and one of you knows where your kids are.
* Stop dangerous behaivior: Cartwheeling in crowded space is a no. Cartwheeling on open grass? Have fun! Climbing a statue? NO
* Use your best judgement.
* Please learn the rules and enforce them!
Be Prepared for Odd Jobs! We may ask you to….
* Go get a flat of water
*Meet the food delivery guy
* Go ahead of the group and scout out a sunny place to sit then claim if for us
* Go ahead of the group and scout out an open rehearsal space and claim it for us
* Run back to grab a lost jazz shoe
* Reserve seats for the group at a show or award ceremony (49 Kids, 5 staff, 13 Chaperones)
* Chaperone the Dance Party
*Or one of 1000 odd jobs.
YOU CANNOT GIVE YOUR OWN CHILD SPECIAL TREATMENT
We know its hard but the fastest road to tears and big emotions in chiildren is when a kid who misses their mom sees another kid getting special treatment because their mom is there.
Of COURSE you love your child, you will be there to watch them compete, to celebrate their wins and hug away any losses, we get that, we are not in any way saying not to show affection to your child.
But do not leave the group to take an uber with your kid so they can sleep in, do not invite your child to leave the group and sleep in your room, do not take your kid to get chipotle while the rest of the kids are eating the food provided for them. Do not take your kid for Starbucks or on a shopping spree. That is not fair and you and your kid will be asked not to return next year.
Please pack your child with their own money and their own snacks just like the kids whose mom’s are not coming will get to. Be there for your child in love and support but not in special treatment.
Record EVERYTHING
* Not busy? Take out your camera and get some pictures, take some videos. Send it to our Tech parents! Post all over social media! #DanceWithStarlight
* Takes pics/video of them warming up, being silly, trading bracelets, ask them interview questions and video it etc.
* Please focus on the kids not the adults, there’s nothing wrong with having an adult conversation but don’t close your bodies off to the kids and ignore them when you do
* Secondary Chaperone: Please video the solos if the primary is there to run music.
Access to Kids Rooms
* You will have the only keys to your group’s rooms.
* If you are a chaperone for one of our littlest kids, you will be paired one adult to every 2 kids, in the same room to keep them safe.
* If you are a chaperone to some of our older Jrs you will be down the hall in another room with another adult (or a private if you prefer) available at all times to your group of kids but not in the same room.
* There’s no reason for a kid to ever go to their room alone and theres no reason for any chaperone to ever be alone with a kid unless they are sick or there’s an emergency
* Please do not enter unannounced, knock and give them a second
* They have been instructed to never be naked outside of the bathroom so you should be safe to enter without ever seeing an undressed minor.
* No adult in a room with a minor should EVER be undressed outside of the bathroom by themselves.
How Mornings work:
Get Them Ready and Make the team look good
* It is your job to make sure they look great before performing:
* Help with makeup/hair/nerves/hugs
* Get them moving in the morning and make sure they eat breakfast together after you have made sure they have everything they need for the day. Based on chaperone requests/feedback from last year, Chaperones are asked to coordinate with the parents of your group to provide their breakfasts. Need help? A lot of chaperones are teaming together to make this happen. This way we don’t have any picky eaters who skip breakfast and we avoid excessive waste.
* Help them touch up before going on stage, its your job to make your kids look good
* Chaperones will decide on a wake up time with their group based on that group’s needs for the next morning. The 2 chaperones for that team will knock on the door and come in to help with getting ready. (or the one chaperone will already be in the room) This gives our kids a 1 chaperone to 2 kids ratio. The kids will provide their own hair and makeup supplies but the chaperones will be there to keep them moving fast, assist with hair and makeup, double check that everyone has what they need in their bags and get them downstairs to breakfast on time. Jaimee will also open up her room to help with makeup the morning of the Junior Comp Piece. Please confirm what hair and makeup needs to be done for your kids BEFORE the comp and make sure you are comfortable doing it. (Note, if a jazz shoe etc is forgotten in a room it will not be the end of the world. The competition is in the same building as our hotel, the chaperone can run upstairs to grab it)
How Bedtime Works
* Be a mom, be firm, make sure they get ready for bed and then its lights out
* Tell them you are taping their door, whether you do is up to you
When a Kid in Your Group Has a Solo/duet/design etc
* Bring the WHOLE group and a backup chaperone with you if possible.
* 1) Find a place for the group to help that kid warm up and practice their piece for the group.
* 2) Get them to their room they are performing in early so they have time to breathe
* 3) Bring the whole group in to watch and support.
* 4) If it is a piece that requires music (solo, duet or dance) you are responsible for haling their music loaded on your device (NOT YOUTUBE DROPBOX ETC, DO NOT RELY ON INTERNET) and having your device charged and in airplane mode and already connected to your speaker. You are in charge of playing their music during their performance. Give them a sound check first.
* 5) If there are two chaperones in the room have the second one film the performance and feedback. If there’s only one then see if you can get a staff member or a teen or even another kid to if theres access to a second phone.
* 6) When the judge gives your student their score sheet give them time to read it then take it away and keep it safe for them. They do not need to dwell or compare scores.
* If your own child is not in your group then when your kid is up make sure you trade teams with another chaperone so all the kids are cared for and you can go watch your baby.
How it works right before they go on stage for big numbers
* We will have a rehearsal time to meet for a final run through. Please make sure they ARRIVE
* ON time! (Our few minutes are precious)
* Already having used the bathroom (there is NO time for last minute bathroom breaks)
* Hydrated and ideally having had a snack recently so they are READY
* With hair and makeup refreshed and ready to perform
* In costume (if our warm up is outside, don’t wear jazz shoes, have them in the bag)
* Pass them off to us and then take a break, head into the theatre and get your phones ready to record or take pics!!
* Unless you want to watch our warm up then you are welcome to.
Your Phone
* We will be in constant contact with you, please keep your phone on but on silent (not vibrate)
* Start a group chat with your fellow chaperone and the parents of the kids in your group. Stay in contact but don’t let them make you feel like you are on a leash. Your focus is the kids, not the parents.
* Please DO NOT set a bad example for kids by texting/reading on your phone during performances
* Please load your phone with your team’s music (NOT on dropbox, please dowload)
* Please bring a portable speaker (if you don’t have one, I reccomend the JBL Flip 5)
* Please be ready to use your phone to play all the music for your kids in your group
Heading Home
*Follow Shelby’s lead! She and Kiersten will get you home!
* Please help them
* Keep everyone safe and together
* Move through the airport as a team
* Follow the SAME rules you did coming out with us!
* Do not let a child leave at baggage claim until you lay eyes on the adult they are leaving with
CHAPERONE WHAT TO WEAR EACH DAY
Thursday: Your Team Color Starlight shirt (2 will be provided for you in January)
*If you want to wear something warm the first day please wear a long sleeved undershirt so your team color shirt is still on the outside so kids can find you easily and follow you
Friday: Your Team Color Starlight shirt (2 will be provided for you in January)
*If you want to wear something warm the first day please wear a long sleeved undershirt so your team color shirt is still on the outside so kids can find you easily and follow you
Saturday: Nice shirt or Starlight shirt if you own one,
Optional: Dressy/sparkly outfit for dance party Saturday Night
Sunday : Jr Comp Show shirt (will be provided for you in January)
Every Day: Comfortable shoes you can walk in a LOT, sneakers are good, Comfortable bottoms
CHAPERONE PACKING LIST
CLOTHING
Your 2 Team Color Starlight shirts (Both will be provided for you in January)
Long sleeve shirt to wear under your team shirt the first two days if you are cold
Nice shirt or Starlight shirt if you own one for Saturday
Jr Comp Show shirt for Sunday at theme park and airport (will be provided for you in January)
Comfortable shoes you can walk in a LOT, sneakers are good
Comfortable bottoms for each day
Jacket or sweatshirt
Socks and undergarments for each day
PJ’s
Optional: Swimsuit
Optional: Dressy/sparkly outfit for dance party Saturday Night
BAGGAGE
Carry on suitcase (NOTHING WILL BE CHECKED)
Backpack to carry everything in daily around the comp and park
OTHER (do NOT bring any jewelry or valuables of any kind!)
Deodorant
Sunscreen
Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Medication (if necessary) * please be ready to pull this out at airport
Water Bottle (without water!)
Phone and Phone charger
A device (can be your phone) loaded with your team’s music (NOT on dropbox, please dowload)
A Portable Speaker and speaker charger
Portable charger that can charge your phone and speaker
Hand sanitizer
Mask just in case
Money for meals & spending at pop-ups and in Knotts/Disney (Important: Knotts is Cashless!!! )
Snacks! Lots of them! Nut free please!
Optional: Gum (for plane ONLY)
Optional: Earplugs or sound canceling headphones
Optional: Something to flavor your water like emergen-C or mio, we will provide water only
Chaperone Bag
Each backpack will include the following items provided by Starlight:
Med Kit (Please return at end of trip with backpack and let us know what’s to replenish)
* Red 1st Aid Bag
* Liquid Benadryl (you can pour this down a throat in an emergency)
* Acetaminophen (generic Tylenol)
* Advil (ibuprofen)
* Liquid Tylenol (in case a kid can’t swallow pills)
* Bandaids
* Q Tips
* Chewable Rolaids (For Heartburn or a tummy ache)
* Alcohol Swabs (Sterilize a wound)
* Triple Antibiotic (Neosporin)
* Cough Drops (Just honey drops, not medicated)
* Instant Ice Packs
Other (Please return at end of trip with backpack and let us know what’s to replenish)
* Makeup Bag
* Emergen-C
* Lipstick
* Hairties
* Bobby Pins
* Comb
* Treats and Goodies (this is for you)
Paperwork (no need to return this)
* Medical Consent Info and Emergency Contact Info for Kids
* Food order for your kids
* Detailed Schedule
* Bracelets for kids to pass out
* Suggested items for you to bring
* Hairspray (travel size)
* Makeup Items
* Phone Charger
* Hand Sanitizer
