FAQ

Who is a band booster?
If your student is part of the band program, you are! All current parents and family members are strongly encouraged to become actively involved! We need assistance on a continued basis to keep the program as successful as it has been.  Everyone is welcome to work together to support and improve the instrumental music program for our students.  Attend the monthly meetings and get involved in the decision making.   We have a governing board of 7 members and are currently applying for formal recognition from the federal government as a 501(c)3 that may allow donations and sponsorship monies to be tax deductible.

What do we do?
Whatever is necessary!  There are many administrative and physical details to running such a successful program.  Mr. Stai  has no secretarial support.  Imagine, for example, the logistics of feeding and transporting 60+ Marching Band members (uniforms, equipment and their instruments) many miles for a band competition!

Funds must be raised and accounted for, permission slips and health forms obtained and filed, chaperones recruited, luggage checked and stowed, as well as many other necessary tasks and details.

Where does the money come from to fund all of the events and pay for extra instruction?
Some of the money comes from band fees, and additional  funding comes from fundraising (band day, christmas tree sales,  Swingin’ with Spaghetti, sporting  event concessions and soon to be others).  It is important to understand that when a parent signs up to work an event, the band counts on the generation of funds from the parents’ work at the event.  Occasionally, the band gets a donation for a specific use through sponsorship.  The boosters also keep separate student accounts with fundraising credits being earned through their participation.  (See Student Account Policy for more information.)

What do booster funds pay for?
A portion of the booster general fund money pays for the expenses of Band Camp and training throughout the season.  Extra Instructors may be  hired for the specialized training of certain sections.  This can change year to year depending on the seniority in the particular sections.  Some of the fee money is used for instrument parts/maintenance, uniform maintenance and equipment rental for training. The money is also used for incidentals, such as, water to prevent dehydration during practice, hospitality expenses such as the awards dessert and 8th grade  mentoring and fellowship performances.  In the future, the SHS Band Booster Club hopes to offer  scholorships to graduating seniors who plan on continuing in music education.

Such undertakings require parents and supporters to help everything run smoothly.
We also assist with every performance—sometimes preparing travel itineraries, arranging for food for competitions, providing refreshments, loading and moving equipment, and even fixing last-minute uniform emergencies.

Of course, we raise funds for the band program.  We are often asked, “Why do the SHS Band Boosters do so much fundraising?”   There are many expenses, which we gladly cover, that help make our program far superior to other programs with similar funding constraints.

Band Camp clinicians, instruments and repairs, trip expenses, student meals and a myriad of other small but extremely significant details are handled by the Band Booster  Club budget to keep our program  one of the best in the state of Oregon.

Why you?
If your child is part of the program, then you are part of the support system. If each of the band parents contributed a modest effort, none of us would find the tasks difficult. Some of us enjoy the camaraderie of regular band events and look forward to the opportunities band parents are given to interact with a terrific bunch of kids!

Please join us and see how enjoyable it can be to do your part!