This page provides details about current fundraising opportunities and the fees associated with participating in the bands at Rocky Mountain High School.
Fundraising
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Fundraising Projects & Needs:
Throughout the year the RMHS Boosters will be coordinating a wide range of activities and opportunities for students to fundraise money to cover either their own fees, or to raise money to purchase instruments, music and other supplies for the RMHS Band Program. Some of the most pressing needs for our program include:
Concert Music:
Each piece that we perform with either Concert Band or Symphonic Band costs anywhere from $60 to $200. One of our biggest challenges is that our current ensemble music library amounts to about 20 pieces. A varied library of student resources including standard repertoire, technical studies, and chamber ensemble music is essential to developing this band program into a vibrant and thriving organization. This represents our core curriculum and its availability dictates the quality of instruction for our students. Establishing a good basic library would cost about $5000.
We have also just posted music "wishlists" at J.W. Pepper's website. Any purchases made for the band program will be acknowledged at the concert they are performed an and the donor's name will be listed on the actual piece of music. Click on this link to visit the J.W. Pepper website and enter one of the following list names into the list search box.
- "RMHS Band" for Symphonic Band & Concert Band repertoire and resources.
- "RMHS Chamber Music" for small ensemble, quintet, quartet, etc. music
- "RMHS Jazz Band" for Jazz Band repertoire and resources.
Instrument Purchases:
I recently submitted two grants to purchase instruments and music. The grant for Symphonic Band asked for a second Concert Tuba ($4200 - a necessity given the size and future growth of that group), a tenor sax ($2300)and a clarinet ($1200) (to allow for students to learn secondary instruments). The second grant was for Jazz Band materials including Jazz Guitar Setup ($1200), Bass Trombone ($3200), Jazz Cymbals ($1200), and Jazz Band Sheet Music (jazz band pieces cost an average of $60 to $80 - basic library would be about $3000). I should hear back on these grants within the next few weeks. In short, there are alot of instruments we don't have that really are a necessity to continued growth of the program.
Festival Fees:
In February, all of our students will be participating in the District III Solo/Ensemble Festival and the Meridian District High School Band Festival. Fees and bussing for participating in both of these will likely be around $1500.
Clinicians:
I will be hiring specialists on different instruments to come into class and work with students in each of our sections throughout the remainder of the year. In the regular rehearsal situation it is incredibly difficult to address the special needs of each student and the particular challenges of playing their individual instrument. It is possible to work concepts that pertain to all instruments and occassionally deal with specifics of an entire section, but ultimately many students need a higher level of individual attention than is possible in a rehearsal to truly succeed on their instrument. Bringing in specialists is the best way to not only improve the quality of the band as a whole, but to also help each student find much greater success and enjoyment in playing music. Fees for competent clinicians range from free to $60/hour.
Percussion:
Percussion inventory is a constantly evolving part of every program. Each new piece we study in class inevitably calls for a special percussion that we don't currently have. The percussion aspect of our program has also grown to the point where we have more students than available instruments. To address both of these challenges, there are several instruments that would help us continue to serve the needs of these students and our program. These include: mallet percussion instruments ($3500), a second pair of timpani ($2000), marching percussion stands ($2000), and assorted World Percussion ($2000).
In closing, if we raise any funds there is no shortage of valuable projects where those funds can be spent to ensure the growth of a vibrant and successful band program here at Rocky Mountain High School. If you are interested in helping us raise money towards any of these specific needs, please don't hesitate to contact Mr. DeWitt.
Fundraising Opportunities:
Upcoming, current and past fundraisers include:
May 1, 2012 Spring Auction & Concert The band presents its final concert of the season, with guest performances by the Heritage and Sawtooth Middle School 8th Grade Bands. A silent auction will be held to raise fund for current projects. More information will be available soon. Ongoing Student Performance Sponsorship Students solicit sponsors of this year's event at $25 per event. 100% of the money collected goes directly to the student's account. Download a form here. Completed Entertainment Books Students sold entertainment books for $30, $5 of which goes directly into their account. Completed Scentsy Teeter-Totter-Athon This is a performance opportunity involved the entire Grizzly Marching Band. We provided 1 hour of music for this event and Scentsy donate $1500 to our students and an additional $1000 to our program. Completed Butter Braids Tasty...so tasty. Completed BSU vs. TCU Stadium Cleaning $1000 earned for the general band account. Completed Pampered Chef Contact Kristina Solomon for more information. Dates listed on Calendar Basketball Concessions We have the opportunity to sell concessions at three home basketball games. Visit our calendar for details.
Fees for Participation in Bands at Rocky Mountain High School:
The fees to participate in Band activities at Rocky Mountain High School are listed below, by group. All fees must be paid by the published due date, otherwise the student's opportunity to participate will be compromised. If you need to make arrangements for an extended payment schedule, please don't hesitate to visit with Mr. DeWitt to come up with a solution.
| Grizzly Marching Band/Symphonic Band |
The fee payment schedule is listed below.
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| Concert Band | District Activity Program Fee: $75 |
| Jazz Band | None |
| Percussion Ensemble | None |
| Color Guard | See fees listed above for "Grizzly Marching Band" |
Frequently Asked Questions
| I'm having trouble paying my fees. What do I do? | I don't want the financial aspect of participating in band at RMHS discourage anyone from joining. I am happy to come up with an alternate payment plan that will better fit your means. |
| How do I find out how much I owe? | Contact Mr. DeWitt and he will get your current balance from our Booster Treasurer. |
| I have a positive balance in my account, can I get a refund? | We cannot refund positive balances to students or their families. You can however do any of the following:
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| More questions? | Please don't hesitate to contact Mr. DeWitt. |
Rocky Mountain High School
5450 North Linder Road - Meridian, ID 83646
Phone: (208) 350-4340 x1601 - Fax: (208) 350-4369