Why Give to the Bands?

In Santa Monica, we are fortunate to have a school district that supports the arts. At the high-school level, SMMUSD provides funding for two full-time band directors, partial funding for color guard instruction, and a small stipend for an instructional aide in band classrooms for a few hours per week.

To supplement what the district provides, the Samohi Band Parents Association (BPA) seeks donations and raises funds to help deliver the highest possible quality music education to our students. On average, the Samohi Band Parents Association (BPA) spends

$250 per pupil per year on the concert band program, or 2 weeks of marching Band Camp
$850 per pupil per year on marching band and color guard (including Band Camp)
and $300 per pupil per year on jazz band.

What does this pay for? Well, you may have heard the expression “Stuff vs. Staff” in relation to fundraising at SMMUSD schools.* For the Samohi Band program, the BPA pays for both stuff AND staff.

Stuff

Music folders and stands
Photocopies (the BPA pays a third of the cost to own, supply, and maintain a photocopier used by the Samohi band, choir and orchestra directors)
Band room lockers and related supplies
New instrument purchases
School-owned instrument repairs and supplies
Concert programs
Student awards
Concert, marching, and jazz festival entry fees (our directors must pay school participation fees so that our students can audition for all-southern and all-state honor groups)
Marching band & guard uniforms and supplies

…and Staff

Percussion instructor for all five concert band classes
Jazz Band II instructor
Concert band festival adjudicators/clinicians
Partial funding for the color guard caption head & color guard tech
Marching band percussion caption head & percussion tech
Marching band visual caption head & two visual techs
Miscellaneous concert and jazz band clinicians

* Re: “Stuff vs. Staff” in SMMUSD — In general, the PTAs raise funds for necessary “stuff” such as supplies, books, and equipment at school sites, while your donations to the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation fund additional staff and programs at each school. For the Samohi Band program, the BPA pays both.

Please keep in mind that all Samohi musicians may participate in all aspects of the band program, regardless of their family’s ability or willingness to donate.

Click HERE to fill out our one-time donation form.

With the form, you may specify where you would like your donation to be directed, e.g.: concert, jazz, or marching band/color guard. Your gift may be tax deductible as a charitable contribution, and we will be happy to send you a receipt acknowledging your contribution. Our Tax ID Number is 95-2563339.

Take the 10-Month Pledge

Click HERE to subscribe to monthly donations for a period of 10 months.

Additional ways to support the bands:

Community Fundraising

Ralph’s Community Rewards

If you have a Ralphs rewards card, Ralphs/Kroger will make a contribution to Samohi Band every time you shop – and it doesn’t cost you a penny! To enroll (or re-enroll), just go to https://www.ralphs.com/account/communityrewards and search for “SANTA MONICA BAND” (make sure you spell it out — “Samohi” won’t come up with any results). Click on “ENROLL” and then follow the instructions. Over the years, our Ralph’s Community Rewards program has brought in some much-needed funds — so we encourage you to sign up and get shopping!

E-Scrip

We are also enrolled in a simple e-scrip program that gives a percentage to the band program whenever you frequent local restaurants and merchants. To register your credit/debit card, just go to www.escrip.com and sign up. This time you’ll enter your zip code, then search for “Samohi Band,” and voila! All sorts of local restaurants and stores are enrolled in the program, and you can register as many cards as you like.