Meet the Boosters Board

Parents and Family Members Working Together 

Welcome to the Sandia Band Boosters! We are parents and family members working together to support our students in achieving their passion and goals in music and in life.  Please click here to view our organization bylaws and constitution.

Your student is about to embark on many amazing opportunities and adventures in their musical and personal growth in the Matador Band program. Your student may be in one or several of the various bands in the band program and Mr. North has exciting curriculums planned for each and every one of the bands! As you may or may not already know, music education is an expensive course of study and most of what is needed is not covered by APS, but what the students get in return in their musical and personal growth is invaluable. This is where families come in; under the Sandia Band Boosters, we all work together to make sure the funds and helping hands are there for our students to aim high and reach their full potential!

The Band Booster Board works with Mr. North to establish a yearly budget and work hard throughout the year to make sure the band program is fully funded.  Included in the budget is purchasing music scores and rights, instruments (new, repair, replace, rentals), hiring music clinicians, uniforms (dry cleaning, shoes, show shirts, etc…), transportation (school buses and Penske trucks), competition entry fees, performance rental spaces, supplies, meals and snacks, and the list goes on. To keep costs as low as possible for everyone, all the families work together. At the beginning of the year, lab fees and booster expenses are collected to get the program started.  This can typically be anywhere from $125 to $365 dollars depending on which and how many bands your student is enrolled.  Then throughout the year we have several fundraisers that we all volunteer at to raise the rest of the needed funds.

One last thing, we know we are asking for some of what may be in short supply: time and money.  But remember it is going to our greatest cause; our children. The great thing about volunteering for the band program, whether it be fundraising or road crew, is actually being present alongside your student and watching them grow right before your  eyes; from  fledgling freshmen to young adults their Senior year.  Please keep in mind when the call for volunteers goes out; YOU are needed, YOU are appreciated, and YOUR influence will leave an unfathomable impact on the lives of our students.

It’s going to be a great year! Go Matadors!

Sarah Bitner, co-president, is a 3^rd year booster parent.  Her daughter, Eowyn, plays saxophone in the Marching and Jazz Bands.  Sarah is married to Ludie, the treasurer and has two more younger children.  Sarah is a 2^nd grade teacher and does band booster work in her free time.   Sarah has loved every minute of her time in this organization and is excited to help lead the team this year.