SSMA Meeting Dates 2023-2024
- 10/3 – 6:30pm
- 11/7- 6:30pm
- 12/5- 6:30pm
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a member of Sandwich Schools Music Association?
If your student is part of the music program, you are! Whether your student is involved in Choir, Concert Band, Marching Band, Madrigals, school Musical… all of these groups are part of the music program. 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 music program for our children. Attend the monthly meetings and get involved in the decision-making.
What do we do?
Whatever is necessary! There are many administrative and physical details to running such a large and successful program. Imagine, for example, the logistics of feeding and transporting 60+ Marching Band members (uniforms, equipment and their instruments). Orchestrating meals for Tech week for Musical, helping run fundraisers to send over 100 band and choir students to places like Washington D.C. Funds must be raised and accounted for, permission slips and health forms obtained and filed, chaperones recruited, as well as countless 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 fees; a much larger portion of the funding comes from fundraising (MusicFest, Craft Shows, Raffle Tickets). It is important to understand that when a parent signs up to work an event, the SSMA counts on the generation of funds from the parents’ work at the event. Such massive undertakings require parents and supporters to help everything run smoothly. We also assist with every performance—sometimes preparing travel itineraries, arranging for food (even preparing two or three meals), providing refreshments, moving chair and equipment, and even fixing last-minute uniform emergencies… and did we mention moving equipment? Of course, we raise funds for the music program. We are often asked, “Why does SSMA 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 Music Association budget to keep our program going strong.
Why you?
If your child is part of the music program, then you are part of the support system. If each parent contributed a modest effort, none of us would find the tasks difficult. Some of us enjoy the camaraderie of regular events and look forward to the opportunities 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!