Boosters: Fergus bands in danger

By Trisha Marczak | The Daily Journal

Published Friday, May 9, 2008

The traditional marching band uniform could become a thing of the past in Fergus Falls.

Budget cuts are threatening many of the Fergus Falls School District’s extra-curricular music activities, according to members of the band’s booster club.

The booster club distributed a letter (click to view) at band performances this week suggesting that homecoming field shows, all-state band auditions, jazz, pep and marching bands are in danger of being eliminated in the 2008-09 school year.

The letter details the group’s concerns and possible options for maintaining current activity function.

Budget cuts have reduced the music staff from three positions to two for the upcoming school year, which will reduce the program’s capacity for extra activities.

At this point, no concrete plans have been made to cut programs, says Superintendent Jerry Ness.

However, extra band activities are in jeopardy, booster club members say.

Academic band courses offered through normal classroom instruction will not be effected by the cuts.

Currently, around 500 students in grades five to 12 are enrolled in academic and extra band activities. Although academic courses will remain accessible to students, parents are concerned that the removal of extra band activities may result in an overall decline in music enrollment.

In an effort to avoid cuts, members of the parent-based Band Boosters are launching a community campaign to help finance the programs. A letter, which was composed by members of the group and approved by the school board and superintendent, has been distributed to band parents. The letter details the group’s concerns and possible options for maintaining current activity function.

“We’re looking at what we are going to do and how we are going to make it happen,” said Band Booster member Bonnie Denzel.

The group is calling on parents, community members and local businesses to “sponsor a child” in the band department.

A $100 tax-deductible donation for each child enrolled in the school band would fill the necessary financial gap for the program. If money is raised before program decisions are finalized this summer the board will consider re-opening the music department position, said School Board President Matthew Lemke.

“(Money raised) would go into the general fund and, of course, if the Band Booster Club raises the funds and they want to designate it towards the band department, then the board will look at putting it towards the band department area,” Lemke said.

If the board accepts the donation for the band department, Lemke said hiring decisions will be made based on liscensure and seniority guidelines. For that reason the board can not guarantee that Kummrow would be the instructor rehired.

Band Booster members are encouraging those interested to make donations by May 16.

“We’re looking at being done by the end of May because that's when the job offers are starting to come in and districts are looking to fill those positions,” Denzel said.

If money is raised, the Booster group will present the donation to the school board. Although the donation does not legally bind the school board to allocate funds within the music department, Lemke said board members will follow through with their plans.

“If they raise the funds for the position, we’re going to offer the position.”

If the Booster group falls short of their $50,000 goal, the school board and administration will meet this summer to discuss program cuts.

“If it wasn’t raised, we would direct the administration to work with the music department with, ultimately, what would have to go,” Lemke said. “And you would have things that would have to be cut because there’s one less person there.”