After a successful launch to the school’s band program, Monterey High School wants to expand to a full marching band.
The next step, the Putnam County School Board considering a plan to fund instruments in the new fiscal year budget. Band Director Dr. Jerry Buttrum said students this year have learned to read music and performed at a few events.
“It was 7 through 12 all together in the scheduling, so it was like a beginner band reoccurring over and over,” Buttrum said. “This year, we were able to finally have a schedule that would allow each individual grade span to have their class, so now we’re able to go at standard level.”
Buttrum said the program needs a quarter-million dollars over the next five years to build the program. Buttrum says a line-by-line budget proposal has been brought to the School Board.
“The School Board will have to vote on the proposal that Mr. King has put out,” Buttrum said. “And once they’ve done their process and the funding is there, it would be allocated to the school for us to use. And that’s exactly what it would go to.”
This year, Buttrum said every student in the program had an instrument. Some instruments were already at the school and other students bought their own. Buttrum said more instruments are necessary for the band’s expansion.
“We’re at capacity at this point,” Buttrum said. “So anything past this point in our growth, we will no longer have instruments to help students with.”
Although the current instruments allow for a concert band, Buttrum says the school currently lacks the equipment and uniforms to have a marching band.
Should the funding pass the School Board, Buttrum and the Monterey Band will shift the focus to a halftime marching show for football season.
