The district’s board of trustees approved $640,156 to purchase the instruments at its Dec. 18 board meeting. Over 70 instruments will be purchased for Moore Middle School’s program, while over 80 instruments will be purchased for Celina High School’s band program, according to the meeting’s agenda.
Additional instruments are needed for the program as it is experiencing rapid growth, the agenda states. Some students also need a separate instrument to practice at home and at school, as the size of the instrument makes it difficult to travel with, CISD Chief Operations Officer John Mathews said during the meeting.
The background
About $340,000 was approved by the board in May 2023 to purchase band equipment. In May 2022, the board also approved $450,000 for additional band equipment.
Lead times for instruments are more than 15 months out for some of the large instruments needed, Mathews said. By placing orders now, the district will have the instruments when the programs need them for the 2025-26 school year, he said.
A closer look
The district’s high school band program is expected to grow 119% by the 2025-26 school year, according to district data. Based on previous retention rates, the middle school band is expected to grow from 370 students this school year to 465 students in 2025-26.
With the expected growth, additional funds are needed to support the program, Mathews said.
