St. Mary’s has many extracurricular activities; and the instrumental music program stands out. During the time students are in grades 4-8 they are eligible to join band.

St. Mary’s has a 4th grade, a 5th grade, and a 6-8 th grade middle school band, as well as our Jazz Ensemble. Out of a school population of 211 students in grades 4-8, eighty-five students enrolled in band this year. That is a 40% enrollment rate. Band is extremely popular here.

Students take lessons on their respective instruments and attend full band practices. This year our band members will perform many concerts here at school.

Every December our 5th grade band and our 6-8th grade band perform a Christmas concert at the U.S. Bank Center downtown and another in front of Macy’s at Southridge Mall.  

Lessons

Players have one lesson per week for thirty minutes and one rehearsal per week for forty-five minutes.  Kids leave class time to attend a lesson in the band room for thirty minutes once per week.

• Lessons are in group settings of like instrument.
• Lessons times follow a rolling schedule. For example, if a group has a lesson at 8:00am one week the next week it will be at 8:30am. Each new week’s lesson advances up a half hour to finally return to the 8:00am hour some weeks later.