Who We Are

Science Hill High School Topper Band

The SHHS Topper Band in Johnson City, Tennessee is one of the region’s largest band programs. We are made up of grades 9-12 and have won hundreds of marching and concert awards during our more than 85 year history. Marching season runs from approximately late July through early November and following marching season, we provide concert ensembles including a wind ensemble, symphonic band, concert band, two percussion ensembles, and various chamber ensemble.

SHHS Band Boosters

Science Hill High School Band Boosters, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization complete with a charter, bylaws, and a board of directors. The purpose of our organization is to provide for the needs of the SHHS Topper Band that are not already met by the Johnson City School System. Many committees are in place to accomplish the extensive goals of the Topper Band.

Following is a list of all the committees that currently exist to support the Topper Band and a brief description of each. Please contact the committee chairperson or any member of the committee(s) where you are interested in helping out; there is always room for more help.

Chaperone Committee

Chaperones are required to accompany the band on all events involving travel. Chaperones must be parents, grandparents, or guardians of current band students, or otherwise approved by the Band Booster Board. Chaperone training includes bus training, which is done by Johnson City Transit, and is typically scheduled for a late afternoon during the week of band camp. Bus training is required for any adult who will be riding on a Johnson City school bus. Only band students and bus-trained adults are allowed to ride school buses on band events.

Additional information specific to band chaperoning is also provided by the chair of the chaperone committee at the same time. Bus training is not required for charter buses, but the same pool of chaperones is typically used. Chaperones for major trips are selected based upon their experience and proven chaperone abilities. The committee chair is responsible for scheduling bus training, preparing and distributing the information packets, and assigning chaperones as needed to cover the events. The committee members consist of all persons that complete the training.

Typically for bus travel, four chaperones are placed on each bus: two in the back, and two in the front. One of the four serves as a lead chaperone for that bus. The chaperones are responsible for the safety of the students and the integrity of Science Hill High School by making sure the students follow the school’s code of conduct, applying discipline as needed, covering student maneuvers to be sure the students are not left unattended, and conducting careful roll calls. In addition, the lead chaperone for each bus is responsible for signing out any student that will be returning from the event with a parent or guardian.

Characteristics needed to be a chaperone committee member include accountability, a willingness to discipline, ability to interact well with students, ability to earn the respect of students, and common sense is a must.

Concessions Committee

The Concessions Committee is responsible for the concession stands at the home varsity, junior varsity, ninth grade and eight grade football games. Profits from concessions, one of our leading fundraisers, are applied directly to the general band fund, thus benefiting all band students.

Committee members are needed to review menu items, set prices, purchase food and supplies, set-up, prepare food, sell concessions, handle money, and clean up. Prior to home varsity football games, the Concessions Committee is also responsible for setting up the drinks that will later be distributed by the Hospitality Committee to the bands at halftime. The Concessions Committee may also be called upon occasionally for special events hosted by the Science Hill band.

Many concession committee members are needed during football season, typically mid August through late October, to prepare and sell concessions, with the goal of having enough members so that most will need to work only one event. One or two experienced leaders are needed at each concession stand to orient the workers, and to be sure operations run smoothly. Responsibilities are sometimes divided into sub committees, with one group responsible for obtaining and preparing the food, and another group responsible for selling.

Field Crew Committee

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Some of the 2014 Field Crew members

For each home and away football game and each marching competition featuring the full band, equipment must be transported to the destination for use in the performance. This equipment is transported via a tractor-trailer, and typically includes field and pit percussion instruments, color guard flags and props, sousaphones, hat boxes, and other instruments, depending on the distance involved.

Field Crew Committee members are needed to maintain the band trailer, schedule tractors and drivers, ensure the proper equipment is loaded, unload the equipment and prepare it for use, move the equipment on and off the field at the appropriate times during the performance, repack the equipment, return the equipment to the school, and unpack the equipment. Due to the importance of having the right equipment available at the right time, the committee members are encouraged to support this committee throughout the entire marching season. Teamwork, efficiency, and good organizational skills are desired for the field crew members.

Grants Committee

The Grants Committee is an ongoing committee that researches grants for sponsorship of band events. The money that has been granted in the past has been used to help fund The Johnson City Band Clinic or the Day of Percussion. The clinic brings in clinician educators to assist in concert music education and performance skills development.

A background in grant writing or grant researching would be helpful but is not necessary. Also experience with preparing budget requests would be helpful.

Hospitality Committee

The Hospitality Committee has responsibilities that begin with band camp and last throughout the school year with the first duties beginning the first night of marching band camp. Each evening the committee provides a hot meal for the band members and staff. These meals are held in the high school cafeteria and the committee is responsible for purchasing and/or cooking, set-up, serving and clean-up for each evening’s meal.

During the football season the hospitality committee is responsible for the distribution of drinks at all home games for both the SHHS band as well as some visiting bands after the half-time performances. For contests and away football games, the hospitality committee coordinates with the band directors to provide meals, drinks, and snacks as needed. The final commitment is the end of the year band banquet. This entails planning and organizing the final awards and recognition dinner for the 9th through 12th grade students, staff and family members.

Publicity Committee

The publicity committee is responsible for promoting band activities in the local media, primarily through newspaper outlets and social media (Facebook and Twitter), but also through radio and television as deemed appropriate.

Committee members work closely with other committees and the band directors to promote the successes of the band within the community. They also help promote major fund raisers, such as the car wash and fruit sales, and promote the Hilltopper Invitational Band Competition each fall. Additional requirements may be developed during trip years as well.

The following skills are helpful, but not necessary: a journalism, marketing, or public relations background, some sales experience, some photography skills, and contacts with local media outlets.

Web Master

Work with band directors and the booster committees to keep the Band/Booster website current for band students and parents. Experience with WordPress and some graphic design experience preferred.

Fund Raising Committee

Plan a strategy to request supporting funds from area businesses. As a team we will select corporations and businesses to call on and divide the responsibilities of making and following up on contacts.

Trailer Ads Committee

The trailer ads committee is responsible for managing all aspects of the advertising that appears on the band trailer. This trailer is used to transport valuable instruments and equipment and accompanies the band to most performances away from school, including all marching competitions away football games. Proceeds from the ad sales are intended to offset the transportation and maintenance costs associated with the trailer itself.

Businesses and individuals can purchase new ad space anytime during the year, and existing clients can renew their ads each summer. The ads are applied to both sides of the trailer, and thus follow the band everywhere the trailer is taken. When not in use during the marching season (typically August to November), the trailer is typically parked behind the band room, and is visible from the busy John Exum Parkway. After the season is over the trailer may be parked elsewhere.

Committee members are needed to solicit clients, explain the process, accept artwork, help modify artwork to meet requirements, issue contracts, invoice clients, interface with the sign company to have the ads cut, and to apply or remove ads from the trailer as needed. Renewal invoices should be sent to existing clients each July. Weather conditions typically prevent the application of ads in the winter months.

Uniforms Committee

The uniforms committee is responsible for assisting with the marching band uniforms. The first duty occurs in August during band camp with uniform pants adjustment. Two or three committee members are needed to have students try on new uniform pants, and to adjust hems to the proper length. During marching season, two members are needed before each performance at the band trailer to help students with uniform issues including missing uniform parts, popped buttons, and hat box distribution and collection. Also, two are needed at the end of each performance to assist with orderly take-up of hat boxes with accessories in them.

The final responsibility occurs in the spring. For five days at the beginning of April, a few members are needed to organize the resale of uniforms to new band students for next year. Tasks include organizing the uniforms by size, consulting with the band director on price, helping new students and parents with the fitting process, accepting checks to previous owners, and turning the checks in to the director for distribution.

Ushers and Membership Committee

Throughout the concert season, various bands and ensembles perform for the public in the school auditorium. Committee members are responsible for coordinating ticket sales and ushers for these events. Band-booster pass holders are admitted free to these concerts.

Committee members are needed to sell band-booster passes at selected times during band camp and later at band-booster meetings, recruit volunteers as needed, train ushers, sell tickets before each concert, and serve as ushers for each concert. Ushers are responsible for taking tickets, handing out programs, ensuring the doors are opened and closed quietly during performances, and maintaining order during the concerts.

Band Booster pass sales begin with band camp in the summer and typically continue into early autumn. Events typically include Christmas concerts in December, festival concerts in March, and spring concerts in May.