Teacher plans to rock summer with music

Flathead Valley, are you ready to rock?

John Steinhardt, band teacher at Swan River School, is hosting a six-week music program this summer.

Rockin’ the Summer is open to students who have had at least one year in a music program — students in about sixth through 12th grades.

The program’s goal is to help students “keep their ability [and] skills up through the summer, so we don’t have three months of sitting,” Steinhardt said. “It’s for keeping their chops up.”

Students who participate will have goals to work toward throughout the summer. The first goal will either be marching or performing on a float in Bigfork’s Fourth of July parade, Steinhardt said.

At the end of the program, students will perform an outdoor concert preceded by a softball game and barbecue, he added.

Times and dates haven’t been completely firmed up yet, but right now Steinhardt expects to hold the program from about 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from about June 15 to July 28.

Although the program will be held at Swan River School, it is open to students all over the valley.

The program is privately funded but donations are welcome, Steinhardt said, “so we can cut the cost of each student eventually. The more [students] we get, the easier it is to do.”

For additional information about Rockin’ the Summer, call Steinhardt at 890-1523.