What is the one thing every music teacher needs more of? Money! The number two thing? Help! Your local repair technician is so much more than just a "fix it" person. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and they are more than happy to share that information with you.

Do you know who does your school's repairs? Have you actually met them face-to-face and shook their hand? Cultivating a more personal relationship with your repair tech can be a very beneficial thing. Building open lines of communication and trust will be advantageous when the inevitable emergency pops up, or the occasional misunderstanding on an estimate or miscommunication regarding due dates happens. If your repair tech is more than just a signature on a repair ticket or email, you will feel much more confident in the work being done. Conversely, your tech will also know and trust you as well. When you need just "ONE" thing done to an instrument or need to put a rush on something, they will be much more accommodating if you are more than a PO number or account number.

Besides a better working relationship, repair techs can offer a wide array of information and resources. From pad upgrades on woodwind instruments to purchasing advice for new models, your repair tech is going to be the closest thing to an unbiased opinion you can find. If a particular brand has poor parts or no parts support, we will tell you. If some new brand is not as durable as other options, we will tell you. Here is a short list of ways I've personally seen repair techs assist directors away from the bench:

• Evaluating school inventory, informing you of which instruments you have that are worth repairing.
• Care and maintenance clinics for beginners, high school, and college players.
• Professional development, including emergency repair clinic days.
• Storage suggestions for storage/percussion rooms.
• Speaking with students on career options in music aside from teaching or performing.
• Discussion of pros and cons of different brands as it relates to the needs of your classroom.
• Running sectionals or clinics based on the technician's own main instrument.

One of my favorite things to do is to turn small repairs into learning opportunities. When I am asked to change drum heads for a school, if possible I will turn it into a maintenance and tuning clinic for their students. This way the students get reinforcement on a skill they'll need their entire career, and the next time that school needs new drum heads they won't have to pay me to replace them. Their students will already know how to do it themselves. This is not a full list of services your local repair technician could provide you. To find out what yours can do for you, just reach out.

Repair techs love to talk shop. We are a very passionate bunch. If you or your students have questions about a particular repair, or just want to know more about the mechanics of an instrument -- ask away! You will get bored of listening to us long before we get bored talking about these things. It all circles back to building a relationship built on communication and trust.

We are all in this together. Every repair tech I know always wants to make sure every student's instrument is in the best possible playing condition. The last thing any repair technician would want is for a student to quit playing their instrument because they think they are bad at playing, and it turns out that it was just a simple mechanical issue of the instrument all along. We want your school-owned instruments playing in top shape for years. Keeping the personal connection strong between band directors and repair technicians will ensure we all are able to keep doing what is important, helping students grow and thrive.