Orchestra Booster Committee Meeting Agenda

Orchestra Booster Committee Meeting Minutes

May 12, 2010

Members in attendance: Edie Ryan, Lori Stillman, Cathy Peyton, Cindy Saalbach, Eric Engelbrektsson, Barbara Ryan, Carol Crespo, Megan Babcock, Maria Gallagher, Deb Meighen, Lynn Connors and Melinda Engelbrektsson.

Call to Order: A quorum was established and the meeting was called to order at 7:38pm.

Minutes – A motion was made, seconded and carried to waive the reading of the February 4, 2010 minutes. A motion was made, seconded and carried to approve the minutes as submitted. The minutes will be posted on the orchestra web site. There was some clarification discussion about manning the doors. Signs will be made and posted on doors to enter during applause only. There was discussion about using Tri-M members as ushers. The director will be asked whether or not students will be given extra credit for bringing guests to the concert.

President’s Report:

Students are participating in the orchestra pit for the school musical and are enjoying the experience.
The Scholarship winner has been selected. An announcement will be made at the banquet.
Board vacancies are in the process of being filled.
Reimbursement claims need to be turned into Eric by the end of the school year.
Flowers will be purchased for seniors to wear at the last concert. This will include senior band members who will play with the orchestra.
Budget update. School board hearing last night. Elementary band and strings will stay. FCPS got $1.65 billion transfer of funds. The existing $16.3 million gap will be closed in a variety of ways.

Vice President’s Report:

Melinda met with Sarah and discussed possible changes to handbook. Fees will be collected the same way (through the orchestra director) out of concern for privacy. Sarah will be present for uniform fitting nights.
There are still outstanding debts. No graduation, prom, report cards or records for any student who has a delinquent account. 3 written requests went home and none of the families are unable to pay.
Sarah will be working on the Master calendar and will nail down the dates for next year’s orchestra events.

Treasurer’s Report:

We’re still solvent. We have $13,300 in our account, $600 of which are part of student accounts. See the attached report.

Committee Reports:

Uniform:

After a discussion with the director, it was decided the orientation for rising 7^th graders will be held during uniform fitting nights instead of at the end of this school year. Uniform fitting nights will be held during two different weeks in August and during the Stallion Stampede. The orientation will cover subjects like orchestra expectations, the calendar, boosters and paperwork. There was discussion about the fact that parents will want to be with their students while they are fitted for uniforms, so the speech will have to be kept short. All necessary forms will be downloaded from the orchestra web site. A letter will go home to all families to explain about uniform fitting nights and about all paperwork.
A uniform email will be sent stating that parents can come and sell used uniforms at fitting nights. We may use the web site as a place to advertise used uniforms for sale. Sales will be conducted between those interested orchestra families and will not involve the booster club. Practice rooms may be used to try on uniforms. Parents will be asked to donate old uniforms for free and reduced lunch students.

Concert reception:

Cakes and grapes will be served at the last concert. Cathy needs debit card June 1 to pick up cakes and get utensils. We will not serve strawberries as they are labor intensive.

Concert support:

o In the past, students have prepared the senior flowers, but the director needs to be informed about this tradition. The ribbons, pins and tape are already purchased.

o There was a question about which parents are assigned to help at the last concert and where should they provide support. Cindy will get the names to Carol. Volunteers should man doors. There was discussion about where students should wait during the concert. The auditorium is quieter when the students are not seated there. There was discussion about use of cell phone at concerts and whether or not they should be confiscated when used during a concert. Lori will talk to the director about where the students will be. No volunteers were able to be recruited to stay in classrooms with students while they wait to play.

o There was discussion about whether or not snacks will be served before rehearsals. There is money in the budget for performance nutrition.

Awards banquet:

o An announcement about the awards banquet must go out quickly as the date is coming up soon. A flyer will go home with students at the end of the week and will be emailed to Judy Kang to be posted on the web.

o Checks can be made payable to SCSS.

o 4 cakes will be purchased and served.

o The director is willing to collect money and handle through school account. The $6 per person charge is being subsidized by boosters and school.

o The $200 set aside in the budget for the banquet covers the cakes and paper products.

o Volunteers are needed to pour drinks. Last year only one volunteer showed up even though 5 signed up.

o Table cloths will not be used as they are a lot of work.

o The director will enforce the deadline for turn in of money.

o Names of paid families should be on a list. They will be checked off and hands stamped. Only one door will be open to the cafeteria with a table in hall outside for check-in.

o The consensus was that the banquet should be held from 5:30-7:30. We will eat, have the general membership meeting, then awards will be distributed and conclude with the slide show.

o If the middle school follies are being held in the auditorium, then we may not need to pay for the custodians. We do need to request tables.

o We collected money up until the last concert last year. We could do that this year since we will still have a four day window to get final totals to the caterers. Walk-ins will not be accepted.

o There was discussion about subsidizing the cost of a ticket through boosters in the amount of $2 per ticket. There are funds available. We need to draw down the dollar amount that we carry in our account as a non-profit organization. A motion was made, seconded and carried to transfer funds up to $400 to subsidize the cost of a banquet ticket. Flowers will also be purchased to present to the orchestra director.

Volunteer coordinator:

o The new secretary is Barbara Ryan.

o Jan Matuszko will take over as volunteer coordinator.

Old Business:

We are tentatively going to cancel Basket Bingo for next year. Senior regional orchestra auditions will be held at SCSS next year and the boosters will have the opportunity to run a concession stand to raise money. Contact will be made with the Lake Braddock booster club (who ran Senior regional auditions last year) to get an idea of how much food to purchase. A motion was made, seconded and carried to replace Basket Bingo with a concession stand as a fund raiser.
Cello and bass repairs. Basses are still out. They went to a repair company recommended by the county. They should be back next week.
The BCA issued a final check to the orchestra boosters. That organization filed tax forms a couple years late. Some funds are still left over and will cover a scholarship until the funds are gone.

Budget:

The budget for 2010/11 is attached.

It will be emphasized to parents that fund raising accounts can be used to pay for any orchestra related fee.
There was discussion about adding more to awards banquet budget to cover ticket subsidy from $400 (for a total of $600).
There was discussion about increasing the amount allocated for student recognition. Line item will be kept at $900
It was noted that the scholarship amount has been increased.
A motion was made, seconded and carried to approve the budget.

Other Business:

Middle school got overall championship at the Busch Gardens competition. An announcement will be put on web site. The director will provide Eric with the list of credits from student accounts that were used to pay for this trip.
Spring concert students will wear their formal uniform (cummerbund and tie). The director wants the students to dress up as we will have the Fairfax Symphony conductor participating in this concert.
The awards banquet program will be discussed with the director and left up to her to put together.
Dr. Kalil will do the video montage of senior photos.
The chamber orchestra and a few other students will play at graduation.
Case straps for violins and violas may be ordered. Cello bows are needed too. They will be purchased before end of school year to use money from this school year’s budget.
A general membership meeting will be held at the awards banquet.
The next booster meeting will be held in early August.

Adjournment: A motion was made, seconded and carried to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 pm.

Respectfully submitted by Edie Ryan, Booster Secretary.

Next Meeting: August