10/23/2019
Visual and Performing Arts Boosters
Minutes of the General Membership Meeting
Wednesday, October 23, 2019, 6:00pm- 7:30pm @ KHS Library
In attendance:
VPA Boosters Executive Committee Members:
Emma Hauser - President
Lisa Crimp
Scott Ellis
Rose Hines
Jeni Kingston
Catherine Lindgren
Linda Morrison
Connie Plaisted
VPA Boosters Members:
Denise Hammond
VPA Faculty Members:
Eric Desmarais
Katie Mooney
Dennis St. Pierre
1. Introductions: All in attendance introduced themselves and described their relation to the visual and performing arts at KHS.
2. Constitution changes (see below). We had gotten rid of the specific responsibilities, but realized that it is best to have individuals responsible for certain tasks so we are re-instituting those positions/responsibilities. Motion by Linda to approve changes; second by Connie. All voted to approve changes reflected below.
-Positions to be re-established
a. President:
-coordinate all activities of VPA organization.
-preside at all meetings, set agendas, communicate with departmental heads
-appoint all committees
-be a co-signer on checking account
-help manage Facebook page,
-serve on all committees, unless there is a conflict of interest
-periodically review and suggest updates to constitution to VPA board
b. Treasurer:
-receive and deposit all monies of the KHSVPA Boosters
-maintain an accurate record of receipts and expenditures and submit a summary of this record at each Executive Board and general membership meeting;
-disburse monies as approved by the KHSVPA Executive Board or voted upon by the KHSVPA general membership
-pay routine and necessary costs of KHSVPA operations such as rent, licenses, postage, equipment, supplies, etc.
-assure organization is compliant with non-profit status
-provide start up cash for concessions and ticket sales
-coordinate with president as needed and appropriate.
c. Secretary:
-create minutes of meetings and record all votes, whether at meetings or via email.
-coordinate with President for the posting of minutes and votes on the KHS VPA website
d. VP of Concessions and Parade Beverages:
-organize concessions for theater events and waters for the parades,
-coordinate, as appropriate, with President, Treasurer, and school faculty and administration, about
equipment needed, storage of food, start up funds and depositing of funds raised.
e. VP of Tickets and Ushers:
-organize ticket sales and ushers for theater events
-coordinate, as appropriate, with President, Treasurer, and school administration and faculty about physical tickets, ticket websites, start up funds, and depositing of funds raised
f. VP of Fundraising:
-organize and collaborate with fundraising events and coordinate, as appropriate, with President, and Treasurer about projects and funds raised.
-manage CLYNK program (distribute bags and tags to teachers, provide statement to treasurer)
g. VP of Publicity and Communications:
-coordinate with President, Treasurer, and VPA faculty, as appropriate, to manage FB page and do press releases, promotions, and order banners as needed for VPA events
-collect and manage student, parent, and community emails, membership and enrollment.
-work with President to help email notices about upcoming meetings and events
h. VP of Special Events:
-help organize intermittent KHS VPA Boosters Special Events.
-coordinate, as appropriate, with President, Treasurer, and school administration and faculty about special events
i. VP of NYC Trip:
-work with President, Treasurer, and school administration and faculty, as appropriate, to coordinate 2020 NYC Trip
3. Website Update and Amazon Smile Update
The Boosters’ website, khsvpaboosters.com, can now be more easily found on the KHS homepage under the Links section.
Emma has registered our organization with Amazon Smile. Consider supporting the Kennebunk High School Visual and Performing Arts by using Amazon Smile
- Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice.
- AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
- Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.
*ACTION ITEM: Lisa will provide info to the office and request it be published in the newsletter.
4. Collaboration with Visual and Performing Arts Departments
Discussed potential ways that the VPA Boosters can collaborate with the various departments.
-VPA Calendar – Emma to create VPA calendar that has all VPA-related events in one place and maintain on the Boosters’ website – will be very helpful in coordinating all activities and keeping the community informed. [UPDATE: Since 10/23 meeting, the calendar has been created and appears on the Boosters’ webpage.]
-First will work on creating calendar; then will ask administration about having a VPA page (different from the Boosters’ page) on KHS website – equivalent to the athletics page (that includes all sports, calendar, link to athletics boosters).
-Funding Process and Funding Request Form – reminder to faculty that the VPA Boosters wants to try to support the faculty whenever possible. Passed out guidelines for awarding funds. Committee requests heads up about funding needs (especially big budget items – expenses they anticipate) so we have time to consider and vote.
-Student/Parent Registration – The Boosters request that faculty ask parents to complete registrations at parent/teacher conferences.
-CLYNK distribution – would love to distribute to families. $$ adds up over time. We will have them available to distribute at the concessions stand during performances. The bags need to be tagged.
*ACTION ITEM: Eric will ask Tri-M to undertake the tagging project.
-Love Music Annual Appeal 2020 – will come up in the winter. We will be asking for some support from faculty to make the appeal happen.
5. Theater News – Update by Dennis St. Pierre
The 2019 KHS Fall Musical will be Little Women, Directed by Dennis St. Pierre. It will be the East Coast Premier of a New Musical Version of An American Musical based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott with music by Dan Redfeld, lyrics by Christina Harding & John Koladziej, and a book by Ralph Lucas & Steven Ganci. This is not the Broadway version, but a version that has been supported and approved by the Alcott Estate. It also is truer to the book and the music is inspirational.
Dates/Times:
Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 pm
Friday, November 22 at 7:00 pm
Saturday, November 23 at 7:00 pm
Sunday, November 24 at 1:30 pm and at 6:30 pm
This will be the World Premier!! This is a brand new production – it is the first fully realized production of this musical. Will be working with someone else to help with the orchestrations – need help to pay for him. Dennis may be in touch with funding request.
Banner – student is working on it. Should be done by the end of this week. Will put out the sandwich board ASAP. Dennis will work on having the banner produced. Invoice to be submitted to Scott and VPA Boosters will pay.
KHS VPA Boosters to help with tickets, concessions, promotion (Facebook, press releases, banner)
The group has held subcommittee meeting with Dennis to review tickets, concessions, and promotion.
*Hope to have Louisa May Alcott’s granddaughter come to the show – would be great for her to meet with students; great opportunity for enhanced promo.
6. Band and Chorus: Update by Eric Desmarais
Jesse created website with music calendar. Trying to get the word out there. It is not currently linked to anything on the KHS website. (VPA Boosters’ webpage could incorporate this scheduling info as part of its calendar.)
Upcoming Dates: (see full schedule on the website)
Nov 1st and 8th: Possible Football Games
Dec 6th: Dock Square tree lighting
Dec 7th: Caroling at Hat Parade and Lower Village Tree Lighting
January 13th: Winter Concert
March 5th: Solo and Ensemble Night
April 15th: Pops Concert
May 12th: Spring Band Concert – jazz, concert band and wind ensemble
May 20th: Spring Choir Concert – chorus and chamber choir
May 25th: Memorial Day Parade: *ACTION ITEM: Linda will work on getting free water – last year she got $250 worth of free water. Jeni offered to store the water in the fridge at the Clam Shack so they are nice and cold.
May 28th: VPA Awards Night Banquet – Brand new this year! Banquet to celebrate the students in many different ways (all the arts together – art show; scholarships; celebrate all accomplishments). Potluck style so every kids brings something.
Jesse decided not to hold the December concert at the church in Kennebunkport.
Winter concert is later this year. January 13 – combined concert.
Voluntary concerts for the kids (open to all):
March 5 – solo and ensemble music
April 15 – pops – any kids can
There will no longer be an All Band Night. Disappointment that the younger kids won’t have that experience. Will miss seeing the progression. We will make an effort to invite younger families to the scheduled concerts at the high school so they can be inspired and see what the future holds if they stick with it.
When send out calendar info, make sure it will be a Google calendar link so it will automatically be added to individuals’ calendars so they can make sure not to miss out.
Jeni’s idea: Make the concert an “elementary night” at the high school. Make it a kids’ night with themed activities.
Tri-M is working on ways to bring the kids up to the high school.
Eric is also trying to keep the elementary kids excited about their future in music by sending the high school kids down to work directly with the kids.
Trevor Frost, young composer, will be in to work with the kids. Press worthy.
Trying to get cohesion between the grades/schools – MSK will join the Pep Band for an upcoming football game; Laurie Ellis and Eric will trade places for a day; high school kids will conduct master classes. All in attendance really excited about these plans.
Re: band uniforms: Discussed possibility of moving away from formal uniforms to a polo and pants – long term look to replace the uniforms with a modern form of the formal uniform. Need something made out of material that is healthier/lighter than the heavy wool. The kids overheat while marching. Eric will look into drum corps uniforms, which might be lighter. Also, could wash in industrial washer at KHS, which would cut down on dry cleaning. **The current uniforms were purchased around 30 years ago. All agreed that its time to replace them! *ACTION ITEM: Eric will research options and present proposed costs to VPA Boosters for consideration.
7. Art Department: Update by Katie Mooney
2 major art shows per year:
-March: artworks hang in the Brick Store Museum;
-April: IB art show for seniors in April (last year at River Tree) – Looking for ideas for next location. Ideas: Vinegar Hill; UNE
Art Department Needs: The computers in the Art Department are in need of improvement. The Boosters have donated all of the equipment in the Art Room. Discussed strategy for possibly seeking funding for improvements from the school. Have applied for grants from the Ed Foundation, but they don’t provide funds for technology. If Katie is unable to find funding from other sources, she will be requesting funding from the VPA Boosters. The costs may be around $20,000 over a 5-year plan.
Working on STEAM concept. The faculty is working on it. Maybe have juniors or seniors represent and advocate for the concept.
Agreement that STEAM should be arts based – a collaboration of faculty working on projects together.
Linda proposed possibly having an admin/faculty field trip to Makerspace at UNE (https://www.une.edu/cas/business/beyond-class/makerspace-student-innovation-challenge)
8. Treasurer’s Report – Scott Ellis
See attached report prepared by Scott.
Re: Annual Appeal - excellent outcome last year, but we think it can be even better this year. We will work on coordinated effort this year.
Dionne Trust – could attempt request again if know of specific needs in the future. Deadline may be November 1. *ACTION ITEMS: Eric would love to have a piece commissioned – he will consider and connect back with Emma. Dennis will also come up with proposal. Katie will also have proposal for artist in residence. Emma could ask for $3000 to support all.
9. Meeting Adjourned
Minutes prepared by Catherine Lindgren; a draft was distributed to the full executive committee for review and comment, and they were finalized on 11/12/19.
October 23, 2019 KHS VPA Treasurer's Report
Beginning Balance (1/1/2019)
$23,146.32
Income
Hannaford community cash ("Clynk" Program)
$223.13
Cash Deposit "Into the Woods" Concessions
$1,148.00
Annual Appeal Donations - PayPal
$1,904.40
Annual Appeal Donations - Checks
$4,995.00
Reimbursement from Batavia for Expenses for Exchange Concert
$1,425.00
Total Income
$9,695.53
Expenses
Pizza for 3 Work Parties for "Into the Woods"
$306.53
2 Banners for Tent Signs for Play "Into the Woods"
$260.41
Mailing/Printing for Annual Appeal
$435.02
Annual Retainer Fee and Annual Report Filing Fee
$135.00
Food Costs for Batavia Exchange Concert
$2,461.79
Artists in Residency for Batavia Exchange Concert (from Dionne)
$1,058.00
KHS VPA Boosters Scholarships (4 at $750 each)
$3,000.00
Donation of Supplies for Sandwich Board for Theater Dept. (Ed Sharood)
$191.57
Theater Gift Certificates for outgoing Board Members
$200.00
Post Office Box Annual Fee
$90.00
Total Expenses
$8,138.32
AVAILABLE FUNDS as of 10/23/2019
$24,703.53
Bank Balance (As of 9/30/19)
$24,903.53
Income/Expenses of Specific Events or Designated Funds
KHSVPA Annual Appeal 2019
Total Donation Income
$6,899.40
Printing/Mailing Costs
($435.02)
Net KHSVPA 2019 Annual Appeal Income
$6,464.38
Batavia Exchange Concert 2019
Food Costs For Exchange
$2,461.79
Reimbursement of Costs from Batavia
-$1,425.00
Net Cost for Exchange Concert
$1,036.79
Dionne Trust Funds
Beginning Balance
$2,000.00
Artist in Residency Expenses for Batavia Exchange
-$1,058.00
Remaining Dionne Fund Balance Available
$942.00