Monday, February 10, 2014 · Band Room, KHS
Meeting was called to order by President Jolene Berke.
Copies of the minutes were available via email blast and paper copies at the door. A motion to approve the minutes was made by Doreen Sheen, second by Ed Uden. The minutes were approved.
Treasurer’s Report from Brent Meyer: Checking $18,819.92, Scrip Account $518.35, Student Accounts $12,625.52, Savings Account $25,439.33. Reminder that a Chicago trip payment of $250 was due Nov 15. We have some families behind ($4100) and a few families that are ahead on payments ($1100). Please see Brent or Jan to make payments. Final payment will be due April 1 (no fooling!) and the amount will be announced soon. It should be in the neighborhood of $250. Nebraska sales and use tax has been paid. We received our share of money for the Band Festival from UNK. Our 90-day payment was made on the Chicago trip.
Basketball concessions are way ahead for this year. Jennifer Welker who was co-chairing Basketball Concessions and Stadium Clean-up with Jeanne Thorn is stepping down as her daughter is not going to be in band next year. Carin Koetters has agreed to chair next year and is training with Jeanne. Lauren Harbols will co -chair with Karen next year.
Bearcat Marching Festival sales this year was $2600, an increase of $1000 from last year. Net income was $1600 (up $300 from last year). Allie Nelson will co-chair with Alexis McNeal next year.
Old Business
Central Nebraska Band Showcase, $435 has been deposited. Geneva State Bank donated the meat, chips & buns. There are a few things needed to wrap this up so far. Are considering using leftovers for concessions during the Yanney concert. Looking to be about $9-10 per hour for those who worked.
Honor Bands are in full swing. Kearney had the most number of students at UNL Winter Winds, even more than Lincoln or Omaha schools! Hastings Honor Festival (Band, Orchestra) we had 10% of the total participants.
Runza Night is Monday, February 24. We will have some small groups performing. We do have both locations. Sign-up sheet is being sent around for volunteers to help bus tables, etc. Please patronize both locations.
Scrip – Total rebates at approximately $1250 in 6 months, KBPA share is approximately $500.
Uniform turn in: Final deadline is February 18!!
New Business
Charms – Band management system Mr. LeFeber has found and introduced. Executive team has looked at the demo account and felt strongly enough in support that it is being brought to the full membership. Charms is used to manage band instruments, uniforms, music library, students accounts all in one place. The program can use a barcode scanner to use for checking out uniform parts. The calendar can be used to send info to clients (parents, student groups, etc). Student/parent portal may be checked to find uniform/instrument info, student account balance, etc.
1)Should we go with this system? 2) Do we purchase a 1-year subscription for $300? 3) Do we go with a 3-year subscription for $795?
Hastings High School uses this program and loves it. Other collegiate programs use this software. We had been considering purchasing QuickBooks and this would replace it. Since it will take a little time to get things imported and up & running, exec committee leans toward 3-year subscription. There is an online store so we could do pep band apparel through it and accept credit cards via PayPal.
Motion made by Ed Uden to do a 3-year subscription of Charms, second by Reed Koeppe. Discussion inquired about our bank balance, if we have the funds available to purchase. Ed amended his motion to include “provi ded the treasurer confirms that funds are available for the purchase.” Motion carried.
Big Band Dance – Allie Nelson will chair with the help of Robbie Samuelson. A co-chair is welcome. Theme is “April in Paris.” Dance will be held Friday, April 4 at Sunrise Middle School.
Band Banquet – Robin Farrar is chairing. Will be held Saturday, May 3. We have talked with Mr. Stein and we WILL be able to be in the south gym. The tarps are over at Sunrise; the custodians will put it down.
Fundraiser – Butter Braids will be sold this year, March 6-20. Delivery will be in April in time for Easter. We do have about 45% profit on these.
Directors
Band Boosters made a pitch to the Cope Foundations to ask them for funds to purchase eight new brass sousaphones ($55,000). They granted the request. This will be fantastic since we have seven sousaphones next year. The directors are working to finalize the instrument selection so they may be ordered.
The Band Boosters also asked the Cope Foundations for additional funds to assist with the new auditorium at the new high school. The designer suggested building a concert hall that can be turned into a theater (opposite of the “normal” design). There is only one other in the country in Michigan that Mr. Moyer (choral instructor) is going to visit tomorrow. The Cope Foundation agreed with the Band Boosters that this is AWESOME and agreed to provide $550,000 for the project! Seating will be for 1000 utilizing gallery style seating which keeps the audience closer to the performers.
First proto-type of uniform carts has been made and they are fabulous!! After slight tweaking, the 8 uniform carts and 3 equipment carts are being built.
NSBA will have a three site system with two festival sites and one competition site next year. The presumption is that the competition site will be in Lincoln or Omaha, one of the festival sites will be in Lincoln or Omaha and one festival site will be out-state. Previously it looked like will be unable to host as UNK has a home football game, however that is not the case! UNK may host, KHS has offered to help. This does potentially change where we will compete and gives us the opportunity to make some money. Hastings was not interested and GI is, but they don’t have enough seating. Additionally, NSBA is implementing that the people going to that site dictate the rules at the site. Many years down the road, it is possible that KHS will add a stadium at the new high school which would give us even better facilities.
Chicago itinerary has been posted on the website. Final payment will be due April 1. We will be getting polos for the trip. Amount of final payment will be announced soon.
Class Scheduling – Next parent-teacher conference will be advisement conferences with you student’s Bearcat Time advisor. Mr. LeFeber showed a couple of sample schedules showing what kids took for those who included music in their schedule. Additionally, for the new building, there are some that are wanting a strict 4×4 block schedule with no skinny blocks. That makes it VERY difficult to fit music in. Please be aware that your support is needed and will continue to be needed to be sure that the arts get the time they deserve in scheduling.
Band Trips – The experience of international travel is something that we would like to consider offering. Travel vendors at the Midwest Conference assured Mr. LeFeber that there are locations that are affordable. Europe could be $3000-4000. Travel on this continent could be done more feasibly. When you consider that we are spending about $600 for this to Chicago and they spent $1400 for the trip to Washington DC two years ago, that is about $2000 and is close to what an international trip would cost (if we do it every 4 years). If we were to do it every four years, we may try to reach out to the middle school families to let them start fund-raising earlier. The need for passports and vaccinations was brought up. The choir goes every three years, but not as KHS. It is a community choir. It would be a chaperoned, safe environment. Interest was expressed in finding some more information on this type of trip just to see what options exist.
Band Booster Club – Next step is to continue to build the alumni list. Would like to make an alumni club and encouraging them to continue to support the band. Maybe put out an annual newsletter. Considering an alumni list coordinator to maintain the list, work with the KPS Foundation for that.
Mr. Mitchell noted that Color Guard tryout have taken place. Fifty kids tri ed out, 26 were selected, three alternates were chosen and there are 16 returning Color Guard members.
Future Items
Looking forward to next year, there will be spots available with the KBPA board and committees. We will be needing a president-elect and treasurer-elect. Uniform committee will be needing freshman parents. Cruise Nite chairs are also needed. We will also need someone to lead the Web Team. We really have a mentoring system in place so when you sign up, it is a two-year commitment where you are the helper the first year then in charge the second year.
Next meeting will be held Thursday, March 6 – please note the date change due to concerts at Horizon & Sunrise Middle Schools.
Having no further business to conduct, a motion to adjourn was made by Ed Uden, second by Marci Ochsner.
