VMEA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
1/18/2008
South Burlington HS
Present: Paul Rondinone, Chris Rivers, Allyson Ledoux, Denis Lambert, Steffen Parker, Gary Moreau, Pat Riley, Glory Douglass, Anne Hamilton, Anna Roy, Bear Irwin, Cindy Hall
Meeting called to order at 5: 08 P.M.
Gary announced the appointments of Chelsea Henderson as vocal chair and Carrie Kohl as instrumental chair
SECRETARY’S REPORT
Motion to approve October minutes as printed: Steffen Parker, Second: Paul Rondinone, Motion approved
TREASURER’S REPORT
Paul presented an updated report.
Current VMEA Available Funds: $8, 177.35
Motion to approve: Steffen Parker, Second: Chris Rivers, Motion passed
Fall Conference Financial Report
Paul presented a detailed report to date, but is still dealing with PO’s, invoices and other details.
Motion to table: Steffen Parker, Second: Chris Rivers, Motion passed
Allyson and Paul conferred on some details and changes in the way some items were listed.
Anne congratulated Allyson for a financially successful conference.
CONFERENCE REPORT
Gary started the report by stating that the job of Conference Chair is a HUGE undertaking. It is at a point where it can’t be done by one person carrying all responsibilities. We need to find a way to divvy up the work.
40th Army band is interested in helping.
Allyson continued the report:
Evaluations contained many great comments, some very good constructive comments and some comments about things that were out of our control.
Allyson will address some of the issues with a letter to the journal.
The next conference will be at CVU on October 23.
Allyson put together a proposal for divvying up jobs. Cindy will be the “registrar” and Steffen the “exhibit set-up chair”
She needs someone for “exhibits chair.” It is the biggest piece to hand over.
Gary is asking our Eastern Division president to be our keynote speaker.
ALL STATE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Steffen thanked Board members who helped call colleagues who missed the All State deadline. He continues to be frustrated by the lack of organization from colleagues. Thirty-five to forty people have been added in the last week and a half.
There is still some difficulty in finding adjudicators.
Online adjudicating worked very well.
Plans in Vergennes are going well
Glory asked Steffen if he thinks it’s time to say everyone has a job in a 2-3 year rotation? Steffen replied that we would have to weigh the effort required in bookkeeping to determine if it’s worth it. HS teachers are reluctant to adjudicate because they want to be there for their own students. If we didn’t require the same adjudicators hearing both sites we’d get more, but that would open up a whole can of worms with equity/fairness.
Gary – is it time to put something into the journal that asks “How would you be willing to help at All State? Could you serve as an adjudicator and if so, what instrument or voice part?” We could tap into MS and elementary teachers.
Allyson – what would be readers’ means of responding? Something could be added that directed them to the website where they could respond.
Saturate it different places.
Gary has been asked by a few people if it is maybe time to give adjudicators a stipend. Is there money from increased registration fees? Steffen – that just covers increase in expenses.
Steffen – two issues with a stipend
Board felt $100 was too generous.
We have 56 adjudicators times 2 weekends.
Anna feels that we need to have more communication with elementary/MS teachers. Maybe pair them with a veteran for their first time if they are uncomfortable.
We could do something at the conference – a session to show people the process and get them feeling comfortable with doing it.
Chris asked if we have we decided on how to divvy up money coming in from school invoices.
Could we go with fewer scholarship judges?
Denis – there are benefits for having two judges rather than one - fairness, and they can confer.
Gary reported that Frank Whitcomb reminded us that we need to prepare for the day Steffen moves on from the position as Festival Director. Someone should be shadowing him and learning the ropes. Maybe more than one person.
T.O.Y
Bear handed out support materials and ballots. He thanked Steffen for setting up the Wiki page.
The board voted.
DISTRICT REPORTS
District I: Anna reported that the HS festival is Feb 7-8. The date of MS fest has been moved up
District II: Anne reported that the HS festival is in April. Cindy Hall is conducting the band, Nathaniel Lew the chorus, and Andrew Boysen the wind ensemble.
The jazz festival didn’t get off the ground.
District III: JH festival is coming up Feb 1-2. There will be a workshop from 9-2 for elementary teachers. Betsy Greene is the clinician: conversational solfege. Marti Mutz invited the Plattsburgh Orff organization –they may get some participants from that. Pam Perry is conducting the HS choral festival.
District IV: Chris reported that the Fall festival was successful and the Jazz festival is coming up.
District V: Bear reported that their first festival is coming up.
District VI: Paul reported that the winter festival is coming up.
Steffen reported that the IAJE MS festival cannot be at Johnson because of renovations. The festival is in dire need of a site. They need seven classrooms and two performance sites during the school day.
PRESIDENTS REPORT
1. Andy Miskavage asked about an adjudication program he had seen. Ours is far beyond that in what it can do.
2. The National Executive Board has approved a $2 increase in dues.
They are asking individual state presidents to answer: “Are you in favor of increasing dues $10 so they can provide all members with liability insurance. Is it something to pursue?”
Paul – if you are an NEA or NMFS member, you have that already. The board was firmly against it.
3. MENC National Conference – April 10 in Milwaukee
2010 – KS City
MENC is asking for input in strategies for improving the national conference attendance or adding value to it.
4. Gary reminded the board to check out Harris Poll at the MENC site. The release has some interesting findings
5. A letter went out January 7 to HS principals and teachers about the All State fee. It has met with mixed reviews.
He has received emails asking about where the amounts came from. They are based on total enrollments of each school.
For 7-12 schools, he multiplied by 66%
The VPA called and asked when would they be able to come support us again. They took exception to the first paragraph of the letter. They also talked to Steffen.
There has been a lot of positive feedback on the letter. Many schools are asking for invoices to pay for this current year.
Gary will send an email to HS teachers inviting them to pay this year.
Every school will get an invoice in July for the 2008/2009 year.
There has been positive feedback about the VMEA membership requirement, even from people who have never been members.
Anne questioned the mention of district festivals in the letter.
Chris – at our next meeting, a priority should be to get all the details straight.
6. Saturday June 28 there is a planning meeting in Providence for Eastern Division. Representatives are needed from each state.
7. Bear will look into possible candidates for officers. We need a slate no later than All State. Gary will help.
OTHER
Glory asked about ill students making up jazz auditions. Steffen had to leave for scholarship auditions and was not available to reply. Bear will talk to him.
Denis reported that he might have a “focus” issue in June on grading. He is also looking to print concert dates for all schools.
That type of material is so much more updatable on the webpage.
Next meeting: March 18
Motion to adjourn: Paul Rondinone
Second: Patti Riley
Meeting adjourned at 6:45