MUSIC PARENT’S ASSOCIATION

MINUTES

February 13, 2006

 

 

The meeting was called to order by President Richard Anderson at 7:01 p.m.  There were 12 people present.  The Minutes from January’s meeting were accepted as transmitted by e-mail.

 

Treasurer’s Report:  Pat Brune reported she closed out the savings account and transferred the money to checking.  The balance of $5,544.66 includes the Color Guard’s money ($244.49).  She’ll begin printing out the year-to-date balances.

 

Vocal Department:  Lynn Sanders presented information on the trip the Sound Express is taking to Chicago in May to compete in the Dixie Classic Choral Festival.  The vocal department is still raising money for this.  The dinner show netted $852.00.  A bake sale at Fort Leavenworth is not an option.  They will use cookie dough sale funds for the trip.  They’ll also apply to the Booster Club for financial help.  The cost is $580/student plus the cost of some meals.  16 students and 14 adults are going.

 

There was some discussion about whether MPA, which is basically composed of band parents, should support this Chicago trip when vocal parents seldom work in band fundraisers.  Also, the vocal students have fundraisers for their own department and the money they raise stays there.

 

Color Guard:  No report.

 

Instrumental Department:  Mr. Jones mentioned that the concert with North Platte will be on March 21 at 7:00 p.m.  They will practice on our stage.  Teresa Flaugher and Stephanie Walker will coordinate with a group of North Platte parents to feed the kids lasagna in the north cafeteria at 5:30.  A CD will be made. 

 

Mr. Jones said 45 solos and small ensembles will go to Liberty for contest on April 1.  Large ensembles will perform at Park Hill South on April 7.  The spring concert is scheduled for May 9.

 

He discussed the band program for next year.  There are 45-50 freshmen expected to join the band next year, so the marching band could have 150 kids.  We have 160 uniforms.  The whole band won’t get new uniforms, but the drum line will probably wear something different than the rest of the band.  Dr. Harpst knows about this.  The whole band will probably be together through the first semester, then split (by auditions done by outside auditioners) into a concert band and a much smaller wind ensemble.  Both of these groups will go to contest.  Mr. Jones mentioned that ours is the only 4A school around here that has only one band instead of two, three, or four.

A packet of information will be sent out soon regarding the upcoming changes.  Mr. Jones noted that each student’s grade will be based on their work ethic and not on which large group they play in.  Challenges will allow the students to move up in their section and, when they are in first chair in the concert band, they can try out for the wind ensemble.

 

There is a band fundraiser on February 21 from 4-8:00 p.m. at McDonald’s, where Mr. Bonsignore knows the owner.  The band will receive twenty percent of all sales that night.  We need volunteers to work there.

 

Jazz Band:  Mr. Bonsignore was ill.

 

Committee Reports:

 

Membership:  Susan Anderson reported there are now 81 members.

 

Newsletter/Communications:  Nothing to report on the newsletter, but the website now has more on it.  There’s a link from the school website to the band site.

 

Trailer/Transportation:  No report.

 

Ways and Means:  Syl Washington reported that the Wal-Mart check came, but it’s made out to Platte County R-3 Foundation.  We’ll try to deposit it as is.

 

Awards and Recognition:  No report.

 

Home Tailgates:  We’ll have signups later for the North Platte concert dinner.

 

Away Tailgates:  No report.

 

Old Business: 

 

Sharron Breslow checked on the price of storage tubs through her husband’s business.  They’re the same price ($6.00 each).  We’ll go ahead and purchase them.

 

We want to make the senior yard signs for next year.

 

New Business:

 

We discussed giving the vocal department some money for the Sound Express trip to Chicago.  Richard Anderson talked to Joyce Hisel by phone and she said they are short about $200/student.  A Motion was made by Pat Brune that we give $50/student ($800 total) to the vocal department for this trip.  Motion passed.

 

At a future meeting we’ll discuss splitting MPA into band and vocal sections.

 

Ron Schults asked that information about next year be sent to parents of eighth-grade band students.  Mr. Jones said he has ideas for a newsletter to serve as a recruitment tool.

At our next meeting we’ll need to appoint a Nominating Committee.

 

The next MPA meeting will be Monday, March 13, at 7:00 p.m.

 

Pat Brune made a Motion to adjourn.  Meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

Ruth Wilson