Orchestra Boosters

2020-2021 SOA High School Orchestra Boosters

Executive Board

• • Barb Hornig, President

  • Judith Herrin, Co-President

• Melissa Petersen, Treasurer

  • Betsy Poth, Secretary

• The following positions are still vacant: Food and Volunteer Coordinator and treasurer-Elect. Parents who are interested in these or other positions are encouraged to contact Dr. Selby. Thank you!

Steering Committee

• • Oyster Roast Chair: Gary Petersen

• Field Trip Planning: Anna Cusatis, Corina Fimian

  • Facebook Manager: Betsy Poth

• Band Major Representatives: Melissa King

• Charleston Symphony Liaison: Jan-Marie Joyce

• Sponsorships, Donations and Grants:

• Artist and Program Designer: Jen Ervin, Sandra Nikolajevs, Corina Fimian

  • Media, Publicity: ________________

  • Senior Thesis Committee: ________________

• Uniforms: Verna Weeks

• Nominating Committee: ________________

Orchestra Booster Bylaws

How Fees Are Use

THANK GOODNESS FOR ORCHESTRA PARENTS!

There is no way that one person could do all the jobs that make a school orchestra successful. While some jobs are Jobs Only The Director Can Do, parents can help the program in so many other ways that make orchestra more than "just a class" for students--helping plan trips, concert receptions, concert uniforms, and so much more. Below is the list of offices and committees and a brief description of how these parents help make our program the best orchestra it can be.

The parents who make up the boosters fall into three categories:

1. Executive Board members

2. Steering Committee members

3. Additional Necessary Booster Volunteers

Executive Board

• President. Call and preside over monthly board meetings. Be a spokesperson for the orchestra boosters, and find parents that can contribute some of their time and talents to the program and our students.

• Vice-President. Help the President and learn the roles of the President in preparation to serve in this capacity the following year.

• Past-President. Help the President with the duties described above. Provide improved continuity from one year to the next by helping the board understand how things have been done previously, and what might be done differently or better.

• Treasurer. Collect and record all money from parents and deposit it in the bank. Maintain the booster bank account and help pay bills with this account. Keep accurate records of money collected and deposited using Quicken or other effective financial management software. Help Boosters maintain 501(c)(3) status. Give a brief financial report at monthly board meetings.

• Secretary. Create a monthly newsletter to remind parents about upcoming events. Record decisions made at monthly board meetings. Record questions or concerns raised by parents, and discussion by the director about the future direction of the orchestra program. Post meeting minutes on the website, and keep a hard copy of minutes from previous meetings in a binder.

• Food and Volunteer Coordinator. Keep track of events where parents can help. Use Signup Genius or other software to organize parent help. Help the President find parents who can fill specific roles, like chairing or working in any of the committees listed below.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee includes the Executive Board Officers above, plus the following

• • Oyster Roast Chair. Organize a committee of parents who plan and run the SOA Symphony Annual Oyster Roast at Bowen's Island. The committee includes parents in charge of ticketing, publicity, sponsorships, silent and live auction, parent contributed food, music, set up, clean up, and more. Funds from the Oyster Roast help lower field trip costs for all students and provide scholarships for those who have difficulty affording orchestra trips.

  • Field Trip Chair. Meet with the director and board and organize the spring trip that students will remember for the rest of their lives. Organize chaperones, trip details, and communicate regularly with treasurer and director about costs and timelines. Help other parents plan Region, All-state, and other smaller trips. The Field Trip Planning Committee helps plan the field trips we do each year, which typically include Region Orchestra, All-State Orchestra, our Spring Trip, and sometimes Concert Festival. The committee helps reserve buses, hotels, restaurant/banquets, and coordinates the itinerary with the Director.

• Sponsorship Chair. Organize and lead a committee of parents who understand big money, and how to bring in corporate and private sponsors to help pay for Charleston Symphony musicians to coach SOA students, defray field trip costs for students and parents, purchase instruments and other supplies as needed, and to ensure that money is not a barrier to our students getting the best education we can provide them.

  • Publicity Chairperson. Work with the director and lead a parent group to publicize student concerts, auditions and achievements. Our Orchestra needs better publicity; not enough people in Charleston know enough about the inspiring concerts our talented kids produce. Parents are needed to help design and post flyers/signs, or create ads and do press releases to help get the word out about our concerts and successes.

Other Necessary Booster Positions that benefit the students and parents

• Concert Program Designer. Parents who are good with Publisher or Photoshop can help turn otherwise dull concert programs into memorable keepsakes. It costs parents nothing to create beautiful programs, and if we can collect a few ads, the Program Designer can even help the orchestra raise a little money.

• Senior Thesis Committee. Parents who would like to organize decorations, receptions, programs for Senior Thesis are welcome on this committee.

• Uniforms Volunteer. Every year we need parents who can help the newest female members get their new dresses correctly sized and ordered. This job requires a parent who can come in and help girls try on dresses, and then help sort out the dresses once they arrive. This job lasts from August until October 15.

• Facebook Manager. This job is perfect for a parent that enjoys and updates their facebook regularly, and also likes seeing the news and accomplishments of their child's orchestra on Facebook. Post upcoming event information, answer questions, and post concert videos and pictures. Monitor the page and make sure content is appropriate for a school setting.

  • 3 Representatives: A parent of a 9th/10th grade student, an 11th/12th grade string student, a wind/brass/percussion (band major) student. These parents attend monthly meetings, offer insight and volunteer to help as needs arise.

• Apparel. This parent or volunteer is good with designing t-shirts, sweats, jackets and other apparel, and helps the director design and order the SOA Symphony clothing that our students wear proudly.

• Charleston Symphony Liaison. This member of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra works with the director to bring in paid professionals from the Charleston Symphony to coach our students.