MinutesSept2015

WMEA Executive Board Meeting Minutes

September 12, 2015

WHSAA Building

Casper, WY

 

Call to Order

President Chad Rose called the meeting to order at 10:06 a.m. with the following members present: Chad Rose, President; Brent Rose, President-Elect; Tanya Severson, Secretary; Dan Holroyd, Past President; Kevin Blackwell, Secondary Vice-President; Beth Kean, Choir Vice-President; Joann Stevens, Band Vice-President; Jim Przygocki, Orchestra Vice-President; Jacie Schumacher, Elementary Vice-President; Weston Lamb, South Big Horn Basin District President; Larry Munari (proxy), North Big Horn District President; Ashley Lecholat, Northeast District President; Jesse Willie, Southwest District President; Carisa Thomas, Southeast District President; Katrina Rooney (proxy), North Platte District President; Ashley Westwang (proxy), MIOSM Chair; Leesa Kulhmann, In-Ovations Chair; Lila Kennah, Membership Chair; Kurt Gilbert, Industry Chair; Nick Simons, WJE Representative/Retirement Chair; Aemalemalo Seui, Marching Band Chair; Crystal Sieger, Teacher Education Chair; Sandy Steele, Windsong Editor; Sandy Steele, Executive Director.

 

Approval of Agenda

  1. It was moved and seconded to add a line item for clarification for professional development in the agenda. The motion carried.
  2. It was moved and seconded to add the section Executive Director in letter A under new business. The motion carried.
  3. It was moved and seconded to add line item Choir Handbook Change under letter H under new business. The motion carried.
  4. It was moved and seconded to approve the amended agenda. The motion carried.

 

Approval of Minutes

It was moved and seconded to accept the minutes. The motion carried.

 

Reports

  1. Reports were submitted by the President, President-Elect, Past President, Band Vice-President, Orchestra Vice-President, Choir Vice-President, Elementary Vice-President, Secondary Vice-President, Innovations Chair, South Big Horn District President, Advocacy Chair, Marching Band Chair, MIOSM Chair, North Big Horn Basin President, North Platte District President, Northeast District President, Retirement Chairs, Southeast District President, Southwest District President, Teacher Education Chair, Wyoming Jazz Educators President, Technology Chair, Music Industry Chair, Windsong Editor
    1. It was moved and seconded to approve the internal audit. The motion carried.

 

Executive Director’s Report

  1. It was moved and seconded to take the WMEA directory off of the website. The motion carried.
  2. It was moved and seconded to accept the Executive Director’s report. The motion carried.

 

Old Business

  1. All-State Cheyenne 2016
    1. Discussed the location of the conference will be at South High School and the Cheyenne Civic Center.
  2. Audit Report
    1. This line item was discussed previously in the meeting.

 

New Business

  1. Executive Director
    1. It was moved and seconded to retain Sandy Steele as our Executive Director. Discussion followed. The motion carried.
    2. It was moved and seconded to increase the Executive Director’s salary from $6,000 to $8,000 effective immediately. Discussion followed. The motion carried.
  2. Mission/Vision Statements Committee
    1. Discussed new trends in the mission and vision statements for NAfME and other state music education organizations. It was decided that a committee comprised of members from the executive board would rewrite the WMEA mission and vision statements. These committee members include Ashley Lecholat, Leesa Kuhlmann and Sandy Steele.
  3. Policy Revisions Committee
    1. Discussed the necessity of forming a Policy Revisions Committee to revisit and revise WMEA policies. This committee will be comprised of the following executive board members: Sandy Steele, Crystal Sieger and Jim Pryzgocki.
  4. Per Diem for Officer Travel
    1. It was discussed that the government recommends that an executive board of our size should use receipts for reimbursement instead of using per diem. This decision is ultimately left to the board members to decide. It was discussed that our executive board members do not travel enough and that the likelihood of our organization being audited is slim. Therefore the board has decided to continue the use of per diem reimbursement for future travel purposes.
  5. Jazz Headliner Funding
    1. Discussed the boards funding for the Jazz, Collegiate and In-Ovations headliners at All-State Conferences. Currently, only one headliner is covered by the board and the decision of which headliner to be covered is decided by the executive chairs in each area. This decision was based on reports from presiders on the participation numbers at these sessions.
    2. Discussed the growth and progression of WJE in the state as well as the growth of Jazz sessions at the conferences in the last few years. An increase in budget for WJE may need to be considered in the future if there is a continued increase in growth.
    3. Discussed providing a new badge designating participants at the conference who are not WMEA members but are attending and helping with the Jazz reading sessions. This badge would allow individuals to participate in the Jazz reading sessions, however, these individuals would not be able to attend other sessions at the conference unless they pay the nonmember dues.
  6. Social Media
    1. Discussed that NAfME is encouraging state organizations to use social media.
      1. It was moved and seconded it to create a WMEA Facebook page. Discussion followed. The motion carried.
      2. It was moved and seconded to have the Executive Director guide the WMEA Facebook page. The motion carried.
      3. It was moved and seconded that the WMEA Facebook page be public. The motion carried.
  1. Awards
    1. Distinguished Service- John Manzella (Northeast District)
    2. Give a Note- Sloan and Anna Marie Hales (Southeast District)
    3. Young Music Educator- Sarah Hanson (North Platte District)
    4. Music Educator of the Year- Cindy Barnard (North Platte District)
  2. Choir Handbook Change
    1. Beth Kean, the Choral Vice-President, will discuss possible changes to All-State choir auditions. She will discuss these changes at the upcoming All-State Conference with other choral directors and if it is decided to make changes, the board can vote on them during the spring board meeting.
  3. Professional Development Grant
    1. Discussed offering one grant for more money rather than offering two separate grants for $250 awarded each semester.
      1. It was moved and seconded to change the wording of the application to state “two grants of up to $500 each shall be awarded biannually, one in the fall and one in the spring.” Discussion followed. The motion did not carry.
      2. It was moved and seconded to change the wording of the application to state “grants of up to $500 will be awarded biannually in the fall and spring.” The motion carried.  

Other Items

  1. Discussed using digital copies of contracts instead of paper copies. It was decided by the board to go away from printed copies and use digital copies of contracts in the future.
  2. Forms
    1. Discussed issues with the percussion ensemble adjudication form and the points allotted for scores. Dan Holroyd will form a group of percussion educators to meet and review the percussion adjudication form.
    2. Discussed the WMEA/WHSAA Contracts.
      1. It was moved and seconded to raise the district clinic fee rate to $350 per day. Discussion followed. The motion carried.
    3. The per diem for the festival contract for adjudicators was discussed. The board agrees with the contract.
    4. District Clinic Accompanists Contract was discussed.
      1. It was moved and seconded that the accompanist fees are raised to $200 per day. Discussion followed. The motion carried.
      2. Manual changes will be made to the contracts this year and next year new contracts will be made.
  3. All-State Auditions Auditions are due October 5,
  4. NAfME Assembly
    1. Wyoming had more students audition for All-Northwest than any other states in the region.
  5. All-State Conference 2018
    1. Discussed when Casper would be brought back into the All-State Conference rotation.
  6. All-State Conference Stats
    1. Discussed the number of boys and girls who audition for the All-State Choir.
    2. Discussed that girls can audition for the tenor part and boys can audition for the alto part. The WHSAA would state that there cannot be any discrimination based on gender. It was suggested by the board to do what is best for the student’s voice regardless of the part they audition for.

 

Adjourn

It was moved and seconded to adjourn and the meeting was adjourned at 1:35 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Tanya Severson

WMEA Secretary