WHHS Band Booster Meeting July 1st 2021
July 1st 2021
Attendees: Karen Nelson, Alan Johnson, Shannon Stewart, Joseph Ritchie, Via Google meet Megan Thomas
Agenda
1. Introductions - Every member introduced themselves as well as their title/position on the board.
2. Upcoming Band events
○ Band Camp
■ Are we keeping the same dates and times?
● July 21-23 no longer camp for guard/percussion/new members. These three days are now designated for Leadership “team” building with Mr. Ritchie & Jay including a field trip to SpareTime, a hike as well as other activities.
● Band camp will now be from July 26th - Aug 6th
○ Breakfast and Lunch to be provided by the school for all students, all students to stay during lunch time. For evening practices, students can either bring a box “supper” or go out for supper
○ Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 8am -8pm
○ Wednesdays & Fridays 8am - 4pm
■ Breakfast 7:45 - 8:15
■ 1st block 8:15am - 11:45am (1-2 Parent volunteers needed)
■ Lunch 11:45am - 1pm
■ 2nd block 1pm - 4pm (Indoors), Dismissal after 4:10 pm on Wednesdays & Fridays
■ Supper 4pm - 5:30pm
■ 3rd block 5:30pm - 8pm (1-2 Parent volunteers needed)
■ Dismissal 8:10pm
■ Are we wanting to have meals donated or for purchase for students during Band Camp?
● Breakfast & Lunch to be provided by the school district, Suppers on their own.
■ Are we needing parent Volunteers? Any food or water donations needed? Are we allowed parents in the building?
● 1-2 Parent volunteers needed for morning block as well as 3rd block during band camp
● Request donations for water, crackers, possibly fruit donations for a morning fruit break
● Parents should be allowed in the buildings due to relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions
■ Are we doing a parent viewing evening on the last day of camp? Will we be wanting to book the pool for the kids after the viewing? Are we planning on feeding the students and parents for this viewing?
● Yes, Aug 6th there will be a “community” viewing, hopefully inside the school.
● The performance to start after camp is done for the day, 4pm. After the performance, students are free to leave for the day.
● Look into having a cook-out at the pool for the students and any parents who are wanting to go, Mr. Ritchie will not be attending the “party” or cook-out.
○ Marching Schedule
■ This years marching schedule is: 4pm - 7pm Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursdays
○ Plans for this Season
■ What competitions are we planning on attending?
● GCS Exhibition, Easley Competition, Boiling Springs Competition, Upper State & State.
■ Football game plans?
● Band will perform at all home games
■ Are we doing any parades?
● Discussed Downtown Greenville Christmas Parade as well as why the band has been performing in the Half Mile Lake community.
● Any plans will be discussed and set up at a later time. Possibly to be discussed with Dr. Grant during Alan & Mr. Ritchie’s meeting later this month.
3. Band Fees
○ 2021-2022 season
■ Structure staying the same?
● 21-22 season fees $500.00/Student
○ These fees include a show shirt for each student, a pair of gloves as well as two undershirts to be worn under their uniforms.
● Payment plan suggested at $125.00 monthly starting the week of Band Camp
● Fees to be paid through Myschool Bucks, by check or cash.
● All payments need to have receipts, and any money turned in will be handed over to Ann (WHHS Bookkeeper) at the end of every day.
● Shoes will be an additional cost, since some students may already have marching shoes
■ Do we need to have a different way of explaining the points system? Or do we want to do away with the points system?
● Point system not to be used this season, may or may not bring this system back. System very confusing
4. Financial Status
○ Where are we, and how are things looking?
■ Mr. Ritchie has created a budget for this season, very tight but should be manageable.
■ Mr. Ritchie discussed his budget, as well as payment plans for the upcoming season.
Budget emailed to WHHSbands email & added to Google Drive
○ Bills that need to be paid now/soon
■ Need to pay for guard costumes as soon as possible, $1200 - $1325 ■ Drill, 4 equal payments
5. Volunteer Positions, what's needed, what's not?
○ Uniforms - Need 2 parents to handle as well as sizing the students during Band Camp
○ Volunteer Coordinator - Alan Johnson will take over these responsibilities
○ Spirit Wear Coordinator - Karen & Alan to look into what company we want to work with this season.
○ Props Coordinator - Shannon to contact previous Prop parents to see who is interested in this position, this year's props to include a lighthouse, boat & stage. Will need a crew of at least 6 parents to help load and set up for the season
○ Concessions Coordination - Carleen Smith; Shannon to TB with Carleen to make sure she is still wanting to coordinate Concessions this year
■ Need to find out Concessions financial needs, must keep an inventory of products, what does concessions need now to get started.
○ Travel Coordinator - To be handled by the Props Coordinator including finding volunteers to drive trucks
○ Meals for Competitions- Ann-Marie Sanderson; Shannon to TB with Ann-Marie and see if she is still willing to continue with this role.
■ The budget is very small for this ($2000.00), and may need to look into food donations to help keep to this budget.
6. Fundraisers
○ $4,000 matching fund donation
■ Alan suggested having a donation matching fundraiser where an “anonymous” donor will match donations up to $4000.00
■ Everyone in agreement that this is a great idea, a donation box will be set out during the “community” preview night to start this fundraiser. Mr. Ritchie will be hyping this during the preview
■ Goal to get community support, not just parent support/donations
■ Kids go out to see if they can get donations from the community to help with the donation matching
● Free tier donation level, provide business with a sign showing that they are WHHS supporters, helps show off the band, helps build Band culture in the community. Helps keep the excitement for the kids as well as the community
○ Meet Mr. Ritchie/Spirit Night Combo
■ Would not require fundraiser involvement to meet Mr. Ritchie. More of a take advantage of the excitement for one thing to hopefully boost attention to the other
■ Mr. Ritchie would like to have this event on or before July 10th
● Karen to to reach out to Chick-Fil-A to see if they are able to host one be this deadline, unsure if they do spirit nights in the summer
● Alan to help Karen coordinate this event
○ Summer Car Wash?
■ Both the band and Mr. Ritchie has had success with this type of fundraiser, and may be able to get one going in August. Kids enjoy this fundraiser and could probably get kids signed up just to spend time together
○ Mr. Ritchie suggested a “Rent a Band Kid” fundraiser
■ Since there is no band practice the week before school starts and teachers are setting up their classrooms for the year that week see if a faculty member would like to “hire” a student to assist with the classroom set up.
■ Mr. Ritchie to see if that is something that we can do, possibly only leadership
○ Reach out to previous corporate sponsors
■ Need kids to go out and get corporate sponsors, they tend to be repeat sponsors of the band
■ Reaching out to Alumni for support
■ Utilizing the website better for higher level sponsors, providing signage, links, etc.
■ Possibly for highest level sponsors having log on Show shirts
○ Spritware
■ Could have a special parent show shirts and sell to parents/family, helps make parents stand out during competitions.
7. By-laws Review
○ By-laws specify meeting once per month in the band room. Has that been the case?
■ Perhaps changing locations, utilizing Zoom etc
■ Possibly look into changing the frequency of meeting for the spring season, due to a lack of new/event
○ Require two signatures in all cases with checks?
■ Alan and Karen to set up a new non-profit account to help with concessions till & nightly deposits. They will need to make the deposit into the account, then write a check to the school for that deposit to be submitted to Ann (WHHS Bookkeeper) on Monday or Tuesday following football games.
■ Need accurate and thorough financial records for concessions, either Karen or Alan to collect deposits and sign deposit forms at the end of the night.
■ Deposit needs to be counted by two booster members (not spouses), then recounted by either Karen or Alan before they collect the deposit.
■ Account is needed to keep digital payment options available for the concessions (square).
■ Square can be used to track and record cash & digital transactions
■ Checks to require two signatures regardless of the amount
○ Require that no individual hold multiple offices on the board
■ Alan to review and suggest changes to roles listed in handbook
■ Agreed no one to hold multiple offices on the board
○ Annual audit always, rather than only when funds over $100k
■ Agreed a yearly audit is needed. Mr. Ritchie was provided a name from the WHHS football boosters
■ Mr. Ritchie to work with Karen to set up both a paper & digital ledger for all financial transactions
○ Updates will require us to present the updates at a meeting, then approve them at a following meeting
○ Current By-laws:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CkG5xJUGDazucP8ZYDfTPkrIQCP8qmJp/view? usp=sharing
■ Everyone encouraged to read through the bylaws, seems a bit too loose with the regulations.
■ Bylaws need to be straight forward, black & white, nothing left to interpretation
8. Other
○ Ensure we’ve got solid records for the year, make handoff for future booster groups much simpler
○ Ensure enthusiasm and non-monetary support for the band are important pillars of what we promote
