Eldorado Choirs Parent Meeting Minutes

November 18^th, 2015   7:00 pm Choir Room

                            

1. Welcome-  Marti Johns                                                                                           
2. Call to order- Mart Johns
3. Director (Megan Rader) Megan has to brag about how awesome the kids are!  All State was exciting-  we had 30 students audition and 24 make it- she is very proud of how many made it.  We used to require all members of Concert Choir (CC) to audition and would have 70 audition and less students make it.  All groups are doing amazing work.  Show choirs have had an intense 2 weeks.  Last week we did a very emotional team building and then this week we have finished all of the shows.  It is profound.  Both groups ran their shows for each other-  it is truly incredible.  Robed choirs are doing incredible work. We are doing a song cycle called Frostiania.  It is poems by Robert Frost set to music.  Having the accompanist this week just showed what they are capable of.  The Informance will be December 1st.  This is to give the parents a taste of what the show choir shows are without costumes, etc.  M4 is a naturally acoustic space unlike the PAC.  We will try and keep it to 3 loops of the performance. 

 

Because one of our kids posted that they love choir, we were contacted by Jonathan Ragsdale, who is touring with Memphis,  and asked if he could come work with our kids after school before the Informance.  Then on the 8th is our big winter concert.  It will be in the PAC, Gold Rush (GR) will do caroling as folks are walking in.  Mixed Choir will sing 4 songs.  GR has a lot of gigs coming up.  Megan was in GR and still remembers the songs and the shop and stroll, etc.  Several are paid, but many are not (although we will pass the hat). Our goal is to be out in the community and have a good time.

 

4. President (Marti Johns). Megan does not expect every kid to come to every gig because of jobs, sports, etc.  If your kid is younger in GR we can work carpools with the kids who do drive.  With the Informance we are trying to control the chaos.  So this year we will have M4 roped off and all of the audience will come to the choir room.  We will try and make the waiting time pleasant, have ushers, had out numbers, etc. and then the ushers will take a group in. We will have a big concert for the robed choirs.  Thinking about doing another silent auction and will be sending out information on it and it will run the same as before.  We will be charging for this concert to help raise money for the general fund.  Adults will we be $5, students will be $2, and 5 and under plus faculty and staff will be free.  We will also sell flowers.  Will make sure everyone knows that we will be charging so folks will show up with money.  The charges to the show choirs are escalating because we are traveling 2 months before we usually do.  This is a heads up that you will be getting a call from one of the VPs letting you know what your balance is.  We are willing to work with families but need to know that funds will be coming in.  Let us know if you have a Balloon Fiesta payment coming in, Christmas bonus, etc.   In the past we have had some issues.  You can always use the online credit card or the swiper.

 

5. Treasurer Report (Jane Clinger, Tracy Padilla, Diana Torrez).     Tracy: the student balances are high.  We are starting to pay for costumes and pay deposits for buses -$9,000- because we have a bigger group this year.  The Kiwanis have not indicated when their check for Balloon Fiesta workers is coming in.  The t-shirts came in.  We will pass them out on Saturday.  Marti will send it home with your kid if you ordered a shirt in addition to the student's shirt. 

 

6. Gold Rush Report:  (Marlie Thomas/Delilah Haley): No report

 

7. 24 Carat Report ((Kristie Sawant and Mandi Meley). No Report

 

8. Fund Raising (Tara Barton and Betty Kam). Betty- Handed out calendars for activities from November through February.  We have the concession stands at the boys’ basketball games.  These will be an individual fund raiser.  Betty has a sign-up sheet posted in the choir room.  We usually have 3 games per night- C team, JV, and Varsity.  C team starts at 3:30.  We have someone who will donate hot dogs, water, and chips.  We still need Pepsi Drinks, Gatorade, full size candy bars, big bags of tortilla chips, gall of quest cheese, gal of jalapeños, gal of dill pickles, hot dog buns, and condiments.  The kids who work will divide up the profits.  If you work 3 games in one night then you get 3 credits.  We will have 2 stands for La Cueva and Sandia games. 

 

Butter braids are finishing up this Friday.  We will then be starting a fund raiser selling etched glasses and ornaments with the EHS logo.  Kids get 40%, boosters get 10%.  Butter braids will come in on the 4th.  Sarah Fredrickson thanked Betty for going above and beyond helping with the etched glass sales.  Glasses are $8 and ornaments are $10.  We will order 6 sets for the administration.  In past years we have given them t-shirts.  Sarah will be willing to personalize any bought after the beginning of the year.

 

Marti- Tara had to leave so Marti reported.  On December 5th we will be doing an Applebee's pancake breakfast.  We sell tickets for $8 and we get $4.  The kids serve the breakfast.  We can sell tickets in advance or that day.   Kids have to be there at 7:30 in the morning to get trained and the meal will be between 8 and 10.  We are hoping each kid can sell 5 tickets.  Kwai will work out the schedule with the other students.  We have some group fundraising in January like Il Vicino.  We are also going to try and do Goodwill Good Deeds on Sunday, January the 24th.  Amazon has started doing an Amazon Smile program similar to Smiths.  You have to go through the Amazon Smile website.  We will send out info on this when we get signed up. 

 

9. Trip Report (Chiara Williams) We are finalizing the numbers for the trip.  We have a draft itinerary.  We talked about going through Las Cruces to avoid weather but the bus company will go through Flagstaff.  Once itinerary is set Chiara will talk to Megan about location for hotel.  It is Presidents Day weekend and Valentines weekend.  We will be leaving on the evening of the 10th and coming back the evening of the 14th. They will only miss 2 days of school.  We are looking at doing 2 amusement parks.  Disney and probably Knotts Berry Farm.  Really trying to stay within the $850 budget.  In e-mail mentioned that parents accompanying the kids not as chaperones will pay $850 if you do everything the kids are doing.  But we will also have an a la carte option so you can pay for the hotel if you want to fly, etc.   Typically we have 4 to 6 parents who do the entire trip and then several who pay a la carte.  We will have 3 buses and will be able to "sell" the extra bus seats.  By next month we will have most of the deadlines and hard details.

 

10. Costumes (Camille Guajardo)  We have started ordering most of the costumes.  She has a weekly meeting with Tracy so they can discuss the budget.  First is shoes so that we can get them broken in.  Have 75% of the shoes in.  We have a huge variety of sizes in the boys.  Everyone will be issued a pair of shoes by December.  Everyone will get a shoe bag and the shoes will stay in the lockers in M4.  They are not to leave here until the end of the year.  She is doing a lot of fittings which is a tedious process.  Before we go on winter break Camille will work with the Show Choir VPs to send out an email about what the kids need to purchase on their own.  The kids will be getting a backpack instead of a duffle bag.  We will have those ordered before we go on break. 

                                               

11. Adjourn

 

Next meeting -  Normally meet the 2nd Wednesday of the month.  Next meeting will be Wednesday, December 9th, same time, 7:00.  (Update post meeting:  Next meeting will be Wednesday the 16^th to avoid numerous conflicts).