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July 13, 2022

East Lake High School Drama Boosters

Meeting Minutes

July 13, 2022, 6:00 p.m.

@ Randi Horton’s home (sent via email) & Teams Meeting


Attendees: Tara Allen, Dani Rossi, Laura Rosa, Natasha Gallaty, Sara Claudio, Shannon Petrignani, Randi Horton, Kristin Gallagher, Suzanne Linton, Jack Gallagher (student), Kelsi Black


  • Gained approval of prior meeting minutes (Banquet Meeting, May 15, 2022) with no suggested edits

  • Open Theater Teacher Position

  • There is no update on the teacher search. Until a teacher is identified, Boosters planning is limited. Natasha will seek information from Mr Anderson about who an appropriate Administrator will be for Boosters to connect if a teacher is not announced soon

  • Regular Meeting Schedule & partnering with Thespian Board (students)

  • Continue cadence of First Monday each Month, assuming new teacher can accommodate.

  • Drama Booster Board Meeting 6:30 – 7:00 (agenda limited to Board requirements to ensure we adjourn before 7)

  • Thespian Board should be represented at Booster Board 6:30 meeting for initial joint agenda items

  • Open Drama Boosters Members Meeting 7:00 (by removing certain Board-only actions, we hope to engage more parent involvement with well managed Booster agendas)

  • Activity Request for meeting room starting at 6:30 will need to be obtained by new teacher for all dates if teacher can accommodate:

  • Sept 12, 2022 (first Monday is Labor Day Holiday)

  • Oct 3, 2022

  • Nov 7, 2022

  • Dec 5, 2022

  • Jan 9, 2023 (after return from Winter Holidays)

  • Feb 6, 2023

  • Mar 6, 2023

  • Apr 3, 2023

  • May 1, 2023

  • Thespian Board Partnership…

  • Randi met with James Rosa and Arista Athanassie on July 12th to make connection.

  • Two things needed this year are a comprehensive calendar that is centrally located and that both Boards (Thespian and Boosters) can update.and communication between kids and group.

  • Each Booster Officer should reach out to and work with corresponding Thespian Officer to ensure monthly or periodic connects.

  • President- James Rosa

  • Vice President- Arista Athanassie

  • Secretary- Jack Gallagher

  • Theater Head- Ioanna Andrianou

  • Theater Managers- Steffen Robinson & Spencer Gallaty

  • Publicity Head- Molly Fink

  • Publicity Committee- Sara Arroyo Claudio, Katie Horton, and Karsyn Darst

  • Fundraising- Alexander Gault

  • Photo Historian- Cypress Paternoster

  • Calendar – Thespian Board has a draft calendar in excel and Alexander created a full Google calendar (Suzanne shared to ELHS Secretary email for Kelsi to access, and Kelsi will share with Thespian Board.) The goal is to ensure a calendar can be accessed and read by all parties, including students and parents.

  • Location of shared calendar should be eastlakedrama.com (!? This web page is currently unavailable)

  • Once created, we want to ensure the calendar references all of the following:

  • All show dates (Xanadu is January, Mamma Mia! is April, Death of Salesman is TBD)

  • Districts

  • Florida Theatre Conference (Nov 2 – 5)

  • Major school events (homecoming, prom)

  • Reference major Chorus and Band events to monitor for conflicts

  • New t-shirts

  • We should have a ELHS Drama t-shirt that can be worn anytime (short sleeve and long sleeve).

  • Ask Thespian Boosters to design at start of year (Mikalaya Parish has already been asked to design an East Lake Theater t shirt for the shows; Randi will see if she is correct person to support this ask)

  • Board agrees to open up Jackets for all Thespians to order regardless of class year

  • Fundraising ideas (SnapRaise)

  • 2021/2022 SnapRaise yielded $14,000+

  • Boosters wish trigger the activity again, but we need guidance about ownership (Boosters or Teacher). If Boosters are permitted to trigger, we will.

  • Approval from Principal Haley will be required

  • Major theater needs (e.g. microphones) – Tara will lead committee/action

  • We need to gather professional bids since the last microphone estimate Tara received was near ~$30K; Tara needs inventory re what exactly is needed from kids and will ensure professional consult occurs

  • This is likely a capital expense for school. So we also need to confirm accountability for large purchases like microphones (may require multi-year plan)

  • Volunteer Needed - Reach out to local elderly communities/activity directors

  • Put out on list for first parent meeting

  • Publicity

  • How do we consider other ways to fill the seats?

  • Brainstorm: flyers at library, Tara can put flyers at Greek Orthodox church, we should leverage the Greek community for the Mama Mia show; we should post Flyers on any locations that have bulletin boards within 15 miles

  • Need students to produce art for all shows well in advance of publicity needs

  • Action: ensure we advertise how to do this, check for expirations, plan in advance

  • Planning for Parent New Year Meeting and Open House

  • Date – TBD – after Back to School Night, so week of 29th? Need to confirm with new teacher once Activity Form can be completed

  • Other key dates for start of school year:

  • New parent organization Aug 8th evening for parents

  • Back to School Night Aug 23rd

  • Key items from last year included: Ways to Communicate, Production Fees, Volunteering, Student Insurance

  • ACTION: Advertising for volunteer level 2. News from volunteer coordinator (Eva)-All boosters volunteers are required to be level 2. There will also be no onsite fingerprinting this year.

  • Treasury Report / Budget

  • 3 open uncashed checks from last year

  • $26, 749.11 balance (soft number considering uncashed checks)

  • Randi, Tara, Shannon will need to meet to plan for budget before school starts

  • XERO app is what is needed for reimbursement of costs. Instructions for use on Boosters drive

  • Boosters’ website review and updates

  • https://www.elhsdramaboosters.com/

  • Booster website for what Booster want to communicate to Parents only

  • Laura, Suzanne, Randi will be working to clean up week of July 18th; all Booster members should supply feedback to Randi

  • Board members

  • New photos

  • Updated bylaws

  • Meeting dates

  • “Learn More” button

  • Clean up “Shop”

  • “Sign up for emails” button

  • Clean up “Important Forms”

  • Calendar - possible to link with ELHS Drama calendar?

  • Sponsorship info

  • Laura is working on Sponsorship and is experiencing success! Is also creating a new plan/guideline to ensure Sponsors are promoted on all emails we send out, camera on walls next to seats in stadium, kids acting for sponsor commercials, etc.

  • Kelsi will get guidelines from Laura to add to Signature File for Secretary email

  • Administrative - Access and Accountabilities

  • Bank accounts / checking / debit card - updated (Horton, Allen, Petrignani) -completed no actions required

  • Google Drive - updated (Horton)

  • Google Emails - updated (Horton, Black)

  • Social Media sites

  • Kelsi will set up East Lake Instagram (ELHSDramaBoosters) w secretary email and share with Sarah so both can update it

  • Create governing doc for what goes to Instagram

  • Booster website - updated (Horton)

  • ELHS Drama website - tracking down password

  • Randi will work that one with Mr Brady and Flo

  • JotForm

  • Was a teacher site

  • Suggest we start over, define our need, and then determine if we will still need it

  • Zoom – we do not need our own account any longer and last year’s was on Brady’s account

  • Kelsi will supply for Board this year. Has Teams since she has personal Microsoft Suite she pays for annually.

  • Kelsi to document volume of contacts, emails, Facebook likes, phone numbers, etc to support Laura for Sponsorship ads

  • Seeking volunteer for Volunteer support for Sara

  • Suggest an On Call list and that a cleaner Boosters site will help

  • Facebook social sites and ownership – Kelsi to contact Arista to see what she knows / has inventory of for Admins

  • Into the Woods at Ruth Eckerd Hall - August 4, 5 & 6

  • Laura Rosa – ask about New York trip for students, tour company – need the teacher for this one

  • Board Members Job Descriptions was requested. Find at this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YhmvuWwd_k3p8I0v83bazKnYnYDwaXWHypSPbuG5A1c/edit?usp=sharing

Next meeting at Randi’s house on Aug 1st

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