Mission Statement:
We are a group of parents who are dedicated to enhancing our children's musical careers by sponsoring various events during the year and lending financial support to the school district's orchestra program.
August 31, 2008
Dear Parents/Guardians of Orchestra Students,
The Kenosha Orchestra Boosters, Inc. is a non-profit group that exists to support the KUSD Orchestra program. We provide volunteers at various events such as Orchestra Fest and at Solo and Ensemble and Large Group Festival. Money from our fund-raisers goes directly back to the students. Each school has an account with us to help pay for things like instrument repairs, sheet music, class trips and retreats. Every year we send the middle school orchestra students to a special performance of the Milwaukee Symphony. We have an ice cream party for the beginners' summer orchestra, and a pizza and pool party for the cadet and advanced summer orchestra. For the fourth year we are offering summer music camp scholarships at the middle school level. When our funds allow, we would like to start doing more for the elementary and high school students.
Fundraising has become a challenge for many organizations in recent years. The Boosters have relied on the annual Fruit Sale to provide the bulk of our operating funds, and in the last several years participation and income has dwindled significantly. After meeting with Tim Knuth of Sally Foster at our May meeting, we decided to replace the Fruit Sale with Sally Foster Cookie Dough. Orchestra students will be given information to take home when the sale begins. To avoid overlapping with individual school fundraisers, the sale dates will vary by school:
September 19-29: Bullen, K-Tech, ITA, and the 4th and 5th grade orchestra students
October 3-13: Lance, Lincoln, Bradford, McKinley, Tremper, Mahone, and Washington
The pickup date will be Monday, November 17, 2008, 4:30pm-7:00pm at Bullen Middle School
I strongly urge each orchestra family to participate in this event, to keep the Boosters a viable organization.
In addition to the Cookie Dough Sale, the Boosters will again hold an Afternoon Tea on Sunday, February 15, 2009 from 1-5pm,at Mahone Middle School. Like last year, world-reknowned violinsit Rachel Barton Pine will be our special guest. Besides being an extremely gifted musician, Ms Pine is an eloquent proponent for music education. The event is open to the public, features live student string performances, refreshments, raffles and silent auction, including Painted Violins produced with the help of Lemon Street Gallery and local artists.
The Orchestra Boosters are voting members of the Arts and Humanities Alliance of Kenosha. The arts are integeral to growing communities such as ours. We are firm believers that the arts improve the quality of life, enhance education, and spur the economy. It is no small thing to support music education in our public schools. To do so is to fosters real self esteem, a sense of community, and real competence in our students.
I encourage any and all parents/guardians that are interested in our organization to feel free to attend our meetings and give us your in-put. You may attend merely to observe. No large commitment is necessary.
You can be a positive force in KUSD's music program!
Sincerely,
Susan Jensen
President, Kenosha Orchestra Boosters
smjensen64@hotmail.com
Meetings are held on the second Monday throughout the school year at 7:00 pm at the ESC building,
September 8, 2008
October 13, 2008
November 10, 2008
January 12, 2009
February 9, 2009
March 9, 2009
The KUSD Fine Arts Calendar can be found here.