DCMEA Policies

All-County Music Festivals

Festival Chair People:

• The DCMEA Treasurer shall order only two (2) music selections for each ensemble per festival.  All other music selections should be borrowed from the DCMEA library or other local sources.

• Each Ensemble should be made up of the best student performers in the county, with every attempt made by the selection committee to represent every school.  (July 1, 2004)

• Private studio teachers who wish to submit their students for application in DCMEA All-County Festivals must do so through the student’s local school district’s music teacher.  The private teacher and school music teacher will need to come to an agreement upon legal and organizational responsibilities, enrollment fees, chaperoning requirements, and transportation. (July 1, 2004)

• Each Junior High Festival will be scheduled during one weekend, with snow dates on the following weekend.  (January 29, 1994)

• Each Elementary Festival will be scheduled during one weekend, with snow dates of the next available weekend.  (March 1999)

Students:

• Student participants MUST attend all festival rehearsals for the full time scheduled in order to perform in the Festival Concert.  Failure to attend ANY rehearsal will result in dismissal from the All-County Ensemble and its Festival Performance.

• Every participant is responsible for the CARE and RETURN of all festival music.  Only light pencil marks should be used on the music.  The music MUST be returned in very good condition at the end of the Festival Concert or the student will be billed a replacement cost of $3.00 per title.

Music Teachers:

• Teachers must chaperone their district’s music students AT ALL TIMES during the festival.

• Elementary Band audition recordings must be submitted to the selection committee by each student’s school band teacher.  All other recording submissions will be disqualified.  (January 6, 2007)

• Teachers must adhere to all festival deadline dates established by each festival’s committee.  Failure to do so may render their school’s students ineligible to participate in the current year’s festival.

School Districts:

• Each Dutchess County school district must pay DCMEA a yearly participation fee to participate in DCMEA All-County Music Festivals.  The fee is based upon the number of district employed music teachers multiplied by $15 per music teacher.  This fee is due at the start of each academic year.  (Implemented July 1, 2007)

Members

• The DCMEA Recording Secretary shall file the minutes taken at every DCMEA Executive Board Meeting and include all DCMEA Executive Board agendas, fiscal reports, treasurer’s reports, newsletters, committee reports, and all information pertinent to the organization’s archives.  (August 27, 2007)

• No Executive Board member shall receive a stipend for services rendered. (August 16, 2006)

• Inactive DCMEA members will be listed in the membership directory for only five years from the date of inactive status. (April 17, 2006)