Until 1997, music activities had functioned under the supervision of the Florida High School Athletics Association. At that time, the legislature restructured FHSAA and mandated that only athletics would be served by that group.

The leadership of the Florida Music Educators Association, the Florida Bandmasters Association, the Florida Orchestra Association and the Florida Vocal Association recognized both a need and an opportunity. They understood that interscholastic music activities would be supervised by some state organization, and preferred to create a supervisory organization that would function in the best interests of music educators, rather than allowing another association to take charge.

Who serves on the FSMA Board of Directors?

Members are appointed to the FSMA Board by the Florida District School Superintendents (2), the Florida School Board Association (2), the Florida Association of Secondary School Administrators (4), the Department of Education (3 - representing private schools, as well as an additional high school and middle school principal), and the Florida Parent Education Association (1). The music associations each appoint a single representative, except for FMEA which may appoint two representatives.

Who works for FSMA?

The Board employs an Executive Director, who in turn, employs staff. At present, the FSMA and FMEA share staff to maximize staff time and reduce duplication of services.

Current staff is the Executive Director, James Perry; Financial Manager, Bruce Belrose; Membership Coordinator, Annie Byrd; Executive Assistant, Val Anderson; Data Services, Oscar Samuelson; and Receptionist, Donna Perry.

What are the goals of FSMA and how are they set?

The Board has adopted Policies for Governance which provides guidelines of how the Board and the Executive Director shall work together, as well as separately and are addressed at each meeting of the Board. Following is the “Ends Statement” from the Policies for Governance:

The purpose of FSMA is high quality, broad based, thriving music programs in member schools. Dues should not exceed those of comparable member organizations. In accomplishing this purpose, the following areas are of importance:

• The awareness of value and importance of arts participation
• Recognition of the excellence of Florida music programs
• Models for and tools to recognize best practices in excellent music programs
• Music experiences for member schools. Included in these experiences are Music Performance Assessments which are safe, equitable, and fiscally sound.

How are these “Ends” implemented?

All operations of the association must be specifically related to one of the Ends statements. Depending on the needs of the music education community, some may be more highly emphasized than others in a given year.

The awareness of value and importance of arts participation

• Data collection to established how many students enter music activities, to track the rise and fall of music participation across schools and counties, to help determine when school music programs are growing or declining.
  • FSMA is the only state organization collecting data about school music programs
  • Statistics used for research purposes
  • Data provides credibility for the music education community
  • Data provides information to the component associations about trends in participation on a statewide basis.
• Partnerships with the Florida Cultural Alliance for lobbying; developing relationships with the appointing bodies to the Board (FADSS, FSBA, FASA, etc)
• Successful lobbying on
  • Board of Regent rule enforcement that would have removed Fine Arts from HS curriculum
  • Defining Fine Arts level 2-3 courses to count towards college enrollment
  • P/E – Marching Band to allow ½ credit of marching band to substitute for PE
  • Worked to narrow the definitions of “core-curricular” and “extra-curricular” to apply only to the implementation of the Class Size effort.

Recognition of the excellence of Florida music programs

(There has been no activity by FSMA here, as there is no wish to duplicate programs already in place by FBA, FOA, FVA or FMEA. Discussion is underway about how this Ends statement can be served. )

Models for and tools to recognize best practices in excellent music programs

• Publication of Models and Tools for Building Quality Music Programs; initial distribution in hard copy to all member campuses; publication now maintained on the website

Music Experience for members schools…which are safe, equitable, and fiscally sound.

• FSMA provides a student/chaperon accident insurance policy (as a secondary insurer) for all sanctioned events
• Rules and Regulations for Interscholastic Music Activities are published to the component associations and member schools annually.
• FSMA initiated a committee of the component associations which resulted in the Adjudicator Certification rules now included in the Rules and Regulations.
• FSMA ensures that Music Performance Assessment financial matters are managed in accordance with generally accepted accounting practices.
  • Assists district chairs and state officers in any way possible tomeet their financial reporting requirements
  • Conducts an annual audit of each component’s accounting documents

How do FSMA and FMEA interact for lobbying the legislature and state government?

FSMA represents school music programs – that is, FSMA represents the students in programs. This is a strong position to present, as FMEA is the representative of member teachers which can sometimes appear to be self-serving. Because the goals of both associations are to encourage thriving music programs, it is helpful for them to work cooperatively in most legislative matters.

For 2003-2004, FSMA and FMEA have contracted directly with Capitol Hill Group for lobbying.

How are the staff positions defined and who does what for FSMA and FMEA?

James Perry, Executive Director for FSMA and FMEA. Mr. Perry oversees all aspects of operations for both associations, including implementation of the Rules and Regulations for Interscholastic Music Activities, and the FMEA Handbook. In regards to the FMEA Annual In-Service Clinic-Conference, Mr. Perry and Mrs. Anderson work together on the “program” portion of conference responsibilities – the actual scheduling of sessions.

Bruce Belrose, Financial Manager for FSMA and FMEA. Mr. Belrose oversees all aspects of financial operations for the associations, including all receivables and expenditures. He is available to all district chairmen and component executive directors on a regular basis to provide assistance for reporting of Music Performance Assessments or any financial matters.

Annie Byrd, Membership Coordinator, handles both the FSMA and FMEA membership records. Ms. Byrd is responsible for contacting the counties in the spring of each year to determine how district will join FSMA for the next year. She also handles all FMEA membership data and is primarily the staff member responsible for membership input into the databases for both associations.

Val Anderson, Executive Assistance, works closely with Mr. Perry on the Florida Music Director publication, as well as the FMEA Conference. She attends all board meetings for FSMA and FMEA, as well as coordinating travel for Mr. Perry, as well as the FSMA and FMEA Executive Committees.

Oscar Samuelson, Information Technology, programs and maintains the databases for both associations, as well as oversees the website. He was the designer of all systems that allow for membership, as well as conference registration and continues to improve those systems. Mr. Samuelson devises all reports based on the FSMA or FMEA databases, and works to make certain that the flow of information is available to both members and other staff. During membership renewals and conference registration, he functions as a one person “help-desk” for member questions.