Please view the video linked below to see a special announcement from the Lafayette Band.
http://www.lafayetteband.org/video-gallery/
(Transcript below)
Please send questions to lbameet@gmail.com. We will compile answers to frequently asked questions and respond soon.
Hello Lafayette Band Families! We hope everyone is doing well. We all have concerns about how Covid-19 will affect immediate events in our lives and it's hard to think about next school year, so we appreciate you taking the time to read this. While many things are unknown, one thing we are certain of is that our kids need us to help them eventually return to some sense of normalcy. One way we can do that is to continue to plan and move forward with preparations for the summer and the 2020-2021 year.
Previously, you would’ve already received forms and information about payments for next year. However, over the past few months, the Kentucky Department of Education has been evaluating adherence to their policies and procedures (also known as Redbook) regarding school organizations and booster clubs across the state. While the Lafayette Band has always been following these guidelines, new clarification and interpretation of Redbook is requiring us to adjust accounting procedures. This is not a change specific to any one district, school, or organization - it is a mandate for all schools and organizations in Kentucky. If you have kids involved with sports or other school related organizations, you will likely be hearing much more about this.
Our current LBA President, Lee Ann Myers, along with treasurer, Tim Walden, and Mr. Smith have been in countless meetings with state, district, and school representatives to help implement these changes as smoothly as possible, but there will be an adjustment period for everyone involved.
The LBA finance committee has also been meeting for the past several weeks to review and plan our 2020-2021 budget in order to allow our band and color guard students to experience all of the great opportunities they deserve. We are reviewing every line item of the budget to maximize our income and spend responsibly. The finance committee is drafting a budget that will be presented to the LBA Board in April and the entire membership in May. We have also been working on a new payment structure to adhere to the Redbook policies. The new payment structure will need to be approved by the Fayette County School Board.
In our current draft, the payments will be divided into different categories. One big change is that some payments will be made directly to Lafayette High School and sent to the school office, while some payments will continue be made to LBA and sent to our PO Box. It will be very important that payments are sent to the correct locations with all required information included. Payment due dates will also be adjusted, with the first payment tentatively due on June 15. LBA will provide you the new payment amounts, forms, and due dates soon.
We know a lot of things are up in the air right now - not just with band - but with life in general. The LBA is working hard to plan for next year and help this payment transition go as smoothly as possible. By working together, we will have a great year as we march towards Championship #22 and a possible Grand Nationals trip to Indianapolis. As always, thank you for your support of “The Pride of the Bluegrass.”
Thank you, LBA Finance Committee