Dear BMS family and friends,
The Brooklyn Music School is, above all, a community of people who believe that everyone should have the chance to experience the joy of music in their lives.
The Board of Trustees of The Brooklyn Music School is an essential part of the BMS community -- working as a team with the BMS staff to secure critical funding and other support that make our programs possible. Some Trustees have been students at BMS. Some have children who have studied there. Some have served on the Board for a number of years. Some have only joined recently. We all care deeply about the mission and volunteer our time and resources to advance it.
As BMS grows, I want to ensure you that the Board is deeply and directly connected to the broader BMS community -- more engaged and more inclusive of your perspectives. While the Board may not always agree on every issue that arises, our shared goal should be open and honest, with constructive dialogue that builds a stronger BMS for everyone.
As a first step in that direction, as chair of the Board of Trustees, I am very pleased to announce the launch of our new BMS Parent Portal (BMSPP), through which you are receiving this message. Although the name was chosen for its alliterative appeal, the portal is open to the entire BMS community—parents, as well as teachers and staff. We can all use it to share stories and news, raise matters of mutual interest, and express thoughts about BMS programs. Alternatively, if you wish to reach me personally, I now have a dedicated email address: sgreenbms@gmail.com.
In the same spirit of transparency and accountability, we are planning to hold open community meetings for the BMS Community following major meetings of the Board of Trustees, including this May. We will post a notice of this meeting on the new BMSPP, so stay tuned.
As we move forward, I thought it might be useful to review a few key areas, including the role and responsibilities of the Board of Trustees and the relationship of BMS and The MUSE Academy at BMS.
The Board of Trustees
Duty to the BMS Mission: More than 110 years ago, BMS was founded on the belief that music and arts instruction is the birthright of everyone, irrespective of origin or economic status. Today, thanks to the work of the Board and BMS staff, our outreach programs reach thousands of public school students free of cost and a huge percentage of the student body at BMS receive reduced-cost instruction.
Structure: The Board is currently composed of 23 members, including officers (Chair, Co-Chairs, Treasurer and Secretary), and is organized into committees that reflect our personal perspectives and areas of expertise, for example, finance, fundraising, governance, and other areas. You can read more about the Trustees’ bios and committee assignments on this site here.
Legal and Ethical Duties: Board members are fiduciaries, charged by law to use our best judgment to protect and further the best interests of the institution. We are accountable if we do not act on an informed basis and in good faith. To that end, and as a best practice, the Board is adopting a “Code of Ethics,” that lays out expectations of conduct by Board members and the BMS leadership team, and provides for removal and/or discharge in case of knowing violations of the code. You can read the proposed code on the BMS website here.
Oversight Responsibility: The Board is required to exercise its judgment and expertise to guide and support the school in order to advance its mission. Performing this duty occasionally means taking positions that some in the community may oppose. The Board makes a determination after careful evaluation of the issue and alternative courses, choosing that which poses the least risk and promises the most benefit for BMS’s viability. If you have any questions about the Board or its duties, please do not hesitate to contact me at the address above or use the BMSPP.
Fiscal Responsibilities: Securing an institution’s fiscal health and sustainability is a critical role on any Board, and especially so at BMS. As a community-based organization dedicated to making music and performance instruction affordable for everyone, BMS faces significant financial challenges. For example, our tuition is deliberately kept as low as possible to ensure wide affordability -- but this means that tuition revenue falls far short of sustaining the school and maintaining its historic infrastructure. Working with the staff, the Board works to close that gap through:
· Donations from benefactors, including individuals and foundations;
· Grants from New York State and New York City;
· Contributions from Trustees;
· Rental of the Theatre to not-for-profit community groups; and
· Rental of unused space to other organizations, including, in the past, to the Brooklyn Waldorf School and the Brooklyn Science, Language and Arts school, and now to The MUSE Academy at BMS (read more about this relationship below).
Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity and inclusion are the founding and guiding principles of BMS. The Board is no exception. That is why we recently created a Diversity and Inclusion Committee to ensure that the Board reflects the diversity of the entire BMS community, including race and gender; and to ensure that divergent voices and perspectives are considered and included in our decision-making.
One way we have already worked to incorporate your views and concerns is with our recent survey of the BMS community for input into the development of strategic plans. We hope to make this an annual practice.
Although the number of Trustees is fixed by our bylaws, we are determined to find new ways to incorporate the perspectives of parents and adult students. Already, there is a BMS parent who is a Trustee, but we encourage you to reach out to the chair of our nominating committee through the BMSPP if you would like to nominate others.
We are also encouraging the BMS community to organize a Community Association, similar to a parent association at an academic school, and elect a Chair to serve as a liaison to the Board, who will be invited to present and discuss matters of concern or interest at Board meetings.
The Relationship Between BMS and MUSE Academy
The BMS Board recently has been made aware of some misinformation circulating among our community regarding the relationship between BMS and The MUSE Academy at BMS. I thought it might be helpful to clarify some key points and set the record straight.
Collaboration and Independence: In 2018, The MUSE Academy at BMS was established as a not-for-profit subsidiary of BMS to provide high quality, consistent arts instruction fully integrated with a progressive academic curriculum for children beginning in Pre-K. While a subsidiary of BMS, MUSE is an independent, private school with its own Board, executive staff, and faculty. The school was founded to take advantage of natural synergies between the two institutions.
The MUSE Board includes some who also serve on the BMS Board: As MUSE has built its own capacity, the number of trustees who serve on both boards is only three. But it is important to note that having Board members in common is neither unlawful nor unethical. Members of boards often serve on the boards of subsidiary or otherwise related institutions, both in the not-for-profit world and the private corporate sector. Trustees serving on both boards are bound to retain their independence in decision-making and to observe ethical best practices.
While the Trustees have always been circumspect in carrying out their duties, to eliminate even the suggestion of a conflict of interest, I am proposing a measure requiring trustees serving on both Boards to recuse themselves from decisions where the interests of the two might appear to conflict.
Space Sharing: We have come to learn that some hold the mistaken belief that MUSE’s space needs are intruding on BMS’s programs. While the two institutions are working out arrangements to serve their common goals, it is important to note a couple of key points:
· The needs of BMS has always taken priority in the allocation of space in the facilities it owns. Currently, MUSE uses a much smaller number of rooms than the prior two grade schools that were located on-site, and MUSE’s use of these rooms occurs between the hours of 8am and 3pm, when the majority of the BMS classrooms are unused.
· The new Community Music and Performing Arts Center is being designed to advance the mission and expand the reach of BMS. The proposed new facility will more than double the instructional space available for group music and dance classes and private lessons. While we will continue to partner with a range of other not-for-profits, the mission and financial sustainability of BMS will always come first.
Mutual Benefits: BMS’s relationship with MUSE is mutually beneficial in several ways:
· Children of BMS parents have always been welcome to apply to attend MUSE and like all MUSE students, are eligible to apply for tuition assistance. More than 37% of MUSE students receive need-based scholarships.
· MUSE pays fair market rent, as assessed by an independent appraiser, for three classrooms at BMS during the day. This income supports BMS in maintaining the facility.
· MUSE sends its students to BMS for private music instruction, thereby engaging more BMS teachers during off-peak daytime hours.
· Many MUSE students are enrolled in the BMS Arts Reaching Youth Jr. after school program and the revenues from which go to BMS.
· Collaborations between MUSE and BMS students for music and dance recitals and between the teachers for orchestras and ensembles are in development. MUSE is committed to exploring how its teachers can collaborate and knowledge-share more consistently with BMS faculty, both in and out of the classroom.
Before I close, I also want to share some good news:
· Theatre Renovations: The City Council recently allocated $2.3 million to restore the historic BMS Playhouse to its former luster, and to make it fully accessible to all performers and audience members. We are optimistic that we will secure the remaining funding and complete a major renovation over the next two years.
· New Development Associate: Fundraising is one of the most critical ways the Board and BMS executive staff work together to secure financial support for all our programs and our historic facility. We are happy to announce that the Executive Director, working with the Development Committee, recently hired a full-time associate for fundraising, which is great news for everyone.
· New Management Systems: To make operations run smoothly and efficiently, we are reorganizing BMS management as the Executive Director is developing practices and protocols for better delivery of services and improvements to the learning spaces. We are working to ensure that the implementation of these measures will be seamless, but greatly improve your experience.
· New Community Music and Performing Arts Center: As many of you have heard, in 2017, BMS received a $6 million grant from the Mayor of New York City and the New York City Council to expand our current facilities to the adjacent lot. The grant came through our community’s strong relationship with City Council Majority leader, Laurie Cumbo. Majority Leader Cumbo is a staunch supporter of BMS and its mission. The funds will help to construct the new BMS building, a state-of-the-art facility, which will enable us to introduce a range of new programming targeting young people, seniors, and the disabled and to provide music recording and vocational training to the community. The structure will serve the community in an additional important way—30% of the residential units planned for the site will be set aside for permanently affordable home ownership. You can read more about it on this site.
This is an exciting time of change for the BMS community, but change can also bring uncertainty. I know I speak for the full Board when I say that we are personally committed to building trust across the community so that this time of change works for everyone. We are one BMS community, and we have one mission. Together, we can build a brighter future for BMS and the thousands of students we serve.
Shelby D. Green
Chair of the BMS Board of Trustees
sgreenbms@gmail.com