Launch A JEN Signature Chapter & Society
by Caleb Chapman
After months of anticipation, the brand new JEN website launched this month. This process was started months ago but required the full-time attention of someone to get it over the finish line. That person was our Managing Director, Sharon Burch! Since accepting her position with JEN this summer, she has worked miracles to get us to where we are today. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity, I invite you to get on the site and explore it.
While the new website brings loads of valuable information and functionality to our members, possibly the most exciting thing is the launch of our membership groups as we begin to organize and grow across the globe. Last year I talked about our ideas to add a new level of organization and governance to JEN. Thanks to new software built into the site, we are now able to move forward with launching chapters at educational institutions, as well as jazz societies in communities. These groups provide an important mechanism for members to draw even more value from JEN as they network and hold events at a local level while sharing their passion for this music that we love.
We are pleased to announce that those schools and organizations who register as chapters or societies before December 31, 2017, will hold a special designation as a “Signature Chapter” or “Signature Society”, identifying them as the very first to organize and move JEN into this exciting stage of growth!
Launch your Signature Chapter or Society today.
Three easy steps: jazzednet.org/chapters-societies
In addition, we’re in the process of establishing our area units, which will provide support for the chapters, societies, and individual members of a specific geographic region. These units require the service of on-the-ground leadership by those willing to be officers. To begin with, we hope to establish area units encompassing each of the 50 US states, as well as individual countries around the world. Area presidents will meet in a council session at each annual conference to pass ideas on to the JEN Board of Directors, helping shape the direction of JEN rolling forward.
As you all know, JEN has been almost entirely built on the sacrifices of volunteers over the last 9 years. For us to continue to move forward with our plans for dramatically increased impact, we need your help!
If you are willing to volunteer as an area unit officer, please contact Sharon Burch today at sharon.burch@wordpress-573658-1853764.cloudwaysapps.com. Together we can help JEN maximize its potential to our members and the music education community!
In addition to his role as JEN President, Caleb Chapman is Founder and President of Caleb Chapman’s Soundhouse, Director of the Crescent Super Band, and Artistic Director for Pioneer High School for the Performing Arts. He serves on several boards including the Utah Arts Council, and is an award-winning musician, producer, educator, author, and speaker. To learn more about Caleb, please visit www.ccsoundhouse.com.