Operating Support Grant

The Music Resource Center program is continually assessing, evaluating, and seeking feedback to shape the program and achieve its goals. We also listen to comments made by our students, their parents and guardians, and others in the community. This happens at all levels of the organization. The MRC instructors and the Program Manager spend time each week reviewing both the number and which students attended the MRC. They also review what work is being done, how students are progressing, who is ready to record, and they try to match students with upcoming performance opportunities. The MRC Advisory Committee -- which currently consists of former MRC staff, local musicians, parents of MRC students, and others -- meet to discuss and evaluate the status of the MRC. Based on data presented by the PM and comments/concerns from the staff, public, and PM, the committee will give direction to the staff or take a request, with recommendation, to the board if a board action is required. The Music Resource Center (MRC) program and its parent organization, the Armory Arts & Music Center (AAMC), are continually assessing, evaluating and seeking feedback to shape the program and achieve its goals. This happens at all levels of the organization including our instructors, our Program Manager (PM), the Executive Director (ED), the MRC Advisory Committee, and the AAMC Board. These evaluations take place at different intervals to effectively respond to input and needs. Discussion among the instructors and the PM occur on a weekly (or more frequent) basis, while the MRC Advisory Committee meets periodically to discuss larger issues, and the board meets monthly for updates and to give input. The MRC currently utilizes three tools to gather information, including: A Student registration packet (which includes the member application and interest survey) to help us understand each student's background and goals Daily sign-in sheet to trackattendance to of a end of year survey to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program Over the past several years, we have continued to commit to collecting accurate data. We find this to be very helpful in understanding the overall quality of the program, which our students and parents rated a "5" on a scale of 1-5. This year, we are continuing to improve measuring aspects of the program to verify that we are meeting our goals.The MRC is open to all students from the local area who are in grades 6-12 and have an interest in making music of any kind, or in helping their peers to do so. We see evidence of our appeal in students of all backgrounds. Some are from middle-class homes and have access to instruments and recording software, yet they enjoy coming to the MRC for the music-clubhouse atmosphere. Others are from low-income families and rely on the MRC to provide them tools and assistance that they don't have access to, otherwise. Our students are a diverse group, many of them are people of color, and the male/female mix seems about equal on the overage. We go out of our way to be a place where all are welcomed and encouraged to speak their truth through music that is respectful of others.