Q: Is the future of the Brooklyn Music School under threat by the proposed expansion project?
A: Absolutely not. While the financial performance of BMS has understandably suffered during the pandemic, under COVID-19, the balance sheet is relatively stable due to securing federal government forgivable PPP loans, fundraising efforts by the BMS board and staff, and careful cost control during the pandemic.
As well, the proposed expansion will enable BMS to serve significantly more students, raise more money for programs and scholarships, continue bringing on more talented faculty and professional mentors, and give students a greater range of opportunities and offerings, state of the art professional recording studio, among many other benefits. These plans put Brooklyn Music School’s future first, ensuring its sustainability for decades to come.
Q: What is the relationship between BMS and MUSE Academy?
A: MUSE Academy, an independent PreK-2 school, was originally founded as a subsidiary of BMS to create a predictable revenue stream and to realize new synergies benefiting BMS students and faculty. This is a strategy that has been employed to great effect at community music schools including the Third Street Music School Settlement, which has a highly successful private preschool and kindergarten program, and the Kaufman Music Center, which has the renowned Special Music School.
Historically, BMS has had two other independent schools as daytime tenants, Brooklyn Waldorf School and Science Language & Arts, (SLA) that helped BMS avoid becoming insolvent during a very challenging period for the community school. As with the other schools, MUSE creates a permanent daytime tenant and predictable rental stream when the space is otherwise unused by BMS programming.
The two organizations share space at 126 St. Felix Street, with MUSE renting classrooms (at an independently assessed fair market rent) from BMS during the school day before BMS programming starts later in the afternoon.
In April 2021, the BMS Board of Trustees voted unanimously to resign as the managing member of MUSE Academy, and the two organizations are now fully independent non-profit corporations. MUSE’s business relationship with BMS is now that of a tenant renting space at 126 St. Felix Street, although BMS will continue working with MUSE to realize synergies, such as engaging BMS teachers to provide MUSE students with private lessons during daytime hours and collaborating on ensembles and other performances. In turn, this will generate additional revenue for BMS during off-peak hours and provide the opportunity for BMS teaching artists to earn more income by teaching for longer blocks during the day, if they so choose.
Q: Why do BMS and MUSE have overlapping Boards?
A: At the time of its creation, the MUSE Board was composed primarily of members of the BMS Board, which is a common practice in both the non- profit and private sectors. As MUSE developed its own Board of Trustees from its growing community, most BMS Board members resigned from the MUSE Board. Today, only two BMS trustees serve on the MUSE Board, and one, the Chair of BMS, serves on the MUSE Board only on an ex officio basis with no voting rights on the MUSE Board.
Given that BMS incubated MUSE and that BMS has an ongoing interest in maximizing the synergies between organizations with closely aligned missions and commitment to diversity, this ongoing ex officio role is advantageous to BMS.
Q: Does it create a conflict of interest for BMS Board members to serve on the MUSE Academy Board?
A: No, there is no inherent conflict of interest in serving on both Boards. However, to eliminate any possibility of a conflict or favoritism, in April 2021 the BMS Board of Trustees voted unanimously to require BMS Trustees sitting on the MUSE Board to recuse themselves from all matters concerning MUSE, including voting on any and all economic transactions between the two organizations.
Q: Will BMS rent more space to MUSE at 126 St. Felix Street?
A: MUSE Academy is doing well and growing steadily. In Fall 2021 MUSE will begin leasing two additional rooms during BMS off-hours, generating increased revenue for BMS. Those rooms will be returned to BMS in Fall 2022 when MUSE begins renting annex space outside BMS.
MUSE has offered to rent its annex space to BMS during evenings and weekends. This will help us ramp up our programming and increase our enrollment, in turn increasing revenues we will need to operate the new space at 130 St. Felix.
To work out the terms of the leasing arrangement between MUSE and BMS, the BMS Board has created a committee that includes the MUSE Head of School, a MUSE Board member, the BMS executive director and a disinterested BMS board member.
Q: Does MUSE Academy serve children from all backgrounds?
A: MUSE Academy shares BMS’s ethos of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Half of its student body identify as BIPOC, 30% of families receive full scholarships or financial aid, and the tuition is among the lowest of any independent, non-religious school in Brooklyn. The curriculum of MUSE draws on the cultures and traditions from around the world to reflect the rich tapestry of Brooklyn families, both new and old.
Q: Will MUSE Academy be offered space in the proposed new facility at 130 St. Felix Street?
A: No. As the BMS Board indicated it would, in April 2021, it voted unanimously that MUSE Academy will not be permitted to rent space in the new facility.
Q: Have BMS students been displaced from classrooms because of MUSE’s tenancy or any other rental agreements?
A: No. These rentals have not prevented BMS from offering any programming to our students, and no BMS student has been denied the opportunity to take a class or participate in any program because unused space is rented out during the daytime hours.
Q: Did the head of MUSE tell prospective families that MUSE would be renting space in the new facility?
A: At a recent Open House for prospective parents, the MUSE Head of School shared plans for future growth, including renting annex space outside BMS in the Fall of 2022. She also shared the hope and expectation that MUSE Academy would be able to rent space in the new facility.
This representation was made without the knowledge or approval of the BMS Board of Trustees and as stated, the Board has resolved that MUSE will not be offered the opportunity to rent space in the proposed expansion. The MUSE Head of School has removed any reference to the new building in its marketing materials and MUSE is making its plans for future expansion independent of BMS.
Q: Does BMS have a plan to rent out space in the new facility?
A: Yes. Renting out space to non-profit and cultural organizations in the new space is in the best interests of BMS and the thousands of students we serve. This revenue enables us to serve more students without raising tuition, to meet the considerable fixed operating expenses of our state of the art new facility, and to continue renovating our existing historic facility. Given our focus on access and affordability, we do not wish to raise prices to cover that shortfall.
Q: Why does BMS have to rent out space in its facilities to outside groups at all?
A: To meet its operating expenses and remain financially sustainable, BMS must rent out space that is unused during the day to a number of independent schools, most recently MUSE Academy, but previously the Brooklyn Waldorf School and SLA. Over the years, BMS has rented out space to several dozen smaller non-profits and educational institutions, and we also realize revenue from renting out our historic theater and other spaces. Our ability to do so successfully was a significant factor in securing capital support for the expansion from the City.
Especially as it gears up to expand into the new space, BMS depends on the revenue it receives from MUSE and hopes to continue renting MUSE space in the existing facility at 126 St. Felix Street. Under the terms of the city grant, BMS is prohibited from leasing space to any for profit or commercial entities.
Q: Was there any “misinformation” in the previous communication from the BMS board to the community?
A: Absolutely not. Every representation made in its communication with the BMS community has been carried out. BMS Trustees take their responsibilities to the institution very seriously and would never jeopardize the institution they serve by issuing false information. Any suggestion to the contrary lacks any basis in fact.
Q: What role do families play in supporting and sustaining the BMS Community?
A: BMS families and adult students are a vital part of the strength and sustainability of BMS, and the school management and Board are committed to engaging with the parent community. It was for that reason the Board recommended to the Executive Director that a Parent Association be created. While the Board long included at least five members who were parents of current or past BMS students, the Board recently elected two additional parents to serve as its newest trustees. The Board and the Executive Director will actively solicit feedback from the community as we develop the new BMS Strategic Plan.
Q: Is the proposed expansion of BMS within the school’s mission and mandate?
A: Yes. The mission of BMS is to enable everyone to experience the joy of music, with a special focus on underserved communities and children. The proposed expansion will increase the ability of BMS to serve more BMS students, raise more money for scholarships, and provide a state-of-the-art facility that will benefit our students for decades to come. BMS programming and priorities have never been influenced by MUSE or anyone else.
Q: How critical is the proposed expansion to the future of BMS?
A: The future of BMS absolutely depends upon the proposed expansion. While the 100-year old buildings have served BMS ably over the years, they were not built for music instruction. The existing facility cannot sustain BMS programming much longer without many millions of dollars in repairs. That money that could be better spent on programs for students and instructional support. Even with the necessary resources, we would need to close the existing facility for as long as three years and that could very well be the end of a 112-year century-old cultural gem in Brooklyn that has provided musical and performing arts instruction to many thousands of students who otherwise might never have the opportunity.
Q: What is the racial and income make-up of BMS students?
A: The Brooklyn Music Schools student body is among the most diverse of any community-based music and arts education school in the city. More than 60% of students come from backgrounds that are diverse, over a range of characteristics, including race, ethnicity and income.
Q: Who is on the BMS Board of Trustees?
A: The membership of the BMS Board of Trustees is listed on the BMS website at brooklynmusicschool.org/board-of-trustees. In 2021, the Board is composed of 19 members, of whom 11 are women, and 7 identify as people of color. Approximately 7 current members have either been students or had children who were students at BMS. Approximately half of the Board of Trustees either reside or recently resided in Brooklyn.
Q: Does the BMS Board of Trustees have a Code of Ethics?
A: Yes. The BMS Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a Code of Ethics in 2020 to formalize the expectations for Board members and BMS staff and to ensure accountability. The BMS Code of Ethics is posted on the BMS website.
Apart from the Code of Ethics, Board members are fiduciaries, who are charged with being informed on the matters that come before them and acting in the best interests of the institution, BMS. The Board is also obligated to consider how best to advance the mission of BMS to serve the community and advance equity, access, and excellence in music and performing arts education, while also securing the school’s financial sustainability in the short and long term.
Sometimes those decisions may diverge from the views of individuals or groups within the institution, but the Board must be guided by its own good judgment and care. The Board’s decisions on the proposed expansion were the result of years of exploration, analysis, and due diligence, investigation and analysis and it was agreed that this was the right course for the students BMS serves today and for decades to come. future of BMS.
Q. Should you support the proposed expansion?
A: Absolutely. The proposed expansion already has great support from within the Brooklyn Community, including arts and cultural organizations and leaders from various parts of city government. If you want BMS to provide a cultural oasis that enriches the lives of your children and grandchildren, you should offer your vocal support to this project. Please reach out to Piruz Partow if you would like to lend vocal support to the expansion.
