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Volunteer to be a Session Coordinator!

The purpose of the session coordinator is to work directly with the session presenter before, during, and after his/her scheduled event by assisting in the organization of all aspects of the assigned session. This includes:

  • Contacting the presenter to make sure all the information about their session is correct in our database
  • Making sure all A/V equipment requests are in our database on time
  • Answering the presenter's questions about the conference 
  • Assisting with setup before the session
  • Helping to distribute handouts before the session 
  • Introducing the presenter and the session
  • Counting the number of attendees at the session
  • Prompting the presenter when it's almost time to end their session
  • Thanking the presenter at the end of their session and presenting them with a certificate of appreciation. 

Your TO-DO List:

September/October:

  • Contact the Presenter and introduce yourself
  • Make sure they were able to access their session details online, make any edits necessary, and request their A/V equipment (they will have received an email in July and August with a link to do this)

The Week Before the Conference:

  • Make sure they were able to add the check-in QR Code to their slide presentation (see below)
  • Set up a time and place to meet on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning of the conference to go over the materials in your Session Packet

At the Conference:

  • As soon as you arrive and pick up your registration materials, go to the far left end of the registration desks (just past on-site pickup desks) to pick up the Session Packet for the session(s) you are coordinating. 
  • Meet with your presenter at the place and time you arranged with them.
    • Go over the Bio in the session packet and make any edits the presenter would like you to make when introducing them. If it is long, decide which are the most important points so it doesn't take up too much time. 
    • Agree on the signal you will give them when it's almost time to wrap up their session
    • Let the presenter know they can pick up their presenter ribbon at the ribbon display rack near registration. You can also pick up your Session Coordinator ribbon there. 

15 Minutes Before the Session

  • Meet the presenter in the session room and help them set up
  • If there are any A/V or technology problems, look in the back hallway or nearby rooms for a person wearing a "Baystage Live" shirt. They work for our AV company and will be able to help. 
  • Confirm that they were able to add the Attendance Verification QR Code to the last slide of their presentation.  If they were not able to do this, be prepared to hold up the big QR Code check-in sign that is in your session packet at the end of the session so attendees can scan it. (see below)  
  • If the presenter has handouts, help distribute them as attendees enter the room

Session Start Time

  • Introduce the presenter(s) using the script with your edited presenter bio(s) included in your session packet

Halfway through Session

  • Count the number of attendees in the room and report it using the attendance report QR Code at the bottom of the script included in your session packet. 

5 Minutes Before the End of the Session

  • Signal to your presenter that there are only 5 minutes left so they know it's time to start wrapping up.
  • Then after a few more minutes, walk to the front of the room with the certificate from the session packet and the check-in QR Code sign (the big QR code sign) to get ready for...

End of the Session

  • Ask the audience to thank the presenter(s) for the session,
  • present the certificate(s) to the presenter(s) and thank them for presenting,
  • remind the audience to scan the QR code to add the session to their attendance verification form and complete the session survey. 

 

QR Code For Attendee Verification and Session Survey:

In January, before the conference, please contact your Presenter to make sure they received the email about the QR Code they need to add to the end of their slide presentation.  Details are on the Presenter Information Page.  In the event that they will not be using slides, we are relying on YOU, the session coordinator, to hold up a printed version of that QR Code at the end of the session so attendees can properly check-in and add it to their Verification Report. That printout will be in your session packet. 

This means that session coordinator packets will now have TWO (2) QR Codes in their packet - please don't get them confused:

  • The small QR Code is for you to count the number of attendees half-way through the session and report that count. 
  • The BIG QR Code is for you to hold up at the end of the session for the attendees to scan with their phones to complete the check-in and session survey. 

General Information for Session Coordinators

(updated September 2022)

The intent of this process is to provide a personal source of support for the presenter and to ensure that all sessions are presented with a high level of professionalism for the FMEA members attending the conference. It is also a great way for young music educators to develop relationships with their more experienced colleagues as they work together on the logistics for the session. 

Please read the information and other documents regarding session coordinator duties that are linked on this page.

You should receive an email with link(s) to the information for the session(s) you are coordinating sometime in September or October. Double-check that the day and time do not interfere with any other sessions or performances you will be participating in during the conference.  

Please contact the presenter(s) when you receive that email. Their contact info is in the "Clinicians" tab when you click the link to their session. Please confirm the details of the session with them, including the presenter information, session information, date and time, and additional A/V equipment that they have requested or need to request. 

Please note that these links will also be sent to the presenter with a deadline of October 1 to change any information and add A/V Equipment Requests themselves, but we are asking you to also follow up with the presenter to make sure all requested equipment is in the database before October 31.  No additional equipment may be requested after October 1, but since we were late getting the initial Session Coordinator info out this year, we might be able to make some additions later. 

Information Your Presenter May Ask About:

Equipment provided in all rooms:

  • Podium with microphone
  • Head table with two chairs and one table-top microphone
  • Projection screen with a utility table in front of it.
  • 1/8" mini-plug audio cable to hook up a laptop, phone, or audio player to the sound system

Please Note:

  • All other equipment needed should be requested online in the "Equipment Requests" tab of the session info page. If it's not an option online, it's not available.
  • FMEA does not provide computers, instruments (other than a piano), or music stands. We only provide the equipment that you can request on the Equipment Requests tab. Anything not available there must be provided by the presenter. 
  • Projectors and Pianos will only be provided if they were requested online. We have a limited quantity and move them between sessions, so do not assume one will be there if not requested in advance.
  • Wifi Internet access will be available for free at the convention center, and $12.95 in the Marriott meeting rooms. 

Handouts:

  • Presenters will receive an email the week before the conference that will contain a link for uploading their handouts (the Oct. 1 deadline does not apply to handouts).
  • This will allow the handouts to be visible within the online conference schedule and FMEA Mobile App. Links will appear 5 minutes before the session begins.
  • FMEA does not provide printed copies of handouts. The presenter is welcome to bring their own printed copies if they would like to distribute them. 
  • How many copies should they make? Session attendance varies from as few as 10 to over 300.  We recommend 100 as a starting point, more if you think the session will be more popular for the general attendee population, and fewer if you feel the session is targeted at a more focused audience. If you run out, you can always tell the remaining audience members to see it in the app or the online schedule. 

We also maintain a Presenter Information Page that may answer many of their questions. We will continue to update these pages as we get closer to the conference. 

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, and thank you again for your commitment to the Florida Music Education Association.

Val Anderson
Director of Operations
val@fmea.org

Dr. John Southall
Conference Planning Chair
johnsouthall@fmea.org

Josh Bula
Website and Technical Support
josh@fmea.org