Subject: Re: [MK8]Ugh! They should just cut the program.

OH, Stephen.......

I can't even say how frustrated/upset I am for you.

It really stinks when you can't get administration to care even a fraction
as much as you do. Is there anyway to mobilize parents without alienating
administration? I know that when our district was discussing the
possibility of reducing the contracts of our High school band directors,
thereby basically eliminating summer band and leadership training, the
parents (myself included) contacted school board, etc.

Hoping this will get better for you.

Julie in Stafford, VA
----- Original Message -----
From: "M Stanley"
To: "mk8list"
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 3:54 PM
Subject: Re: [MK8]Ugh! They should just cut the program.


>I am burnt up with you.
> Best of luck in getting the schedule revamped satisfactorily.
> Jeez.....
>
> On Sun, May 16, 2010 at 3:19 PM, Stephen Wight wrote:
>
>> I'm so frustrated right now. And it might be nothing. But it might not.
>>
>> I talked to one of my freshmen yesterday, and she said, "Mr. Wight,
>> what period is Band next year?"
>>
>> I replied, "First period, just like this year." (I can't change it,
>> because I also teach elementary music. To change my schedule would be
>> to upset the fruit basket.)
>>
>> "You can't," she replied.
>>
>> "Why not?"
>>
>> "Algebra II is only first block. All of the math classes are only
>> first block. Look at the schedule for yourself."
>>
>> So I'm going to be going to the Secretary in the morning to get a copy
>> of the schedule to see for myself. My word. Last year, I changed the
>> schedule to get away from conflicts. I rewrote the WHOLE thing to get
>> Band first period. There were NO singletons first period. NONE!
>> EVERYTHING offered first block was offered somewhere else. And as far
>> as I could tell, there weren't any cases where two required classes
>> were both offered twice, but at the same two periods. In other words,
>> first block looked ideal.
>>
>> DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? THEY CHANGED THE WHOLE BLAMED SCHEDULE! I
>> had a teacher come to me and say, "I hear it's your fault our
>> schedule's changed." She was being good-natured about it, but their
>> schedule wasn't supposed to change at all. I moved band to First
>> Block to get AWAY from schedule problems! And because they changed
>> the whole schedule, I lost one of my students this year second
>> semester. But that's ok. I'll get her back, I thought. Well, now it
>> turns out, maybe not.
>>
>> If it's true that it's going to be impossible for people to be in band
>> beyond their freshman year, I'm going to actively seek a new position.
>> I know there aren't many in the area, but by gosh, I intend to build
>> a program. But I don't want to build a program in middle school when
>> there's nowhere for them to go! I've got kids who have fallen in LOVE
>> with music who are now being told they can't take it next year! I've
>> got two gentlemen for whom Band is probably the only reason they look
>> forward to coming to school.
>>
>> OOOHHHH!!! It burns me up so bad! I have stuck it out for three years
>> here doing two people's jobs. I have rewritten more music than I care
>> to mention so that it can be played with limited instrumentation.
>> I've flat-out written complete arrangements for pep band, because
>> off-the-shelf pep materials were just not playable with three
>> percussionists and a very young, very small brass section.
>>
>> I've worked hard to bring them elementary programs, nice Band
>> concerts, and musical opportunities for any student who wanted them.
>> We've just had tryouts for a colorguard, and I intended to put a band
>> on the field next year. But how in the world do you give someone
>> enough musical training by the time they reach 9th grade to make them
>> drum major? How do you EVER have student leadership that's mature?
>>
>> How do you explain to a fifth grade parent that no student from your
>> school got music scholarships last year because there were no seniors,
>> and that there were no seniors because there was no way for them to
>> take Band? How do you convince them to put their kid in Band anyway
>> in the hopes that the system will change?
>>
>> I gave 9 classes out of the 24 I could take to music. (I skipped
>> Marching Band my freshman year against the recommendations of
>> everyone, and I took two semesters of choir.) It is completely
>> possible to make it work. Even though things have changed, and there
>> are other class requirements, there is STILL ROOM in a high school
>> student's schedule for Band year-round.
>>
>> Ugh. I'm SO absolutely worked up over this. If it's not fixed, I'll
>> be hitting the pavement hard this summer, you better believe it. And
>> if I find another job, you'd better believe my letter of resignation
>> will detail EXACTLY why I left.
>>
>> Stephen
>>
>> --
>> Stephen Wight
>> srwight@gmail.com
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>>
>
>
> --
> Martha Stanley, NBCT
> www.marthabeesmusic.com
> The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas first!
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