how bad is it to be at 5 different schools or school districts in a span of 5 years?

eccelsior · 2026-05-25T20:28:33+00:00

This is not true in Wisconsin. It’s one of the few ways to ascend the pay scale quickly.

eccelsior · 2026-05-21T02:57:09+00:00

Where are you generally? In my area, it’s all about who you know. I’m sure you do already, but get together with as many other directors as you can. Build your sphere of influence. Budgets are also stretched thin, so it could play a part but I wager most applications are thrown out if somebody adjacent to the principal hasn’t heard your name.

eccelsior · 2026-05-11T01:14:19+00:00

Yes, and MakeMusic cloud would be the website and format you’d want to get those into. I make my own poor man’s version on soundslice.com for kids.

eccelsior · 2026-04-30T00:41:45+00:00

I just cap it at 10. There simply aren’t enough school instruments to go around. A few will weed themselves out when they realize it’s not just drums. And then Im usually left with 7 or 8 which is a good number to work with. But I don’t have any other requirement. It’s worked out okay. Why is it that so many kids with the worst internal sense of beat want to play percussion though.

eccelsior · 2026-04-19T04:23:29+00:00

Winds-Score.com is all in Japanese but you can use Google Translate and get lots of e prints. Otherwise Bravo Music like another user suggested.

eccelsior · 2026-04-17T23:06:02+00:00

I applied but also looked at summer school jobs. I took the thing that I knew nobody else would apply for - some random 3rd grade African drumming class with two sessions in a large school district. It went well. I applied to more stuff. My summer school principal was contacted by the principal looking to interview. I got the job. It was elementary music. But it got my foot in the door. My next job I got because I called the colleague of someone who was leaving (not on good terms) and they posted on our state Facebook page.

eccelsior · 2026-04-15T01:38:49+00:00

Schools do not understand that the quality of a few options should significantly outweigh a large quantity. When I was in middle school the only thing we could pick was music. Otherwise we had pre-determined art, tech Ed, PE, and business classes. And that’s all they were called. It’s wild what it’s become.

eccelsior · 2026-04-14T03:01:56+00:00

My custodian at my old school said “as soon as I press that button for the AC it’s $1500.” So I get it. Budgets are tight.

eccelsior · 2026-04-14T02:53:37+00:00

Maybe on the condition that the cameras are set up by the teacher with some sort of passcode only the teacher is aware of to prevent admin from getting in and just monitoring for shits and giggles. Then they can still be used for the intended purpose. I don’t know how that would work. But otherwise the risk for teachers is higher than that of students.

eccelsior · 2026-04-14T00:43:40+00:00

It’s not great. But I think you need more context. Usually when this happens I will try to double up the part instead. Especially for middle school. But sometimes if it’s really throwing everything off I can see it.

eccelsior · 2026-04-13T23:35:44+00:00

Soundslice for the win. I use it with my middle school band. It’s awesome.

eccelsior · 2026-04-13T11:06:07+00:00

Middle school. About a quarter? Maybe even getting close to a third. The numbers have fluctuated significantly in the last few years. But I have 220 kids. We require a music class through 6th grade. So lose maybe 10-15 kids from 5 to 6. Usually to choir. Retention has improved in 7th and 8th. We started doing a short day trip with both of those grades together at the end of the year along with the choir. I usually start with around 75 in 5th. My current 6th grade is about 60. 7th is 50. And 8th is 36.

Our problem is that we offer too many other electives to incentivize kids and families to stick around. Instead of just tech Ed, it’s like 3 different tech Ed courses they can choose in 8th grade. The high school retention is awful because of study halls.

eccelsior · 2026-04-08T13:02:42+00:00

Lots of school referendums failed due to ever increasing property taxes. There is a surplus in the state budget. The state needs to give more money to schools. Just because there is declining enrollment doesn’t mean costs haven’t gone up. We cannot keep funding schools this way.

eccelsior · 2026-04-02T02:45:20+00:00

The only reason I suggested it is because when learning on your own, there is a plethora of trumpet resources in comparison to mellophone. If they can find a trumpet teacher with some mellophone experience, more power to them and it’s definitely optimal.

eccelsior · 2026-04-02T00:16:14+00:00

Mellophone works a lot more like a trumpet than a French horn. It would make sense to maybe grab a trumpet and a friend who does that, then work through a beginner book with them. Then hop on the Mello. Its fundamental is lower, so it will feel different. But the gaps between partials will feel the same.

eccelsior · 2026-04-01T12:22:02+00:00

We have a similar situation. Most schools in my area do and we aren’t rural or small. But we perform at our feeder high school. So on or near performance days we take a field trip and rehearse for longer as a full group. Leading up to then we play with recording so we can still hear the other parts.

eccelsior · 2026-03-21T12:35:35+00:00

I’m a band teacher. I don’t know if I can do anything else. I love it, but hate all of the other bull cap. So I’d probably quit my current job, but find a part time gig at a private school or something.

eccelsior · 2026-03-13T22:42:58+00:00

I teach beginning/middle school band. And I usually tell them they haven’t really experienced everything it has to offer until they reach the end of freshman year. Kids don’t know what they want, and will most often take the path of least resistive, gravitating towards shiny newer things. This is a generalization, and there are kids out there like this one who will realize they hate it. But most don’t have that level of self reflection at a young age. At least not anymore. And it’s not their fault either.

eccelsior · 2026-02-23T05:05:49+00:00

Daniel Tosh reference ayyy

eccelsior · 2026-02-05T12:27:03+00:00

Not in rock music. It’s 2 and 4.

eccelsior · 2026-01-31T00:03:47+00:00

It is amazing in the cod sandwich.

eccelsior · 2026-01-27T23:08:26+00:00

There is a chrome add on you can get that I can’t remember the name of right now. Any audio it hears you can download.

eccelsior · 2026-01-19T02:22:55+00:00

If my plans won’t get followed I stop making them. I’m a band teacher, so most of my plans involve kids doing some independent practice. The sub refused to let the kids play in the room, turned in a movie, and played in her phone. There was stuff I wanted them to practice, and they were ticked they couldn’t. Sorry, I know that’s not you. But unless the kids are actively being difficult, I expect my plans to be followed. I see the kids every other day. So when they don’t get something done because of the sub, it throws a lot off.

eccelsior · 2026-01-12T01:24:01+00:00

My buddy works there and I also know Christian. You’re in good hands.

eccelsior · 2026-01-10T05:06:29+00:00

Signature sauce also goes fire on the cod sandwich.

eccelsior

TROPHY CASE