Since this is the only place I can tell this to....

SarahBeth

SarahBeth

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Today I learned that the high school band director has all but a signed contract to to work for another school next year. This is going to crush the kids. Two years ago the director left and it was such a relief as that one gave the kids no sense of school pride and didn't lead them to their full potential. Then they hired the current director. The size of the band doubled as many kids returned with the exit of the weak leader. Last year was the new directors first year with us and for the first time in over ten years the kids earned Sweepstakes in band which is a Division 1 topped by straight 1's in marching, symphonic, and sight reading. A huge accomplishment. This year the kids got a consecutive Sweepstakes again with straight 1's for the first time ever. In marching they advanced to Area and missed State by just 6 points. Last year he led my daughter to State Solo contest and this year he had a total of 18 students make it to State Solo and Ensemble contest. Our kids have earned a fantastic reputation and now they are loosing their leader on what will be my son's Senior year. I am not telling my son. I think the director is waiting till the contract is signed to let the kids know. And frankly he's the one that is going to do the disappointing. I am sad and I am mad. Rant rant rant!!!!!
 
:confused: sorry. I'm confused. It sounds like this band director is well liked so wouldn't every one be happy that he is about to sign a contract for another year?
 
The contract is for another school. Meaning he is leaving.
 
And you know what. He wont even get to see how the kids are going to react because today was the last day of school. The kids will end up with a letter or a facebook announcement. I guarantee there will be tears shed.
 
I'm sorry SarahBeth. That's just pathetic. He could have at least given them a heads up today and said, "Hey guys. There could be some changes next year. I may be going to another school. The deal's not done yet, but I wanted to be the one to tell you face to face just in case it does happen. If it doesn't, then I'll see you guys in the fall."

The least he could have done was shown some respect for all the hard work that the kids put in for him. He may not have been given the opportunity had these kids not performed for him like they did.
 
They're about to learn a hard lesson...(unless they're smart enough to have some ideas about it on their own). What this will do is make them upset and sad and then they'll figure out that some people are chicken...their teach is one of them...they'll shrug their shoulders and carry on...what else can they do? Is this other school in your city? Will they ever get to rub shoulders with him in some way in the future?
 
Seems this is a widespread problem. Locally, kids have done all sorts of things to keep teachers/coaches who have been let go. Is it always the teachers the kids love this happens to???:confused:
 
The school would have been more than happy to keep him. It was his choice. From what I understand he decided a couple of months ago that he was going to look elsewhere and has had a few good offers. The one he's chosen is over an hour away and not in our division so there won't be any strangeness at next years competitions. I really hope that they replace him with someone who's got some big wins under his belt so next year the kids don't feel they are an afterthought at the school. It just galls me that there are 10 coaches for football, in 4 years they've won 4 games and they have a bigger budget. All this after the director telling me last year that he wanted to turn this into a town that really supports the band and was in for the long haul and I thought he bought the house he moved into last summer. Ok so now I guess I'm getting angry.
 
My friends son went to see the director on Thursday to pick up some music for his younger brother. This kid graduated last year. The director told him that he's leaving at the end of the month and asked him to keep it on the down low. He laughed at him and told him he's known for a week. I don't know how he found out but he's staying quiet. Still no formal word and I'm not saying anything.
 
it sounds perhaps like this director really enjoys a challenge. And he accomplished a great deal at your school. My goodness. He brought everyone up sooo far...so maybe he figures he needs a new challenge. No idea. But I do sympathize. It is the same with teachers, some are fantastic, and you look so forward to having your child get that teacher "next year" and then the teacher moves, retires, has to take a leave because of illness.

I truly hope the replacement will work out and the school/kids continue to excell.
 
Yes, this will be hard! When my high school band director left, it tore us all up! There were some major changes going on that caused him to leave, including a lack of administrator support from the central office (we had similar complaints about band vs athletics, and our band program actually won routinely... and yet they were still cutting music funds, etc)... we made it, though. I do hope that they will get someone who is enthusiastic about band... even if they don't have wins yet, as long as they are enthusiastic and really care about the kids and the program, it will be ok. There may be reasons why he's been looking... similar to my director... or maybe not. I understand your being sad and mad... especially when you thought you finally had some good momentum. It's a tough time... but hopefully everything will work out. You never know... it might turn out even better than you could imagine!

Bands kids can sometimes have a rough time anyway... having been one, this tugs at my heart. Good luck.
 
SarahBeth, I feel so bad for the kids in the band! They really learn to love and trust their teachers and assume that they'll be there next year! I so agree with what guilty pleasure wrote above. Unfortunately it's happening in all States!
Good luck to all...
Joan
 
The reasons he's leaving are strictly personal and in a way I understand.. then again... I don't. He's had his kids in a private Christian school up until this year when he moved them into this district. He doesn't like the schooling his kids are getting. Well sorry but that is a bit on the snooty side. I moved my kids 1500 miles from a city of over a million to a town of under 4000. My kids have had a much better school experience here and they will tell you that they prefer it here than in the big city with the gang types. And the education can't be that bad because this year my oldest started at the University that coincidentally the director went to and she is having no problems making a 3.57 gpa. I also heard his wifes job was transferred but the position he's taking is much further away than a daily commute would would handle.
 
Here's the update. The director sent out a message to the kids that he would be in the band hall all day today and to stop by if you could. We did only to find out that the school "cleaned the band hall carpets so it is closed for the day". I went on facebook and saw that he changed his status to show he's now band director at another school. As far as I'm concerned it's no secret now so I showed my son. I'm just a little ticked right now.
 
If there's no good explanation for the "mixup" with the band hall, then this is a pretty bad way to treat the kids. I think I would be a little ticked right now, too. Sorry you are having to deal with this... and even sorrier for the kids...
 
Ok so we finally got a replacement. They have moved up the Assistant Band director. He's good and was very instrumental in the kids success the last couple years. He just has to really step into the full leadership role and take on the sternness the kids do need at times to keep them in line with their eyes on the prize. I've mellowed a bit toward the exiting director. He actually helped us out with our daughter. She has a major issue with her feet and the local doctor said she needed surgery on both ankles. That's the last thing a college marching band student needs. Well last year the exiting director was thrown from his horse and broke his foot is 20 something places. I got ahold of him and he recommended the doctor that saved his foot. This doctor is the leading foot and ankle doctor in Dallas if not all of Texas. He researches, teaches and treats with years of great experience. His diagnosis is her ankles are great, she has major flat feet, and a big case of plantar facaitis that although is painful can be treated through a months long stretching regime and a set of real expensive custom made orthotic inserts. So crisis averted!!!!!
 
Having suffered with plantar fasciitis, I do have some advice for you and your daughter. First and foremost, do the stretching. Also, do a search for plantar fasciitis exercises, because there are some great strengthening exercises out there. The one that helped me the most was to put a marble on the floor and then pick it up by gripping it with my toes. Also, oddly enough, another thing that helped greatly was my Belly Dance Fitness for Beginners - Slim Down video, taught by identical twins Veena and Neena http://bellytwins.com/sh_dvd.htm. It's done barefoot, though if your daughter's feet are too bad, start with shoes on. I am quite serious about how much this has helped. Even now, when I’ve worked my feet to the point where I go barefoot most of the time I’m at home, even outside, and often kick my shoes off at work when I’m just going to be around my desk, if I get busy and haven’t done my exercise video in a few weeks, my feet start to hurt a little. I have not worn arch supports in my shoes for the last 3 months and could have gotten rid of them about a year ago. I’ve got a few of their other videos, but this one helps the most, I’ve experimented with them enough to figure it out. Since it’s kind of difficult to learn all the moves on the video, I did the first approximate 10 minutes of it over and over until I had all of those moves down, then moved to the next 10 minutes, then the final 10. Wearing high heels is the absolute worst for plantar fasciitis. If I wear heels one day, my feet hurt for the next couple of days. (I also have knee problems so heels hurt my feet and knees.) Unfortunately, plantar fasciitis is a chronic condition and your daughter will likely have flare ups off and on throughout her life. The suggestions above will certainly reduce the frequency of flare ups. Flare ups are mostly likely when life gets busy and exercise routines are disrupted.

FYI – going barefoot really is good for you, because it strengthens the feet and ankles. Also, when barefoot, the way your foot contacts the ground with each step is different and puts less stress on your knees, hips and back. This link http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/index4.html, which is actually page 5 of a 6 page article, has a good diagram and explanation of the differences. The third paragraph below it explains why. (Here’s page 1 of the article, if you want to start there http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/.) If you’ve not gone barefoot much beyond the shower in years, you are advised to start slowly and carefully – doing some stretching and strengthening exercises like the ones for plantar fasciitis for at least a few days before hand, then only go barefoot for a little while, to avoid sore, tired muscles.
 
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