Is it too early to start middle school recruitment and fundraising for the fall? Any of the Houston school's conducting spring camp for incoming 9th graders or newbies to to the band program?
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Honestly, if I had a high school program, my middle school feeder would get sick of seeing us....straight up!
That's easier said than done Brotha Man!!!! This is truly a "If, If's and buts were candy and nuts....." statement!! Even if you went to that school twice a week for the whole year, it STILL wouldn't insure those kids coming to you because of how HISD allows kids to go where they want instead of going to their zoned schools...
Never too early. My students know both the faces of the Waltrip directors and the Reagan directors since the majority end up going to those schools.
I agree with this statement.... Im in my feeder school face (Marshall)...every day... be cause they eaither go to us Davis or HSPVA....so Im on hustle mode all year. fall, winter, and spring concert festival's science fairs pep rally for them .. every thing.. I even go on my off period across the street to help out.... you have to stay bizzy.. because you never know what happens between now and the next school year.. kids are strange these days...LOL
EJimenez86 said:
Usually I am able to visit several middle schools regularly but this year we have a new Evaluation system. This system literally keeps teachers (esp. Band Directors) doing PAPERWORK like crazy. Many of us dont have time this year and I feel like its going to cost us.
Also testing goes from late April until the third week in May so schools arent letting the bands travel during that time unless after school hours or weekend.
I hear what you're saying, and I completely get where you're coming from. I visit my schools as often as I can. It still remains a fact like RoyDisciple88 said that ultimately it's going to be decided by the parents. The kids want to come to Westbury for the band program, but the parents don't want to have ANY part of the academic side of the school PERIOD!!! When they come to Westbury, our retention rate is 100%, so it's not the band program. The parents choose Lamar, Bellaire, Westside and HSPVA.. I have to constantly explain to parents that it's about their child’s overall GPA and SAT scores that will get them into college. Most parents don't think of it that way. If they want their child to go to Stanford, those people don't have a clue about a Lamar, Westside, or a PVA....they want to know the GPA and SAT scores. Once they see it that way, some parents understand, and they get it. BUT they STILL choose to send their child to what they think is a "BETTER" school....so we can talk about what we do til we're blue in the face. It's not an excuse, it's just what's reality!!!!!!!!!
BIG-AL said:
i totally agree! Band in most cases means "just fun" to parents! they want to send their kids to a school where they "think" its safe and the educational tone is in line with what they want their kids to be offered. recruiting is difficult when you're fighting so many different battles. you can have a great band but if the school isn't safe and the kids aren't being educated to the parents standards then you'll just be teaching kids who will leave and go across town and join someone else's band and be in a school where the scores are high and the learning is taken place...
Unsung said:
everybody's situation is different. There is a high school with no band here that can EASILY march 200 kids but there is a clash between the high school and the feeders. It is probably easy for you to keep a band if your feeder is across the street ;-}. Some middle school admins dont want anything to do with the high school program. and there are parents, who listen to all the propaganda about OUR schools (while the OTHER schools are being shot up by angry students)
RoyDisciple88 said:
I dont understand why HISD, mainly Texas in general, dont keep things simple. Things like this make me appreciate the school systems we have here in Louisiana.
#amen
Unsung said:
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