Small 2A
One director
8th grade are in high school band

For several years now I get my young students fired up. I mean I am a heck of a salesman!! They are TOTALLY on board with the program.

Then they become sophomores and it starts going downhill. They stop practicing. They stop taking their horns home. Just today one of my best kids who - two years ago took her horn to recess EVERY day and played stuff she found on the internet - left all her music on the stand, didn't even take it to her horn slot. By senior year its all my kids can do to stay in band. Many are gone.

I've been teaching 23 years so I mostly get it. Senior burn out. Worse here because they get FIVE years of marching band rather than four.

But I've been at this school 9 years now. It's been going on all 9 years. I believe I'm creating a climate that perhaps is not mature enough. I must make a change if I want a change. Any perspective??