You are right. It isnt normal. So change it! Cut back to one (or zero) outside of school rehearsals a week. Leave at 4:00 the other days. Put in a policy that you dont answer emails or anything from students or parents on the weekend or after 6:00 on weekdays. The great thing is that you are the head director so you dont have a boss that is forcing you into a certain way of doing things.

Let me ask you, are you going to get a pay bonus if you make a 1 at Region? If you make it to Area? State? If you win state? I can answer that. No.

Are you going to be fired if you fall short of any of those? If the answer to that question is yes then get a new job ASAP

Im not saying to not care. When you are work then give 100% but this is a job. It should not be allowed to dominate your life. Being a Band Director is what you do, it is not who you are. Dont allow this job to dominate your marriage, your health, and your life. Because at the end of the day, it is just Band.

Remember, comparison is the theif of joy. Dont compare your program to the one down the road. Dont become a statistic to this job.