The Yellow Board

The Yellow Board
[ The Yellow Board ]

6a head band directors class load?

Posted by BD on 12/12/2025, 7:52 am

I’ve heard that there are 6a head band directors (especially at big major programs) who teach 1 class a day and have to spend the rest of their time essentially being a CEO. Is this true? I’m not judging, I get it. Just curious.

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by Years Ago on 12/17/2025, 9:32 am, in reply to "6a head band directors class load?"

Worked many years ago for a guy that taught his one class then during the other 5 classes would play video poker and take 1 hour lunch breaks. Claimed to be down at the JH but the JH director claimed he was never there. Because he came from a "power" district our admin thought it was the way things worked.

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by 6A on 12/16/2025, 6:21 pm, in reply to "6a head band directors class load?"

I have the following schedule
Before school marching band-lead
1st period - middle school beginning brass class
2nd period - assist Ms top band
3rd—travel/lunch planning/admin. ( it only takes about 6 minutes to travel to the Ms)
4th hs top band
5th period HS2nd group
6th period. Hs 3rd group
7th period planning/admin

For the 2nd and 3rd I am either in the class actively helping in rehearsal, or pull groups for sectionals

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by 6A head on 12/15/2025, 9:55 pm, in reply to "6a head band directors class load?"

I'm only scheduled to teach two classes, 1st and 4th bands (4th is really scale jail and performs with 3rd). I am typically in the other band rehearsals or pulling small groups out at least 3 to 4 days a week, and visiting classes at one or the other middle school feeder at least 3 to 4 days a week.

I handle most of the admin tasks myself so that my assistants and middle school directors can focus on music. Sometimes that takes me away from those other rehearsals and middle school classes. I trust my staff to teach the music, and I'm anal-retentive about the paperwork being right.

I've been known to step out and run personal errands during the day. That's usually on a week where I'm stuck at school every night and Saturday and have no personal time available to get a haircut or an oil change.

Here's an incomplete list of "CEO" tasks I handled last week while my staff were teaching music or enjoying a night off.

Parent conference about a serious discipline issue
Met with campus admin about that same student to get them out of band
Department head meeting
Spent an hour making phone calls to chronically absent students (required of department heads)
Several meetings with admin about one of my department teachers going on a growth plan
Meeting with that teacher about his growth plan (and now I have a weekly check-in with him for the rest of the school year)
Booster meeting about winter concert and spring plans
Conference with a move-in student and their parents to audition them for band placement
Meeting with colorguard director to finalize spring props, uniforms, and artwork
Processed all of the necessary purchase orders for those items
Meeting with marching band arranger for fall 26
Attended middle school concert
Meeting with fine arts director about purchasing a new band trailer
All-Region help sessions after school with brass kids (other staff handle woodwinds and percussion)
Finalized all of the paperwork for transportation and food for All-Region audition day
I was the first one in and last one out on Saturday taking the kids to auditions.

But yeah, I "only teach two classes."

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by Respectfully on 12/16/2025, 9:29 am, in reply to "Re: 6a head band directors class load?"

When I was a 5A head, I did all of that - and taught seven of eight classes too.

It's why you get paid a mid 5-digit stipend. You get to work extra.

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by BDSO on 12/15/2025, 5:46 pm, in reply to "6a head band directors class load?"

The head director my school feeds teaches one class, delegates just about everything to the assistants, and does nothing else all day long. He has no respect from any of us (for this and lack of actual pedagogy). The sad thing is the district know of his high level of incompetence, but doesn't care unless the parents complain.

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by Curious on 12/15/2025, 1:23 pm, in reply to "6a head band directors class load?"

I once worked with a head director who taught only one class, then spent the rest of the day telling everyone else how great he was and how useless everyone else was. He never stepped foot on a MS campus. He was assigned another class, but had me fill in for him EVERY DAY. Yeah...I didn't stay there long. Life is too short to deal with that kind of arrogance.

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by 6A Assistant on 12/15/2025, 9:19 am, in reply to "6a head band directors class load?"

Ours teaches one class and is a CEO the rest of the time, but doesn't delegate administrative things to assistants (purposely) so that they can purely focus on teaching and planning their classes. He is also walking around putting out fires, not necessarily at his desk the whole time, while the non-varsity bands are rehearsing.

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by Asst BD on 12/12/2025, 3:37 pm, in reply to "6a head band directors class load?"

Depends on how good they are and the size of the program/district. Ours check emails most of his day and furiously works on PO's that he sat on for three months

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by Assistant to on 12/12/2025, 12:58 pm, in reply to "6a head band directors class load?"

I was an assistant to a head director who taught 2 periods of band (when he bothered to show up), then left to workout and do personal errands. Could have been doing his part helping at the MS'S, but instead complained about them constantly. 🙃 Sometimes you learn what to do, and other times you learn what not to do. Everyone's load is different, but success starts in 6th grade is all I'm going to say.

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by Hmm on 12/13/2025, 10:49 am, in reply to "Re: 6a head band directors class load?"

Sounds familiar 🤣

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by Yeah... on 12/15/2025, 6:27 am, in reply to "Re: 6a head band directors class load?"

....same here, and I experienced it first hand...at a 2A school. For several years, the HBD was by himself, and pushed and pushed for an assistant. Once he got one, the way he acted demonstrated to the board that an assistant really wasn't necessary, and there was high turnover.

Assist. #1...1 year
Assist. #2...2 years
Assist. #3...1.5 years (was RIFed mid-year).

Re: 6a head band directors class load?

Posted by Some on 12/12/2025, 10:03 am, in reply to "6a head band directors class load?"

Some might be the campus Fine Arts Chair or I know of some that are the district Fine Arts Coordinator.
I also just left a place where the HD taught 2 classes, was assigned a third (applied music) but sat in his office and left the kids on their own. Otherwise, he sat and watched golf on YouTube or Live Stream the rest of the time.
He was also the first one out the door every single game, concert, rehearsal, meeting. He also complained that he has near-constant turnover with his assistants and the numbers are going down and the kids aren't working hard enough and they just aren't as good as they used to be.....

« Back to index

[ The Yellow Board ]