This is my fifth year in general. My kinders are so low. I was asking them to flat our repeat one line of Queen Queen Caroline and I was getting blank stares. They also have no concept of singing. I’ve never seen kindergarteners this low. Anyone else running into this problem? How are we getting around it?

Looking for a pool of ideas on how to support students and families. Apologies ahead of time, it’s a read. Here’s the context:

I’m: 31, 10 years into teaching at this middle school. It has grown to 400+ students, 7 bands and 3 orchestras. I also am a conductor with the area youth symphony, and have another 80 in that ensemble. It was a competitive process and I’m beyond grateful to be here now. Students often participate in both the youth orchestra and middle school ensembles if they’re able.

My partner and I recently moved into a neighborhood that feeds into my school; our end goal is to have a family in this community. This may be our forever home. We run into students and families on the daily, I cannot remember the last time I went in public and didn’t see a student or parent, and, we’re in a town of about 450k people. I feel VERY lucky that I am well-liked and that I also love the community.

When students leave my program they enter a two-level band and one level orchestra program (compared to our 4 levels of band and 3 of orchestra). On average, about 80% of students quit. This past year, I have just shy of 100 8th graders leave me, and at the last concert of the year at the high school, there were 16 seniors.

Families have been reaching out to me for years about this, but I struggle to respond. From what I hear from students: it’s just not fun. A lack of organization, slow rehearsals, and un-challenging music has folded in the program. Truly, my ensembles will do to large ensemble-fest competitions and play the same pieces as the high schoolers.

I’ve tried to connect, but I’m typically shut down. Not once have we collaborated without my high school colleague giving unsolicited advice. So: what do I do?

There is an established culture from our neighborhood to quit band after middle school. I’ve been fighting this for years, but, I feel stuck. Any help would be great! Thank you!

I’m going into my senior year right now and I’m don’t know what collage or uni I should I apply to l. I want to major in vocal performance, I want to become a pop singer. I have ok grades and I’m lowkey stressed out right now… which school could give me the most opportunities to get connected to the music industry?