To My Students...

Teaching is a different kind of job.  Teaching band (or any performing ensemble) is very different from other teaching positions.  Teaching K-12 is even more different than any of the others.

Part of the reason that I love teaching band because it allows us to develop relationships with students for years, not just a semester or two.  As a K-12 teacher for the past seven years I've known my students longer than any of their other teachers.  I've known a good many of these kids for easily half their life or more.  We've had daily rehearsals, field trips, band festivals, and countless other school events.  We've been a part of each others' lives for long time now.

And that's why it was so hard to make the decision to leave to take a new position.  I know that I've made the right call for my family and me, but that doesn't lessen the sting of leaving kids I've grown to really care about.

And so, to my students:

I hope you know that leaving does not mean that I no longer care about you.

I hope you realize that you've left as much of an impact on me as I've hoped to leave on you.

I hope you understand that my choice to stay away for a while is so that you and your new teacher have a chance to get to know each other the way I got to know you.

I hope you'll remember that teachers are people and we all have our own styles and approaches.

Last, I hope you'll continue to grow and work together.  We've done some amazing things together and you're going to keep doing more!  A band is, and always should be bigger than any one person.  You are what makes the group special and I hope you never forget that.