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New Schedule=Big Growth!


Growth With Scheduling!

It's always nerve-racking when you fight for something, get what you wanted, and then wait to see if it is actually successful. Four years ago the Pentucket Regional Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Band sported around 40 members. Band and Chorus were happening during a "Skills Period" which is a time blocked off for students to make-up tests, quizzes, do homework, and get extra help. Basically, this would compete with Band and Chorus. Each day I had over 15 students leaving to go to other classes for Skills. To help solve this issue, I served on a scheduling committee at my middle school. Change occurred as a result of this committee and the leadership of the Principal,

Dr. Debra Lay.


This year we have split the 7th and 8th grade into two separate bands meeting Monday-Friday. Why did we do this? Firstly, so we would not have 30 percussionists in band at the same time which takes away from the experience for everyone. Secondly, so we can now focus on a teaching the "special" instruments to the 7th graders while creating a more challenging curriculum for the 8th graders. When they were combined, we would be teaching fundamentals to the 7th graders and were not able to challenge the 8th graders. It was somewhat comparable to trying to teach physics and biology in the same class.



Another big change is that the term "Skills Period" has been abolished. It is now called "Advisory." Students not in band or chorus stay in their homerooms and do silent reading, Second Step, etc. No students are allowed to do homework or make-up tests/quizzes. All must be done after school now. Our band students no longer feel like they are being punished for being in an ensemble while other students get a leg up on extra help from teachers.



What happens when you have this much positive change in a schedule:

37% Growth in One Year!



We now have a record 81 band students between the 7th and 8th grade. This is double the size of the band four years ago. We are hoping that this will result in a really large high school band in the coming years!

Comments

Debbie McClelland said…
This is wonderful! Congratulations on a successful Middle School Band. The students will be richly rewarded from your hard work.
September 25, 2011 at 11:06 AM
smorrill87 said…
Hey Tony,

Could you send an example of what the schedule looked like before and what it looks like now? We're in the process of looking into adding band into the school day next fall.
September 25, 2011 at 2:29 PM
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