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Since it’s a march, all the “conductor” needs to do is drop their hand to get things started. Before we know it, the school year will be over and we'll be starting a new one.

This month's MSFQ tips come from Yamaha Master Educator and director of bands at Hill Country Middle School Cheryl Floyd. MANAGING EXPECTATIONS If we’ve learned anything during this pandemic, it's the importance of managing our expectations. Teachers and students are getting sick with COVID, the flu, and all other types of respiratory illnesses. This year, many of the music directors I spend time with have thankfully chosen music that allows their students to be expressive rather than impressive. Instead of attempting to win the “most notes played at contest award”, directors are remembering how much their students have missed fundamentally and they're adjusting their expectations. RECRUITING TIPS Remember those FlipGrid assignments your students made last year? It’s time to look through those and see which ones you can use for recruiting new students. Consider asking your students to make new videos that share their favorite things about music and being in your program. Here are some good starter questions: Why did you select your instrument? What's your favorite piece of music to play? What do you like about your instrument? What your favorite part about being in music? Also, invite the directors in the schools your students feed into to visit and introduce themselves. Making these connections early will help students feel welcomed and a part of their new school community early on. SUCCESS TIPS As the director, your own morale and happiness are an important part of your program's success. The past two years have been difficult in so many ways, and music education has been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. It's okay to feel tired or overwhelmed or defeated at times. Give yourself a break. Focus on your own mental health. Consider finding a mentor or colleagues near you that you can lean on or that you can help support. We're all in this together. Brian Balmages shared a great message recently: "You are not defined by the grade level music you play with your ensemble." It's so true and such a great reminder. Your students won't remember the grade level music you played, but they will remember the positive impact you had on them. Lastly, I read this message from a financial planner recently: One of the most stressful aspects of investing can be the emotional load we experience during volatile times. Research has shown that the most successful long-term investors remain patient during market swings. That feels incredibly true about our profession, doesn't it? If we swap a few words, it's a great reminder about the importance of patience as an educator: One of the most stressful aspects of teaching can be the emotional load we experience during volatile times. Research has shown that the most successful long-term educators remain patient during these uncertain times. You are doing a tremendous job — and your students are proof. :) I'm wishing you and your students all the best this semester! Sincerely, Cheryl Floyd Hill Country Middle School Director of Bands, retired Yamaha Master Educator Music Consultant Leander ISD Flute Instructor

Start each rehearsal by allowing your students to share any good news they have with the rest of the connected to each other and that you care about what is going on in other aspects of their lives, they are more Start each class session with band (concert or jazz) or string (orchestral) music playing when students our Ed Services team today These retention tips are written by various authors and are compiled from "More to Start, Fewer to Quit" a recruitment, retention, and success newsletter brought to you by The Music

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Parents will love seeing their child and students will enjoy feeling like a movie star. our Ed Services team today These retention tips are written by various authors and are compiled from "More to Start, Fewer to Quit" a recruitment, retention, and success newsletter brought to you by The Music

Check out our More to Start Fewer to Quit series for some helpful tips.

Did you know that up to 60% of students quit after their first year playing in an ensemble? them into the loop to help students complete a successful first year so that they continue for many more Encourage them to take the 15-minute New Music Parent Course made available by NFHS (National Federation our Ed Services team today These retention tips are written by various authors and are compiled from "More to Start, Fewer to Quit" a recruitment, retention, and success newsletter brought to you by The Music

use a portion of your ensemble class time to explore careers and opportunities in music that may be more in music that they are exposed to, you may be able to keep a student engaged that has not formed a more If you haven't yet, start building out your calendar with concerts, contests, and other important dates our Ed Services team today These retention tips are written by various authors and are compiled from "More to Start, Fewer to Quit" a recruitment, retention, and success newsletter brought to you by The Music

Becoming the best musician you can be takes practice, but it can be hard to know where to start. minutes of practice Break down a song into small chunks and practice each until you feel comfortable moving Sign up here Learn more about how each of these habits can help build your skills below: 1. Break down a song into small chunks and practice each until you feel comfortable moving on to the next

our Ed Services team today These retention tips are written by various authors and are compiled from "More to Start, Fewer to Quit" a recruitment, retention, and success newsletter brought to you by The Music

Make each beginner a rock star by designing a Sign Up for Band / Choir / Orchestra / Guitar / Mariachi "This is a great time to visit your feeder schools — you can start to get to know incoming students and Ed Services team today These recruitment tips are written by various authors and are compiled from "More to Start, Fewer to Quit" a recruitment, retention, and success newsletter brought to you by The Music

In this article we'll explore three steps you can take this week to prepare yourself to start recruiting Since it’s a march, all the “conductor” needs to do is drop their hand to get things started. Get permission to include their quote (and a picture, if possible) in an upcoming letter to future students Ed Services team today These recruitment tips are written by various authors and are compiled from "More to Start, Fewer to Quit" a recruitment, retention, and success newsletter brought to you by The Music