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 |  A Collection of My Nonfiction Thoughts and Opinions |
| Covid-19 really (words I Can't use here) messed things up this year! As many of you know, I am a music teacher, who after twenty plus years of teaching is retiring. This was supposed to be my "Going Out in a Blaze of Glory" year. Rather then that, the year has turned into a mass of irritating administrative muck. What should have happened this year? I'm glad you asked! (Even though you might not be  )First the big project; When I first started teaching at the district I'm in now, I ended up conducting the Pit Orchestra for the High School Musicals. The very first show I conducted was "Brigadoon"  . This year the plan was to reprise Brigadoon, with me once again conducting the show. Not Happening! My favorite tune from Brigadoon "Day 7 ~ Come to Me, Bend to Me ~ By Alan Jay Lerner" Next, plans were afoot for me to perform solos with various performing groups including the High School Wind Ensemble, the High School Orchestra and the High School and Junior (Middle) School Jazz ensembles. Also Not Happening! The solo I would have played with the Wind Ensemble is called "Reflective Mood" by Sammy Nestico.With the Orchestra I would be playing is the "Morceau Symphonique" for Trombone and Orchestra, by Alexandre Guilmant.Neither of those recordings are me playing (if only), but thanks to pwheelers – "Habit Heroes " , which I've amended to cover practice time, by May I would have been ready! Not Happening!I am now, for the most part, an Administrator, in charge of Music from Kindergarten to twelfth grade district wide. There are seven schools, five elementary and two secondary. Each elementary has a music teacher, plus three district wide instrumental music teachers, the JHS has five teachers and the High School has seven. So I used to run a Circus with twenty clowns. (I love all my clowns!) This year? Because of Covid-19, budget cuts, and retirements that weren't filled, I am currently the Director of Music, Art, Library Science, Technology (this used to be shop) and Home and Careers. (used to be Home Economics) I now have enough Clowns for several large Circuses and not all of them as a lovable (nuff said) as my original twenty. Wish it wasn't happening! The plus side of putting on ALL those hats? Politics! I have pretty much ensured that the Music Deoartment will remain untouched by the fickle finger of layoffs. Not a bad happening! I only actually teach two class room sections, Music Theory One and Two, they meet everyday and, ten instrumental music lesson sections/groups. (two per day) ALL of my classes are now virtual, which works somewhat okay with the Theory classes, but not so well with the lesson groups. It's almost impossible to see what's going on when a player is having a physical problem playing. Not Happening! As things stand now we are prepping to go full virtual at some point after Thanksgiving, we expect the positivity rate to explode, which will propel us into a quarantine zone. Why? Mainly because people can't bite the bullet and do the right thing now. — Unfortunately, That's Happening!  ...I'm only the trombone player! |
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