My dear friends and colleagues,

Maybe you haven't noticed or even care, but another Wednesday has passed, and my weekly emails are still absent.

Traditionally, I give teachers a break from the first week in June until the last week in July, but this year has been anything but traditional. I've been writing. In fact, I've been writing so much that even when I'm not in front of a screen, my fingers default to the QWERTY configuration. But, I have not been writing to YOU. I feel guilty.

Today my two boys began their school year. It is delayed by two weeks and spent in front of a computer, but it is school none-the-less.

I know you are sad, angry, and FRUSTRATED! I imagine that from time to time, you feel them all simultaneously. Let's be clear, Zoom is not in-person, and Google Classroom is not a real classroom, no matter what you call it. This is not what you signed up for, and it's not necessarily fun. But it is here, and I wanted you to know something.

I am thankful for YOU.

Because of YOU, they went to bed at a reasonable hour, and got up early. Because of YOU they were not on an iPad or Xbox for hours. Because of YOU they were able to interact with another adult other than my wife and me. But mostly, because of YOU for the first time in five months, there was structure, purpose, and a sense that we are FINALLY moving forward.

Yes, I am thankful for YOU!

I know that many of you are not likely going to clean drill, adjust a violin bridge, or practice vocal warm-up anytime soon. But perhaps more than ever before, you are making a difference and having an impact, not just on your students but their entire family. You brought order to their day, purpose to their house, and an optimistic belief that we are closer to the end of this than the beginning.

I will be back to our Wednesday chats soon, I promise. But in the meantime, I will offer these resources.

Click here to learn more about my new book (we're going to make another big announcement)
Click here to receive free online leadership curricula.
Click here if you would like to view any of my COVID webinars.
Click here if you need to set up your own free website for recruitment and retention.

In addition, I hope you join me this Friday as we take a more in-depth look into Music FUNdations. I promise you will be glad you did. Bring your administrator and show them the power of what you are teaching in addition to music.

Take care; let me know how else I can help.

- Scott