Friends:

As a high school teacher, the end of the year is a flurry of both instructional and non-instructional activities. Balancing final concerts/graduation and non-musical tasks (collecting music, inventory management, cleaning out lockers) is like walking a high wire how hard do your push. How do you get everything done? How do you balance the logistical tasks with your musical ones?

As a teacher, I didn’t want to spend the month of June toiling in the band room, but also DESPISED the "May is for movies" approach to teaching. So, I created a plan for the final 10 days of school and thought I would share it with you!

Here are my 10 steps/ideas/tips to making the your year's end as productive and educational as possible. Use as it, or alter to suit your needs.

Post your final 10 day schedule somewhere prominent. Students need structure and a clear understanding of what is happening each day. Email it to your admin and parents to show you have a plan.

Sight-read through some classic literature previously unplayed. This is a chance to have your students play literature (Holst, Grainger, Vaughn Williams, Reed, etc.) they might otherwise be exposed to.

Talk about next year. Hype up the show, upcoming trips, introduce new leaders, etc. This is a great activity during "Senior Ditch Day."

Use the "check-out" process to "check-in." Ask to see students’ 2023/24 schedules, collect camp deposits, verify contact info, etc. Touch base with every student to ensure they will not be lost in the cracks over the summer.

Host a yearbook signing day. Tell the students that you will not allow yearbooks out during class until a pre-specified date. Be willing to give up one (or half) rehearsal to make the remaining ones more productive.

Create an end of the year closure activity. Have the students answer 3-5 questions such as what was your favorite moment/laugh out loud/thing you will miss. Compile the best answers into an end of the year document to hand out on the last day of school or during graduation (made it less boring for my students).

Acknowledge the students who are leaving. You can do it in public, private, or in writing They will they appreciate it and it will become a special rite of passage to which the younger students look forward.

Complete a music or school service project. At my previous schools, at the final dismissal (lunch), the seniors would throw ALL their papers into the air in the school courtyard. It truly was a WHITE out. During the last period of the day, my 7th period class would clean it all up. It only took about 30 minutes and saved the custodians HOURS of work and made the band a hero in everyone’s eyes.

Automate year end tasks. You have bright and competent student leaders who want to help. Create coordinators for instrument check-in, music return, locker clean-out, uniform check-in, etc. Use a "check out sheet" that requires signatures from all coordinators before your final signature. Any student not having completed all areas by the designated time will receive an incomplete. Work smarter, not harder. The kids are happy to help, and I was happy to have the help.

End with a smile. The last thing they see will be the first thing they remember.

I hope that these ideas will help to not only lighten your workload, but create a more organized and educational environment that is consistent with your high standards.

Hang in there. You're almost done!

Let me know if I can help in any way.

Scott