Making Decisions

By now you all have heard the news. I have accepted a teaching position for next year at Mankato East Junior High School. I want to write a little bit about decisions. Those life-changing decisions are never easy to make. As you get older, you realize that every decision has a ripple effect on many different people. Such is the case with this decision.

You should know that we are seldom able to "choose" when these big opportunities for change are offered - we have to take them as they come. Was I "looking" for a change? Not really. But I can't decide when opportunities like this are going to come along - they just do. It could have been next year, or the year after that. But it wasn't. It was now. This job is an opportunity for me to "get a life" as I told the students - an opportunity to do the things I always want to do but never seem to find the time.

Will I miss Madelia and the students in the band program - you bet. Will the bands at Madelia "survive" without me - you bet - IF - the students continue to strive for excellence and stick it out. The students are (and always have been) in charge of the program. As I am fond of saying "my baton doesn't make sound." The best thing band students can do is to approach the new year as an "opportunity" to get even better, and to do everything they can to support and help the new director.

Madelia music students should know by now that they have an incredibly supportive group of parents and community members that want them to do well. This new "community member-at-large" expects that too!