Music & Fine Arts Supervisor Support Systems Stress Test
Which book title more aptly represents how your staff feels about their work?
I Love My Job but It's Killing Me
The Balanced Band Director (or insert other music educator role here)
How often do your teachers ask each other for help, only to get different or wrong answers?
Constantly. We've got a lot of confusing and outdated sources floating around.
Sometimes. I try to mediate when I can.
Rarely. We've got an accurate and easy-to-use system that our staff actually uses to ensure best practices and outcomes for their students and them.
Imagine onboarding a new teacher tomorrow. Where do they go to get answers on inventory, PD, travel policies, budget management, ASB laws, booster support, and other important information?
My inbox
A mix of colleagues, old documents, and luck
A digital hub built around our specific system and district policies, procedures, etc.
You just finished a 12-hour day, and you open your phone to another five messages from panicked teachers. What do you feel?
Dread. I'm already behind and don't have time to deal with all this.
Resignation. I'll deal with it tomorrow.
Control. Most things are handled through our system so this would be a very unlikely scenario.
One of your strongest teachers just quietly took a job in another district. They cited “lack of support.” Could you have done more?
Yes, but I didn't have the capacity
Maybe, but they never asked for help
Probably not. We had tools in place and open lines of communication for our music/fine arts department. This was likely beyond my control.
How much time does your staff say they spend just figuring out how to do things or where to find the &*^@% forms they need to fill out?
Way too much time. It's a running joke - but it's not really funny
It depends if they know who to ask
Not much at all. Our systems are fast, aligned, and easy-to-use...and our staff members actually use it regularly!
If you had to step away for a month, would your teachers thrive or scramble?
Scramble - I'm their main lifeline
They'd manage...but with some bumps
They'd thrive. Everything is mapped out and they buy-in to our processes.
If you could wave a magic wand and give your team something to support their teaching and help them balance all their roles, would you?
No. Things are fine and we are all tired of trying the latest fad
Maybe. It depends on the cost and learning curve and effectiveness
Yes, IF it actually provided the kind of support that's burning my teachers out
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