What is the difference between.....

[lowend]

A band director is:

-An Administrator -- there are grades to enter, purchase orders to submit, attendance records to be kept, medical records/permission forms to collect, buses to reserve, bills to pay

-A Janitor - very often the band room is rarely visited by the custodians at school, so it's up to the band director to keep it clean. At my first job, I had to vacuum the floor, take out the garbage, and clean the restrooms in the band room.

-A Nurse - ready to make appropriate decisions if a medical emergency arises.

-A Fundraiser - every job I've had, and most of those I know of, receive ZERO MONEY from their school district. If we want it, we have to buy it.

-A Recruiter - most of us don't have kids showing up to start band on their own or clamoring to be in band.

-An Educator - When you finally get through all of that stuff, it's time to teach. Those of us at small schools don't have a staff, so we have to do it all and be able to answer our students' questions about whatever instrument they play.

[FHdork]

<most of those I know of, receive ZERO MONEY from their school district.>

You had to raise funds for your own salary and benefits...which probably topped $50k a year (that's both together...) - ?

If you answered yes...then you're on a par with a corps director...

As for the education part - yes! That's the fun part, I would think!

[Piper]

I don't doubt lowend at all. I've known some band directors who really got the short end of the stick. They recieve very little (if any) financial support and then people turn around and expect them to throw a musical powerhouse out there. I know of more than one who resigned out of pure frustration.

[luvs me sum mello!]

Pretty funny, hornhoser!

imo, the difference between the two is enormous. The only financial worry band directors have is whether the levy passes or fails. And don't get me wrong - that is huge right now. But the worry a drum corps director has is bigger...though s/he does have more power to effect the outcome. As we all know, drum corps are self funded. Few is any get grants (though they may find a way to change that...) - and the sources of funding they DO have are tenuous, erratic, and shifting quicker than sands in the Sahara (except for tour fees...which are in jeopardy only when a corps sees a significant drop in their competitive standing...).

Band directors have a great deal more stability (in general) and probably sleep better at night than your typical corps director.

You couldn't be more ignorant on this. To suggest that ANY public school teacher who runs an extra curricular activity doesn't worry or struggle with budget is absurd.

[Blackstar]

I was in a well funded shool program. But we still did fund raisers out the wazoo. We had to so the paper drive every 2 weeks. We had to the craft show every winter, we had to do alot. Why, because the director wanted us to have the best and the best cost money. Never finishing lower then 3rd in 25 years cost.