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Any of you band directors want to move to Alabama?May have a few openings in my territory(south Ala.) with no or few local applicants.

Not interested or qualified, but inquiring minds want to know: why the dearth of band directors in L.A.? Any particular reason, other than the fact that it is L.A.?

SR

Um. Er. (clears throat) -- not Los Angeles, but southern Alabama.

Could SRanney's reference to L.A. mean Lower Alabama?

iiipopes wrote:Um. Er. (clears throat) -- not Los Angeles, but southern Alabama.

[sarcasm] You see, I was trying to keep this thread hip through the usage of L.A. for Lower Alabama, but now you've just gone and ruined it. [/sarcasm]

I spent a goodly part of my earlier youth in B'ham. My father grew up in U.C.L.A. (that's the Upper Corner of Lower Alabama to those that aren't hip enough to be really in the know (read: Auburn)) when my grandfather was teaching at Auburn University (War Damn Eagle!).

The question still stands, though: why are schools/districts/counties in Lower Alabama having a hard time finding qualified band directors? Any one particular reason, or is it whole of the fact of that particular geographic region?

SR

Money, plain and simple.

But I thought all of Alabama was low!

Sorry I ruined your line.

Yep, still lookin' and applyin' while at my year-old "temp" IT job...

It seems like in most of the country the supply far outweighs the demand for any kind of music teacher position.

As far as Alabama is concerned, the Huntsville area would definitely be a possibility, but I don't know how my wife would feel about moving to "LA"...
(And I am not sure how LA students would feel about a teacher with a thick Noo Yark accent)

Market's shrinking too--one of the local middle schools is axeing its band program because of lack of interest. I doubt that the situation is unique.

here's the teacher salary matrix for the state

http://www.myaea.org/PDFfile/2006-2007S ... %25All.pdf

I am a road rep. for a music store and call on alot of rural schools.Every year some of my schools turn over for various reasons.I know just about everything about each school and have been calling on them for 15 years.I know the situations better than all the directors and most of the principals(I've been calling on the same schools longer than any of the directors and all but 2 or 3 of the principals have been there).I have some influence in most of these schools and alot of influence in a few.Most of the high school directors get a 10,10.5,or a 12 month contract,most with a supplement on top of that.Middle schools usually are a 9 or 10 month with a small supplement.As far as tuba playing opportunities, I've got most of the paying ones wrapped up,but there are some decent communitiy bands in Mobile and Pensacola.PM or email me for further details.Several jobs just came open today,and there's 2 months to go.Could be a big turnover year..........

I should also note there is an uncontested 7% raise in the works.Will go into effect 10/1/07.Great health insurance.25 year retirement with no age restriction.

Spoke to the wife and she says we're not moving to Alabama. Might be able to convincer her about the Texas panhandle if the right job came along.