Tips for Retaining Band Students from Middle School to High School

In our recent survey, we asked Band Directors Talk Shop readers, “What is your #1 tip for retaining band students when they move from one campus to another? (ex. middle school to high school).” With hundreds of responses to the survey, we came up with this categorized list of your answers of your best tips for retaining band students! Thanks so much to all of our readers who took time to fill out the survey. Keep an eye out for more Readers’ Collaborative Posts in the future!

Collaborate

Collaborative events & concerts between middle and high school – marching band night at football game, pep band night at basketball game, combined concerts, high school students come to play with middle school on half days
Retention happens when those younger kids KNOW what is coming by meeting the directors, seeing the band(s) and getting to visit the new building before moving there.
Schedule a meet and greet with the next band director to ease student fears and answer questions.
Bring them to the new school as a trip and perform with the older students.
We have a concert where both schools perform solos/ensembles/band items plus a mass choir/band/audience finale. This helps the students form links between the schools plus helps the parents realize what is possible.
Try to find opportunities for younger students to play with the advanced ensemble. For us, our most exciting performance of the year is at graduation. I bring up younger musicians to play “Pomp and Circumstance” and a special difficult piece with the high school band. That little taste of what advanced music sounds like gets them hooked!
Get your students to perform at and attend the concerts of the ensemble they will be moving up to.
Good relationship with feeder school teachers, bringing in extra specialized instrument professionals for mini workshops, connecting with local universities, field trips to visit off campus locations.
Have the upcoming band take a field trip to their new room. Current students can play and show off all the opportunities: jazz band, concert band rep, drum line, and take tours of the new room! Super fun to have the 6th graders come up to the HS (building is 7-12).
Good relationship with feeder school teachers, bringing in extra specialized instrument professionals for mini workshops, connecting with local universities, field trips to visit off campus locations.
Invitation from the high school band to join them in a pep band gig.

Communicate

Communication: MS director-HS director, students-HS director, parents-HS director
You need to have a solid line of communication with the other directors. Visit their schools, invite them to visit you. Share concerts or experiences together – retreats, concerts, clinics. Build a relationship between the campuses.
Constant vertical communication with the other band teachers! Make sure to reach out to the other teachers and find out their goals so your kids are successful.

Create the Culture

Make band such a welcoming place that they don’t want to leave.
Be genuinely yourself. Students can see right through a front.
If they feel successful, they will keep playing.
Showing them the community of band.

Involve the High School Directors… A LOT.

High school director must be visible in the middle school, early and often. Kids don’t want to go play for someone they don’t know.
I visit the middle school almost every week to try to make more connections with the students.
Have a great working relationship with the High School director. Get kids excited about what they have to look forward to when they move up to the next level. Share the music and/or materials (marching band show, etc) with the kids so they know what to expect. I had a 94% retention rate between Jr. High and High School this year.
Have the upper level director visit frequently, bringing students with as well.
I get my HS directors to come work with my band several times a year – the younger kids need to SEE the new directors and know that it’s going to be okay!
Our high school directors are on our campus every day, so the students know them very well. We usually retain about 85-90% of students from middle to high school.
Stay in contact with the high school band director. Have them come over and direct a piece with the band and visa versa. The middle school band director and high school band director should be working together throughout the entire year. When the see this professionalism, the students will find the transition a much easier process.

Build Relationships

The receiving campus must start building relationships before it’s time to decide whether a student is going to continue. If they feel wanted and/or needed they will usually continue.
Have the high school kids sit in with them throughout the year so they already have friends. They may also sit in for home games and play pep songs.
Make sure you develop a relationship with the student beyond just playing music. Show interest in their lives beyond the band hall.
I have older students write letters to younger ones encouraging them to stick with band.
Give them an opportunity to have friends right away by letting them meet and work with the upperclassmen (or others from different feeder schools)
Having high school kids develop relationships with the younger students early, and often.
Get them a buddy that is positive and friendly.

Sell It

You have to be a used-car salesman. They already know what band is, so you gotta get them excited about band in any way possible!
Remind kids that they are part of a program that extends beyond just our building.
Talk about prepping students to be ready for the next level with students. Talk about how much more fun band becomes in middle school / high school.
I remind students that they signed up to play an instrument until they’re 99 years old! (I bug them about this from day 1 of recruiting.)
The benefits (self-discipline, teamwork, creativity, better IQ, problem solving …) obtained by staying in the band’s program for a long time, will be maintained for your whole life and put into practice in your professional life.
Band is the best way to immediately meet new people and make new friends
Talk to beginners everyday about what the upper level students are doing today.
Constantly reinforcing the fact that the upper school needs them in order to survive.
I try to tell them that every time I talk to an adult who used to be in school bands, and they say how band was their favorite memory and they miss it. Helps to keep kids in.
It’s gets better at the next level. Every single time.
It gets better every year you play.
Scholarships & college applications (colleges love the diversity of being involved in many activities). Older students encouraging other students.