Dear Parents:

 

For five years I have enjoyed getting to know you and work with your children.  I have seen this program grow, improve, and succeed at every level and in ways beyond my expectations.  I am very proud to say with no doubt in my mind that The Colony percussion department is the strongest 4A percussion program in our region and proves it every year.  This is not my doing but is a collaborative effort from everyone involved: band directors, administrators, community, parents, and most importantly students.  Most of you know that I have always stressed in my teaching the importance of hard work and diligence - never winning.  We set our standards so high for ourselves that trophies and awards are just a by-product of our everyday routine.  My goal has always been for every student to push themselves harder and futher as far as they possibly can to understand that true successes are earned - never given.  The hope is that each student will take that work ethic with them into their daily life which will lead them into success in whatever they do.  Being a great percussionist is easy - being a great person takes much more.  I know if you have ever been around me you have heard me say "real success comes from sweat and blood, it is never ever handed to you.  Doesn't it feel much better when you earn it?"

 

Everyone who knows me knows that my life has changed quite a bit in the last five years (and seems to change faster every day) and the time has come for me to think more about my role in a family than in the workplace.  Trust me when I say that this has been a very long and hard decision and quite possibly the hardest one I have made in the last 10 years.  It is with much sadness that I leave TC but with much exitement that I know I will be leaving it in great hands (just check my email from last evening if you don't believe that). 

 

What does this mean for the remainder of the year?  Absolutely nothing.  Lessons will go on just the same.  Class will be exactly the same.  We will continue tests, pass offs, and auditions in exactly the same way that is outlined.  The time has now come for this program to go even further and keep improving to even higher levels so we continue on our course to ensure this.  I am also very excited to help find the perfect person to take this program to heights beyond my level of ability.  Mr. Flisowski and I have begun the process of accepting resumes.  We have already seen much interest from some of the highest levels of candidates and and I'm sure in the next few weeks there will be even more.  I am not ashamed to say that almost every person that has contacted me has a much better percussion resume than mine.  This only means that the next person will have the backround to take the kids to "the next level" in percussion! 

 

The last part I want to address is toward the students:  It has never nor will it ever be about me.  It has never nor will it ever be about a trophy.  It has always and will always be about the team and raising your personal expectations.  I do not want to hear of one single student using this as an excuse to quit or even to work less.  I'm not going to lie, that will simply tick me off.  Every student should give the new teacher there utmost attention, support, and most of all effort!  My first year in TC I watched as kids quit all around me and I still wish they would have given me some sort of chance to teach them.  Unfortunately they had made an uneducated, premature decision before I had ever arrived.  We both lost in some way because of that.  I DO NOT want that to happen to the next teacher.  It is unfair to them and to you to not at least give it a chance.  Don't forget - you came to a percussion interview in the fifth grade not knowing who was going to teach you or what they were going to teach.  YOU CAME BECAUSE YOU LIKE PERCUSSION AND YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE GOING TO WORK HARD AT IT.  Please don't forget that and work even harder for the next person.  PLEASE!

 

Thanks for all your time and support in these five years.  It has truly been my pleasure. 

 

Chad S. Wallace

Director of Percussion Studies

       TCHS, GMS, LVMS

      office - 469-948-2523

   percussion.tchsband.com