If you’re running a band program solo, you already know the math doesn’t math. Not enough time, not enough hands, and somehow you’re still expected to keep the program thriving without it taking over your entire life.

In this episode, Lesley Moffat talks with middle school band director Mike Perez, a 25-year veteran who’s learned how to build a high-performing program without burning out, even as the “lone wolf” on campus. Mike shares the real systems he’s used to protect his personal life, advocate for support, and keep the focus where it belongs: on teaching kids.

You’ll hear two game-changing strategies that don’t require a second band director:

• A weekly parent volunteer who comes in for two hours to handle admin tasks like concert programs, permission slips, and organizing payments
• A paraprofessional support period that helps with grade entry, freeing up hours each week

Mike also breaks down what it looks like to own your planning period, set clear boundaries with families, and build relationships that genuinely strengthen your program, from office staff to administrators to coaches.

And if your students are stretched thin across sports, clubs, and life, Mike shares how he navigates the tug-of-war by communicating proactively with coaches so kids aren’t stuck in the middle.

Toward the end, Mike highlights the growing library of “young band” teaching resources he’s created, including YouTube and Instagram tips that cover practical beginner-to-early-intermediate band problems, plus his best advice for any lone wolf director: bring in a trusted consultant to watch you teach in real time and help you grow faster.

Website: www.mikeperezband.com

Instagram: @mastering_the_young_band

Payhip: www.payhip.com/mikeperez

If middle school band feels like triage some days, this episode is for you.

Lesley Moffat sits down with Florida middle school band director Tim Ostrow, who has spent 19 years building a thriving program and collecting the kind of practical, real-world tools most of us wish we had on day one. Tim shares the story behind his “Middle School Band Director Help List”, a curated framework packed with links, templates, and editable resources designed to make running a band program smoother, more engaging, and way more sustainable.

You’ll hear Tim break down the three big buckets his list focuses on: management, curriculum and assessment, and performance, plus why he insists recruitment and retention still matter even when you’re putting out fires.

In the management section, Tim walks through why a clear band handbook matters (especially for grading policies and expectations), and how a band room procedures video plus a quick follow-up quiz can save your sanity. He shares favorite tools and “band room hacks” that streamline daily operations, including seating chart strategies, classroom screen tools (timers, agendas, widgets), and systems that keep routines consistent even after long breaks.

Then Tim digs into curriculum and assessment, including how he handles instrument selection, his instrument listening “scoreboard,” and a mastery-based “pass-off” approach that teaches kids to practice until they can’t get it wrong. He also explains his bead achievement system, why middle schoolers will do anything for a bead, and how tracking growth over multiple years helps keep assessment fair and motivation high.

This episode is a gold mine for brand new teachers, teachers moving into a new program, and veteran directors who want systems that help them teach more music and do less spiraling.

Link to Middle School Director Help List.

In this episode of Band Director Boot Camp, Lesley Moffat brings wellness down to the practical fundamentals with fitness innovator and X Gym founder PJ Glassey. If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t have time,” this conversation is for you. PJ shares a simple, science-backed approach to getting stronger and healthier without the traditional “hour-a-day gym” expectation.

You’ll hear how PJ’s 21-minute, twice-a-week full-body training model was built specifically for busy people, and why he also teaches “exercise snacks” which are three-minute mini-workouts you can squeeze in without changing clothes or getting drenched in sweat. The big idea: consistency beats perfection, and even a minute of movement can help reset your body and brain.

The conversation also dives into stress regulation and performance readiness through breathwork, specifically box breathing (4 in, hold 4, out 4, hold 4). Lesley connects this directly to the band room, sharing how daily guided breathing helps her students shift from chaos to calm, improves focus, supports healthy breath for playing and singing, and reduces performance nerves before concerts.

Finally, PJ explains a simple brain-training strategy for habit formation using emotional “declarations” (similar to affirmations but said with conviction and feeling) to retrain the subconscious and make wellness behaviors easier to maintain. They wrap up with a real-world reminder that delegation and “good enough” can be powerful wellness tools too, for band directors and everyone else.