I help manage 14 elementary music teachers, and I will tell you that every campus has its quirks. You could just be trading one set for another. Before you do, think about what you can do to fix the problems you have.

I have recurring vocal problems - look into an amplification system. If installing one will help convince you to stay, that's great! In any case, you have to talk to your administration before you put in to transfer. You've got to list vocal health as an issue and tell campus admin that the classroom has to have a mic system installed for the next teacher to use.

Borrow a decibel meter from the science lab and record sound levels in your classroom at different times of day. Add this information to the information you share with your campus administrators at your meeting. Noise levels can be unhealthy, and in your case, they have taken their toll. They can be unhealthy for children over a short class period, too.

When you talk to your campus administrators (and you must), go in happy! You sound like you really love the place. Tell them how great the school family is and how happy you are there. But let them know that the environment in the music room is not healthy for a teacher. Show them the data and let them know how they can improve it for the next person. If you're too pedantic, they will think you're annoying, but nothing too bad.

If you show them that their school environment was great, but you have to move on for health, you should be fine.

A few more notes before I stop typing...just some things I have seen with my teachers. Sit down and really think about your personality. Are you someone who always thinks the grass is greener on the other side? It probably isn't. There are problems everywhere. If you have a great staff at your school that respects specials, you're ahead of the game!

Also - have you been obnoxious on your current campus? Have you given your principals a reason to roll their eyes when they see you coming? It might be worth it to stay put a while longer and repair that relationship.

Finally, know that the way you leave a place is just as important as the way you arrive in your new place. The new teacher is going to be asking everyone on campus about your program. What will they say about you? Clean your room top to bottom. Organize. Make it a place the new teacher wants to be. He or she will still be on your team. Leave a good legacy!

I wrote this between my son's puking...sorry if there are typos! Hope it helps! We had a music teacher in a new school that had a entry to the maintenance room in her storage closet. The insulation gave her severe allergies. She gathered a lot of data and letters from doctors. The district came in and changed everything to keep her from getting sick. It took a year, but she is better now!