music at DCPS (Brent in particular)

[Anonymous]

Another DCYOP supporter/parent. I know at least violin and recorder start as young as 4.5 years old. It is a great program - students need to progress to continue onto the next level and eventually can lead to performance groups/orchestra. My daughter is too young/new for me to know all the options by memory but I do know that each group performs publicly every semester. Her teacher mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the youth orchestra performed at the White House. Even at the beginning stage/class, the teacher emphasizes the possibilities ahead of the students. It is extremely well-organized.

I went to an excellent public school in California and although we had general music education through sixth grade, orchestra and band were not options till 7th grade/junior high. I would frankly be suprised if elementary schools anywhere have the money (for instrument, instructors, etc.) and time to sponsor/run an orchestra/band.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In DCPS, music education (unlike say a second language) is required for elementary school children. I don't see how a school could get out of that requirement. Given its size of around 300 students, Brent ES, just as any other ES would have to have at least a part-time and probably a full time music teacher catering to either PS3 through 5th grade or possibly to K through 5th grade (don't know the exact requirements). A school can request a waiver from DCPS to not have a music teacher on the budget, say because they have a partnership that exposes children to music in other ways. But they can't waive out of offering music to their children. So please check your facts again.
If you still find - which I seriously doubt - that Brent does not offer music to its students in any of these formats, that would make me wonder why that was never brought to DCPS' attention or why parents didn't object to that.
The same holds true for PE/health, art, and library. For these positions, too, and many others, a school can request a waiver to offer it in some other format. But a DC public school cannot waive out of offering these things.

Brent parent here. Brent has a full-time music teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brent parent here. Brent has a full-time music teacher.

See! The lesson to be learned: Please, before you start claiming things on a forum like this, at least pick up the phone to check your facts. I'm not a Brent parent, but this type of cyber guess work about schools just really bothers me. It's the kind of uninformed guesswork that creates randomly long waitlists for some schools and none for others even though they may be offering the very same thing and have the same cheerful environment, great students, parents, and teachers. I sincerely hope that based on this discussion a few more will pick up their stuff and check out the many great schools - including middle schools for that matter - we have and go see for yourself!

Or maybe this thread was started intentionally to discredit DCPS, and Brent in particular? If so, how sad and twisted!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent parent here. Brent has a full-time music teacher.

See! The lesson to be learned: Please, before you start claiming things on a forum like this, at least pick up the phone to check your facts. I'm not a Brent parent, but this type of cyber guess work about schools just really bothers me. It's the kind of uninformed guesswork that creates randomly long waitlists for some schools and none for others even though they may be offering the very same thing and have the same cheerful environment, great students, parents, and teachers. I sincerely hope that based on this discussion a few more will pick up their stuff and check out the many great schools - including middle schools for that matter - we have and go see for yourself!

Or maybe this thread was started intentionally to discredit DCPS, and Brent in particular? If so, how sad and twisted!

Brent parent here. In all fairness, Brent had trouble with its music and arts program last year - and there was discontent amongst the community because of it. There were budget issues with the CFO's office and contracting stuff. But those issues are behind us and we now have five specials staffed by DCPS teachers (Chinese, P.E., Art, Science, Library), plus a full-time regular music teacher leading a regular music class that is cost-shared by the PTA and DCPS. We also have a robust PTA Museum Studies Committee that has taken the bull by the horns and is ensuring the program is on-track. For those interested: come to the Rocknoceros concert on November 5 and help support the arts programs at Brent.

http://brentelementary.org/events/rocknoceros/

[Anonymous]

Since DYOP moved from Coolidge to Eastern it has lost its stamina. I don't find it as intriquing as it has been. I thought the kinks of moving to a new site would have all been erased. NOT. IMO they should move the entire program to Eliot-Hines or better yet put the program into a school with the name deserving of music. John Phillip Sousa Middle School is absolutely the right fit for this entire program. What is more appropriate than to have DCYOP at Sousa, considering you have the performing arts high school in a builidng named after Duke Ellington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent parent here. Brent has a full-time music teacher.

See! The lesson to be learned: Please, before you start claiming things on a forum like this, at least pick up the phone to check your facts. I'm not a Brent parent, but this type of cyber guess work about schools just really bothers me. It's the kind of uninformed guesswork that creates randomly long waitlists for some schools and none for others even though they may be offering the very same thing and have the same cheerful environment, great students, parents, and teachers. I sincerely hope that based on this discussion a few more will pick up their stuff and check out the many great schools - including middle schools for that matter - we have and go see for yourself!

Or maybe this thread was started intentionally to discredit DCPS, and Brent in particular? If so, how sad and twisted!

Brent parent here. In all fairness, Brent had trouble with its music and arts program last year - and there was discontent amongst the community because of it. There were budget issues with the CFO's office and contracting stuff. But those issues are behind us and we now have five specials staffed by DCPS teachers (Chinese, P.E., Art, Science, Library), plus a full-time regular music teacher leading a regular music class that is cost-shared by the PTA and DCPS. We also have a robust PTA Museum Studies Committee that has taken the bull by the horns and is ensuring the program is on-track. For those interested: come to the Rocknoceros concert on November 5 and help support the arts programs at Brent.

http://brentelementary.org/events/rocknoceros/

I am the OP and I certainly was not trying to discredit the DCPS or Brent. I had seen on Brent's own website last year that they did not have a full-time music instructor. From other posts of parents at Brent it sounds like I was right. I'm glad to know they have it this year although I don't think the PTA should have to be cost-sharing to provide it. Also, having a music teacher to teach general music is different than additionally offering band and strings. Is there a band and strings program at Brent?

[Anonymous]

I do agree, just because the teacher is hired to teach general music they are not required to have a band and orchestra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMO they should move the entire program to Eliot-Hines or better yet put the program into a school with the name deserving of music.

Actually, DCYOP is pretty much door to door with Eliot-Hine, in fact one great reason to attend E-H.

[Anonymous]

I'm intrigued, where is it in the country that there are string programs for ES-aged children?

It sounds like they start around MS age in FFX.

There are a thousand reasons not to choose DCPS, but that they don't offer strings to 3 year olds strikes me as silly.

OP, it's my understanding that most private schools in the area don't offer strings at the early ES level during the school day. You can do it in after school for additional money though.

OP, I don't think you're being realistic.

[Anonymous]

I should add that there is one DCPS that has a strings program on the ES level. Can anyone recall the name?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brent parent here. Brent has a full-time music teacher.

See! The lesson to be learned: Please, before you start claiming things on a forum like this, at least pick up the phone to check your facts. I'm not a Brent parent, but this type of cyber guess work about schools just really bothers me. It's the kind of uninformed guesswork that creates randomly long waitlists for some schools and none for others even though they may be offering the very same thing and have the same cheerful environment, great students, parents, and teachers. I sincerely hope that based on this discussion a few more will pick up their stuff and check out the many great schools - including middle schools for that matter - we have and go see for yourself!

Or maybe this thread was started intentionally to discredit DCPS, and Brent in particular? If so, how sad and twisted!

Brent parent here. In all fairness, Brent had trouble with its music and arts program last year - and there was discontent amongst the community because of it. There were budget issues with the CFO's office and contracting stuff. But those issues are behind us and we now have five specials staffed by DCPS teachers (Chinese, P.E., Art, Science, Library), plus a full-time regular music teacher leading a regular music class that is cost-shared by the PTA and DCPS. We also have a robust PTA Museum Studies Committee that has taken the bull by the horns and is ensuring the program is on-track. For those interested: come to the Rocknoceros concert on November 5 and help support the arts programs at Brent.

http://brentelementary.org/events/rocknoceros/

I am the OP and I certainly was not trying to discredit the DCPS or Brent. I had seen on Brent's own website last year that they did not have a full-time music instructor. From other posts of parents at Brent it sounds like I was right. I'm glad to know they have it this year although I don't think the PTA should have to be cost-sharing to provide it. Also, having a music teacher to teach general music is different than additionally offering band and strings. Is there a band and strings program at Brent?

Brent parent here. There is no choir, band or strings at Brent. With only one 5th grade class, and with many students leaving Brent in the upper grades because of middle school, or the lack thereof, we have struggled implementing programs like band (and Mathletes, Destination Imagination, Olympics of the Mind, etc.) that require fourth and fifth graders. Still, Brent parents take advantage of DC Youth Orchestra and the Hill has some other music options. Do Northwest elementary schools have band, strings and choir? Hill schools will get these programs eventually, but we are not there just yet . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm intrigued, where is it in the country that there are string programs for ES-aged children?

KIPP DC: Promise Academy.

[Anonymous]

Fillmore. My kids play trumpet and clarinet.

[Anonymous]

Here we go with that moniker of the Hill schools.

[Anonymous]

16:05, what grade does instrumental music start at Fillmore. I was told strings began in 3rd grade.