hard to get into Duke Ellington?

[Anonymous]

wth is happening i just want to know if i should go to duke

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:wth is happening i just want to know if i should go to duke

DESA parent here - I skipped the last 12 pages because DCUM...

But to answer your question honestly -- it depends. The arts commitment is substantial, and depending on your child's commitment to the chosen specialization, that can be rewarding or it can be a burden. The arts block is 3 hours a day every day. Performing arts attendance for practice and theory is equally mandatory as academic track in morning through early afternoon, and it's a similar schedule for the other arts blocks. It's a long day. My child enjoys it but it's demanding. The arts blocks are self contained by discipline but integrated for academics. The academic rigor has not been what we'd expect for college prep and we're looking for additional opportunities to ensure necessary academic challenge. Teachers have been responsive and supportive but the challenge level could be higher in some areas.

The school size is reasonable and it's a lovely environment. The contrast with some overcrowded or space constrained schools is obvious.

The administration has been largely unresponsive to parents. For a relatively small school that would be my biggest red flag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the real deal - despite the fact that Game of Thrones was the top story on every news show for a week, water cooler conversations begin and end with what came on TV, we all talk about certain music being the soundtrack of our lives, Amazon got popular by selling books and millions of people come to DC to visit museums, we still have only one school for 50 miles that takes training young people in those fields seriously. Yet we complain that 40-something slots go (legally) to MD.VA residents who pay tuition. Should we not be asking why the hell those areas don't have a similar program? Why DC only has one? Why do people want to dumb it down by adding students who are not serious about the arts? Why the city was willing to overspend on a building but not fully fund the arts education? These are the real questions.

Amen.

Fully agree. For example -the closing of Fillmore arts center art instruction in elementary schools who used Fillmore will be pressed to close their meager arts rooms, and cut their arts teachers as the usual budget pressure come and go each year and as school administrators focus on the things they get regarded for - math and reading test scores. Fixing this dynamic is impossible I would say. Unless someone takes up arts funding with either the Chancellor or the Council.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wth is happening i just want to know if i should go to duke

DESA parent here - I skipped the last 12 pages because DCUM...

But to answer your question honestly -- it depends. The arts commitment is substantial, and depending on your child's commitment to the chosen specialization, that can be rewarding or it can be a burden. The arts block is 3 hours a day every day. Performing arts attendance for practice and theory is equally mandatory as academic track in morning through early afternoon, and it's a similar schedule for the other arts blocks. It's a long day. My child enjoys it but it's demanding. The arts blocks are self contained by discipline but integrated for academics. The academic rigor has not been what we'd expect for college prep and we're looking for additional opportunities to ensure necessary academic challenge. Teachers have been responsive and supportive but the challenge level could be higher in some areas.

The school size is reasonable and it's a lovely environment. The contrast with some overcrowded or space constrained schools is obvious.

The administration has been largely unresponsive to parents. For a relatively small school that would be my biggest red flag.


NP: thank you, this is very helpful. Would you mind sharing some specifics about the academics? In what way is it lacking?