MoCo Elementary Schools with great "extras" (music, art, foreign language, etc)

[Anonymous]

We'll be moving to Montgomery County next year, but I wanted to start thinking/looking soon.

Which elementary schools (and clusters as a whole would be helpful as well) have a good well-rounded program, consisting of music, arts, foreign language, civic engagement (social sciences) and lots of recess/phys ed/outside time? We'd like to be in close-in MoCo. When I type the list out - it sounds like a pipe dream, but that's how my elementary school was!

I know the kids need to cover certain material, but are there certain schools out there that really give an effort to include thigns other than math and reading and science?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a pipe dream to me, too. In the other MoCo thread, multiple MoCo public school teachers stated that the curriculum at all MoCo public schools is the same. If that's the case, I think you'd have to look elsewhere to get the precise curriculum you want.

[Anonymous]

I think you either need to consider private, or plan on augmenting with loads of extracurricular activities. This is one of the issues that drives families who live in good school districts (like MoCo) into private schools.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks for the replies. I ask because in DC (where we are now) there are certain schools with some special programs (i.e. Fillmore Arts at a few schools). Just wondering if there is a difference in any programs (not curriculum). I'm interested even in the differences between after-school programs (this varies widely through DCPS as well).

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Not there yet, but have done a few visits. It definitely makes sense to go see for yourself--take a tour, talk with the principal, ask questions.

Kensington-Parkwood Elementary School has an Italian teacher, so kids get some exposure to Italian. It is also an arts integration school--so the arts are integrated into other aspects of the curriculum and they have lots of visiting artists, etc. They have a tv studio, if I remember right, with kids helping produce daily news.

At Somerset Elementary School, the parent tour guide mentioned the really good art teacher. I believe they had Spanish as a before-school or after-school option, but not as part of the regular curriculum. The fourth- and fifth-grade kids can choose to participate in a play every year (Willy Wonka this year). Kids were involved in service projects (selling canvas grocery bags this year).

Both places had some instrumental music for the older kids (e.g. starting with recorders). Both schools had kids' art hanging all over the walls. Both schools mentioned their very engaging PE teachers (I saw one in action at Kensington-Parkwood, and the kids were having lots of fun). Neither has very much time for playground time, but they do have some.

Hope I've characterized the schools correctly based on my brief tours--I'm sure I've missed some stuff!

It seems clear to me that, as others have said, that extracurriculars will tend to be more limited at public schools. However, active school communities, with lots of parent support and volunteering, can do interesting and fun things like school plays. I'm willing to pay for piano lessons/dance classes/soccer outside of school and send my children to a public school as long as the parents and leadership there are also making an effort to provide an enriched environment there.

I hope some parents will give firsthand details of their own kids' schools!