Reply to Taylor's Feb. Rec for Woodward Boundary Study

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Reply to "Taylor's Feb. Rec for Woodward Boundary Study"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Why not push for a better magnet? There is your win-win for the entire region. [/quote]

This is the real elephant in the room. It’s the magnets at Woodward. Not the bean counting over FARMS.[/quote]

I agree. And this is not the first time that point has been brought up on this forum. It is a high FARMS and a meaningless magnet combo that will give Woodward a horrible starting point. Having an important magnet (STEM, IB or humanities) will significantly improve school's chances to succeed. [/quote]

If they really invest in it, the performing arts program could be an important magnet - like LaGuardia in NYC or Duke Ellington in DC. But they need a better balance between WJ and Woodward. Not that hard.[/quote]

Taylor has already shown he is only willing to support programs in name only. Have you looked at the “criteria” for these music programs? Just need a C or better. No audition required. No private lessons as part of the program, just dumb musicianship class. Taylor is purposely NOT following the successful model of Duke Ellington. He doesn’t want a full on art school. He wants a regular school with a handful of music kids so can dent allocations for music teachers at the other 5 schools ij the region.

These programs are a smokescreen for provided less to students, not more.[/quote]

Expecting kids to take private lessons is unreasonable given the cost.  It would be nice to have a true arts school but its not going to happen.  Most kids who are into music do outside programs.  The music program really comes down to the teacher and students vs. calling it a magnet or not.  Some schools have top music programs and others say they do and don't.[/quote]

You don’t understand how music magnets work. The kids are given private lessons during the school day by experts on their instrument. Again, somebody please look at what’s available at Duke Ellington just down the road! This is standard for any arts high school in the US. The day is longer, like Blair, to include this. MCPS can’t even get separate band and orchestra teachers at every high school let alone experts on each instrument.

Virginia has also good examples for MCPS to look at such as their Governor’s School for the Arts. None of these kids are taking CTE courses in finance or a bogus musicianship class. They are getting prepared to win auditions [/quote]

Duke Ellington is not giving private individual lessons to everyone. Also the entire school is focused on arts--it's not a program within a school. And the sacrifice for that is that the "regular" classes like English and math are awful. [/quote]

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