I thought Hardy was going that route. They have Filmore on their campus. I know DCUM get squirlley when Hardy comes up but it makes sense to make Hardy a feeder school to Ellington. Other schools like Ballou, that have an acclaim marching band ( scholarship opportunity) or Eastern ( they had a decent choir) could benefit from having students already introduced to the arts. Even Wilson has high caliber stage productions could benefit from having young thespians.

I always wondered why DCPS has fallen asleep on this format. Here you have Ellington High School, named after a musician and therefore his school is about performing arts. Now, you have John Phillip Sousa Middle School, another musician and not one iota of music is being produced at that school. Gee-whiz.

You probably have good reasons to ask for charter schools specifically. But if not, do know that all DCPS elementary schools have a trained teacher, often full time. At least in the case of our DC elementary school, that comes with different levels of instrumental music (percussion, recorder, guitar), choir, band, and an ensemble, which complements a music curriculum that is now standardized at a high level in DC. On the face of it, it'll be one music lesson once or twice a week (more for older elementary school kids) but, if well run, the music teacher has a much broader impact throughout the school and in running extracurriculars. If not dead-set on charters, I would ask around those schools that you would also consider academically and make an appointment with the music teacher. Ask specific questions, the kind I outlined here, to check what they offer and how deep (or not) it goes.

Inspired Teaching is arts integration. No music teacher yet though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have any further info about William E. Doar? I'm interested in enrolling my son for the 2013-2014 school year.

look at their website.

Looking at the website does not in any way give you the same kind of information as parents of current students might be able to provide.

Anonymous wrote:Tier 2 school according to charter school board. Not sure exactly what this means, but they seem to have low attendance and high turnover relative to other charters I've seen. There could be a lot of reasons why. Could be that artistically talented kids stay? No idea. Just food for thought.

http://www.dcpubliccharter.com/data/images/131-wedj_ap11-12.pdf

http://www.dcpubliccharter.com/data/images/130-wedj_esms11-12.pdf

On a scale of 1 to 4, wouldn't Tier 2 be on the more-desirable side of the column?

Tier 2 school according to charter school board. Not sure exactly what this means, but they seem to have low attendance and high turnover relative to other charters I've seen. There could be a lot of reasons why. Could be that artistically talented kids stay? No idea. Just food for thought.

http://www.dcpubliccharter.com/data/images/131-wedj_ap11-12.pdf

http://www.dcpubliccharter.com/data/images/130-wedj_esms11-12.pdf

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have any further info about William E. Doar? I'm interested in enrolling my son for the 2013-2014 school year.

look at their website.

Folks that go to th3 William E. Doar, Jr. PCS use the acronym WEDJ -- pronounced "wedge" when talking about the school.

Anyway, from what I've heard, the arts instruction is good and the partnerships with such organizations as the Kirov School of Ballet and the Shakespeare Theater are strong. I believe students choose two arts disciplines to focus on with the choices being dance, theatre, music or visual arts.

I am also interested in learning more about Doar.

Does anyone have any further info about William E. Doar? I'm interested in enrolling my son for the 2013-2014 school year.

W. E. Doar is a Performing Arts school. Grades PreS-8th.

William E. Doer

Creative Minds

I am looking for elementary schools in DC that would specialize in the arts and/or music. Anyone know of any charter schools that fit this description?

Thanks!!