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Between CH, Cary, and Durham do any middle and high schools have a stand out performing arts department My daughter is in show choir here in MA. I've been perusing the school websites but would prefer knowledge from this forum about which schools are known for performing arts.
I see there are magnet schools in Durham….with the lottery system, my word, I don't see how I can count on that for my daughter to attend. But I also don't know anything about the School of Arts in Durham.
Our first trip (!) to the area is in three weeks. We will want to choose where we live based on the middle/high schools. One child will thrive in a large school, the other is more artsy and shy. My children are in 7th grade now.
Most of the regular schools in Wake County all usually have band, drama, chorus etc but schools with more of a focus on performing arts will be a magnets like Ligon, Martin Broughton and Enloe. A quick google search of WCPSS and show choir showed Holly Grove Middle, Broughton, Leesville, Wakefield. I'm sure there are plenty of others.
Long Leaf Charter in Raleigh is also an arts focused charter high school.
Durham School of the Arts immediately came to mind, which you are aware of, but I don't know how one can be guaranteed a spot. I would check their web site for more info.
I do a lot of amateur theatre in Durham and tons of the young people in shows with me went there; I also hear amazing things about YPPC, the Young People's Performing Company based at the Durham Arts Council. There are student performing groups in Raleigh, too, but the YPPC seems like more of a "family" where once you've been a part of it, you're always "one of them".
This is independent of school, of course--they are a nights/weekends group but wherever your children go, you may want to know about this group if theatre is the kind of Arts you are interested in. There are also some great youth orchestras in Wake county.
Most of the regular schools in Wake County all usually have band, drama, chorus etc but schools with more of a focus on performing arts will be a magnets like Ligon, Martin Broughton and Enloe. A quick google search of WCPSS and show choir showed Holly Grove Middle, Broughton, Leesville, Wakefield. I'm sure there are plenty of others.
Long Leaf Charter in Raleigh is also an arts focused charter high school.
Lamishra is correct -- if you want to ensure a variety of performing arts classes at a WCPSS school, you should focus on the magnet schools. IME, electives seem to vary at the "regular" schools. For instance, my dd's middle school does not offer drama or chorus. But she can take dance or pottery.
Durham School of the Arts is completely lottery based. You can never be assured of a spot there, even if you apply every year, 6-12. Lottery results came out this past Friday for next academic year - my child had several friends who got in, and many more who didn't. It's by all means a great place, but unfortunately not one you can count on attending.
Both of my kids are Enloe grads. My daughter was in chorus/drama and my son was in band. Typically their feeder schools are Carnage & Martin. They're all in the magnet program.
I have a friend whose daughter is at Long Leaf and loves it.
Can not recommend Longleaf School of the Arts in downtown Raleigh enough! It is a 2 year old charter school with an incredible staff. My daughter goes there and loves it. Being a visual art minded kid, it fits her so well since so much of the curriculum (Math, Social Studies, Spanish, etc) include some form of art in the curriculum. But I also will let you know the classwork is quite hard. Many of the classes are AP and can involve a lot of homework some nights. Some parents (and students) are not prepared for that.
As a comparison, my son goes to Athens and one major difference I have seen between the schools is the students themselves. At Longleaf the students all seem to pull for one another. Don't get me wrong, Athens is a great school for my son, but there is a difference in how students treat one another between the schools. School size may have something to do with that as well. But the atmosphere there is highly conducive to creativity, imagination, and the arts.
Last Saturday the school performed a Caberet fund raiser and it was incredible. It really showed the various talents at the school from visual arts, performing arts, chorus and dance. The students organized and created the entire 2 hour performance themselves. From the tshirts, the brochures, the posters, the performances, the sound stage, the routines... all student driven. Many lessons about teamwork and organization for them. Outside of the school many of the kids and teachers participate at the Raleigh Little Theater and other theaters as well. Teachers and students alike are incredibly gifted.
Unfortunately the lottery is closed now for the upcoming year (Feb 28th). But parents and potential students have many opportunities to get a look at the school. They have shadowing days where your child can follow another student for a day. Also just last month offered hour long tours of the school for parents during the day. You get to see the kids interacting with the kids and get a real taste of the school day.
I would also recommend investigating their upcoming summer camps programs. I think there are more then 15 camps being offered. That would be another way to get to know the teachers and the school.
Between CH, Cary, and Durham do any middle and high schools have a stand out performing arts department l
Quote:
Originally Posted by Icesobad
Thank you for the reply -- I had not looked at WCPSS at all - or Raleigh. I'll do that now!
If you were looking at Cary, you were looking at WCPSS.
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