Elementary school with good music and art program in Montgomery county?

We are moving to Montgomery county, MD this summer. I have a kindergartener and a 4th grader. Could anyone tell me if any particular public school have good art and music program? Thanks.

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We have moved from Germantown, so I guess I am no longer "Germantownmom". We left the day our lease was up. To think we actually considered buying a home in Germantown is scary.

I have heard some good things about the schools over in the Boyds(?) area near Germantown.

This is the third time we've lived in the DC area. We lived in Northern Virginia the last two times and thought we would give Maryland a shot just for something different. What a huge mistake! We moved back to Burke, Virginia. Great schools...almost no crime...an educated, affluent area. We love it!

I agree that Germantown is terrible. Quite frankly, there are a lot of 'lower income' people who bring down the schools with violence, gangs, etc. It's sad. The liberal policies of MCPS require that the kids from bad neighborhoods are bussed in to 'whiter' schools, hence spreading the problem all around. I would suggest a private school. The Butler School in Germantown/Darnestown area is WONDERFUL. All Montessori Schools highlight independent and creative learning, art, music, nature, and they even have horses on the property and horse riding lessons. Wonderful!

I suggest you look to a private specialty program outside the school hours for arts and music. Several businesses specializing in these programs are amazing. You're not going to find a 'quality' art or music program in school...they just don't have the time available for that kind of focus. (Besides, what do you define as quality?) Germantownmom mentions charter/magnet schools, but I am not aware of any in the county which truly focus on art, other than Albert Einstein High School, which has a part day technical track for students of which art is one (as well as automotive, cosmetology, and others like that).

First, is there anyway you could move somewhere besides Germantown? We moved here last year and absolutely hate it. We've lived all over the United States. This is the first place we've ever lived that we felt like we just couldn't stay in. Can you look in the Bethesda area?

You won't find an elementary school with a good art of music program unless you can get into one of the charter/magnet schools.

We have been very unhappy with Waters Landing. I've heard better things about some of the other elementary schools. Surprisingly, despite hearing some negatives about Seneca Valley High School, we've been really happy with it.

Good Luck! And again, I would look outside of Germantown if it's an option. Crime, gang activity, poverty....all problems in Germantown.

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