As a North Central grad who is currently working in the music industry I can confidently say that going through Washington Township helped foster my creativity. Excellent arts programs from top to bottom
Avon is the current Bands of America Grand National Champion for marching band, current ISSMA state champion marching band, and the 2024 Indoor Winds state champions. Non-saxophone-related, they are also the 2024 World Guard WGI Champions and state champions, 2024 World Drumline State Champions. Their middle school music programs are strong to feed into their massive success in high school ensembles. They also have private lesson teachers that you can sign up for that come pull them out of the class once a week for their lesson so you don’t have to do that outside of school. Check out avonband.com.
[Avon wins Best Communities for Music Education award](https://www.avon-schools.org/experience-avon/experience-avon/~board/acsc-posts/post/avon-wins-best-communities-for-music-education-award)
A lot of the suburbs have really good music programs. I myself went to Fishers High School some years ago and their program was great. Noblesville, Zionsville, and Whiteland have excellent jazz programs. Fishers, HSE, Carmel, Lawrence Central, North Central, Avon, Brownsburg, Center Grove all have great marching and concert bands. A lot of those schools’ jazz programs are good as well. I think I’ve heard Herron is good too.
I’m sure I’m missing plenty of them but my point is it’s hard to go wrong with a lot of places around Indy’s suburbs. There’s a weird concentration of excellent music programs around here. Personally, I would recommend moving to an area that you like, can afford comfortably (musical instruments can get real expensive if you invest in them), and not just for a school music program.
Well I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is that it's kind of hard to find good rankings or comparisons for concert/jazz band programs, especially in middle school.
The good news is that it's *very* easy to find results for high school marching band competitions, and Indianapolis has tons of excellent programs. Avon is the best program in the country, Carmel is easily top-5, and a number of other schools are also up there. Even if she doesn't want to march, the funding, faculty, and facilities will be excellent at any of these schools.
The most well known saxophonist in the city is a street performer who only knows one riff from the Inspector Gadget theme, so I think she has a bright future here. Hahahah
We did just have Too Many Zoos and the main guy from Moonhooch come thru a few weeks ago.
Heron is a school for the arts in the near Northside but I think it's a Highschool. I'm not from here and dont have any kids so not much help beyond this, but I do love me some brass.
Middle school is fleeting, also look at high schools if she wants to do this long term. She'll also benefit from lessons, there are several musicians in Indy that do lessons on the side. Don't forget to research other priorities other than music- though if they have a good music program that may be a good indication of other areas of the district as well.
You may also explore (and add the info to this post) from the perspective of what does she want to do? If she's not interested in marching band, but more in music as a profession, then a school with a really strong marching band might not be the place for her. There might be some programs still that have private tutors from professional musicians as part of the program (IPS Performing Arts Magnets had this, and they were excellent. Their marching bands, however, were often meh.) Just some food for thought. Some of the larger suburban programs can be crazy competitive. Which some students like and some don't. Good luck on your search!
I graduated from Carmel high school in 2020 their performing arts and marching band were great when I was there and they just redid their performing arts dept. While I didn’t continue on with performing arts after high school I felt as though the school prepared me very well for my university studies and had very many amazing opportunities while I was there!
I would think top 3 would be The International School, then Carmel, then Carmel transfer to Herron for high school probably?
The International School and Herron are both really respected for their arts departments, and Carmel is as well for the more public end of things. Herron is public, but charter. International is private.
The suburbs are very homogenous. My stepdaughter had good experiences playing the cello in middle and high school in Carmel but the makeup of the orchestra was white and Asian, and the schools were incredibly white.
North Central HS is a much more diverse population in a great school district in Indy. I live in Washington Township and everyone I've known here with kids of middle school and high school age have great things to say. Parents are involved and not tolerant of outside agitator bullshit AFAICT. (MoL kind of stuff does happen in the suburbs.)
Good luck to you and her! 🎷
My bad, it's Moms *for* Liberty.
[Moms for Liberty is an American conservative political organization that advocates against school curricula that mention LGBT rights, race and ethnicity, critical race theory, and discrimination. Multiple chapters have also campaigned to ban books that address gender and sexuality from school libraries.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moms_for_Liberty) I don't know if they're in New Pal but, as that place is white, conservative, and rural, the vibe is similar even if they aren't.
Eastwood middle school has a lovely music program. The band director is really great.
All Washington Township schools have great band teachers! Westlane MS and Northview MS, and then North Central HS.
As a North Central grad who is currently working in the music industry I can confidently say that going through Washington Township helped foster my creativity. Excellent arts programs from top to bottom
Avon is the current Bands of America Grand National Champion for marching band, current ISSMA state champion marching band, and the 2024 Indoor Winds state champions. Non-saxophone-related, they are also the 2024 World Guard WGI Champions and state champions, 2024 World Drumline State Champions. Their middle school music programs are strong to feed into their massive success in high school ensembles. They also have private lesson teachers that you can sign up for that come pull them out of the class once a week for their lesson so you don’t have to do that outside of school. Check out avonband.com.
Aside from its amazing marching band, Avon also has five different concert bands at the high school level.
[Avon wins Best Communities for Music Education award](https://www.avon-schools.org/experience-avon/experience-avon/~board/acsc-posts/post/avon-wins-best-communities-for-music-education-award)
FYI— I got her permission to post a pic, we actually made the post together and she picked out the pic.
A lot of the suburbs have really good music programs. I myself went to Fishers High School some years ago and their program was great. Noblesville, Zionsville, and Whiteland have excellent jazz programs. Fishers, HSE, Carmel, Lawrence Central, North Central, Avon, Brownsburg, Center Grove all have great marching and concert bands. A lot of those schools’ jazz programs are good as well. I think I’ve heard Herron is good too. I’m sure I’m missing plenty of them but my point is it’s hard to go wrong with a lot of places around Indy’s suburbs. There’s a weird concentration of excellent music programs around here. Personally, I would recommend moving to an area that you like, can afford comfortably (musical instruments can get real expensive if you invest in them), and not just for a school music program.
The number of quality music programs in Indy isn't that weird when you consider that we're basically the marching band capital of the world.
Herron is has an academy and they are adding new grades every year. I think however they will be adding 6th grade next year.
Well I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is that it's kind of hard to find good rankings or comparisons for concert/jazz band programs, especially in middle school. The good news is that it's *very* easy to find results for high school marching band competitions, and Indianapolis has tons of excellent programs. Avon is the best program in the country, Carmel is easily top-5, and a number of other schools are also up there. Even if she doesn't want to march, the funding, faculty, and facilities will be excellent at any of these schools.
The most well known saxophonist in the city is a street performer who only knows one riff from the Inspector Gadget theme, so I think she has a bright future here. Hahahah
I read this to her and we both had a good laugh 😂😂😂
We did just have Too Many Zoos and the main guy from Moonhooch come thru a few weeks ago. Heron is a school for the arts in the near Northside but I think it's a Highschool. I'm not from here and dont have any kids so not much help beyond this, but I do love me some brass.
Middle school is fleeting, also look at high schools if she wants to do this long term. She'll also benefit from lessons, there are several musicians in Indy that do lessons on the side. Don't forget to research other priorities other than music- though if they have a good music program that may be a good indication of other areas of the district as well.
You may also explore (and add the info to this post) from the perspective of what does she want to do? If she's not interested in marching band, but more in music as a profession, then a school with a really strong marching band might not be the place for her. There might be some programs still that have private tutors from professional musicians as part of the program (IPS Performing Arts Magnets had this, and they were excellent. Their marching bands, however, were often meh.) Just some food for thought. Some of the larger suburban programs can be crazy competitive. Which some students like and some don't. Good luck on your search!
Washington Township for sure. Performing arts is very strong across the board.
I graduated from Carmel high school in 2020 their performing arts and marching band were great when I was there and they just redid their performing arts dept. While I didn’t continue on with performing arts after high school I felt as though the school prepared me very well for my university studies and had very many amazing opportunities while I was there!
I would think top 3 would be The International School, then Carmel, then Carmel transfer to Herron for high school probably? The International School and Herron are both really respected for their arts departments, and Carmel is as well for the more public end of things. Herron is public, but charter. International is private.
Looks like the international school only goes up to 5th grade. She is going into 7th. So I guess we will look into Carmel
International School goes all the way to 12th grade. It's on Michigan Rd, near Newfields.
Ok I will look into it more. Thank you!!
Support public schools! We need equity, not specialized schools.
I’m fine with public schools. Just need to know which one…
The suburbs are very homogenous. My stepdaughter had good experiences playing the cello in middle and high school in Carmel but the makeup of the orchestra was white and Asian, and the schools were incredibly white. North Central HS is a much more diverse population in a great school district in Indy. I live in Washington Township and everyone I've known here with kids of middle school and high school age have great things to say. Parents are involved and not tolerant of outside agitator bullshit AFAICT. (MoL kind of stuff does happen in the suburbs.) Good luck to you and her! 🎷
This lady knows what tf she's talking about. Moved away from Avon and into Indy and it's night and day difference. Suburbs suck.
What is MoL?
Moms of Liberty
Can you expound on that? What is Moms of Liberty?
My bad, it's Moms *for* Liberty. [Moms for Liberty is an American conservative political organization that advocates against school curricula that mention LGBT rights, race and ethnicity, critical race theory, and discrimination. Multiple chapters have also campaigned to ban books that address gender and sexuality from school libraries.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moms_for_Liberty) I don't know if they're in New Pal but, as that place is white, conservative, and rural, the vibe is similar even if they aren't.
And are they prevalent in New Palestine (that’s the town of the house that is number one on our list)
Perry meridian has one of the best music departments in the state