Single dad moving to DC with 3 year old - recommendations for where to move and preK 3?

[Anonymous]

Marie Reed Elementary School would be a good option. It’s a great school location would be a good commute for you.

[Anonymous]

There is no way I would live in Columbus heights or Petworth with the uptick in crime.

Creative minds has a fantastic ECE program and it’s there by WHC, literally. They have recess 2 times a day, great playground, great ECE curriculum. Put them on your lottery list.

Rent a place in Brookland which is also right there and very family friendly.

Then commute is 5-10 minutes to Creative Mind and 3 minutes to the hospital.

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone I was told to reply back once I've gotten offers to make sure there are no red flag schools.

Appletree Columbia Heights
Meridian Public Charter School
Bridges PCS

Shes on the waitlist for St Albans but they anticipate having space for her.

I anticipate having my parents live with me one at a time for several months in the year to help out. Because of that I think I'm leaning more towards the Cathedral Heights/McLean Gardens/Cleveland Park area for safety, walkability, metro access and have my daughter go to St Albans, although it will cost $10,500 for full year including summer compared to DCPS schools, but I think at this point I'm realizing I'm going to need to spend money for routine and stability for my child. I'm still keeping Petworth area (she's waitlisted at Dorothy Heights #25) and Brookland as options.

Will my daughter have a significantly different enough experience to justify dropping $10.5k on St Albans vs having her go to one of these other schools? Appletree has solid before and after care that fits in my schedule and I have enough flexibility with my schedule that I can work around the days off in the DCPS system.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP, I think your plan to live in Cathedral Heights/Cleveland Park etc makes so much sense, especially because your parents may live with you for months at a time. Having a place that will give year round care will also really help you.

We attend a different AppleTree location and love the program. I would recommend it to everyone, tho I don’t know the specifics of the Columbia Heights location. However, given your needs, I think sticking with something like St Alban’s makes the most sense. Not because I think it’ll be a demonstrably different preschool experience (DC has excellent charter and public preschools), but because it probably fits your needs better than living and attending preschool in Petworth or Columbia Heights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone I was told to reply back once I've gotten offers to make sure there are no red flag schools.

Appletree Columbia Heights
Meridian Public Charter School
Bridges PCS

Shes on the waitlist for St Albans but they anticipate having space for her.

I anticipate having my parents live with me one at a time for several months in the year to help out. Because of that I think I'm leaning more towards the Cathedral Heights/McLean Gardens/Cleveland Park area for safety, walkability, metro access and have my daughter go to St Albans, although it will cost $10,500 for full year including summer compared to DCPS schools, but I think at this point I'm realizing I'm going to need to spend money for routine and stability for my child. I'm still keeping Petworth area (she's waitlisted at Dorothy Heights #25) and Brookland as options.

Will my daughter have a significantly different enough experience to justify dropping $10.5k on St Albans vs having her go to one of these other schools? Appletree has solid before and after care that fits in my schedule and I have enough flexibility with my schedule that I can work around the days off in the DCPS system.

I think the significant difference in St. Albans isn't what happens between 9 and 3 on school days. I agree that the public and charter programs are great. I think the difference comes that you're cutting out a transition to and from before care, and to and from aftercare, and between school and winter break, spring break, and summer camps. For a kid who is already undergoing a major move, that's a huge advantage. I think that's work the 10K, or whatever portion of that you'd save since before, after, and camp care also cost a lot.

Having said that, the cheapest 3 BR (you, your child, and a room for your parent, or for a nanny to use if spending the night) near Cleveland Park I see on Redfin is $6K, and is a pretty far walk from the metro.

If you're planning on paying for private daycare, you can get a whole house, with a similar commute for less than that if you look around the Takoma or Silver Spring Metros on the MD side, and there are equally nice daycares to choose from. Paying a premium to live in DC doesn't make sense if you're not using the free PK.

[Anonymous]

It would likely just be for the first year. For the next school year I'd try getting her into her inbound elementary (Eaton, Hearst etc).

And I'd probably just get a 2 bedroom with her cosleeping with me. Not sure if that's a sound idea but that's what I had in mind currently. Getting a 3 bedroom does make sense and I wonder if for that reason I should go for Petworth or Brookland instead.

[Anonymous]

Is St Albans daycare?

[Anonymous]

Functionally a daycare/preschool but they take DCPS kids is my understanding. And if you pay the $10.5k it covers summers too. I think you have the option of free care if you opt not to have the breaks covered too. Offers 10 hours of care per day, 7-5 or 8-6.

[Anonymous]

Look into Dorothy Height, just north of Columbia Heights. It has a wonderful Early Education Program and will have a brand new building. The waitlist is shorter compared to the number of slots they offer and it will move through those.

[Anonymous]

Rent IB for Shepherd. Easy commute. Tree-lined neighborhood and even if you get on Waitlist for just living IB, you should be able to get in by end of summer. If not, there is a lovely new private preschool in the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Get a two bedroom in McLean gardens and if not there city ridge and send to sta.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Functionally a daycare/preschool but they take DCPS kids is my understanding. And if you pay the $10.5k it covers summers too. I think you have the option of free care if you opt not to have the breaks covered too. Offers 10 hours of care per day, 7-5 or 8-6.

We were also hopeful for this but the 10.5K is not guaranteed at St. Albans and they prioritize current kids over new enrollments. They make sure to note this during tours and admissions materials. Also the Mayor’s new budget cuts will significantly decrease the number of subsidized spots and other early educational programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would likely just be for the first year. For the next school year I'd try getting her into her inbound elementary (Eaton, Hearst etc).

And I'd probably just get a 2 bedroom with her cosleeping with me. Not sure if that's a sound idea but that's what I had in mind currently. Getting a 3 bedroom does make sense and I wonder if for that reason I should go for Petworth or Brookland instead.

Don’t live in Petworth. My cousin rented a home there and her parents started refusing to visit her kids because of the crime. It scared them so she finally moved. I visited her a few times and each time heard gunshots or some sort of fighting, etc. When her mom was walking her oldest to school one day saw someone break into a car. I would not move there due to crime.

Look at shepherd iB as someone else recommended. I would also try and get a 3 bedroom or maybe a 2 bedroom with den. I am not a fan of cosleeping at 3 and above. People should do what is best for them and I lived in areas where cosleeping was the norm, but all of my close friends who co slept with their kids until after age 2 their kids had issues sleeping on their own for years after. If you’re working at a hospital you need a decent nights sleep for patients too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would likely just be for the first year. For the next school year I'd try getting her into her inbound elementary (Eaton, Hearst etc).

And I'd probably just get a 2 bedroom with her cosleeping with me. Not sure if that's a sound idea but that's what I had in mind currently. Getting a 3 bedroom does make sense and I wonder if for that reason I should go for Petworth or Brookland instead.

Don’t live in Petworth. My cousin rented a home there and her parents started refusing to visit her kids because of the crime. It scared them so she finally moved. I visited her a few times and each time heard gunshots or some sort of fighting, etc. When her mom was walking her oldest to school one day saw someone break into a car. I would not move there due to crime.

Look at shepherd iB as someone else recommended. I would also try and get a 3 bedroom or maybe a 2 bedroom with den. I am not a fan of cosleeping at 3 and above. People should do what is best for them and I lived in areas where cosleeping was the norm, but all of my close friends who co slept with their kids until after age 2 their kids had issues sleeping on their own for years after. If you’re working at a hospital you need a decent nights sleep for patients too.

I live in Petworth and there is crime in some areas. However, the fact that you “heard gunshots” every time you visited makes your post unbelievable, because that is not the case.

Also, op didn’t ask for your opinion regarding cosleeping.

Op should disregard your entire post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would likely just be for the first year. For the next school year I'd try getting her into her inbound elementary (Eaton, Hearst etc).

And I'd probably just get a 2 bedroom with her cosleeping with me. Not sure if that's a sound idea but that's what I had in mind currently. Getting a 3 bedroom does make sense and I wonder if for that reason I should go for Petworth or Brookland instead.

Brookland is much less urban / more livable, for what it's worth. If you pick the right spot, there's less traffic noise and way more green trees and playgrounds. Also less general mayhem.