Brent vs JKLM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We lived on the Hill and have friends who remain and many more who have left. Whether it's safe or not is subjective. Objectively, there is a ton more crime on the Hill than in any of the JKLM areas. We moved from a great house near Eastern Market 5 years ago to Upper NW because I didn't feel safe having kids on the Hill. We were lucky in that while we were there, we only experienced a steady stream of petty crime (cars being broken into, things stolen from front porch and garage, etc.). I have several friends who have been victims or more serious crime, including robbed at gun and knife-point, house robbed while they were home and a car jacking, among many home burglaries and auto thefts. At one point, there was a person or group targeting women with strollers. In the 5 years I've lived in NW, I haven't heard of one of these types of serious crimes and and the petty crime is so rare, it's virtually unheard of.

Aside from the crime, there is a non-criminal element to the Hill. The parks will be full of families and people with dogs at certain times, but other times, you can still find homeless people sleeping on benches and the odd needle or used condom (I've seen any of these in any of the NW parks). Walk around and you can smell the urine of said homeless people who don't discriminate where they relieve themselves (including your garden). At least monthly, you'll get someone knocking on your door begging for money at odd times of the day or night. I worked from home and never felt safe during the day b/c everyone around me was gone and that's when these characters seemed to come out. I also never felt safe going out and getting home later than 9.

I can easily think of a dozen friends we had who lived on the Hill who moved to the JKLM area before they had children or when their kids were babies. The schools may have been an issue, but they were more concerned with the safety. We just found out that one close family friends we have who still live on the Hill are desperately trying to buy a house in NW because there was an incident with their middle-schooler while he was riding his bike and he keeps telling his parents he doesn't feel safe in their neighborhood.

Many people have a different tolerance level for crime than we do and you may feel perfectly comfortable living on the Hill. However, I urge you to do your research, including looking at crime stats, reading M.O.T.H., before making a decision.

I had no idea there wasn't any serious crime or homeless people anywhere in NW, or at least what you are callig the JKLM area. Good to know. Thanks.

Seriously? Of course there is serious crime and homelessness in NW. Just not anywhere close to what you see on the Hill. When I lived on the Hill (not in the 80s or 90s, but 2002-2010), cab drivers refused to take me home "because the Hill is dangerous." DC Police Officers would comment that on how dangerous the Hill was. And if you look at the stats, the Hill has not improved in terms of safety from 2010- today. Of course no place is 100% crime-free, but if you look at the statistics alone, there is a huge disparity between the crime rates on the Hill and anywhere in the JKLM districts. Leaving the statistics aside, I'd guess that most "petty" crime on the Hill isn't even reported because it's so common. I know we had things stolen from our porch and car several times and did not even bother to report it and our neighbors did the same because it wasn't worth the time involved.

And PP is right- you see many, many former Hill residents in JKLM schools. They moved for good reasons.

[Anonymous]

Brent IB parent here. Our kids love brent and the teachers are amazing. We love all the parks, restaurants, sports on the hill, neighbors and sense of community. We also are happy to make the drive or metro trip up to NW to visit the zoo and tons more. Beautiful homes and great school options in NW. For us the hill made more sense given our love of older, attached homes and great historical charm plus awesome elementary. Also we work downtown and love the short commute. Also enjoy jogs and rising our bikes to/around the mall and down to yards park or even biking to a Nats game . Kids can walk to Brent. Neighborhood is safe, love living by capitol south metro so near Capitol dome, and I've never had a package stolen off my porch. Often "the hill" is broadly defined. We're safe here and we love it. But hey, NW/JKLM or Brent , you can't go wrong either way. Best of luck to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One really nice thing about the Brent area is that you can easily walk or bike to the mall and thus your kid's education will be enhanced in that way. It can be hard to drive and park on the mall, especially during cool events, like the national book fair. If you are the kind of parent who will take advantage of these features you should factor it in.

Good point. But you could also metro to mall and have same experience. As great as some of the perks are at Brent, I can't see how anyone thinks they outweigh long term educational stability.

Long term PUBLIC educational stability, you mean. There is not a good public middle school or high school but let's not act like Brent students don't have educational stability.There are charter and private options that many people prefer over Deal and Wilson.

I think PP's point was stability, i.e. not having to hope to win a lottery or get in by application. You don't have that sort of stability (you might rather call it predictability) on the Hill even if there are great possibilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One really nice thing about the Brent area is that you can easily walk or bike to the mall and thus your kid's education will be enhanced in that way. It can be hard to drive and park on the mall, especially during cool events, like the national book fair. If you are the kind of parent who will take advantage of these features you should factor it in.

Good point. But you could also metro to mall and have same experience. As great as some of the perks are at Brent, I can't see how anyone thinks they outweigh long term educational stability.

Long term PUBLIC educational stability, you mean. There is not a good public middle school or high school but let's not act like Brent students don't have educational stability.There are charter and private options that many people prefer over Deal and Wilson.

I think PP's point was stability, i.e. not having to hope to win a lottery or get in by application. You don't have that sort of stability (you might rather call it predictability) on the Hill even if there are great possibilities.

not that I wouldn't consider Deal a solid option, but it does have 400 kids per grade level and 2/5 FARM. I know that's a rousing success for DCPS, but even some inbound families will seek other MS/HS options. It's not unheard of for inbound families to consider but ultimately bail on MS at Deal in favor of private. That predictability can go out the window depending on what works best for your kid. Being inbound by right doesn't magically make everything work out. And it's not as random for others as "winning the lottery" -- the unfortunately named lottery normalizes the perceived notion as a long shot fools game, which it only becomes if you place all of your hopes in an unrealistic option. If you know and understand your kid's abilities the application schools aren't so random either. And of course Basis continues to take all willing to assume a grind curriculum for 5th and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Brent kids can get into Stuart Hobson or Hardy out of bounds too (or even Deal via feeder and 5th grade transfer). Many private options are no different than Upper NW even if involving a longer commute.

[Anonymous]

We're a family in the Brent district, but it does seem to me that the Brent folks are pretty defensive on this thread. Undoubtedly, Upper NW does have better by-rights middle and high school options, less crime, and isn't exactly strip-malled suburbia. But we love the Hill lifestyle and can deal with the uncertainty about middle school right now. I'd say just stick to the facts, ma'ams, and give the OP the information to make the best decision for her family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One really nice thing about the Brent area is that you can easily walk or bike to the mall and thus your kid's education will be enhanced in that way. It can be hard to drive and park on the mall, especially during cool events, like the national book fair. If you are the kind of parent who will take advantage of these features you should factor it in.

Good point. But you could also metro to mall and have same experience. As great as some of the perks are at Brent, I can't see how anyone thinks they outweigh long term educational stability.

Long term PUBLIC educational stability, you mean. There is not a good public middle school or high school but let's not act like Brent students don't have educational stability.There are charter and private options that many people prefer over Deal and Wilson.

for people who find out now or in the future when it matters that they cannot afford private, there is no educational stability because charters are only "options" if you get in to the one you want...... and if there are any you would be willing to go to. The same is true of living IB for Key or Mann if Hardy is not acceptable to you.... but there, there is at least more certainty that if you assume it is on the right trajectory and your kid is young, you are guaranteed access to a school that might be acceptable by the time you get there
parent of charter kids zoned for Hardy who lives in NW coming from JKLM - the K or the M, obviously

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One really nice thing about the Brent area is that you can easily walk or bike to the mall and thus your kid's education will be enhanced in that way. It can be hard to drive and park on the mall, especially during cool events, like the national book fair. If you are the kind of parent who will take advantage of these features you should factor it in.

Good point. But you could also metro to mall and have same experience. As great as some of the perks are at Brent, I can't see how anyone thinks they outweigh long term educational stability.

Long term PUBLIC educational stability, you mean. There is not a good public middle school or high school but let's not act like Brent students don't have educational stability.There are charter and private options that many people prefer over Deal and Wilson.

for people who find out now or in the future when it matters that they cannot afford private, there is no educational stability because charters are only "options" if you get in to the one you want...... and if there are any you would be willing to go to. The same is true of living IB for Key or Mann if Hardy is not acceptable to you.... but there, there is at least more certainty that if you assume it is on the right trajectory and your kid is young, you are guaranteed access to a school that might be acceptable by the time you get there
parent of charter kids zoned for Hardy who lives in NW coming from JKLM - the K or the M, obviously

This. Private isn't an "option" for everybody.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:where will you be commuting to? that would make a huge difference for me. also, if J, Murch or other NW school, you get Deal and Wilson. Which even if you plan for private it is nice to have a back-up.

Both of us would be working downtown dc. Farragut area.

Redline would be perfect OP. I would strongly consider living walking to metro in deal-wilson feeder area, you won't be sorry!

The "isolated Hill" actually has Farragut North access via four different metro lines (red,orang, ble, silve), not just one (red). Just say in'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: When I lived on the Hill (not in the 80s or 90s, but 2002-2010), cab drivers refused to take me home "because the Hill is dangerous." DC Police Officers would comment that on how dangerous the Hill was. And if you look at the stats, the Hill has not improved in terms of safety from 2010- today.

I work in the Navy Yard area, and fairly frequently bike on the Hill, at lunch hour, and occasionally on weekends (during the day). I also walk in the Hill, in the early evening on weekdays, and on weekends. I cannot recall feeling uncomfortable in the "better areas of the Hill" and have never experienced an incident in the Hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: When I lived on the Hill (not in the 80s or 90s, but 2002-2010), cab drivers refused to take me home "because the Hill is dangerous." DC Police Officers would comment that on how dangerous the Hill was. And if you look at the stats, the Hill has not improved in terms of safety from 2010- today.

I work in the Navy Yard area, and fairly frequently bike on the Hill, at lunch hour, and occasionally on weekends (during the day). I also walk in the Hill, in the early evening on weekdays, and on weekends. I cannot recall feeling uncomfortable in the "better areas of the Hill" and have never experienced an incident in the Hill.

Tell that to the teacher's husband who is struggling to read out loud after his life threatening baseball bat attack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One really nice thing about the Brent area is that you can easily walk or bike to the mall and thus your kid's education will be enhanced in that way. It can be hard to drive and park on the mall, especially during cool events, like the national book fair. If you are the kind of parent who will take advantage of these features you should factor it in.

Good point. But you could also metro to mall and have same experience. As great as some of the perks are at Brent, I can't see how anyone thinks they outweigh long term educational stability.

Long term PUBLIC educational stability, you mean. There is not a good public middle school or high school but let's not act like Brent students don't have educational stability.There are charter and private options that many people prefer over Deal and Wilson.

I think PP's point was stability, i.e. not having to hope to win a lottery or get in by application. You don't have that sort of stability (you might rather call it predictability) on the Hill even if there are great possibilities.

not that I wouldn't consider Deal a solid option, but it does have 400 kids per grade level and 2/5 FARM. I know that's a rousing success for DCPS, but even some inbound families will seek other MS/HS options. It's not unheard of for inbound families to consider but ultimately bail on MS at Deal in favor of private. That predictability can go out the window depending on what works best for your kid. Being inbound by right doesn't magically make everything work out. And it's not as random for others as "winning the lottery" -- the unfortunately named lottery normalizes the perceived notion as a long shot fools game, which it only becomes if you place all of your hopes in an unrealistic option. If you know and understand your kid's abilities the application schools aren't so random either. And of course Basis continues to take all willing to assume a grind curriculum for 5th and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Brent kids can get into Stuart Hobson or Hardy out of bounds too (or even Deal via feeder and 5th grade transfer). Many private options are no different than Upper NW even if involving a longer commute.

So now you'd rather drive your kids to as Deal feeder (again, you'd be lucky to get in lottery) and Deal than to move IB for Deal? Just admit Brent isn't for everyone. Why do adamant to defend your life choice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One really nice thing about the Brent area is that you can easily walk or bike to the mall and thus your kid's education will be enhanced in that way. It can be hard to drive and park on the mall, especially during cool events, like the national book fair. If you are the kind of parent who will take advantage of these features you should factor it in.

Good point. But you could also metro to mall and have same experience. As great as some of the perks are at Brent, I can't see how anyone thinks they outweigh long term educational stability.

Long term PUBLIC educational stability, you mean. There is not a good public middle school or high school but let's not act like Brent students don't have educational stability.There are charter and private options that many people prefer over Deal and Wilson.

I think PP's point was stability, i.e. not having to hope to win a lottery or get in by application. You don't have that sort of stability (you might rather call it predictability) on the Hill even if there are great possibilities.

not that I wouldn't consider Deal a solid option, but it does have 400 kids per grade level and 2/5 FARM. I know that's a rousing success for DCPS, but even some inbound families will seek other MS/HS options. It's not unheard of for inbound families to consider but ultimately bail on MS at Deal in favor of private. That predictability can go out the window depending on what works best for your kid. Being inbound by right doesn't magically make everything work out. And it's not as random for others as "winning the lottery" -- the unfortunately named lottery normalizes the perceived notion as a long shot fools game, which it only becomes if you place all of your hopes in an unrealistic option. If you know and understand your kid's abilities the application schools aren't so random either. And of course Basis continues to take all willing to assume a grind curriculum for 5th and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Brent kids can get into Stuart Hobson or Hardy out of bounds too (or even Deal via feeder and 5th grade transfer). Many private options are no different than Upper NW even if involving a longer commute.

So now you'd rather drive your kids to as Deal feeder (again, you'd be lucky to get in lottery) and Deal than to move IB for Deal? Just admit Brent isn't for everyone. Why do adamant to defend your life choice?

PP here never said that's for me or mine, but to each their own. There are easy ways into Deal for those who choose. Deal hast 31% OOB for a reason. Way to miss the entire point -- I'll spell it out for you as simply as possible -- LIFE IF UNPREDICTABLE however well you plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One really nice thing about the Brent area is that you can easily walk or bike to the mall and thus your kid's education will be enhanced in that way. It can be hard to drive and park on the mall, especially during cool events, like the national book fair. If you are the kind of parent who will take advantage of these features you should factor it in.

Good point. But you could also metro to mall and have same experience. As great as some of the perks are at Brent, I can't see how anyone thinks they outweigh long term educational stability.

Long term PUBLIC educational stability, you mean. There is not a good public middle school or high school but let's not act like Brent students don't have educational stability.There are charter and private options that many people prefer over Deal and Wilson.

I think PP's point was stability, i.e. not having to hope to win a lottery or get in by application. You don't have that sort of stability (you might rather call it predictability) on the Hill even if there are great possibilities.

not that I wouldn't consider Deal a solid option, but it does have 400 kids per grade level and 2/5 FARM. I know that's a rousing success for DCPS, but even some inbound families will seek other MS/HS options. It's not unheard of for inbound families to consider but ultimately bail on MS at Deal in favor of private. That predictability can go out the window depending on what works best for your kid. Being inbound by right doesn't magically make everything work out. And it's not as random for others as "winning the lottery" -- the unfortunately named lottery normalizes the perceived notion as a long shot fools game, which it only becomes if you place all of your hopes in an unrealistic option. If you know and understand your kid's abilities the application schools aren't so random either. And of course Basis continues to take all willing to assume a grind curriculum for 5th and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Brent kids can get into Stuart Hobson or Hardy out of bounds too (or even Deal via feeder and 5th grade transfer). Many private options are no different than Upper NW even if involving a longer commute.

So now you'd rather drive your kids to as Deal feeder (again, you'd be lucky to get in lottery) and Deal than to move IB for Deal? Just admit Brent isn't for everyone. Why do adamant to defend your life choice?

PP here never said that's for me or mine, but to each their own. There are easy ways into Deal for those who choose. Deal hast 31% OOB for a reason. Way to miss the entire point -- I'll spell it out for you as simply as possible -- LIFE IF UNPREDICTABLE however well you plan.

It's actually not as easy as one would think. Many OOB are from OOB silblings. Either way, still requires a lottery and chance. Life is very unpredictable in Brent boundaries. Not so much WOTP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: When I lived on the Hill (not in the 80s or 90s, but 2002-2010), cab drivers refused to take me home "because the Hill is dangerous." DC Police Officers would comment that on how dangerous the Hill was. And if you look at the stats, the Hill has not improved in terms of safety from 2010- today.

I work in the Navy Yard area, and fairly frequently bike on the Hill, at lunch hour, and occasionally on weekends (during the day). I also walk in the Hill, in the early evening on weekdays, and on weekends. I cannot recall feeling uncomfortable in the "better areas of the Hill" and have never experienced an incident in the Hill.

Tell that to the teacher's husband who is struggling to read out loud after his life threatening baseball bat attack.

The Maslin incident was a tragedy (which happened two and a half years ago), but its kind of disgusting how Hill bashers trot it out with glee at every opportunity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: When I lived on the Hill (not in the 80s or 90s, but 2002-2010), cab drivers refused to take me home "because the Hill is dangerous." DC Police Officers would comment that on how dangerous the Hill was. And if you look at the stats, the Hill has not improved in terms of safety from 2010- today.

I work in the Navy Yard area, and fairly frequently bike on the Hill, at lunch hour, and occasionally on weekends (during the day). I also walk in the Hill, in the early evening on weekdays, and on weekends. I cannot recall feeling uncomfortable in the "better areas of the Hill" and have never experienced an incident in the Hill.

Tell that to the teacher's husband who is struggling to read out loud after his life threatening baseball bat attack.

The Maslin incident was a tragedy (which happened two and a half years ago), but its kind of disgusting how Hill bashers trot it out with glee at every opportunity.

Please nobody said it with glee. Overreact much?