Best "overall" DCC trios?

[Anonymous]

We are planning on moving to the DCC (Takoma Park/Silver Spring/Kensington). We don't have a large budget, but like the Takoma Park area and think we may be able to find something our family of 5 could squeeze into.

I have 3 kids, when we move my daughter will be going into 6th grade, which would put her in the Takoma Park/Blair district, which is great for her because she. Is bright and definitely excels math/STEM (we know the magnet thing is hard to get into, but it seems like a good overall STEM school).

My concern is that I will also have a 3rd grader and a kindergartner when we move, and from what I've heard the TP elementary schools are really big, which may be an issue with my highly sensitive 3rd grader and any kindergartner I would think.

Are there other clusters that y'all would recommend as a whole? My 3rd grader also seems more STEM/engineering oriented, but would probably do better in a smaller school. My 4yo is just a spitfire who bosses us all around so who knows with her.

We also would prefer to be as close to DC or Metro station.

Thank you for any helpful advice.

[Anonymous]

Grabs popcorn. Sits back.

[Anonymous]

East Silver Spring elementary school also feeds to Takoma Park MS and Blair. It's a smaller school than TPES/PBES.

[Anonymous]

You are going to find large elementary schools throughout MCPS. Ours has 8 kindergartens. We came from DCPS where there were just two classes per grade in our school. I have a neurodiverse, sensitive child and she actually did okay in a large school. Lunch and recess were a bit challenging in K, but otherwise she spent the rest of the day with her class. It got easier as she got older and got used to the large number of kids in the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:East Silver Spring elementary school also feeds to Takoma Park MS and Blair. It's a smaller school than TPES/PBES.

OP here. We haven't seen a single house in ESS elementary, so maybe that area is out of our budget?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:East Silver Spring elementary school also feeds to Takoma Park MS and Blair. It's a smaller school than TPES/PBES.

OP here. We haven't seen a single house in ESS elementary, so maybe that area is out of our budget?

Not necessarily. It's comparable to the surrounding schools.

[Anonymous]

Other popular inside the beltway Silver Spring schools are Woodlin, Sligo Creek, and Highland View.

[Anonymous]

Highland View is very small, and a great community

[Anonymous]

Woodlin/Sligo/Einstein is another good trio, but houses can be expensive.

[Anonymous]

We've been happy with Takoma. It has a metro station a short walk from the ES and MS. Also a walkable downtown. Some features of the schools that attracted us over other areas include:

TPES (accelerated math + STEM)
PBES (local CES w/ 10%+ of school)
TPMS (25 seat local set aside for magnet)
Bliar (CAP + SMCS + access to magnet classes for everyone)

[Anonymous]

You should try:
Oakland Terrace/Newport Mill/Einstein cluster. OTES has partial Spanish immersion.
Another nice trio is Woodlin/Sligo/Einstein.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woodlin/Sligo/Einstein is another good trio, but houses can be expensive.

Slightly further out but more affordable: Flora Singer/Sligo/Einstein

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are planning on moving to the DCC (Takoma Park/Silver Spring/Kensington). We don't have a large budget, but like the Takoma Park area and think we may be able to find something our family of 5 could squeeze into.

I have 3 kids, when we move my daughter will be going into 6th grade, which would put her in the Takoma Park/Blair district, which is great for her because she. Is bright and definitely excels math/STEM (we know the magnet thing is hard to get into, but it seems like a good overall STEM school).

My concern is that I will also have a 3rd grader and a kindergartner when we move, and from what I've heard the TP elementary schools are really big, which may be an issue with my highly sensitive 3rd grader and any kindergartner I would think.

Are there other clusters that y'all would recommend as a whole? My 3rd grader also seems more STEM/engineering oriented, but would probably do better in a smaller school. My 4yo is just a spitfire who bosses us all around so who knows with her.

We also would prefer to be as close to DC or Metro station.

Thank you for any helpful advice.

The only DCC middle schools with anything interesting STEM-wise are Takoma Park, Argyle, and Parkland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:East Silver Spring elementary school also feeds to Takoma Park MS and Blair. It's a smaller school than TPES/PBES.

OP here. We haven't seen a single house in ESS elementary, so maybe that area is out of our budget?

Nah. Takoma Park is generally more expensive the East Silver Spring. It's just that it is a small school catchment area and the portion that is SFHs is a sub-section of the already small catchment. What's your budget?

There are also some really cute houses on the market right now that feed into SCES, SSIMS, and Northwood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:East Silver Spring elementary school also feeds to Takoma Park MS and Blair. It's a smaller school than TPES/PBES.

OP here. We haven't seen a single house in ESS elementary, so maybe that area is out of our budget?

How about this one? https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8407-Galveston-Rd-Silver-Spring-MD-20910/37283393_zpid/?