Brightwood Schools

[Anonymous]

Hi there. Long time reader. First time poster.

We are looking at moving to Brightwood. (West of Georgia Ave, north of Missouri, south of new Walter Reed)

House we are looking at is IB is Brightwood (where two blocks north is Takoma).

I’ve read Ft Stevens and Takoma are popular playgrounds. It’s be fun to have the kids play with neighborhood kids.

Anyone in this area of Brightwood send their kids to Brightwood ES? Lottery somewhere else?

We’ve driven around the area a lot and see a lot of kids.

[Anonymous]

The families I know of in my immediate area in Brightwood (near 4D) send their kids to a variety of Charters and some WOTP schools.

As a family with kids now at Deal, Brightwood ES has isn’t diverse but has a high IB population.

[Anonymous]

You could try to lottery into John Lewis, or buy on the other side of Georgia/Missouri so you’d be IB for Whittier.

[Anonymous]

If you really like the house, go ahead. Brightwood will be fine for early years and you're sure to get into something else in time.

[Anonymous]

You might also be able to lottery into Takoma ES which people generally like.

[Anonymous]

We live here and attend Takoma OOB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live here and attend Takoma OOB.

OP here. Thank you all for the insight.

How was the lottery to get in? What age?

Are you happy there?

More reading today (going down a school Google hole) - it’s important. Buying a house and what schools we lock into is a big deal.

Takoma, Whittier, Brightwood on the DCPS side I hear are good options. But have to lottery in two of those three.

CapCity, Sela, are some charter schools that seem to get good feedback.

Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live here and attend Takoma OOB.

OP here. Thank you all for the insight.

How was the lottery to get in? What age?

Are you happy there?

More reading today (going down a school Google hole) - it’s important. Buying a house and what schools we lock into is a big deal.

Takoma, Whittier, Brightwood on the DCPS side I hear are good options. But have to lottery in two of those three.

CapCity, Sela, are some charter schools that seem to get good feedback.

Thanks again!

Not PP, but you should look at this OP: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay. The shorter the waitlist and the more waitlist offers made means the school will typically be easier to lottery into (of course your individual chances will depend on your number, which is unpredictable). Takoma ES pretty much clears its waitlist in all grades.

We live in the area (in-bound for Whittier). In addition to the charters you mention, Breakthrough Montessori is very popular but it's also usually got a long waitlist, at least for the lower grades.

[Anonymous]

I live nearby and am zoned for Whittier. Everyone I know who was zoned for Brightwood lotteried into nearby schools, with several going to Takoma. Both Fort Stevens and Takoma Rec are great playgrounds, you will probably go to both of them because kids like variety. There is also a playground at walter reed.

[Anonymous]

We love living in Brightwood, one reason being that there are so many schools close by. We lotteried into Breakthrough, but there were many many schools we would have been happy with. Not sure how that tracks for middle school (haven’t even started thinking of that because we rent). It’s a great neighborhood for families.

[Anonymous]

I've lived in Brightwood Park, just south of Brightwood, for 10 years and have elementary-aged kids. We have a lot of friends in Brightwood. I don't know one single person who sends their kids to Brightwood ES. I'm not sure why. Some go to charters, some lotteried into Whittier or Takoma OOB.

Lots of charter options are convenient to Brightwood, including Bethune, LAMB, and even DC Bilingual and Yu Ying. You also have the Military Road Early Learning Center close by for PK3 and 4. But keep in mind the PK3 lottery is just that, a total crap shoot.

As PPs have mentioned, any school will be great for PK3 and PK4.

[Anonymous]

Sela also has several Brightwood families.

[Anonymous]

OP again: thank you all for this!

This changes things maybe. We still want to go look at that house but the idea of the lottery was what we were trying to avoid. We like the IB feel and kids walking to school together, etc.

Sounds like that doesn't happen in Brightwood? Heck, maybe that doesn't happen anywhere.

Maybe we will look at some houses in Takoma and look at Takoma ES as an option based on what I have read here.

We are also not anti-charter but wanted the neighborhood school to be first choice..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again: thank you all for this!

This changes things maybe. We still want to go look at that house but the idea of the lottery was what we were trying to avoid. We like the IB feel and kids walking to school together, etc.

Sounds like that doesn't happen in Brightwood? Heck, maybe that doesn't happen anywhere.

Maybe we will look at some houses in Takoma and look at Takoma ES as an option based on what I have read here.

We are also not anti-charter but wanted the neighborhood school to be first choice..

Totally understand this. I'm the 10-year Brightwood Park resident, and from walking and driving around the area, I see this happening at Barnard, Truesdell (both Petworth), West (16th St. Heights), Whittier, and Takoma, but not Brightwood.

[Anonymous]

*John Lewis, not West. My apologies.