If you have kids in Sidwell LS, you live in DC, and both parents work…

[Anonymous]

How do you handle the logistics?

We are interested in Sidwell LS for our rising kindergartner and rising fourth grader.

However, we live in the Columbia Heights / Mt Pleasant area in DC and both work downtown.

I know there’s the shuttle bus between campuses but it returns to the upper campus at 3:40pm, well before our work day is done. Driving to Bethesda to pick the kids up at the end of the extended day program seems miserable, if not impossible.

We have a struggled to find reliable childcare for just a couple hours each day so we’re wary to depend on hiring someone to pick them up and bring them to our house.

We are interested but struggling to see how to make this work logistically. Any tips on how parents in a similar situation have figured out to make this work?

[Anonymous]

I typed a long reply to this and it was eaten.

BLUF: we found no way to make this work for us, without hiring a nanny or radical work changes. Was not how we wanted to spend our time or money.

Best of luck OP, I absolutely empathize and hope you figure it out!

[Anonymous]

You’ve highlighted the way folks in that situation make it work:

1)Flexible job schedule
2)Extended day program
3)Someone to pickup the children and either watch them or drop them somewhere

[Anonymous]

Private van with others in your neighborhood

[Anonymous]

Shuttle and aftercare are great options

[Anonymous]

My husband and I had flexible works schedules when child was in LS and we traded off on pick up. Child also did aftercare a few days a week. A lot of people get a caregiver/driver. You’re going to have to ask your employer for some flexibility if you can’t find reliable child care.

[Anonymous]

If you do decide to apply — do consider the extended day program is fantastic — our DC loves going to it each day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you do decide to apply — do consider the extended day program is fantastic — our DC loves going to it each day.

Same! We have one at the LS and one at the MS and they both love aftercare.

[Anonymous]

Won't this all be irrelevant in a couple years when the lower school moves to DC? (Not to say those years wouldn't be a pain, but it would at least not be long term!)

[Anonymous]

Not at Sidwell, but my daughter did aftercare at her school and loved it. You either have to do aftercare or hire a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Many DC families use the morning shuttle from the upper school — kids love this and socialize together. In the afternoon hire a nanny or aftercare, are good options.

[Anonymous]

We did the extended aftercare, which was a really awesome program. The drive out wasn't that bad.

[Anonymous]

We do the shuttle and grandparents pickup. The challenge is when you have to split campuses because if you have an older child at the upper school and one at the lower school, the afternoon shuttle isn't helpful without a nanny to get the children. If the school had aftercare in DC for the LS kids, it would be way easier.

[Anonymous]

We didn't apply for Lower School for this reason unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We didn't apply for Lower School for this reason unfortunately.

+1 same. we need to work. loved the school, did the tour, almost even filled out the application.

but just couldn't stomach the commute from 1st and RI ave NW.