Families @ Hyde-Addison, Stoddert, Eaton, Oyster-Adams, Key, Mann

[dandlm]

Hi there!
We’re relocating to DC later this spring and have been focusing our search on rentals in specific school catchment areas, primarily for the work commute, walkability, neighborhood vibe, and school performance/recommendations. We’ve found some great apartments and condos within the relevant catchment zones, but I’m struggling to decide on a specific neighborhood and school. Since our kids are elementary-aged, a big part of our “life” will revolve around school, and I want to make sure everyone has a positive experience. We recently found a wonderful apartment in Burleith (zoned to Hyde-Addison), but some people mentioned that the area doesn’t have many young families. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of the schools listed above and the neighborhoods they’re in (what you love/don’t love about them as a family). I’m aware of the DC lottery, but since we’re moving after the deadline, we wouldn’t want to rely on that as an option.
A few things that are important to us include diversity (especially an international community), approachable and friendly parents and staff, and a strong community feel—where kids aren’t just a name on a roll call but are really known and part of the community. One of my kiddos is also extremely shy, so that’s always something I keep in mind when thinking about big transitions like this. We also have a kiddo who will be in PreK3, though I’m a bit less concerned about that for now and aware I’d likely need to find a spot elsewhere based on lottery availability in the summer.
Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Anonymous]

We live in Burleith. Four families from our kid's kindergarten class live within 2 blocks of our house.

Whoever told you Burleith doesn't have young families is an idiot. It's a mix of H-A and private school families and tons of international families.

If bilingual is important to you, you could probably get your PK3 kid into Communikids in Glover Park (bilingual Spanish and Mandarin classes). DCPS will pay tuition for your PK3 kid to attend there for core hours (830am - 3pm), see: https://www.myschooldc.org/find-schools/school-options-outside-my-school-dc

[Anonymous]

With the exception of Oyster-Adams, these are all high performing schools that feed into Hardy middle school and the new MacArthur high school. Oyster-Adams goes through 8th grade then feeds to Jackson-Reed high school. If you want Spanish immersion, then Oyster-Adams is your obvious choice. Otherwise, most of these schools are more similar than different with a few caveats.

Oyster-Adams - Spanish immersion and feeds to Jackson Reed. Lots of out of bounds students, so less of a neighborhood school feel.
Hyde-Addison - higher proportion of out of bounds families coming from other parts of the city. Which makes it a great community for those families, but also may make it less of a neighborhood school community?
Mann/Key - highest income schools with a mix of kids in the neighborhood using privates vs. public, and public kids leaving for private every year. Both have a strong neighborhood community feel, Mann at least has a high number of international families. Mann also has a very strong staff that get to know the kids well.
Eaton/Stoddert - I don't know as much about these.

[Anonymous]

My kids went to Mann And Stoddert. Both kids loved their schools. If you need aftercare, Stoddert had a wait list when we left.
Mann is probably better for a shy kid as it's smaller.

[Anonymous]

We are OOB at H-A and adore it. It’s such a gem and has diversity in so many ways - loads of international families, some military families, many income levels. I’d be so happy if we could afford something in Burlieth (we’ve been looking but have a “golden handcuff” 3% mortgage in SW).

The school does have a relatively high OOB percentage but I think it’s a pro because most the OOB parents are like us — willing to drive their kids or otherwise get them there each day because we are highly motivated to be a part of a community and higher performing school.

[Anonymous]

We’re an Eaton family and absolutely love it. Fabulous teachers and a supportive principal. It’s small enough that you get to know a lot of families and other kids but big enough that you can shift around until you find your spot. There’s an active HSA and lots of school activities. There are some great apartments buildings/condos in the area with lots of other Eaton families. Lots of international families as well. My kids have friends from all over the world.

Honestly, I think you should go with the rental you like. I believe that all the schools on your list would probably have what you’re looking for.

I think

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the exception of Oyster-Adams, these are all high performing schools that feed into Hardy middle school and the new MacArthur high school. Oyster-Adams goes through 8th grade then feeds to Jackson-Reed high school. If you want Spanish immersion, then Oyster-Adams is your obvious choice. Otherwise, most of these schools are more similar than different with a few caveats.

Oyster-Adams - Spanish immersion and feeds to Jackson Reed. Lots of out of bounds students, so less of a neighborhood school feel.
Hyde-Addison - higher proportion of out of bounds families coming from other parts of the city. Which makes it a great community for those families, but also may make it less of a neighborhood school community?
Mann/Key - highest income schools with a mix of kids in the neighborhood using privates vs. public, and public kids leaving for private every year. Both have a strong neighborhood community feel, Mann at least has a high number of international families. Mann also has a very strong staff that get to know the kids well.
Eaton/Stoddert - I don't know as much about these.

Disagree on this point. There are OOB kids but lots of OA kids in our in-bound neighborhood right around Kalorama Park. If you go to the park or out around the neighborhood you almost always run into classmates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the exception of Oyster-Adams, these are all high performing schools that feed into Hardy middle school and the new MacArthur high school. Oyster-Adams goes through 8th grade then feeds to Jackson-Reed high school. If you want Spanish immersion, then Oyster-Adams is your obvious choice. Otherwise, most of these schools are more similar than different with a few caveats.

Oyster-Adams - Spanish immersion and feeds to Jackson Reed. Lots of out of bounds students, so less of a neighborhood school feel.
Hyde-Addison - higher proportion of out of bounds families coming from other parts of the city. Which makes it a great community for those families, but also may make it less of a neighborhood school community?
Mann/Key - highest income schools with a mix of kids in the neighborhood using privates vs. public, and public kids leaving for private every year. Both have a strong neighborhood community feel, Mann at least has a high number of international families. Mann also has a very strong staff that get to know the kids well.
Eaton/Stoddert - I don't know as much about these.

Disagree on this point. There are OOB kids but lots of OA kids in our in-bound neighborhood right around Kalorama Park. If you go to the park or out around the neighborhood you almost always run into classmates.

Good enough, thanks for adding that. I meant in comparison to some of these other schools that are 80-90% in boundary, and much of the OOB population still lives in the immediate area. Compared to 55% at O-A and kids come from all over the city. It’s a very different experience for IB and OOB kids at both types of schools.

[Anonymous]

dandlm wrote:Hi there!
We’re relocating to DC later this spring and have been focusing our search on rentals in specific school catchment areas, primarily for the work commute, walkability, neighborhood vibe, and school performance/recommendations. We’ve found some great apartments and condos within the relevant catchment zones, but I’m struggling to decide on a specific neighborhood and school. Since our kids are elementary-aged, a big part of our “life” will revolve around school, and I want to make sure everyone has a positive experience. We recently found a wonderful apartment in Burleith (zoned to Hyde-Addison), but some people mentioned that the area doesn’t have many young families. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of the schools listed above and the neighborhoods they’re in (what you love/don’t love about them as a family). I’m aware of the DC lottery, but since we’re moving after the deadline, we wouldn’t want to rely on that as an option.
A few things that are important to us include diversity (especially an international community), approachable and friendly parents and staff, and a strong community feel—where kids aren’t just a name on a roll call but are really known and part of the community. One of my kiddos is also extremely shy, so that’s always something I keep in mind when thinking about big transitions like this. We also have a kiddo who will be in PreK3, though I’m a bit less concerned about that for now and aware I’d likely need to find a spot elsewhere based on lottery availability in the summer.
Thanks in advance for any advice!

There's a few Hyde-Addison international families that live in Glover House on Wisconsin Ave (large, newer rental apartment building). If you're looking at apartments there, you'll definitely run into those families. It's one of the only rental buildings with family-sized 3BR & 4BR apartments in the area. International families really like that apartment building!

[Anonymous]

Any sense of which of these schools has the least disciplinary culture?

[Anonymous]

We are also at H-A OOB and my child’s three best school friends all live in Burleith. So with that admittedly small sample I can attest there’s many school-age families there. One parent there mentioned that there are families on either side of them but each sends their children to private schools (Sidwell and Beauvoir in believe). You’d still have plenty of neighbors to walk to HA with though.

Bonus for that area is you’re also walkable to Hardy for middle, and slightly less awful commute to MacArthur for high school compared to other places in that boundary, if you stay in DC that long.