Recent experiences with Bancroft, Powell, HD Cooke, Marie Reed

[rule11]

We're moving back to DC soon with our 18 month old. We love the neighborhoods for the schools listed above (previously lived in AdMo), and are wondering what kind of experiences parents have recently had with those schools, especially Cooke and Marie Reed, for which I can't find much new information.

[Anonymous]

I know folks happy with all of the above, although Powell is the one I know least about just because of location relative to my network. Cooke is not particularly sought after post-K/1 but families I know loved it for PK - the At Risk popn is sizeable in upper elementary. MR is stronger than Cooke overall and for Spanish, a reasonable alternative to Bancroft but with a less desirable MS. The English track is also quite solid although folks start to peel off in 4/5th for stronger MS options. Folks do successfully lottery into Hardy, John Francis, etc. We’re a happy MR family, for now anyway.
Bancroft/MtP could be your one and done choice but you’re unlikely to get in for PK unless you qualify for Spanish Dominant. CBOs could suffice.
The other obvious Adams Morgan neighborhood option you left off is Oyster-Adams - also not really a PK option unless Spanish dominant, but solid from there out and would feed you to JR if you’re thinking that far ahead.

[Anonymous]

Because oyster doesn have pre-K for English speaking kids, a lot of them end up at Cooke. It’s nice because even though the kids are out of boundary, you still end up with neighborhood friends. MR is much better in terms of test scores and more representative student body for the neighborhood, but I think pre-K is tricky to get in.

[Anonymous]

You can count on MR for PK if you’re IB.

[Anonymous]

Bancroft is building a new PreK building on 16th St, which may be ready when you start, depending on what time of year your kids’ birthday is. Bancroft is great. We have friends at Marie Reed (Spanish track), Oyster, Powell, and Bruce Monroe, who all enjoy their schools. For us, Bancroft is a great community school, with strong Spanish and a great MS and HS path.

[Anonymous]

Are you planning to rent or buy? If rent, all the schools are fine for PK/K. If you are going to buy, I would be very careful and look for a more desirable inbounds school.

[Anonymous]

Bancroft parent here- great thus far. School
Community is very strong. Both it and Oyster feed ultimately into Jackson Reed which is huge plus (Bancroft via Deal)- so if MS and high school is potentially a consideration I’d prioritize. Heard good things about Bruce Monroe and MR Spanish track but people start leaving in late elementary as MS options less desirable.

[Anonymous]

Anyone able to compare experiences between Bancroft and Oyster-Adams? Helpful if you can specify grades. We don’t know much about these schools’ reputation as we live EOTP and hadn’t anticipated moving, but now have option to.

[Anonymous]

Oyster is bilingual through 8th grade and the student body is richer and scores higher on tests. Bancroft is bilingual through 5th grade then goes to Deal. It has more English language learners and families that speak Spanish at home. I think both are good options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oyster is bilingual through 8th grade and the student body is richer and scores higher on tests. Bancroft is bilingual through 5th grade then goes to Deal. It has more English language learners and families that speak Spanish at home. I think both are good options.

Can you get into Adam’s from Bancroft?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oyster is bilingual through 8th grade and the student body is richer and scores higher on tests. Bancroft is bilingual through 5th grade then goes to Deal. It has more English language learners and families that speak Spanish at home. I think both are good options.

Can you get into Adam’s from Bancroft?

As a bilingual feeder middle school? No, that's not an option, Bancroft's bilingual middle school feeders are MacFarland and CHEC. Oyster-Adams is a pre-k through 8th school with a lower and upper campus that feeds to Jackson Reed.

[Anonymous]

Happy Marie Reed family here. Child started in PK3 and is now in 1st. It's a great community with strong retention with teachers and staff. We hope to stay through 5th but as others have noted, feeder pattern is challenging (though many are happy with MacFarland and new Euclid Middle School will soon be an option).