Moving to DC - what would be your ideal location based on DCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in AU Park, my kids have gone to Janney, then Deal and then application high schools. One in college, one still in DCPS.

When we moved here 19 years ago we thought we were buying a house for elementary school and that we would move by 4th/5th grade (because back then elementary school ended in 6th). Somewhere along the way Deal became very desirable. When my kids were in elementary school I was watching and kept expecting Hardy to become desirable, but it took longer than expected.

Although Wilson/ Jackson Reed was mostly acceptable along the way I sent my kids to application high schools because they were a better fit.

Here is what I have learned.

1) a solid elementary school will still be solid when your 2 year old is ready.

2) middle school is the worst and the hardest to transition into an acceptable one.

3) there are more high school options than you realize in DC. None of them are perfect, many of them are acceptable.

4) the most important decision in real estate is an acceptable middle school, after that it is about where you want to live and your means of commute.

Do you want charm and being able to walk to good restaurants and close to metro. Cleveland Park.

Do you want a neighborhood where your kids can bike to their friend’s houses and it is metro accessible, but the restaurant choices are mediocre, AU Park.

Do you want a neighborhood that is bike friendly but no metro or restaurants but you can walk your dog in rock creek park, Chevy chase.

Bike friendly, no metro but Millie’s, Spring Valley.

Don't assume that the quality of the school correlates with the charm (and prices) of the neighborhood. Unfortunately John Eaton isn't as strong as some other Ward 3 schools and has been shifted down from the sought-after the Deal/Jackson-Reed (former Woodrow Wilson) cluster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in AU Park, my kids have gone to Janney, then Deal and then application high schools. One in college, one still in DCPS.

When we moved here 19 years ago we thought we were buying a house for elementary school and that we would move by 4th/5th grade (because back then elementary school ended in 6th). Somewhere along the way Deal became very desirable. When my kids were in elementary school I was watching and kept expecting Hardy to become desirable, but it took longer than expected.

Although Wilson/ Jackson Reed was mostly acceptable along the way I sent my kids to application high schools because they were a better fit.

Here is what I have learned.

1) a solid elementary school will still be solid when your 2 year old is ready.

2) middle school is the worst and the hardest to transition into an acceptable one.

3) there are more high school options than you realize in DC. None of them are perfect, many of them are acceptable.

4) the most important decision in real estate is an acceptable middle school, after that it is about where you want to live and your means of commute.

Do you want charm and being able to walk to good restaurants and close to metro. Cleveland Park.

Do you want a neighborhood where your kids can bike to their friend’s houses and it is metro accessible, but the restaurant choices are mediocre, AU Park.

Do you want a neighborhood that is bike friendly but no metro or restaurants but you can walk your dog in rock creek park, Chevy chase.

Bike friendly, no metro but Millie’s, Spring Valley.

Don't assume that the quality of the school correlates with the charm (and prices) of the neighborhood. Unfortunately John Eaton isn't as strong as some other Ward 3 schools and has been shifted down from the sought-after the Deal/Jackson-Reed (former Woodrow Wilson) cluster.

I think you mean shifted up? Eaton family here. Very happy to be at Hardy over Deal and optimistic about MacArthur.

Also agree that Cleveland Park is a great place to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in AU Park, my kids have gone to Janney, then Deal and then application high schools. One in college, one still in DCPS.

When we moved here 19 years ago we thought we were buying a house for elementary school and that we would move by 4th/5th grade (because back then elementary school ended in 6th). Somewhere along the way Deal became very desirable. When my kids were in elementary school I was watching and kept expecting Hardy to become desirable, but it took longer than expected.

Although Wilson/ Jackson Reed was mostly acceptable along the way I sent my kids to application high schools because they were a better fit.

Here is what I have learned.

1) a solid elementary school will still be solid when your 2 year old is ready.

2) middle school is the worst and the hardest to transition into an acceptable one.

3) there are more high school options than you realize in DC. None of them are perfect, many of them are acceptable.

4) the most important decision in real estate is an acceptable middle school, after that it is about where you want to live and your means of commute.

Do you want charm and being able to walk to good restaurants and close to metro. Cleveland Park.

Do you want a neighborhood where your kids can bike to their friend’s houses and it is metro accessible, but the restaurant choices are mediocre, AU Park.

Do you want a neighborhood that is bike friendly but no metro or restaurants but you can walk your dog in rock creek park, Chevy chase.

Bike friendly, no metro but Millie’s, Spring Valley.

Don't assume that the quality of the school correlates with the charm (and prices) of the neighborhood. Unfortunately John Eaton isn't as strong as some other Ward 3 schools and has been shifted down from the sought-after the Deal/Jackson-Reed (former Woodrow Wilson) cluster.

I am jaded in my 14th year as a DCPS parent.

Hardy has become more desirable and Deal is not all that. The world is changing. You cannot have everything , at least not in public school. Happiness as a family in the place you live is worth as much to your child’s success as the differences among the schools we are discussing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d pick Mt Pleasant, assuming Bancroft keeps its feeder pattern

Looks like it will, at least for the next 10 years (unless Bowser goes against the DME’s recommendations).

Their child is 2. Boundary reassignments will occur when their child is 12. It is hard to see a way they keep Bancroft inbound for JR a decade from now. If JR matters to you, I wouldn’t risk it, if I were you, OP.

[Anonymous]

I'd say Shepherd. Deal/Jackson Reed feed but with PK3. Also smaller school and great diversity which is my preference. Next Hearst or Eaton (Hardy/MA) for same reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d pick Mt Pleasant, assuming Bancroft keeps its feeder pattern

Looks like it will, at least for the next 10 years (unless Bowser goes against the DME’s recommendations).

Their child is 2. Boundary reassignments will occur when their child is 12. It is hard to see a way they keep Bancroft inbound for JR a decade from now. If JR matters to you, I wouldn’t risk it, if I were you, OP.

JR is slated to be well under-enrolled once MA pans out fully. Also, a 12 year old will already be at Deal. Deal will continue to feed to JR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d pick Mt Pleasant, assuming Bancroft keeps its feeder pattern

Looks like it will, at least for the next 10 years (unless Bowser goes against the DME’s recommendations).

Their child is 2. Boundary reassignments will occur when their child is 12. It is hard to see a way they keep Bancroft inbound for JR a decade from now. If JR matters to you, I wouldn’t risk it, if I were you, OP.

In a decade hardly any ward 3 schools will feed to Deal -- for reasons of "Equity" and all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in AU Park, my kids have gone to Janney, then Deal and then application high schools. One in college, one still in DCPS.

When we moved here 19 years ago we thought we were buying a house for elementary school and that we would move by 4th/5th grade (because back then elementary school ended in 6th). Somewhere along the way Deal became very desirable. When my kids were in elementary school I was watching and kept expecting Hardy to become desirable, but it took longer than expected.

Although Wilson/ Jackson Reed was mostly acceptable along the way I sent my kids to application high schools because they were a better fit.

Here is what I have learned.

1) a solid elementary school will still be solid when your 2 year old is ready.

2) middle school is the worst and the hardest to transition into an acceptable one.

3) there are more high school options than you realize in DC. None of them are perfect, many of them are acceptable.

4) the most important decision in real estate is an acceptable middle school, after that it is about where you want to live and your means of commute.

Do you want charm and being able to walk to good restaurants and close to metro. Cleveland Park.

Do you want a neighborhood where your kids can bike to their friend’s houses and it is metro accessible, but the restaurant choices are mediocre, AU Park.

Do you want a neighborhood that is bike friendly but no metro or restaurants but you can walk your dog in rock creek park, Chevy chase.

Bike friendly, no metro but Millie’s, Spring Valley.

Don't assume that the quality of the school correlates with the charm (and prices) of the neighborhood. Unfortunately John Eaton isn't as strong as some other Ward 3 schools and has been shifted down from the sought-after the Deal/Jackson-Reed (former Woodrow Wilson) cluster.

I think you mean shifted up? Eaton family here. Very happy to be at Hardy over Deal and optimistic about MacArthur.

Also agree that Cleveland Park is a great place to live.

Eaton is cluster proud! (Or at least that's what the flack bureaucrats at DCPS tell us.)

[Anonymous]

IB for Murch, Janney, Hearst, Lafayette. Similar housing stock - go for the house, that will be harder than the school. Those are very competitive neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

If you are here for a few years, Capitol Hill. If here for the long run, NW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are here for a few years, Capitol Hill. If here for the long run, NW.

Regardless of where you end up, I would strongly consider this to not be your only source of input. Lots of families in different parts of the city happy with where they live - just a vocal majority on here that assume Ward 3 has the only options. If you can connect (via friends , neighborhood list, or the school itself) to various school communities, you can compare options. Two examples - many families happy in a variety of schools in Capitol Hill, if you want denser housing that is metro accessible and within walking/biking distance to museums, ball park, river bike trail, etc. Lots of other families happy in Brookland and other NE neighborhoods that have a bit more space, detached homes and proximity to a variety of public and charter schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB for any Jackson-Reed feeder elementary.

This is the correct answer, and I say this is a person that does not live in this feeder pattern and loves their non-Ward 3 elementary school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are here for a few years, Capitol Hill. If here for the long run, NW.

Regardless of where you end up, I would strongly consider this to not be your only source of input. Lots of families in different parts of the city happy with where they live - just a vocal majority on here that assume Ward 3 has the only options. If you can connect (via friends , neighborhood list, or the school itself) to various school communities, you can compare options. Two examples - many families happy in a variety of schools in Capitol Hill, if you want denser housing that is metro accessible and within walking/biking distance to museums, ball park, river bike trail, etc. Lots of other families happy in Brookland and other NE neighborhoods that have a bit more space, detached homes and proximity to a variety of public and charter schools.

OP says "if you were only considering the in boundary trajectory . . . ".

I agree that there are lots of other reasons that families choose other areas, including preferring charters, or wanting a different kind of housing stock, or budget, or commute, or whatever and that many of those families have great experiences.

But if someone was only considering IB schools, and had no other factors whatsoever, then JR is the way to go. Or locations in MD or VA.

[Anonymous]

"If you were ONLY to consider the in-boundary public school trajectory from elementary to middle to high school and no other factors...where would you buy?" The answer to the question the way that you wrote it is probably somewhere within the JR (formerly Wilson) high school boundary. The differences between the various elementary schools within this boundary are not all that great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd live IB for Ross. Great little school, great fun city neighborhood, feeds into SWW at Francis Stevens for middle school, which is solid, then you figure out high school when you get there.

My kids are at Ross and it’s a great school. From what we have heard from former Ross kids, Francis Stevens is definitely not “solid.”