Tell me about Elementary and middle schools in NW DC

[Anonymous]

news flash - Deal is not in a suburban neighborhood. It also has metro and oodles of restaurants and parks.

OP, if you are unfamiliar with DC - I suggest checking google maps to see if the woodley park, cleveland park, wakefield, tenleytown and chevy chase neighborhoods are urban enough for you. It's not as dense or diverse, but it's definitely urban.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only areas worth considering are in NW that feed into Deal, and then you'll probably have to go private for high school (Wilson is inferior to Deal). The cheerleaders who want to recruit you to DCPS will try and tell you otherwise, but there's a reason why the Arlington and Falls Church schools are gaining students and DCPS continues to shrink.

But if the plan is to go into private schools eventually anyway, why not try an elementary school in a neighborhood that the family will love that has great metro service and other urban amenities- and may cost less than Deal feeder neighborhood. We are very happy at BRent (on Capitol Hill) with metro only 2 blks from our home and oodles of great restaurants in walking distance and parks, etc. At middle school, we will consider our public options, but likely go with private school. And since we are close to metro, the kid can take metro and or bus to the school if the private school is out of our neighborhood. Deal is a great school, but is it really worth living in a suburban neighborhood for if that is not what makes the family happy? I considered the homes in that area, but I have an adverse reaction to center hall colonials and just couldn't bring myself to accept it. Sounds to me like the OP is of the same mind and I hope she gives more urban areas of DC some consideration.

Typical DCUM - a parent has an adverse reaction to center hall colonials so she picks a school district where many of the kids will have adverse reactions to learning, then tries to rationalize the decision.

[Anonymous]

Typical DCUM - a parent has an adverse reaction to center hall colonials so she picks a school district where many of the kids will have adverse reactions to learning, then tries to rationalize the decision.

Typical DCUM-- a parent attempts to share her personal experience and provide helpful advice regarding options that the OP may not have realized existed since the OP is new to the area and another DCUM attacks the advice as rationalization. Sweetheart, you seem distraught that someone doesn't like center hall colonials-- millions of folks do love them, so don't worry about it! Would life be dull if everyone wanted the same thing? Enjoy your established neighborhoods-- I enjoy the flexibility of inner city life. If I ever feel my kids are with kids with an "adverse reaction to learning" I will have millions of options to resolve that issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Typical DCUM - a parent has an adverse reaction to center hall colonials so she picks a school district where many of the kids will have adverse reactions to learning, then tries to rationalize the decision.

Typical DCUM-- a parent attempts to share her personal experience and provide helpful advice regarding options that the OP may not have realized existed since the OP is new to the area and another DCUM attacks the advice as rationalization. Sweetheart, you seem distraught that someone doesn't like center hall colonials-- millions of folks do love them, so don't worry about it! Would life be dull if everyone wanted the same thing? Enjoy your established neighborhoods-- I enjoy the flexibility of inner city life. If I ever feel my kids are with kids with an "adverse reaction to learning" I will have millions of options to resolve that issue.

I haven't posted on this threa, but I'm another Brent parent and haven't noticed my son's classmates having an adverse reaction to learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:news flash - Deal is not in a suburban neighborhood. It also has metro and oodles of restaurants and parks.

OP, if you are unfamiliar with DC - I suggest checking google maps to see if the woodley park, cleveland park, wakefield, tenleytown and chevy chase neighborhoods are urban enough for you. It's not as dense or diverse, but it's definitely urban.

Woodley Park is nice enough and Chevy Chase is very cute but you can't call any of those neighborhoods urban. Tenleytown (and Wakefield) are awful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I am new to this and grew up oversees, so not familiar with the US school system at all. Will we make a terrible choice if deciding to live in DC vs. Arlington or suburbs? !

The only terrible choice is an uninformed one. Not sure what research you've done, but it might help to start with this "how to" guide specifically for DC and all 3 school types-public charter, private/independent. Don't focus so much on the profiles. The FAQs and indexes at the back will help you familiarize yourself with types of schools, locations, application info, etc. Once you have your OWN priorities sorted out, you can look for schools that might match. http://www.greatschools.org/pdf/DC_School_Chooser_2011-2012.pdf

You might find it helpful to ask for comparisons to overseas places you like since everyone's definition of urban and walkable and "good school" is different.

What age children will you have in the near future? The only thing more difficult than getting into a "good" public school is finding affordable, high quality daycare and preschool. $20,000 annual tuition and/or waitlists of over a year are not uncommon.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, there are still many hoods and thugs who hang around Capitol Hill. I would not bother with Brent; you'll only end up moving later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, there are still many hoods and thugs who hang around Capitol Hill.

Hey! that's no way to talk about our elected representatives!

[Anonymous]

What's the difference between a hoodlum and a thug?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, there are still many hoods and thugs who hang around Capitol Hill. I would not bother with Brent; you'll only end up moving later.

For some reason, the ignorance in this post actually cracks me up. Thanks for the giggle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, there are still many hoods and thugs who hang around Capitol Hill. I would not bother with Brent; you'll only end up moving later.

Yes, they're the ones who loiter in their offices after hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
For some reason, the ignorance in this post actually cracks me up. Thanks for the giggle.

You're welcome. It will come in handy when your 12 year-old gets mugged near Eastern Market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
For some reason, the ignorance in this post actually cracks me up. Thanks for the giggle.

You're welcome. It will come in handy when your 12 year-old gets mugged near Eastern Market.

NP here. We're doing fine over here. Please don't visit if it bothers you so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're welcome. It will come in handy when your 12 year-old gets mugged near Eastern Market.

That's all you got? Fragile children victimized by a bogeyman? That doesn't work with this crowd. On DCUM you really gotta play on people's fear that their children will suffer because of their liberal idealism. Or that they are underwater because they used their home as an ATM during the housing bubble and can't afford to move. Heck, try the cannard about teaching to the test, that'll get you more traction than kids getting mugged. Buddy, you really need to step up your game.