Basic questions from a 1.5 year old parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the suggestion to get involved in your in-bound DCPS school early. I think it's an excellent idea. Parents of young toddlers in my neighborhood created a Google group for prospective parents and neighbors of our in-bound DCPS (Bruce Monroe at Park View), on which people discuss School Beautification Days, volunteering opportunities, playdates, etc...

What if you invest all that time and don't get in? Other than be a good neighborhor? I suppose OP would get in at K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your in-boundary OP? We can tell you about it.

This made me chuckle.

Because it's true. Ask at your own risk, OP!!

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you all so much for these great suggestions! Please keep them coming.

Our IB school is Ross, however we would likely move from our 1 bedroom condo esp if (God willing) we have another kid and that may not be in the Ross area (as much as we love this area, it's so $$$). Which makes it tough to decide where on earth to move to when we have kid #2 without knowing which school kid #1 ends up going to. For that reason we were thinking to rent a slightly bigger place when/if kid #2 comes then see where kid #1 gets in before we buy a house where we'd stay put. Of course, assuming we'd like the school he's in and that it's not a charter that will move 2 years later! Augh!

[Anonymous]

OP, I think you are thinking similarly to many people. It is just as frustrating as you spell out. All the while --they may make changes in the allocation that will hamper you intentions. I think if you are going to buy, then I recommend doing so wotp, so that you are not regretting that decision when no charter materializes. But if you are renting, then it doesn't hurt and you can be more flexible with your location.

[Anonymous]

Move out of the Ross IB?

I will buy your place.

[Anonymous]

Kind of young to be having kids huh?

[Anonymous]

He's 1.5 going on 30!

[Anonymous]

Yo, u 2 young to be a parent!

[Anonymous]

For the kids and your sanity if you move just go to a much larger and stronger system. They are readily available. Include them and their actual parents in your searches...

[Anonymous]

Keep your Ross place and rent it out if you need more space. then use the address to get in in-bounds. Probably not technically allowed but in the end you own an inboundary place and are paying taxes on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep your Ross place and rent it out if you need more space. then use the address to get in in-bounds. Probably not technically allowed but in the end you own an inboundary place and are paying taxes on it.

That's not just a technical violation. That's clearly illegal. If you don't live there, it's not your residence. And people in a small school like Ross will absolutely know that you are out of bounds. Terrible, terrible advice you are offering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep your Ross place and rent it out if you need more space. then use the address to get in in-bounds. Probably not technically allowed but in the end you own an inboundary place and are paying taxes on it.

That's not just a technical violation. That's clearly illegal. If you don't live there, it's not your residence. And people in a small school like Ross will absolutely know that you are out of bounds. Terrible, terrible advice you are offering.

This is definitely true!

[Anonymous]

Most DCPS schools have open houses. the myschooldc site has a page dedicated to it that they update throughout the lottery season
http://www.myschooldc.org/key-dates/open-house-dates/
I would say start going to open houses next year. Otherwise there might be a lot of change between now and then and the info you have would be out of date.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thank you all so much for these great suggestions! Please keep them coming.

Our IB school is Ross, however we would likely move from our 1 bedroom condo esp if (God willing) we have another kid and that may not be in the Ross area (as much as we love this area, it's so $$$). Which makes it tough to decide where on earth to move to when we have kid #2 without knowing which school kid #1 ends up going to. For that reason we were thinking to rent a slightly bigger place when/if kid #2 comes then see where kid #1 gets in before we buy a house where we'd stay put. Of course, assuming we'd like the school he's in and that it's not a charter that will move 2 years later! Augh!

You need to identify what schools you like, and constrain your real estate search based on where you are IB for a school you like and can both afford to rent and be likely to afford to buy.

My kid will be in preK in fall; we bought a year or so before he was born. Bought in a spot where we were comfortable with the IB school and other nearby schools (our place changed school boundaries between when we bought it and now).