Is it worth it to move from NW DC to Montgomery County for Public Schools - for 5 year old?

[Anonymous]

We did and wouldn't change a thing. Was IB for oyster and just couldn't commit to making it work. Kid is at bannockburn and is perfect for him. Remember it isn't only about schools, it is about peer groups and the overall community you buy into. While giving up some urban amminities we had outgrown anyway we landed in a family friendly oasis completely void of most of the DC problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did and wouldn't change a thing. Was IB for oyster and just couldn't commit to making it work. Kid is at bannockburn and is perfect for him. Remember it isn't only about schools, it is about peer groups and the overall community you buy into. While giving up some urban amminities we had outgrown anyway we landed in a family friendly oasis completely void of most of the DC problems.

But totally not about race, right?

[Anonymous]

We are moving to MoCo. We really wanted to find a place in DC IB for a good school, but we were continually outbidded. It was a lot easier for us to find a place that we could afford in MoCo with good schools than we could in DC. And the good DCPS tend to be in much less urban parts of the city, so we didn't feel like the move to MoCo was giving up much.

Good luck OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did and wouldn't change a thing. Was IB for oyster and just couldn't commit to making it work. Kid is at bannockburn and is perfect for him. Remember it isn't only about schools, it is about peer groups and the overall community you buy into. While giving up some urban amminities we had outgrown anyway we landed in a family friendly oasis completely void of most of the DC problems.

Yes, isn't it great when you can afford to live in a wealthy, white, isolated enclave?

http://gis.mcpsmd.org/ServiceAreaMaps/BannockburnES.pdf
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/schools/02420.pdf

[Anonymous]

We moved to Montgomery county for the schools and I am grateful that we did. Our oldest had to adjust in middle school which was not as easy (and she was the reason for our move). The younger ones have been in elementary most of the way through and I love the fact that they have friends in the neighborhood, many of whom they will most likely know all the way through high school. They walk to the pool throughout the summer where they see their friends from school. We have some walkability and can ride our bikes to DC or Bethesda.

We love the schools and we tried a few private schools for the oldest including one of the big 3 so we have that to compare to. The youngest has an iep which has been wonderful for her. The oldest is in IB classes in high school and that is really great for her. I don't have much to say that isn't good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did and wouldn't change a thing. Was IB for oyster and just couldn't commit to making it work. Kid is at bannockburn and is perfect for him. Remember it isn't only about schools, it is about peer groups and the overall community you buy into. While giving up some urban amminities we had outgrown anyway we landed in a family friendly oasis completely void of most of the DC problems.

But totally not about race, right?

Goodness - get. over. yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did and wouldn't change a thing. Was IB for oyster and just couldn't commit to making it work. Kid is at bannockburn and is perfect for him. Remember it isn't only about schools, it is about peer groups and the overall community you buy into. While giving up some urban amminities we had outgrown anyway we landed in a family friendly oasis completely void of most of the DC problems.

But totally not about race, right?

nothing in the original post indicates any issue with race to me. peer groups = kids in the neighborhood, who may be getting on your kids bus, i.e. same age, possible friends. And "overall community" = friendly neighbors! Ridiculous to try and twist that into some kind of feud about racial diversity. Get a fucking grip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did and wouldn't change a thing. Was IB for oyster and just couldn't commit to making it work. Kid is at bannockburn and is perfect for him. Remember it isn't only about schools, it is about peer groups and the overall community you buy into. While giving up some urban amminities we had outgrown anyway we landed in a family friendly oasis completely void of most of the DC problems.

But totally not about race, right?

Not PP -- what are most of the DC problems you experienced? We are currently in DC and also thinking of moving to the suburbs for the schools. I'll be starting school tours soon, but just want to get a handle on what you experienced in DC and how MoCo is different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Montgomery county for the schools and I am grateful that we did. Our oldest had to adjust in middle school which was not as easy (and she was the reason for our move). The younger ones have been in elementary most of the way through and I love the fact that they have friends in the neighborhood, many of whom they will most likely know all the way through high school. They walk to the pool throughout the summer where they see their friends from school. We have some walkability and can ride our bikes to DC or Bethesda.

We love the schools and we tried a few private schools for the oldest including one of the big 3 so we have that to compare to. The youngest has an iep which has been wonderful for her. The oldest is in IB classes in high school and that is really great for her. I don't have much to say that isn't good.

Was the lack of friends in the neighborhood in DC the primary problem, or were their other problems while in DC? Can you elaborate please?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did and wouldn't change a thing. Was IB for oyster and just couldn't commit to making it work. Kid is at bannockburn and is perfect for him. Remember it isn't only about schools, it is about peer groups and the overall community you buy into. While giving up some urban amminities we had outgrown anyway we landed in a family friendly oasis completely void of most of the DC problems.

But totally not about race, right?

nothing in the original post indicates any issue with race to me. peer groups = kids in the neighborhood, who may be getting on your kids bus, i.e. same age, possible friends. And "overall community" = friendly neighbors! Ridiculous to try and twist that into some kind of feud about racial diversity. Get a fucking grip.

I assume that you're not familiar with the area the top PP moved to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did and wouldn't change a thing. Was IB for oyster and just couldn't commit to making it work. Kid is at bannockburn and is perfect for him. Remember it isn't only about schools, it is about peer groups and the overall community you buy into. While giving up some urban amminities we had outgrown anyway we landed in a family friendly oasis completely void of most of the DC problems.

But totally not about race, right?

nothing in the original post indicates any issue with race to me. peer groups = kids in the neighborhood, who may be getting on your kids bus, i.e. same age, possible friends. And "overall community" = friendly neighbors! Ridiculous to try and twist that into some kind of feud about racial diversity. Get a fucking grip.

I assume that you're not familiar with the area the top PP moved to.

assume all you like. I stand by what I say about that post being completely devoid of any kind of racial issue. You're an idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would suggest visiting the schools in MoCo that interest you. You'll see which ones have been refurbished and extended, and those which look like they need the work. You'll find out if your child will be entering school only to move to another site while building work takes place, or not.
And you get a really good sense of the school if you're taken into classrooms and meet the teachers and students.
We visited 6 Elementary schools and they really varied quite wildly in terms of how many students they had, what their special education provisions entailed (some had designated classrooms, some had recess time integration, some had full class integration and some had practically nothing).

In Bethesda where we live, all the schools work with the same syllabus and most of them are performing well across the board, so its these differences I mention above, and anything else which is particular to you, which will be the deciding factors.

The school we liked the best was beyond our budget for buying a house, and there was very little rental stock, but the second school out of 6 on our list had lots of housing stock and was a lot easier to find a place in. Good luck.

Some MCPS ES discourage visits during school hours when it would actually be useful to come. We tried for a full year to schedule one at Wayside. Finally, just went with a private K.

FWIW, every MCPS school has an Open House all day on Columbus Day in October. Anyone is welcome to visit the school. I don't think you have to be a parent to visit. Take whatever tour is offered after school prior to Open House day, so you know which classrooms are where. You can also use the opportunity to meet and talk with other parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are moving to MoCo. We really wanted to find a place in DC IB for a good school, but we were continually outbidded. It was a lot easier for us to find a place that we could afford in MoCo with good schools than we could in DC. And the good DCPS tend to be in much less urban parts of the city, so we didn't feel like the move to MoCo was giving up much.

Good luck OP.

This is a legitimate issue, but OP already has a house in CP. Moving to MoCo would be very different than CP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are moving to MoCo. We really wanted to find a place in DC IB for a good school, but we were continually outbidded. It was a lot easier for us to find a place that we could afford in MoCo with good schools than we could in DC. And the good DCPS tend to be in much less urban parts of the city, so we didn't feel like the move to MoCo was giving up much.

Good luck OP.

This is a legitimate issue, but OP already has a house in CP. Moving to MoCo would be very different than CP.

Not necessarily. For example, moving to the town of Chevy Chase would be very similar to Cleveland Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did and wouldn't change a thing. Was IB for oyster and just couldn't commit to making it work. Kid is at bannockburn and is perfect for him. Remember it isn't only about schools, it is about peer groups and the overall community you buy into. While giving up some urban amminities we had outgrown anyway we landed in a family friendly oasis completely void of most of the DC problems.

But totally not about race, right?

nothing in the original post indicates any issue with race to me. peer groups = kids in the neighborhood, who may be getting on your kids bus, i.e. same age, possible friends. And "overall community" = friendly neighbors! Ridiculous to try and twist that into some kind of feud about racial diversity. Get a fucking grip.

I assume that you're not familiar with the area the top PP moved to.

I am not this pp, but race is an elephant in the room when you move from a highly diverse school to a school with nearly zero AAs and then talk about how you are so pleased to be avoiding bad peer groups and city problems. But the pp should get a chance to explain what exactly bad peer groups and city problems meant.

assume all you like. I stand by what I say about that post being completely devoid of any kind of racial issue. You're an idiot.