might buy a house in Barnaby Woods; are parents and children generally happy with Lafayette School?

[Anonymous]

Love Barnaby Woods, love living in CCDC, and adore Lafayette. It's a great neighborhood for young families - with a wonderful neighborhood feel and a great school community.

[Anonymous]

Just moved to barnaby woods from downtown and we're loving it. Have decided to apply for Lafayette in the lottery this year after visiting an open house (the new facilities were impressive and the classrooms I visited seemed to be thriving). Our DC is currently at a highly sought after charter, but we're willing to give that up to be part of an amazing community. We are loving the neighborhood and safety we feel here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have to verify residency in boundary every year? In other words, if a family moves to a new neighborhood, can the child continue on at the school?

You have to verify residency in every DCPS every year.

Residency in DC, sure...but residency in a specific neighborhood? If my kid starts at Janney in K but then we buy a house in Petworth, he can't stay at Janney for 1st grade? But if he lotteries in for k he is good until he graduates from Wilson?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have to verify residency in boundary every year? In other words, if a family moves to a new neighborhood, can the child continue on at the school?

You have to verify residency in every DCPS every year.

Residency in DC, sure...but residency in a specific neighborhood? If my kid starts at Janney in K but then we buy a house in Petworth, he can't stay at Janney for 1st grade? But if he lotteries in for k he is good until he graduates from Wilson?

I think each Principal has discretion in this regard. Some allow families to stay once you are a member of the school community in order to maintain continuity of the child's education. Others may check inbounds residency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have to verify residency in boundary every year? In other words, if a family moves to a new neighborhood, can the child continue on at the school?

You have to verify residency in every DCPS every year.

Residency in DC, sure...but residency in a specific neighborhood? If my kid starts at Janney in K but then we buy a house in Petworth, he can't stay at Janney for 1st grade? But if he lotteries in for k he is good until he graduates from Wilson?

I think each Principal has discretion in this regard. Some allow families to stay once you are a member of the school community in order to maintain continuity of the child's education. Others may check inbounds residency.

PP here -- correction, if you get an oob spot through the lottery, then the kid is good throughout that school and its feeder. If you are inbounds, then I think the previous statement about Principal's discretion holds.

[Anonymous]

What happens in Middle School? Do people tend to stay put in the neighborhood and go to the public MS or go to private or move to MD?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What happens in Middle School? Do people tend to stay put in the neighborhood and go to the public MS or go to private or move to MD?

I'd be worried about getting zoned out of Deal in a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens in Middle School? Do people tend to stay put in the neighborhood and go to the public MS or go to private or move to MD?

I'd be worried about getting zoned out of Deal in a few years.

This is silly. First, DC isn't going to take on another school zoning review for at least seven years--at the earliest. It took 40 years to get the last one; no way they do that again before they absolutely have to (no matter how crazy the overcrowding at some schools). And, second, unless they build another new ES in Ward 3/4 or another new middle school, there's no way Lafayette gets zoned out of Deal. It just won't happen.

To answer PP's question--yes, most kids at the Deal feeders go on to Deal. Something like 90% of the 5th grade classes at Murch, Lafayette, and Janney (the three largest feeders) continue at Deal.

[Anonymous]

Current Laf parent here. We ADORE the school. Great teachers, great building, AMAZING neighborhood. My kids fall out of our house and hang with all their friends. We've made wonderful friends though Lafayette. I would pick Lafayette again in a heartbeat.

That said, when choosing between the 3 schools you mentioned, get the one with the HOUSE that works best for you. Because they are all great schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current Laf parent here. We ADORE the school. Great teachers, great building, AMAZING neighborhood. My kids fall out of our house and hang with all their friends. We've made wonderful friends though Lafayette. I would pick Lafayette again in a heartbeat.

That said, when choosing between the 3 schools you mentioned, get the one with the HOUSE that works best for you. Because they are all great schools.

I second this. The choice between Janney or Lafayette, for me, would be entirely driven by the house and the neighborhood. The obvious big difference between Barnaby Woods and the neighborhoods zoned for Janney are that the latter are very walkable, while BW isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally would not live in DC and live in the whitest part of the city and then send my kid to one of the whitest school. But if that's what you are after- you will find lots of like-minded folks at Lafayette and you will be happy.

I'm assuming you don't really believe that this is helpful advice for OP, and that you just popped in to pass some judgment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens in Middle School? Do people tend to stay put in the neighborhood and go to the public MS or go to private or move to MD?

I'd be worried about getting zoned out of Deal in a few years.

This is silly. First, DC isn't going to take on another school zoning review for at least seven years--at the earliest. It took 40 years to get the last one; no way they do that again before they absolutely have to (no matter how crazy the overcrowding at some schools). And, second, unless they build another new ES in Ward 3/4 or another new middle school, there's no way Lafayette gets zoned out of Deal. It just won't happen.

To answer PP's question--yes, most kids at the Deal feeders go on to Deal. Something like 90% of the 5th grade classes at Murch, Lafayette, and Janney (the three largest feeders) continue at Deal.

They are building a Ward 4 middle school - North Middle School - starting next year. I don't think Lafayette will be rezoned there anytime soon, but the school is coming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current Laf parent here. We ADORE the school. Great teachers, great building, AMAZING neighborhood. My kids fall out of our house and hang with all their friends. We've made wonderful friends though Lafayette. I would pick Lafayette again in a heartbeat.

That said, when choosing between the 3 schools you mentioned, get the one with the HOUSE that works best for you. Because they are all great schools.

I second this. The choice between Janney or Lafayette, for me, would be entirely driven by the house and the neighborhood. The obvious big difference between Barnaby Woods and the neighborhoods zoned for Janney are that the latter are very walkable, while BW isn't.

Though you will get more house for your money in BW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current Laf parent here. We ADORE the school. Great teachers, great building, AMAZING neighborhood. My kids fall out of our house and hang with all their friends. We've made wonderful friends though Lafayette. I would pick Lafayette again in a heartbeat.

That said, when choosing between the 3 schools you mentioned, get the one with the HOUSE that works best for you. Because they are all great schools.

I second this. The choice between Janney or Lafayette, for me, would be entirely driven by the house and the neighborhood. The obvious big difference between Barnaby Woods and the neighborhoods zoned for Janney are that the latter are very walkable, while BW isn't.

Though you will get more house for your money in BW.

Yes, precisely because it is not a walkable and metro connected neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens in Middle School? Do people tend to stay put in the neighborhood and go to the public MS or go to private or move to MD?

I'd be worried about getting zoned out of Deal in a few years.

This is silly. First, DC isn't going to take on another school zoning review for at least seven years--at the earliest. It took 40 years to get the last one; no way they do that again before they absolutely have to (no matter how crazy the overcrowding at some schools). And, second, unless they build another new ES in Ward 3/4 or another new middle school, there's no way Lafayette gets zoned out of Deal. It just won't happen.

To answer PP's question--yes, most kids at the Deal feeders go on to Deal. Something like 90% of the 5th grade classes at Murch, Lafayette, and Janney (the three largest feeders) continue at Deal.

They are building a Ward 4 middle school - North Middle School - starting next year. I don't think Lafayette will be rezoned there anytime soon, but the school is coming.

Exactly. And you know DCPS desperately wants to break down the artificial barrier presented by Rock Creek Park. One way would be to pull a WOTP elementary to the new MS. I'd say it is actually more probably, that not. Lafayette makes the most geographic sense in that regard.