Feeling sad about striking out for PK3 and Pk4, any advice on K strategy?

[Anonymous]

Just stay at your IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you Pp. We did apply to CMI. Cap City and Shepherd seemed too far away but maybe I should reconsider that. Basically I had been trying to luck into a great school, but maybe should change my strategy. Are there any schools where it is particularly easy to get in at K?

Cap City is closer to Brookland than SWS...

I know, but I liked it better, and with our daycare location for DD2, the commute difference is negligible.

[Anonymous]

I would think very seriously about moving out of DC. We struck out for both the 5th grade and 6th grade lotteries. It sucks to have to uproot our family's life at this point. Had I been able to see the future, I would prefer to move when my kids were your age so that we could keep building our roots in a community instead of starting over again.

Yes - things change every year on the school scene, but you now know how it feels to 'lose' the lottery two years in a row. And I think the stakes are lower for elementary than middle/high school so whatever disapppointment, discontent, unhappiness you're feeling - imagine that magnified several times over if you again don't have lottery luck at middle school/high school time.

[Anonymous]

I believe the lottery creates expectations regarding educational choices in DC that are inappropriate. It is psychologically conditioning and promotes an appetite for certain options that are only available to a lucky few who are in the early education market.

Your child is likely to do well in school and it seems a bit pointless to get wistful over unlikely possibilities when you do not need them.

[Anonymous]

Help build up your IB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Help build up your IB

I have been trying, but realistically it jiat isn't going to happen in time. and what of middle and high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help build up your IB

I have been trying, but realistically it jiat isn't going to happen in time. and what of middle and high school?

You can't have it all OP.

Unless you are very wealthy, you probably can't afford a home in the city that is walkable to work, and an excellent school through high school. You are going to have to compromise on something.

[Anonymous]

As someone also in Brookland, we had many of your schools on our list but also added some good (better) DCPS like Bruce Monroe and even Langley. I see both of these on the upswing. Then you may also be able to get into Seaton, Garrison or even Cleveland over in Shaw area. These too are going to be not exactly "safety" but everything on your list requires a super number. They may be mainly full with IB but I think chances are higher. I understand disappointment with our local DCPS in this neighborhood, they really should be better by now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would think very seriously about moving out of DC. We struck out for both the 5th grade and 6th grade lotteries. It sucks to have to uproot our family's life at this point. Had I been able to see the future, I would prefer to move when my kids were your age so that we could keep building our roots in a community instead of starting over again.

Yes - things change every year on the school scene, but you now know how it feels to 'lose' the lottery two years in a row. And I think the stakes are lower for elementary than middle/high school so whatever disapppointment, discontent, unhappiness you're feeling - imagine that magnified several times over if you again don't have lottery luck at middle school/high school time.

Thanks for this perspective, PP. I worry about this a lot.

-NP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help build up your IB

I have been trying, but realistically it jiat isn't going to happen in time. and what of middle and high school?

You can't have it all OP.

Unless you are very wealthy, you probably can't afford a home in the city that is walkable to work, and an excellent school through high school. You are going to have to compromise on something.

Or one of my children could get a good lottery number one time. That's all it would take and several of our friends have exactly that. I'm not saying it's "having it all" but I would be thrilled to have it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all, DD just failed the lottery again. We will remain at our EOTP Title I for PK4, but what are her prospects for K? What should be on our list as I bid the dream of LAMB and Yu Ying farewell? We live in Brookland. Do any HRCS or just moderately-RCS add a classroom at K?

Cheer that you haven't been suckered into fake Chinese immersion that won't stick, a massive waste of time at the expense of English.

Ah, I see the resident YY hater has arrived!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See you in silver spring soon

Ha! Yep. DC transplant who struck out on school lottery happy in Silver Spring for five years now...

Thanks, but we don't want to give up our ultra-short commutes, and we love Brookland and our house and friends. Moving will not be on the table until DD2 strikes out in the lottery for PK3 at least.

Sorry, OP, I didn't mean to be rude. Just saying we were in your shoes five plus years ago (but in Capitol Hill). We also loved our house, friends, and short commutes, but struck out twice and were forced to bail. We were terribly sad at the time, but now five years in, we love our current house, our new friends, and our still pretty good commutes. It hasn't been nearly as bad as we though and in fact has been great in many ways. I hope it works out for you, I really do!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help build up your IB

I have been trying, but realistically it jiat isn't going to happen in time. and what of middle and high school?

This. We are IB at a Title 1 school that is often identified on these boards as a safety. While I would love to send my kid there through elementary, it's not a feasible long term option. The people who say "oh, just work on your IB school" have no clue. Even if you are able to turn the elementary school around, which is asking a lot for some of these schools, the middle and high school options are a joke. But I suppose we should just turn those around, too. As

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See you in silver spring soon

Ha! Yep. DC transplant who struck out on school lottery happy in Silver Spring for five years now...

Thanks, but we don't want to give up our ultra-short commutes, and we love Brookland and our house and friends. Moving will not be on the table until DD2 strikes out in the lottery for PK3 at least.

Sorry, OP, I didn't mean to be rude. Just saying we were in your shoes five plus years ago (but in Capitol Hill). We also loved our house, friends, and short commutes, but struck out twice and were forced to bail. We were terribly sad at the time, but now five years in, we love our current house, our new friends, and our still pretty good commutes. It hasn't been nearly as bad as we though and in fact has been great in many ways. I hope it works out for you, I really do!

Thank you, that is helpful to hear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help build up your IB

I have been trying, but realistically it jiat isn't going to happen in time. and what of middle and high school?

This. We are IB at a Title 1 school that is often identified on these boards as a safety. While I would love to send my kid there through elementary, it's not a feasible long term option. The people who say "oh, just work on your IB school" have no clue. Even if you are able to turn the elementary school around, which is asking a lot for some of these schools, the middle and high school options are a joke. But I suppose we should just turn those around, too. As

+1. The need is just way too great and the pace of change way too slow. DCPS will not face up to the true cost of educating a high-need population, and it is way more than parents could ever raise. And even with money, what about the incompement implementation?

I started PK3 all dumb and psyched, but the more I see what's really going on, the more discouraged I get.