If you were moving specifically to be in a good middle/high school. Where would you look?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want your child to go to a great college -- Whitman has great stats -- and it's pretty close to DC

OP here. "Stats" are actually less important to me than that my child has a rich joyful experience at school, and leaves school confident, with strong kids, and the self knowledge to choose the path that's right for him. Having said that, of course that could probably happen at Whitman too.

I had ruled out Pyle/Whitman due to diversity, the expense of the neighborhood (I'm not sure I could afford anything in bounds at all), and the fact that the neighborhoods it serves are so far West, and my job is on the Eastern side of the city. Takoma and the Silver Spring part of the BCC cluster seem much more convenient. Having said that, if it's significantly better than Westland/BCC in some way I'd love to hear about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want your child to go to a great college -- Whitman has great stats -- and it's pretty close to DC

OP here. "Stats" are actually less important to me than that my child has a rich joyful experience at school, and leaves school confident, with strong kids, and the self knowledge to choose the path that's right for him. Having said that, of course that could probably happen at Whitman too.

I had ruled out Pyle/Whitman due to diversity, the expense of the neighborhood (I'm not sure I could afford anything in bounds at all), and the fact that the neighborhoods it serves are so far West, and my job is on the Eastern side of the city. Takoma and the Silver Spring part of the BCC cluster seem much more convenient. Having said that, if it's significantly better than Westland/BCC in some way I'd love to hear about it.

I meant to say "strong skills" not "strong kids" I would prefer my child graduate high school without any kids of his own.

[Anonymous]

Blair has one magnet (science and math) but also has CAP, which I believe is a sort of concentration in the arts. I know several lovely kids who really enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

If you're interested in diversity -- why not stay in DC?

[Anonymous]

Deal, Hardy, and maybe Latin are all on my list. I actually asked a similar question about Deal and Hardy on the DC forum. However, unless my son gets in OOB or via the charter lottery, we would need to move to be in bounds for Deal (probably my first DC choice) or Hardy. The Maryland schools I'm looking at (West, Westland, and Takoma) all have much more reasonably priced housing options, than anything I seem to be able to find in the Deal area, so if I can find a good fit at one of those schools we'll probably cross the line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blair has one magnet (science and math) but also has CAP, which I believe is a sort of concentration in the arts. I know several lovely kids who really enjoy it.

DC really likes the CAP program too. CAP is focused on writing and drama, but not "the arts" in a really broad sense to include music or dance. The writing emphasis tends to be on expository writing, not creative writing. It's fairly intense, however.

[Anonymous]

How selective is the CAP program? Does moving in bounds thinking he can go to CAP make sense or is it a longshot, and I should only look at the "regular" programs when making sense.

I like the fact that students at BCC can do the drama program, or the IB, or even both without winning a lottery or passing a test.