timeline for Woodward/WJ decision?

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

No. The assumption is that all Bethesda high schools will be way better than elsewhere (controversial, I know). So you want Woodward, or WJ, or WW, or BCC. I am not familiar with Churchill so cannot comment. I've heard Rockville is not as good. So if your priority is to hit any of these clusters and avoid the others, you need to be at the geographic epicenter, because they won't bus your kid that far as to cross half them to another high school. That's all.

Naturally, we all have other considerations, such as commute, walkability, feel of the neighborhood, availability of homes you like and that you can afford (!), preference of X, Y, Z elementaries and middle schools... so all this needs to be integrated into your reasoning.

We ended up close to downtown Bethesda (west side), because of commute, walkability and we wanted to be in-bounds for the Bethesda Elementary School, as it has a focus on special needs and one of our children has special needs. So our cluster is BCC, and will likely stay that way. East Bethesda might be moved to another cluster.


The OP is thinking about Kensington. That's B-CC and the DCC (Einstein), no? Do you think that the OP is concerned about being rezoned from Einstein to Woodward?


OP wouldn't be posting if you were right, PP.
We're talking about staying in Bethesda clusters.


Then what? OP is concerned about being rezoned from B-CC to Woodward?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:DCC parent chiming in: sorry you stand to lose money on your house because my kids might have to go to school with your kids. Life is full of risks. Just buy a house where you want to live and have a little faith that your children will be fine.


Thank you.

-- an Einstein parent
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DCC parent chiming in: sorry you stand to lose money on your house because my kids might have to go to school with your kids. Life is full of risks. Just buy a house where you want to live and have a little faith that your children will be fine.


Thank you.

-- an Einstein parent


Agreed, from a fellow DCC parent. It's possible that we could be rezoned to Woodward, and I really don't know how I feel about that, given how horrified so many parents are that DCC kids would mix with theirs.

Also, to the original PP I'm quoting, I think you mean sorrynotsorry.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

No. The assumption is that all Bethesda high schools will be way better than elsewhere (controversial, I know). So you want Woodward, or WJ, or WW, or BCC. I am not familiar with Churchill so cannot comment. I've heard Rockville is not as good. So if your priority is to hit any of these clusters and avoid the others, you need to be at the geographic epicenter, because they won't bus your kid that far as to cross half them to another high school. That's all.

Naturally, we all have other considerations, such as commute, walkability, feel of the neighborhood, availability of homes you like and that you can afford (!), preference of X, Y, Z elementaries and middle schools... so all this needs to be integrated into your reasoning.

We ended up close to downtown Bethesda (west side), because of commute, walkability and we wanted to be in-bounds for the Bethesda Elementary School, as it has a focus on special needs and one of our children has special needs. So our cluster is BCC, and will likely stay that way. East Bethesda might be moved to another cluster.


The OP is thinking about Kensington. That's B-CC and the DCC (Einstein), no? Do you think that the OP is concerned about being rezoned from Einstein to Woodward?


Try to keep up. Kensington has fought for decades to stay in the WJ cluster, and each time there's a new boundary change on the horizon, they as well as east Bethesda and some parts of Chevy Chase are first in line to be rezoned to DCC schools. Hence OP's very relevant question.


OP wouldn't be posting if you were right, PP.
We're talking about staying in Bethesda clusters.


Then what? OP is concerned about being rezoned from B-CC to Woodward?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

No. The assumption is that all Bethesda high schools will be way better than elsewhere (controversial, I know). So you want Woodward, or WJ, or WW, or BCC. I am not familiar with Churchill so cannot comment. I've heard Rockville is not as good. So if your priority is to hit any of these clusters and avoid the others, you need to be at the geographic epicenter, because they won't bus your kid that far as to cross half them to another high school. That's all.

Naturally, we all have other considerations, such as commute, walkability, feel of the neighborhood, availability of homes you like and that you can afford (!), preference of X, Y, Z elementaries and middle schools... so all this needs to be integrated into your reasoning.

We ended up close to downtown Bethesda (west side), because of commute, walkability and we wanted to be in-bounds for the Bethesda Elementary School, as it has a focus on special needs and one of our children has special needs. So our cluster is BCC, and will likely stay that way. East Bethesda might be moved to another cluster.


The OP is thinking about Kensington. That's B-CC and the DCC (Einstein), no? Do you think that the OP is concerned about being rezoned from Einstein to Woodward?


OP wouldn't be posting if you were right, PP.
We're talking about staying in Bethesda clusters.


Then what? OP is concerned about being rezoned from B-CC to Woodward?

Try to keep up. Kensington has fought for decades to stay in the WJ cluster, and each time there's a new boundary change on the horizon, they as well as east Bethesda and some parts of Chevy Chase are first in line to be rezoned to DCC schools. Hence OP's very relevant question.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

No. The assumption is that all Bethesda high schools will be way better than elsewhere (controversial, I know). So you want Woodward, or WJ, or WW, or BCC. I am not familiar with Churchill so cannot comment. I've heard Rockville is not as good. So if your priority is to hit any of these clusters and avoid the others, you need to be at the geographic epicenter, because they won't bus your kid that far as to cross half them to another high school. That's all.

Naturally, we all have other considerations, such as commute, walkability, feel of the neighborhood, availability of homes you like and that you can afford (!), preference of X, Y, Z elementaries and middle schools... so all this needs to be integrated into your reasoning.

We ended up close to downtown Bethesda (west side), because of commute, walkability and we wanted to be in-bounds for the Bethesda Elementary School, as it has a focus on special needs and one of our children has special needs. So our cluster is BCC, and will likely stay that way. East Bethesda might be moved to another cluster.


The OP is thinking about Kensington. That's B-CC and the DCC (Einstein), no? Do you think that the OP is concerned about being rezoned from Einstein to Woodward?


OP wouldn't be posting if you were right, PP.
We're talking about staying in Bethesda clusters.


Then what? OP is concerned about being rezoned from B-CC to Woodward?

Try to keep up. Kensington has fought for decades to stay in the WJ cluster, and each time there's a new boundary change on the horizon, they as well as east Bethesda and some parts of Chevy Chase are first in line to be rezoned to DCC schools. Hence OP's very relevant question.


So OP is concerned about being rezoned from Walter Johnson to Woodward? That was the original question.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

No. The assumption is that all Bethesda high schools will be way better than elsewhere (controversial, I know). So you want Woodward, or WJ, or WW, or BCC. I am not familiar with Churchill so cannot comment. I've heard Rockville is not as good. So if your priority is to hit any of these clusters and avoid the others, you need to be at the geographic epicenter, because they won't bus your kid that far as to cross half them to another high school. That's all.

Naturally, we all have other considerations, such as commute, walkability, feel of the neighborhood, availability of homes you like and that you can afford (!), preference of X, Y, Z elementaries and middle schools... so all this needs to be integrated into your reasoning.

We ended up close to downtown Bethesda (west side), because of commute, walkability and we wanted to be in-bounds for the Bethesda Elementary School, as it has a focus on special needs and one of our children has special needs. So our cluster is BCC, and will likely stay that way. East Bethesda might be moved to another cluster.


The OP is thinking about Kensington. That's B-CC and the DCC (Einstein), no? Do you think that the OP is concerned about being rezoned from Einstein to Woodward?


OP wouldn't be posting if you were right, PP.
We're talking about staying in Bethesda clusters.


Then what? OP is concerned about being rezoned from B-CC to Woodward?

Try to keep up. Kensington has fought for decades to stay in the WJ cluster, and each time there's a new boundary change on the horizon, they as well as east Bethesda and some parts of Chevy Chase are first in line to be rezoned to DCC schools. Hence OP's very relevant question.


So OP is concerned about being rezoned from Walter Johnson to Woodward? That was the original question.


Possibly, or from WJ to Einstein. Some have suggested that Woodward could become part of the DCC, which seems untenable for some people.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

No. The assumption is that all Bethesda high schools will be way better than elsewhere (controversial, I know). So you want Woodward, or WJ, or WW, or BCC. I am not familiar with Churchill so cannot comment. I've heard Rockville is not as good. So if your priority is to hit any of these clusters and avoid the others, you need to be at the geographic epicenter, because they won't bus your kid that far as to cross half them to another high school. That's all.

Naturally, we all have other considerations, such as commute, walkability, feel of the neighborhood, availability of homes you like and that you can afford (!), preference of X, Y, Z elementaries and middle schools... so all this needs to be integrated into your reasoning.

We ended up close to downtown Bethesda (west side), because of commute, walkability and we wanted to be in-bounds for the Bethesda Elementary School, as it has a focus on special needs and one of our children has special needs. So our cluster is BCC, and will likely stay that way. East Bethesda might be moved to another cluster.


The OP is thinking about Kensington. That's B-CC and the DCC (Einstein), no? Do you think that the OP is concerned about being rezoned from Einstein to Woodward?


OP wouldn't be posting if you were right, PP.
We're talking about staying in Bethesda clusters.


Then what? OP is concerned about being rezoned from B-CC to Woodward?

Try to keep up. Kensington has fought for decades to stay in the WJ cluster, and each time there's a new boundary change on the horizon, they as well as east Bethesda and some parts of Chevy Chase are first in line to be rezoned to DCC schools. Hence OP's very relevant question.


So OP is concerned about being rezoned from Walter Johnson to Woodward? That was the original question.


Possibly, or from WJ to Einstein. Some have suggested that Woodward could become part of the DCC, which seems untenable for some people.


But Einstein is projected to be overcrowded too, so Woodward will draw on boundaries currently slated for WJ and Einstein to make up the new Woodward population (there's debate as to whether Woodward will also draw on BCC and Wheaton boundaries too). If you buy in an area currently zoned for WJ, the only thing that will happen is that you MIGHT be redistricted to Woodward. Woodward and WJ are about a mile apart distance-wise, so it would be about the same commute from any WJ-zoned Kensington neighborhood to high school. People are up in arms (unnecessarily so, IMO) as to whether Woodward will be a "bad" school because some kids who currently go to Einstein will now go to Woodward.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:

But Einstein is projected to be overcrowded too, so Woodward will draw on boundaries currently slated for WJ and Einstein to make up the new Woodward population (there's debate as to whether Woodward will also draw on BCC and Wheaton boundaries too). If you buy in an area currently zoned for WJ, the only thing that will happen is that you MIGHT be redistricted to Woodward. Woodward and WJ are about a mile apart distance-wise, so it would be about the same commute from any WJ-zoned Kensington neighborhood to high school. People are up in arms (unnecessarily so, IMO) as to whether Woodward will be a "bad" school because some kids who currently go to Einstein will now go to Woodward.


The MCPS CIP says Walter Johnson and the DCC. B-CC is not in the DCC.
Anonymous
There are two separate questions here.

1. Will Woodward provide as good of education as WJ? The answer to that question is not clear, but it's unlikely to be a disaster.
2. Will housing value hold up in the parts of WJ district that will be moved into Woodward? Eventually possibly, but there is likely to be at least a short-term decrease in value.

So for any family, while the effect on their kids' educations is likely to be minimal, the effect on their financial health is likely to be considerable. It is only sensible that the couple is asking the question about stability of the school boundary before purchasing.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:There are two separate questions here.

1. Will Woodward provide as good of education as WJ? The answer to that question is not clear, but it's unlikely to be a disaster.
2. Will housing value hold up in the parts of WJ district that will be moved into Woodward? Eventually possibly, but there is likely to be at least a short-term decrease in value.

So for any family, while the effect on their kids' educations is likely to be minimal, the effect on their financial health is likely to be considerable. It is only sensible that the couple is asking the question about stability of the school boundary before purchasing.


IF they happen to want to sell while people are panicking about OMG DCC kids at Woodward!1!!!! Otherwise, it doesn't matter.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

No. The assumption is that all Bethesda high schools will be way better than elsewhere (controversial, I know). So you want Woodward, or WJ, or WW, or BCC. I am not familiar with Churchill so cannot comment. I've heard Rockville is not as good. So if your priority is to hit any of these clusters and avoid the others, you need to be at the geographic epicenter, because they won't bus your kid that far as to cross half them to another high school. That's all.

Naturally, we all have other considerations, such as commute, walkability, feel of the neighborhood, availability of homes you like and that you can afford (!), preference of X, Y, Z elementaries and middle schools... so all this needs to be integrated into your reasoning.

We ended up close to downtown Bethesda (west side), because of commute, walkability and we wanted to be in-bounds for the Bethesda Elementary School, as it has a focus on special needs and one of our children has special needs. So our cluster is BCC, and will likely stay that way. East Bethesda might be moved to another cluster.


The OP is thinking about Kensington. That's B-CC and the DCC (Einstein), no? Do you think that the OP is concerned about being rezoned from Einstein to Woodward?


OP wouldn't be posting if you were right, PP.
We're talking about staying in Bethesda clusters.


Then what? OP is concerned about being rezoned from B-CC to Woodward?

Try to keep up. Kensington has fought for decades to stay in the WJ cluster, and each time there's a new boundary change on the horizon, they as well as east Bethesda and some parts of Chevy Chase are first in line to be rezoned to DCC schools. Hence OP's very relevant question.


So OP is concerned about being rezoned from Walter Johnson to Woodward? That was the original question.


Sigh.

Kensington and the areas I mentioned are at risk of being clustered into the Downcounty Consortium (of which Bethesda Chevy Chase HS is *not* part) for purposes of diversity.

MCPS and the Board of Education have always had this hankering to bus students in an attempt to close the achievement gap through diversification. They recently voted to weigh this criteria MORE than others. They also stated that long bus rides would be out of the question. This means that in all logic, a student living in the Walt Whitman district out west is not going to have two hour rush hour bus ride to Einstein. However, the white and wealthy eastern fringes, including Kensington, east Bethesda and Chevy Chase, are in the running.

The fact that Woodward is very close to Walter Johnson does NOT guarantee that students will come from Kensington. Because again - diversity!

Get it now?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:There are two separate questions here.

1. Will Woodward provide as good of education as WJ? The answer to that question is not clear, but it's unlikely to be a disaster.
2. Will housing value hold up in the parts of WJ district that will be moved into Woodward? Eventually possibly, but there is likely to be at least a short-term decrease in value.

So for any family, while the effect on their kids' educations is likely to be minimal, the effect on their financial health is likely to be considerable. It is only sensible that the couple is asking the question about stability of the school boundary before purchasing.


I agree. A house is the biggest investment of most American families. As the 2008 recession showed, buying an expensive house then having the price crash on you can alter your life trajectory.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:

Sigh.

Kensington and the areas I mentioned are at risk of being clustered into the Downcounty Consortium (of which Bethesda Chevy Chase HS is *not* part) for purposes of diversity.

MCPS and the Board of Education have always had this hankering to bus students in an attempt to close the achievement gap through diversification. They recently voted to weigh this criteria MORE than others. They also stated that long bus rides would be out of the question. This means that in all logic, a student living in the Walt Whitman district out west is not going to have two hour rush hour bus ride to Einstein. However, the white and wealthy eastern fringes, including Kensington, east Bethesda and Chevy Chase, are in the running.

The fact that Woodward is very close to Walter Johnson does NOT guarantee that students will come from Kensington. Because again - diversity!

Get it now?


No. Are you saying that OP is concerned that OP's kid might have a long bus ride to high school? Or are you saying that OP is concerned that OP's kid might be zoned for the same high school as students who are not white and wealthy? Or are you saying that OP is concerned that OP's house might be zoned for a high school attended by students who are not white and wealthy, and therefore OP will be barely able to give the house away when OP tries to sell?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There are two separate questions here.

1. Will Woodward provide as good of education as WJ? The answer to that question is not clear, but it's unlikely to be a disaster.
2. Will housing value hold up in the parts of WJ district that will be moved into Woodward? Eventually possibly, but there is likely to be at least a short-term decrease in value.

So for any family, while the effect on their kids' educations is likely to be minimal, the effect on their financial health is likely to be considerable. It is only sensible that the couple is asking the question about stability of the school boundary before purchasing.


I agree. A house is the biggest investment of most American families. As the 2008 recession showed, buying an expensive house then having the price crash on you can alter your life trajectory.


Because rezoning to Woodward/from Walter Johnson is going to make property values crash? What, exactly, do you mean by crash?

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