Takoma DC with kids

[Anonymous]

Depending on your budget, you're going to have to risk the DCPS lottery almost anywhere in DC. That's why it's good to be in places with strong safety schools in case the lottery doesn't work out. Brightwood/Takoma DC fall into that category: their neighborhood elementary schools are well-regarded.
Here's the school profile for Whittier in Brightwood: https://www.greatschools.org/washington-dc/washington/49-Whittier-Education-Campus/
But perhaps other people can chime in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Our street has a self-proclaimed "street president": an adorable retired woman who keeps bringing toys and presents to my child and commands the respect and love of the neighboring houses. "We watch out for each other here," was the first thing she told me when we moved.

That is so cute

Yes, she deserves to be profiled in a local newspaper. She carries the oral history of Brightwood, told me a lot about the neighborhood's history. Loves to care for her garden and has showed me how to take out pesky weeds. Always willing to help neighbors and has a great sense of humor.

I love that! She sounds like a gem. We moved to Brightwood during the pandemic so unfortunately haven't gotten to meet many of the older neighbors. Met plenty of neighbors with kids the same age as ours on our block, and the kids draw on the sidewalk together with chalk and race each other, so that's been fun, but I hope we get to meet our older neighbors too once the pandemic is over.

[Anonymous]

Whittier is a great option for elementary. Wells is still in early days, and with the pandemic it will harder to make a true judgment anytime soon. That being said, the community and culture they are creating seem great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whittier is a great option for elementary. Wells is still in early days, and with the pandemic it will harder to make a true judgment anytime soon. That being said, the community and culture they are creating seem great.

Just wanted to chime in that we're at Whittier and love it! It's nice for the kids to have friends in the neighborhood, with lots of playdates and meet ups at the playgrounds (has been good for DH and I to make friends too). We're also optimistic about Wells. We have visited, and Principal Megan Vroman seems to be doing a great job building a wonderful community with great teachers and parent community there.

[Anonymous]

I find that K parents often have different perspectives and are more favorable of schools than 3rd grade and higher parents. Plus they are usually trying to lotto into a better option al the time, and then just say " we gor ucky, it was a whim" but in reality they want out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find that K parents often have different perspectives and are more favorable of schools than 3rd grade and higher parents. Plus they are usually trying to lotto into a better option al the time, and then just say " we gor ucky, it was a whim" but in reality they want out.

This is my thinking, too. How many of these glowing comments are from parents in the upper grades of these schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that K parents often have different perspectives and are more favorable of schools than 3rd grade and higher parents. Plus they are usually trying to lotto into a better option al the time, and then just say " we gor ucky, it was a whim" but in reality they want out.

This is my thinking, too. How many of these glowing comments are from parents in the upper grades of these schools?

None. Not that takoma isn’t a pretty neighborhood (it is) but I guarantee that no one has or will yet post with kids aged 10 to 18 in zoned DCPS schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find that K parents often have different perspectives and are more favorable of schools than 3rd grade and higher parents. Plus they are usually trying to lotto into a better option al the time, and then just say " we gor ucky, it was a whim" but in reality they want out.

this! they put on a happy face because they are worried about their housing values but deep down their actions speak louder than their words. You can't be that happy if you are always looking for alts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that K parents often have different perspectives and are more favorable of schools than 3rd grade and higher parents. Plus they are usually trying to lotto into a better option al the time, and then just say " we gor ucky, it was a whim" but in reality they want out.

This is my thinking, too. How many of these glowing comments are from parents in the upper grades of these schools?

None. Not that takoma isn’t a pretty neighborhood (it is) but I guarantee that no one has or will yet post with kids aged 10 to 18 in zoned DCPS schools

it hasn't been livable long enough for upper middle class kids to age into middle or high school. I would argue it still isn't the type of area that should attack 750k buyers and up but I guess DC/NW is running out of SFHs and buyers are doing so on pure speculation

[Anonymous]

I think the school conversation is interesting. Most people are not buying these types of homes to live in the rest of their lives. If you can stay put 7-10 years, you are doing a pretty good job of building equity and are probably ready to move up. Of course, nothing is guaranteed. That being said, if you move into a house with no kids or young kids, you will likely move before Middle School is an issue. If the Middle school has proven successful by then or you lotto into something you prefer, great.. you can stay longer if you were only moving because of that. But chances are, you are moving because you want more space, or a bigger yard, or a job relocation, or a divorce, or to be closer to aging family, or whatever. My point is, if the elementary schools are good, why rule out a whole area? DC is so transient, you are likely to move again regardless of the Middle School.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that K parents often have different perspectives and are more favorable of schools than 3rd grade and higher parents. Plus they are usually trying to lotto into a better option al the time, and then just say " we gor ucky, it was a whim" but in reality they want out.

This is my thinking, too. How many of these glowing comments are from parents in the upper grades of these schools?

None. Not that takoma isn’t a pretty neighborhood (it is) but I guarantee that no one has or will yet post with kids aged 10 to 18 in zoned DCPS schools

it hasn't been livable long enough for upper middle class kids to age into middle or high school. I would argue it still isn't the type of area that should attack 750k buyers and up but I guess DC/NW is running out of SFHs and buyers are doing so on pure speculation

Ha! Takoma has been a solidly middle class Black neighborhood for ages. What you mean is white kids. Every white family considering buying there should listen to the podcast "Nice White Parents" in its entirety first.

I visited TEC when we were living in the zone for it. At that time it was PK-8. I got there at the end of students' arrival time but early for the tour so I sat next to the front door and was able to observe that of the students who arrived while I was there, only Black students were wanded by security. Sample size was 15-20 or so. When I asked the principal about it, he said that DCPS's policy is that kids over 6th grade have to be wanded--younger kids do not. Because nearly all the white kids at TEC were at that time below 6th grade, the effect was that only black kids were wanded. I was not wild about those being the conditions I would send a kid to school in...also totally uninterested in the DC lottery scheme. We moved to downtown Silver Spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that K parents often have different perspectives and are more favorable of schools than 3rd grade and higher parents. Plus they are usually trying to lotto into a better option al the time, and then just say " we gor ucky, it was a whim" but in reality they want out.

This is my thinking, too. How many of these glowing comments are from parents in the upper grades of these schools?

None. Not that takoma isn’t a pretty neighborhood (it is) but I guarantee that no one has or will yet post with kids aged 10 to 18 in zoned DCPS schools

it hasn't been livable long enough for upper middle class kids to age into middle or high school. I would argue it still isn't the type of area that should attack 750k buyers and up but I guess DC/NW is running out of SFHs and buyers are doing so on pure speculation

Ha! Takoma has been a solidly middle class Black neighborhood for ages. What you mean is white kids. Every white family considering buying there should listen to the podcast "Nice White Parents" in its entirety first.

I visited TEC when we were living in the zone for it. At that time it was PK-8. I got there at the end of students' arrival time but early for the tour so I sat next to the front door and was able to observe that of the students who arrived while I was there, only Black students were wanded by security. Sample size was 15-20 or so. When I asked the principal about it, he said that DCPS's policy is that kids over 6th grade have to be wanded--younger kids do not. Because nearly all the white kids at TEC were at that time below 6th grade, the effect was that only black kids were wanded. I was not wild about those being the conditions I would send a kid to school in...also totally uninterested in the DC lottery scheme. We moved to downtown Silver Spring.

I grew up in Takoma Park, I don't think your "black middle class" is really middle class. It was an black working class area that is about to become middle class is how you should say that. It was very dumpy until, well it still kind of is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the school conversation is interesting. Most people are not buying these types of homes to live in the rest of their lives. If you can stay put 7-10 years, you are doing a pretty good job of building equity and are probably ready to move up. Of course, nothing is guaranteed. That being said, if you move into a house with no kids or young kids, you will likely move before Middle School is an issue. If the Middle school has proven successful by then or you lotto into something you prefer, great.. you can stay longer if you were only moving because of that. But chances are, you are moving because you want more space, or a bigger yard, or a job relocation, or a divorce, or to be closer to aging family, or whatever. My point is, if the elementary schools are good, why rule out a whole area? DC is so transient, you are likely to move again regardless of the Middle School.

Because moving from a 450k starter home and moving from a real forever house are two different beasts. Beside elementary goes by in a blink, it would suck to have to move in 6th grade because your kid can't hold on to their lunch money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that K parents often have different perspectives and are more favorable of schools than 3rd grade and higher parents. Plus they are usually trying to lotto into a better option al the time, and then just say " we gor ucky, it was a whim" but in reality they want out.

This is my thinking, too. How many of these glowing comments are from parents in the upper grades of these schools?

None. Not that takoma isn’t a pretty neighborhood (it is) but I guarantee that no one has or will yet post with kids aged 10 to 18 in zoned DCPS schools

it hasn't been livable long enough for upper middle class kids to age into middle or high school. I would argue it still isn't the type of area that should attack 750k buyers and up but I guess DC/NW is running out of SFHs and buyers are doing so on pure speculation

Ha! Takoma has been a solidly middle class Black neighborhood for ages. What you mean is white kids. Every white family considering buying there should listen to the podcast "Nice White Parents" in its entirety first.

I visited TEC when we were living in the zone for it. At that time it was PK-8. I got there at the end of students' arrival time but early for the tour so I sat next to the front door and was able to observe that of the students who arrived while I was there, only Black students were wanded by security. Sample size was 15-20 or so. When I asked the principal about it, he said that DCPS's policy is that kids over 6th grade have to be wanded--younger kids do not. Because nearly all the white kids at TEC were at that time below 6th grade, the effect was that only black kids were wanded. I was not wild about those being the conditions I would send a kid to school in...also totally uninterested in the DC lottery scheme. We moved to downtown Silver Spring.

I grew up in Takoma Park, I don't think your "black middle class" is really middle class. It was an black working class area that is about to become middle class is how you should say that. It was very dumpy until, well it still kind of is.

History much?

Here's more on Takoma:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/dcs-takoma-a-neighborhood-that-fought-for-diversity-still-reaps-its-benefits/2019/08/28/917e046a-c8cd-11e9-a4f3-c081a126de70_story.html

and more on Neighbors, Inc, the organization mentioned in that WaPo piece.

https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/neighbors-inc/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that K parents often have different perspectives and are more favorable of schools than 3rd grade and higher parents. Plus they are usually trying to lotto into a better option al the time, and then just say " we gor ucky, it was a whim" but in reality they want out.

This is my thinking, too. How many of these glowing comments are from parents in the upper grades of these schools?

None. Not that takoma isn’t a pretty neighborhood (it is) but I guarantee that no one has or will yet post with kids aged 10 to 18 in zoned DCPS schools

it hasn't been livable long enough for upper middle class kids to age into middle or high school. I would argue it still isn't the type of area that should attack 750k buyers and up but I guess DC/NW is running out of SFHs and buyers are doing so on pure speculation

Ha! Takoma has been a solidly middle class Black neighborhood for ages. What you mean is white kids. Every white family considering buying there should listen to the podcast "Nice White Parents" in its entirety first.

I visited TEC when we were living in the zone for it. At that time it was PK-8. I got there at the end of students' arrival time but early for the tour so I sat next to the front door and was able to observe that of the students who arrived while I was there, only Black students were wanded by security. Sample size was 15-20 or so. When I asked the principal about it, he said that DCPS's policy is that kids over 6th grade have to be wanded--younger kids do not. Because nearly all the white kids at TEC were at that time below 6th grade, the effect was that only black kids were wanded. I was not wild about those being the conditions I would send a kid to school in...also totally uninterested in the DC lottery scheme. We moved to downtown Silver Spring.

I grew up in Takoma Park, I don't think your "black middle class" is really middle class. It was an black working class area that is about to become middle class is how you should say that. It was very dumpy until, well it still kind of is.

History much?

Here's more on Takoma:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/realestate/dcs-takoma-a-neighborhood-that-fought-for-diversity-still-reaps-its-benefits/2019/08/28/917e046a-c8cd-11e9-a4f3-c081a126de70_story.html

and more on Neighbors, Inc, the organization mentioned in that WaPo piece.

https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/neighbors-inc/

Thank you. Takoma had a VERY solid middle/upper middle class population. Now it's more upper.