Moving from DCPS to Charter but commute is terrible

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC could easily implement free test prep programs like NYC does. The truth is that they wouldn't be taken advantage of equally across demographics, but would have some impact in terms of increasing diversity of admitted students from a purely ecomomic perspective (or at least certainly has in NYC). However, there is a huge value of education/value of test prep cultural component that it wouldn't and can't address on its own.

That does not strike me as a reason not to have test-in schools.

I also think there are test-in options where you reserve spots for kids from different middle schools and/or wards and/or income levels. Lots of options could be explored.

I don’t see why people should waste so many resources in selective schools for parents and kids who can’t clear the lowest bar to show up to free tutoring.

This. It's nice to reserve spots for some kids from lower opportunity, byt the kids (and, unfortunately, their families) have to show some energy for taking advantage of the opportunities they do have.

[Anonymous]

How did this thread go from school commute to mayoral preferences? DCUM needs to calm down.

We used to drive our kid from NW to NE from Prek-3 to middle school for charter schools. It was definitely a 35-40 minute commute for drop off and then I would turn around and go drive to work in Georgetown.

BTW: some DC kids/parents take 2 buses and metro from Wards 7 and 8 to get their kids to mid-city charters or magnets. If you don’t think the commute fits with your lifestyle, it’s fine. Just please give your space up at the charter for another family.

For us, it was worth it for the charter school curriculums (LAMB & Truth). Also, I saw it as more time with my kid. It goes fast. They are at Walls now. Our inbound elementary was Stoddert. Enjoy the time with your little ones whatever you choose!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC could easily implement free test prep programs like NYC does. The truth is that they wouldn't be taken advantage of equally across demographics, but would have some impact in terms of increasing diversity of admitted students from a purely ecomomic perspective (or at least certainly has in NYC). However, there is a huge value of education/value of test prep cultural component that it wouldn't and can't address on its own.

That does not strike me as a reason not to have test-in schools.

I also think there are test-in options where you reserve spots for kids from different middle schools and/or wards and/or income levels. Lots of options could be explored.

Boston does same thing. Provides free tutoring in preparation for test-in schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are kids at our (hyper-desirable) charter who have hourlong commutes.

Which is so funny to me. Some of these parents acting like hamsters on a wheel, sweating to prepare their kids for a world that no longer exists.

So you are preparing your kids for a world where education isn’t valued? I’ll go with the hampster parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get an ebike, OP! That way you get a workout and it's not lost time. The bike lane on Michigan makes it super easy to get from Petworth to Brookland.

Ebikes are an excellent way to get your kids killed on the way to school.

It is shocking how many parents with kids on ebikes I see blowing through stop signs and red lights. Even with Idaho stops, most times they don’t have the right of way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get an ebike, OP! That way you get a workout and it's not lost time. The bike lane on Michigan makes it super easy to get from Petworth to Brookland.

Ebikes are an excellent way to get your kids killed on the way to school.

It is shocking how many parents with kids on ebikes I see blowing through stop signs and red lights. Even with Idaho stops, most times they don’t have the right of way.

The risks cyclists take with their children blows my mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did this thread go from school commute to mayoral preferences? DCUM needs to calm down.

We used to drive our kid from NW to NE from Prek-3 to middle school for charter schools. It was definitely a 35-40 minute commute for drop off and then I would turn around and go drive to work in Georgetown.

BTW: some DC kids/parents take 2 buses and metro from Wards 7 and 8 to get their kids to mid-city charters or magnets. If you don’t think the commute fits with your lifestyle, it’s fine. Just please give your space up at the charter for another family.

For us, it was worth it for the charter school curriculums (LAMB & Truth). Also, I saw it as more time with my kid. It goes fast. They are at Walls now. Our inbound elementary was Stoddert. Enjoy the time with your little ones whatever you choose!

A short commute allows me to spend more quality time with my kids, not less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did this thread go from school commute to mayoral preferences? DCUM needs to calm down.

We used to drive our kid from NW to NE from Prek-3 to middle school for charter schools. It was definitely a 35-40 minute commute for drop off and then I would turn around and go drive to work in Georgetown.

BTW: some DC kids/parents take 2 buses and metro from Wards 7 and 8 to get their kids to mid-city charters or magnets. If you don’t think the commute fits with your lifestyle, it’s fine. Just please give your space up at the charter for another family.

For us, it was worth it for the charter school curriculums (LAMB & Truth). Also, I saw it as more time with my kid. It goes fast. They are at Walls now. Our inbound elementary was Stoddert. Enjoy the time with your little ones whatever you choose!

Being in boundary for Stoddert and driving across the city certainly is a choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did this thread go from school commute to mayoral preferences? DCUM needs to calm down.

We used to drive our kid from NW to NE from Prek-3 to middle school for charter schools. It was definitely a 35-40 minute commute for drop off and then I would turn around and go drive to work in Georgetown.

BTW: some DC kids/parents take 2 buses and metro from Wards 7 and 8 to get their kids to mid-city charters or magnets. If you don’t think the commute fits with your lifestyle, it’s fine. Just please give your space up at the charter for another family.

For us, it was worth it for the charter school curriculums (LAMB & Truth). Also, I saw it as more time with my kid. It goes fast. They are at Walls now. Our inbound elementary was Stoddert. Enjoy the time with your little ones whatever you choose!

Being in boundary for Stoddert and driving across the city certainly is a choice.

Yes, always baffled by these choices. I guess with LAMB you get immersion and Montessori but personally I would have given up by 3rd.

I am far from a DCPS booster but some DCPS elementaries are really strong and it's always wild to me when people give up great IB options for charters I think are only okay. To each their own, of course, but it's just hard for me to wrap my head around it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get an ebike, OP! That way you get a workout and it's not lost time. The bike lane on Michigan makes it super easy to get from Petworth to Brookland.

Ebikes are an excellent way to get your kids killed on the way to school.

It is shocking how many parents with kids on ebikes I see blowing through stop signs and red lights. Even with Idaho stops, most times they don’t have the right of way.

The D.C. version of the Idaho stop only applies to stop signs. Unlike the traditional Idaho stop, cyclists in D.C. must still come to a full, complete stop at red lights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did this thread go from school commute to mayoral preferences? DCUM needs to calm down.

We used to drive our kid from NW to NE from Prek-3 to middle school for charter schools. It was definitely a 35-40 minute commute for drop off and then I would turn around and go drive to work in Georgetown.

BTW: some DC kids/parents take 2 buses and metro from Wards 7 and 8 to get their kids to mid-city charters or magnets. If you don’t think the commute fits with your lifestyle, it’s fine. Just please give your space up at the charter for another family.

For us, it was worth it for the charter school curriculums (LAMB & Truth). Also, I saw it as more time with my kid. It goes fast. They are at Walls now. Our inbound elementary was Stoddert. Enjoy the time with your little ones whatever you choose!

Being in boundary for Stoddert and driving across the city certainly is a choice.

Yes, always baffled by these choices. I guess with LAMB you get immersion and Montessori but personally I would have given up by 3rd.

I am far from a DCPS booster but some DCPS elementaries are really strong and it's always wild to me when people give up great IB options for charters I think are only okay. To each their own, of course, but it's just hard for me to wrap my head around it.

LAMB can be hard to compare with other schools because 1. the kids are learning the subject matter in a second language and 2. LAMB does not give a F about standardized tests. They do almost nothing to prepare for CAPE and MAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did this thread go from school commute to mayoral preferences? DCUM needs to calm down.

We used to drive our kid from NW to NE from Prek-3 to middle school for charter schools. It was definitely a 35-40 minute commute for drop off and then I would turn around and go drive to work in Georgetown.

BTW: some DC kids/parents take 2 buses and metro from Wards 7 and 8 to get their kids to mid-city charters or magnets. If you don’t think the commute fits with your lifestyle, it’s fine. Just please give your space up at the charter for another family.

For us, it was worth it for the charter school curriculums (LAMB & Truth). Also, I saw it as more time with my kid. It goes fast. They are at Walls now. Our inbound elementary was Stoddert. Enjoy the time with your little ones whatever you choose!

Being in boundary for Stoddert and driving across the city certainly is a choice.

Yes, always baffled by these choices. I guess with LAMB you get immersion and Montessori but personally I would have given up by 3rd.

I am far from a DCPS booster but some DCPS elementaries are really strong and it's always wild to me when people give up great IB options for charters I think are only okay. To each their own, of course, but it's just hard for me to wrap my head around it.

What is hard to understand about this? Where do you send your kid to high school if you've sent them to a DCPS elementary? Or do you live in NW and have never needed to think about this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did this thread go from school commute to mayoral preferences? DCUM needs to calm down.

We used to drive our kid from NW to NE from Prek-3 to middle school for charter schools. It was definitely a 35-40 minute commute for drop off and then I would turn around and go drive to work in Georgetown.

BTW: some DC kids/parents take 2 buses and metro from Wards 7 and 8 to get their kids to mid-city charters or magnets. If you don’t think the commute fits with your lifestyle, it’s fine. Just please give your space up at the charter for another family.

For us, it was worth it for the charter school curriculums (LAMB & Truth). Also, I saw it as more time with my kid. It goes fast. They are at Walls now. Our inbound elementary was Stoddert. Enjoy the time with your little ones whatever you choose!

Being in boundary for Stoddert and driving across the city certainly is a choice.

Yes, always baffled by these choices. I guess with LAMB you get immersion and Montessori but personally I would have given up by 3rd.

I am far from a DCPS booster but some DCPS elementaries are really strong and it's always wild to me when people give up great IB options for charters I think are only okay. To each their own, of course, but it's just hard for me to wrap my head around it.

What is hard to understand about this? Where do you send your kid to high school if you've sent them to a DCPS elementary? Or do you live in NW and have never needed to think about this?

+1. Most people send kids to immersion elementary schools to get into DCI for middle and high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did this thread go from school commute to mayoral preferences? DCUM needs to calm down.

We used to drive our kid from NW to NE from Prek-3 to middle school for charter schools. It was definitely a 35-40 minute commute for drop off and then I would turn around and go drive to work in Georgetown.

BTW: some DC kids/parents take 2 buses and metro from Wards 7 and 8 to get their kids to mid-city charters or magnets. If you don’t think the commute fits with your lifestyle, it’s fine. Just please give your space up at the charter for another family.

For us, it was worth it for the charter school curriculums (LAMB & Truth). Also, I saw it as more time with my kid. It goes fast. They are at Walls now. Our inbound elementary was Stoddert. Enjoy the time with your little ones whatever you choose!

Being in boundary for Stoddert and driving across the city certainly is a choice.

Yes, always baffled by these choices. I guess with LAMB you get immersion and Montessori but personally I would have given up by 3rd.

I am far from a DCPS booster but some DCPS elementaries are really strong and it's always wild to me when people give up great IB options for charters I think are only okay. To each their own, of course, but it's just hard for me to wrap my head around it.

To be fair, the PP said they were through Montessori all the way through 8th and is now at Walls. Seems like everything worked out very well. If I had to guess,there is something I particular going on this with kid that made Montessori particularly right (like maybe a twice exceptional situation). No judgement here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did this thread go from school commute to mayoral preferences? DCUM needs to calm down.

We used to drive our kid from NW to NE from Prek-3 to middle school for charter schools. It was definitely a 35-40 minute commute for drop off and then I would turn around and go drive to work in Georgetown.

BTW: some DC kids/parents take 2 buses and metro from Wards 7 and 8 to get their kids to mid-city charters or magnets. If you don’t think the commute fits with your lifestyle, it’s fine. Just please give your space up at the charter for another family.

For us, it was worth it for the charter school curriculums (LAMB & Truth). Also, I saw it as more time with my kid. It goes fast. They are at Walls now. Our inbound elementary was Stoddert. Enjoy the time with your little ones whatever you choose!

Being in boundary for Stoddert and driving across the city certainly is a choice.

Yes, always baffled by these choices. I guess with LAMB you get immersion and Montessori but personally I would have given up by 3rd.

I am far from a DCPS booster but some DCPS elementaries are really strong and it's always wild to me when people give up great IB options for charters I think are only okay. To each their own, of course, but it's just hard for me to wrap my head around it.

What is hard to understand about this? Where do you send your kid to high school if you've sent them to a DCPS elementary? Or do you live in NW and have never needed to think about this?

NP but the PP they are responding to said they’re in bound for Stoddert. So sounds like they have a great by right elementary, middle and high school. And instead drove their kids across the city.