Moving to DC this summer--need moral support about finding Pre-school/Kindergarten!

[Anonymous]

Hello! My husband, 4-year-old (will be 5 in August), and I are moving to Washington DC this summer and I guess I now have to face the reality of finding a school for him to attend. We will be living in the Mt. Pleasant area (which I am so excited about), and while I am keeping an open mind about the local public school (Bancroft), would really like to check out my other options. I realize that technically all the private schools and charter schools are full and that we will technically need to sneak in off a waiting list somewhere. Anyone have any experience with this or good ideas? We really don't need much--just a school where he will feel safe and well-loved. I just don't know where to start!

[Anonymous]

Try Franklin Montessori, they are expanding and could have a space because many of their kids leave for kindergarten. That would give you time to work something out for first grade. Same for Aidan Montessori. Any montessori might be goodf or 1 year. Then you could make sure you're happy with Bancroft for 1st grade and have time to do out-of-boundary and charter apps if you so choose.

[Anonymous]

If he will be five in August he could go to Kindergarten at the public school in your district right? even if you are thinking private school only that will buy you a year to look for a private school of your choice.

[Anonymous]

Right, if he is turning 5 in August then he wouldn't even be considered for K at any school even if they were/are still taking applications or if you had arrived last summer. If you were enrolling him in private school he would enter pre-k this fall. So 17:16 suggestion of putting him in public K and then applying, if you then feel you need to, to private K is the way to go.

[Anonymous]

OP here--thanks everyone for your suggestions! I'll keep up the deep breathing and figure something out!

[Anonymous]

Welcome!!! Sounds like starting with Bancroft makes the most sense. Then you can exhale and apply to other schools based on your priorities. If you're willing to move DC to another school as late as November, you just might get in off a list. Yes, that sounds crazy, but the lists keep moving pretty much all year. Charter schools near you incl Capital City, AppleTree, DC Bilingual, Bridges.

Good luck! And don't worry. If you're happy in the neighborhood, DC will be as well.

[Anonymous]

Franklin won't work unless he's already been in Montessori. You might consider Yu Ying if you're open to Chinese Immersion. It's a brand new Charter and has a lot of potential. I think there's a wait list but it's short since it's new. A lot of Mount Pleasant families seem to have registered.
www.washingtonyuying.org

[Anonymous]

It depends on whether or not you are planning for public or private school for dc in the long term.

If you want to go the private route, then I would give a call - today - to the better Montessori's like Aidan and Franklin and see if they are open to your applying. These Montessori's often lose students at age 4 who transfer to the pre-K level at the ongoing private schools.

That said, welcome!!!! We just move here - also to Mt. Pleasant - about a week ago and love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on whether or not you are planning for public or private school for dc in the long term.

If you want to go the private route, then I would give a call - today - to the better Montessori's like Aidan and Franklin and see if they are open to your applying. These Montessori's often lose students at age 4 who transfer to the pre-K level at the ongoing private schools.

That said, welcome!!!! We just move here - also to Mt. Pleasant - about a week ago and love it.

Franklin won't accept older kids that haven't already been in Montessori.

[Anonymous]

My son will be going to a Montessori in VA-was told that they don't take children from kindergarten on up if they haven't attended a preschool Montessori. Makes sense since the method of teaching is quite different than traditional.

[Anonymous]

OP here--thank again for the input. Fortunately, my son has already done two years of Montessori, so Aidan and Franklin are at least willing to take an application (and $50). I'm hoping I can get a tour of Bancroft in the near future--I'm intrigued, it seems to have the same format as Oyster, but there's really not much information/feedback about it.