Let's see those lottery lists!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Love to hear thoughts and feedback. Live in Brookland, commute to work downtown primarily via RIA. Looking for PK3 but okay with staying in current daycare if lose the lottery. Really drawn to montessori and the DCI track schools as is evident in my list. Also prefer not drive all over the city if possible, haha.

1. Lee
2. Shining Stars
3. Inspired
4. Stokes Spanish
5. Stokes French
6. Yu Ying
7. DC Bilingual
8. Mundo Verde
9. Breakthrough
10. Creative Minds
11. Two Rivers 4th
12. Capitol Hill Montessori @ Logan

I didn't get to the open houses for 8-12. It's really slots 9-12 that I'm struggling with. Also on my list but not here: Sela, 2 Rivers Young, School-Within-School. I didn't get to any of these open houses either except SWS.

With a bad draw, you could easily be unmatched and have sky high waitlist numbers across your choices. Not a single safety. I know you wrote you're fine with staying in daycare; with this list, the odds are more in favor of your daycare.

You will end up with a 50% chance of daycare with this list. Have you considered Langley as a safety? You are wasting CHML and 2R4 at that ranking. I know there are kids from Brookland in my DD's class at Langley.

OP here -- Langley isn't a school I've heard much about but I appreciate the rec and will do some research! I take it you are happy there?

Yes, we are happy there. DD's teacher is excellent and has kept her challenged, and she has peers on her level and several BFFs. The principal is new but doing well. It is a smallish school, which I like, in a very roomy and nice historic building. The school seems to be at the beginning of the standard gentrification process from preschool up, so test scores are pretty bad, but the preschool is fine. We are lotterying selectively and expect to stay next year. It is not 100% certain that you would get in OOB, but it's definitely possible. I think it's a hidden gem.

NP, I work in schools and knew the previous principal of Langley, she was amazing. I don't know the new one but hear really great things. I'd definitely consider it a good bet as an OOB safety.

I think the new principal is doing a great job. She has tackled some challenging budget and staffing issues and is warm and welcoming but authoritative when needed. I like her a lot. Of course it is a learning curve for a first time principal and the school still needs a lot of work. But I am very happy we have her.

Great, happy to hear things are good and getting better there. Even if still a lot more to do.

[Anonymous]

Would love feedback on this PK4 list:
Murch (IB)
CMI
Breakthrough Montessori
Apple Tree Early Learning Columbia Heights
Powell
Tubman
Dorothy Height

Also LAMB, Bethune 16th Street

We like Montessori or dual language/immersion, but also work downtown around 14th street, so impact on commute is a factor. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would love feedback on this PK4 list:
Murch (IB)
CMI
Breakthrough Montessori
Apple Tree Early Learning Columbia Heights
Powell
Tubman
Dorothy Height

Also LAMB, Bethune 16th Street

We like Montessori or dual language/immersion, but also work downtown around 14th street, so impact on commute is a factor. Thanks!

CMI is a hell of a commute. Do you work that way?

[Anonymous]

No, it's the most out-of-the-way on the list. So we're trying to decide how to weigh that against the good things we've heard about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would love feedback on this PK4 list:
Murch (IB)
CMI
Breakthrough Montessori
Apple Tree Early Learning Columbia Heights
Powell
Tubman
Dorothy Height

Also LAMB, Bethune 16th Street

We like Montessori or dual language/immersion, but also work downtown around 14th street, so impact on commute is a factor. Thanks!

If suggest ranking Breakthrough Montessori on top. you"ll have a good chance to get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, it's the most out-of-the-way on the list. So we're trying to decide how to weigh that against the good things we've heard about it.

I'm doing the CMI/downtown commute as are a few other parents. You can join our carpool!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would love feedback on this PK4 list:
Murch (IB)
CMI
Breakthrough Montessori
Apple Tree Early Learning Columbia Heights
Powell
Tubman
Dorothy Height

Also LAMB, Bethune 16th Street

We like Montessori or dual language/immersion, but also work downtown around 14th street, so impact on commute is a factor. Thanks!

If suggest ranking Breakthrough Montessori on top. you"ll have a good chance to get in.

Where you rank a school on the list doesn't affect your likelihood of getting in to the school. Rank in your true preferential order.

[Anonymous]

It's deadline day! What's your best and final list?

[Anonymous]

Would love people's reactions to our PK3 list:

SWS
Hyde-Addison
Lee Montessori
Shining Stars Montessori
Inspired Teaching
Seaton (IB)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's deadline day! What's your best and final list?

We ended up ranking the same 12 for PK3 for our twins. We struggled more with the bottom than the top of the list ... unsure if we should put our inbound option (and another close but not high performing PS) ahead of or behind Sela (though with Sela listed at 10 it probably doesn't matter, I'm guessing).

[Anonymous]

Any thoughts on Hyde-Addison inbound for PK4? Trying to decide if we should roll the dice on ranking other schools above it in the hope of getting in somewhere else in NWDC that won't be swinging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would love people's reactions to our PK3 list:

SWS
Hyde-Addison
Lee Montessori
Shining Stars Montessori
Inspired Teaching
Seaton (IB)

Seaton does not have the guaranteed IB admission thing. You are probably safe to get in by midsummer though.

[Anonymous]

Question for parents that have been through this before...What information is available on March 31st? Do parents actually learn their child's lottery number or just the outcome of the lottery? For each school do you see an outcome such as number on wait list, spot offered, school dropped from list, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question for parents that have been through this before...What information is available on March 31st? Do parents actually learn their child's lottery number or just the outcome of the lottery? For each school do you see an outcome such as number on wait list, spot offered, school dropped from list, etc.?

You don't ever receive a lottery number/standing. On March 31st you will receive the outcome -- spot offered-- and then a waitlist number for any school(s) that you ranked higher. You'll also see that you were dropped from any school you ranked lower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question for parents that have been through this before...What information is available on March 31st? Do parents actually learn their child's lottery number or just the outcome of the lottery? For each school do you see an outcome such as number on wait list, spot offered, school dropped from list, etc.?

Last year it came out about 10:30 the night before. For each school you got a match or a number indicating where you were on each waitlist. Those waitlist numbets would change as the list progressed.