Elementary School Recommendations for Family moving to DC from Australia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you in advance for reading my long and complicated post!

We are a family of 6 (6 yo, 4 yo, twin babies) looking to move to DC next June from Australia. We are dual citizens.

Because my daughter will be 7yo when we arrive, we are looking to move to a neighborhood where we can attend in boundary elementary through high schools.

I will be working throughout DC, in wards 4,5,6, 7 and 8 via car. My main office will be between Georgetown and Downtown. My partner hasn't decided on a job, but he's flexible. It would be great to live near(ish) to work, but since I'll be travelling during the day anyway, that's not the main priority.

We are a bit stressed about this move- mainly because we don't want to uproot our children and then have them attend a school only to have us switch them out to a new school soon after. This is why we want to enrol in the in-boundary schools.

Could you please advise on your favorite elementary, middle and/or high schools and share why? We are looking for schools with a strong sense of community that are friendly and safe. We have been looking at neighborhoods in NW. Our housing budget is $1.25 million.

Thank you!

Have you considered living in Bethesda, MD, right on the DC/MD border by the river. Much better schools through middle and high school as well as zippy enough commutes all over DC, VC, MD. Esp in west bethesda I often go on GW parkway (in VA), Clara Barton, MacArthur, River Road, Massachusettrs or slug it out on Wisconsin or COnnecticut if I have to. Whitman HS cluster or Bethesda Chevy Chase cluster.

The high schools will be better, but the elementary schools (where OP's kids will be right now) will not. One big factor for our decision was class sizes - Westbrook has K classes with 29 students and one teacher, while Janney's K classes are around 22 students with two teachers.

My 2nd graded has 23 in there class and my younger kid in K has 21 (woodacres). I live up the street from Janney and would chose woodacres over it every time. And it isn’t 2 teachers. It is a teacher and an aid. Nice don’t get me wrong but I can only imagine that the PTA funding that will either be outlawed soon or the OOB slots vastly increased as the disparity of the high value PTAs are brought to light over the EOTP schools

Which Wood Acres teacher only has 21 kids in their class? We have 24, which honestly didn't seem to bad to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you in advance for reading my long and complicated post!

We are a family of 6 (6 yo, 4 yo, twin babies) looking to move to DC next June from Australia. We are dual citizens.

Because my daughter will be 7yo when we arrive, we are looking to move to a neighborhood where we can attend in boundary elementary through high schools.

I will be working throughout DC, in wards 4,5,6, 7 and 8 via car. My main office will be between Georgetown and Downtown. My partner hasn't decided on a job, but he's flexible. It would be great to live near(ish) to work, but since I'll be travelling during the day anyway, that's not the main priority.

We are a bit stressed about this move- mainly because we don't want to uproot our children and then have them attend a school only to have us switch them out to a new school soon after. This is why we want to enrol in the in-boundary schools.

Could you please advise on your favorite elementary, middle and/or high schools and share why? We are looking for schools with a strong sense of community that are friendly and safe. We have been looking at neighborhoods in NW. Our housing budget is $1.25 million.

Thank you!

Have you considered living in Bethesda, MD, right on the DC/MD border by the river. Much better schools through middle and high school as well as zippy enough commutes all over DC, VC, MD. Esp in west bethesda I often go on GW parkway (in VA), Clara Barton, MacArthur, River Road, Massachusettrs or slug it out on Wisconsin or COnnecticut if I have to. Whitman HS cluster or Bethesda Chevy Chase cluster.

The high schools will be better, but the elementary schools (where OP's kids will be right now) will not. One big factor for our decision was class sizes - Westbrook has K classes with 29 students and one teacher, while Janney's K classes are around 22 students with two teachers.

My 2nd graded has 23 in there class and my younger kid in K has 21 (woodacres). I live up the street from Janney and would chose woodacres over it every time. And it isn’t 2 teachers. It is a teacher and an aid. Nice don’t get me wrong but I can only imagine that the PTA funding that will either be outlawed soon or the OOB slots vastly increased as the disparity of the high value PTAs are brought to light over the EOTP schools

I doubt that will happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you in advance for reading my long and complicated post!

We are a family of 6 (6 yo, 4 yo, twin babies) looking to move to DC next June from Australia. We are dual citizens.

Because my daughter will be 7yo when we arrive, we are looking to move to a neighborhood where we can attend in boundary elementary through high schools.

I will be working throughout DC, in wards 4,5,6, 7 and 8 via car. My main office will be between Georgetown and Downtown. My partner hasn't decided on a job, but he's flexible. It would be great to live near(ish) to work, but since I'll be travelling during the day anyway, that's not the main priority.

We are a bit stressed about this move- mainly because we don't want to uproot our children and then have them attend a school only to have us switch them out to a new school soon after. This is why we want to enrol in the in-boundary schools.

Could you please advise on your favorite elementary, middle and/or high schools and share why? We are looking for schools with a strong sense of community that are friendly and safe. We have been looking at neighborhoods in NW. Our housing budget is $1.25 million.

Thank you!

Have you considered living in Bethesda, MD, right on the DC/MD border by the river. Much better schools through middle and high school as well as zippy enough commutes all over DC, VC, MD. Esp in west bethesda I often go on GW parkway (in VA), Clara Barton, MacArthur, River Road, Massachusettrs or slug it out on Wisconsin or COnnecticut if I have to. Whitman HS cluster or Bethesda Chevy Chase cluster.

The high schools will be better, but the elementary schools (where OP's kids will be right now) will not. One big factor for our decision was class sizes - Westbrook has K classes with 29 students and one teacher, while Janney's K classes are around 22 students with two teachers.

My 2nd graded has 23 in there class and my younger kid in K has 21 (woodacres). I live up the street from Janney and would chose woodacres over it every time. And it isn’t 2 teachers. It is a teacher and an aid. Nice don’t get me wrong but I can only imagine that the PTA funding that will either be outlawed soon or the OOB slots vastly increased as the disparity of the high value PTAs are brought to light over the EOTP schools

Can you share why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you in advance for reading my long and complicated post!

We are a family of 6 (6 yo, 4 yo, twin babies) looking to move to DC next June from Australia. We are dual citizens.

Because my daughter will be 7yo when we arrive, we are looking to move to a neighborhood where we can attend in boundary elementary through high schools.

I will be working throughout DC, in wards 4,5,6, 7 and 8 via car. My main office will be between Georgetown and Downtown. My partner hasn't decided on a job, but he's flexible. It would be great to live near(ish) to work, but since I'll be travelling during the day anyway, that's not the main priority.

We are a bit stressed about this move- mainly because we don't want to uproot our children and then have them attend a school only to have us switch them out to a new school soon after. This is why we want to enrol in the in-boundary schools.

Could you please advise on your favorite elementary, middle and/or high schools and share why? We are looking for schools with a strong sense of community that are friendly and safe. We have been looking at neighborhoods in NW. Our housing budget is $1.25 million.

Thank you!

Have you considered living in Bethesda, MD, right on the DC/MD border by the river. Much better schools through middle and high school as well as zippy enough commutes all over DC, VC, MD. Esp in west bethesda I often go on GW parkway (in VA), Clara Barton, MacArthur, River Road, Massachusettrs or slug it out on Wisconsin or COnnecticut if I have to. Whitman HS cluster or Bethesda Chevy Chase cluster.

The high schools will be better, but the elementary schools (where OP's kids will be right now) will not. One big factor for our decision was class sizes - Westbrook has K classes with 29 students and one teacher, while Janney's K classes are around 22 students with two teachers.

My 2nd graded has 23 in there class and my younger kid in K has 21 (woodacres). I live up the street from Janney and would chose woodacres over it every time. And it isn’t 2 teachers. It is a teacher and an aid. Nice don’t get me wrong but I can only imagine that the PTA funding that will either be outlawed soon or the OOB slots vastly increased as the disparity of the high value PTAs are brought to light over the EOTP schools

How can you live "up the street" from Janney and send your kids to Woodacres? Are you paying tuition in MoCo? The Woodacres zone is pretty far from Tenleytown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you in advance for reading my long and complicated post!

We are a family of 6 (6 yo, 4 yo, twin babies) looking to move to DC next June from Australia. We are dual citizens.

Because my daughter will be 7yo when we arrive, we are looking to move to a neighborhood where we can attend in boundary elementary through high schools.

I will be working throughout DC, in wards 4,5,6, 7 and 8 via car. My main office will be between Georgetown and Downtown. My partner hasn't decided on a job, but he's flexible. It would be great to live near(ish) to work, but since I'll be travelling during the day anyway, that's not the main priority.

We are a bit stressed about this move- mainly because we don't want to uproot our children and then have them attend a school only to have us switch them out to a new school soon after. This is why we want to enrol in the in-boundary schools.

Could you please advise on your favorite elementary, middle and/or high schools and share why? We are looking for schools with a strong sense of community that are friendly and safe. We have been looking at neighborhoods in NW. Our housing budget is $1.25 million.

Thank you!

Have you considered living in Bethesda, MD, right on the DC/MD border by the river. Much better schools through middle and high school as well as zippy enough commutes all over DC, VC, MD. Esp in west bethesda I often go on GW parkway (in VA), Clara Barton, MacArthur, River Road, Massachusettrs or slug it out on Wisconsin or COnnecticut if I have to. Whitman HS cluster or Bethesda Chevy Chase cluster.

The high schools will be better, but the elementary schools (where OP's kids will be right now) will not. One big factor for our decision was class sizes - Westbrook has K classes with 29 students and one teacher, while Janney's K classes are around 22 students with two teachers.

My 2nd graded has 23 in there class and my younger kid in K has 21 (woodacres). I live up the street from Janney and would chose woodacres over it every time. And it isn’t 2 teachers. It is a teacher and an aid. Nice don’t get me wrong but I can only imagine that the PTA funding that will either be outlawed soon or the OOB slots vastly increased as the disparity of the high value PTAs are brought to light over the EOTP schools

How can you live "up the street" from Janney and send your kids to Woodacres? Are you paying tuition in MoCo? The Woodacres zone is pretty far from Tenleytown.

This could be technically tie if she means like 2+ miles up River Road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you in advance for reading my long and complicated post!

We are a family of 6 (6 yo, 4 yo, twin babies) looking to move to DC next June from Australia. We are dual citizens.

Because my daughter will be 7yo when we arrive, we are looking to move to a neighborhood where we can attend in boundary elementary through high schools.

I will be working throughout DC, in wards 4,5,6, 7 and 8 via car. My main office will be between Georgetown and Downtown. My partner hasn't decided on a job, but he's flexible. It would be great to live near(ish) to work, but since I'll be travelling during the day anyway, that's not the main priority.

We are a bit stressed about this move- mainly because we don't want to uproot our children and then have them attend a school only to have us switch them out to a new school soon after. This is why we want to enrol in the in-boundary schools.

Could you please advise on your favorite elementary, middle and/or high schools and share why? We are looking for schools with a strong sense of community that are friendly and safe. We have been looking at neighborhoods in NW. Our housing budget is $1.25 million.

Thank you!

Have you considered living in Bethesda, MD, right on the DC/MD border by the river. Much better schools through middle and high school as well as zippy enough commutes all over DC, VC, MD. Esp in west bethesda I often go on GW parkway (in VA), Clara Barton, MacArthur, River Road, Massachusettrs or slug it out on Wisconsin or COnnecticut if I have to. Whitman HS cluster or Bethesda Chevy Chase cluster.

The high schools will be better, but the elementary schools (where OP's kids will be right now) will not. One big factor for our decision was class sizes - Westbrook has K classes with 29 students and one teacher, while Janney's K classes are around 22 students with two teachers.

My 2nd graded has 23 in there class and my younger kid in K has 21 (woodacres). I live up the street from Janney and would chose woodacres over it every time. And it isn’t 2 teachers. It is a teacher and an aid. Nice don’t get me wrong but I can only imagine that the PTA funding that will either be outlawed soon or the OOB slots vastly increased as the disparity of the high value PTAs are brought to light over the EOTP schools

How can you live "up the street" from Janney and send your kids to Woodacres? Are you paying tuition in MoCo? The Woodacres zone is pretty far from Tenleytown.

This could be technically tie if she means like 2+ miles up River Road.

The area zoned for Wood Acres is less than two miles from the DC line, but I wouldn't describe as "up the street."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you in advance for reading my long and complicated post!

We are a family of 6 (6 yo, 4 yo, twin babies) looking to move to DC next June from Australia. We are dual citizens.

Because my daughter will be 7yo when we arrive, we are looking to move to a neighborhood where we can attend in boundary elementary through high schools.

I will be working throughout DC, in wards 4,5,6, 7 and 8 via car. My main office will be between Georgetown and Downtown. My partner hasn't decided on a job, but he's flexible. It would be great to live near(ish) to work, but since I'll be travelling during the day anyway, that's not the main priority.

We are a bit stressed about this move- mainly because we don't want to uproot our children and then have them attend a school only to have us switch them out to a new school soon after. This is why we want to enrol in the in-boundary schools.

Could you please advise on your favorite elementary, middle and/or high schools and share why? We are looking for schools with a strong sense of community that are friendly and safe. We have been looking at neighborhoods in NW. Our housing budget is $1.25 million.

Thank you!

Have you considered living in Bethesda, MD, right on the DC/MD border by the river. Much better schools through middle and high school as well as zippy enough commutes all over DC, VC, MD. Esp in west bethesda I often go on GW parkway (in VA), Clara Barton, MacArthur, River Road, Massachusettrs or slug it out on Wisconsin or COnnecticut if I have to. Whitman HS cluster or Bethesda Chevy Chase cluster.

The high schools will be better, but the elementary schools (where OP's kids will be right now) will not. One big factor for our decision was class sizes - Westbrook has K classes with 29 students and one teacher, while Janney's K classes are around 22 students with two teachers.

My 2nd graded has 23 in there class and my younger kid in K has 21 (woodacres). I live up the street from Janney and would chose woodacres over it every time. And it isn’t 2 teachers. It is a teacher and an aid. Nice don’t get me wrong but I can only imagine that the PTA funding that will either be outlawed soon or the OOB slots vastly increased as the disparity of the high value PTAs are brought to light over the EOTP schools

How can you live "up the street" from Janney and send your kids to Woodacres? Are you paying tuition in MoCo? The Woodacres zone is pretty far from Tenleytown.

This could be technically tie if she means like 2+ miles up River Road.

The area zoned for Wood Acres is less than two miles from the DC line, but I wouldn't describe as "up the street."

Right. But it’s technically “up the road” if she means River Road. In which case, it’s about 2 miles up.

[Anonymous]

OP Here: Update- it looks like I will only be working in Georgetown 1 day a week and mainly SE DC the other four. Seems that commute is going to be pretty terrible with many of the suggested choices? I may be able to have flexible hours where I commute outside of rush hour, but certainly not everyday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP Here: Update- it looks like I will only be working in Georgetown 1 day a week and mainly SE DC the other four. Seems that commute is going to be pretty terrible with many of the suggested choices? I may be able to have flexible hours where I commute outside of rush hour, but certainly not everyday.

Honestly? I’d go with Capitol Hill and worry about middle school when the time comes. It has everything else you’re looking for. Brent, Maury or Ludlow-Taylor IBs (in approx that order).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP Here: Update- it looks like I will only be working in Georgetown 1 day a week and mainly SE DC the other four. Seems that commute is going to be pretty terrible with many of the suggested choices? I may be able to have flexible hours where I commute outside of rush hour, but certainly not everyday.

Honestly? I’d go with Capitol Hill and worry about middle school when the time comes. It has everything else you’re looking for. Brent, Maury or Ludlow-Taylor IBs (in approx that order).

Yep, here folks move more than once. When kids are little, commute is everything. Later, school quality for whatever it turns out your child needs. Folks change jobs, thus job locations, more than you might expect. All that means is perhaps best to solve for what you need right now, be glad if it happens to work out many years down the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP Here: Update- it looks like I will only be working in Georgetown 1 day a week and mainly SE DC the other four. Seems that commute is going to be pretty terrible with many of the suggested choices? I may be able to have flexible hours where I commute outside of rush hour, but certainly not everyday.

Honestly? I’d go with Capitol Hill and worry about middle school when the time comes. It has everything else you’re looking for. Brent, Maury or Ludlow-Taylor IBs (in approx that order).

- thanks, i'll look into brent. I agree with the other poster, commute is so important especially so I can maximise the time I have with the little ones -OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP Here: Update- it looks like I will only be working in Georgetown 1 day a week and mainly SE DC the other four. Seems that commute is going to be pretty terrible with many of the suggested choices? I may be able to have flexible hours where I commute outside of rush hour, but certainly not everyday.

I suggested Shepherd Park before, but my spouse commutes to SE DC (east of the River) a couple times a week, and it's a longish commute during rush hour--about an hour each way.

I agree that the Hill might be fine, depending on your tolerance for long commutes from NW DC vs. your tolerance for less certainty re: middle/high school. Some people might take the long commute for peace of mind, but others may prioritize short commute while kids are young.

You may want to post your commute, budget, etc. in Real Estate and get suggestions there too.

[Anonymous]

Woodley Park could be an option. We moved from Eastern Market (in bound for Brent) to here in order to attend Oyster (Spanish immersion.) With Rock Creek parkway, its an easy shot to both SE as well as Georgetown.

Definitely feels like two different cities, depending on where you live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP Here: Update- it looks like I will only be working in Georgetown 1 day a week and mainly SE DC the other four. Seems that commute is going to be pretty terrible with many of the suggested choices? I may be able to have flexible hours where I commute outside of rush hour, but certainly not everyday.

Honestly? I’d go with Capitol Hill and worry about middle school when the time comes. It has everything else you’re looking for. Brent, Maury or Ludlow-Taylor IBs (in approx that order).

- thanks, i'll look into brent. I agree with the other poster, commute is so important especially so I can maximise the time I have with the little ones -OP

Just make sure to budget for private middle and high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woodley Park could be an option. We moved from Eastern Market (in bound for Brent) to here in order to attend Oyster (Spanish immersion.) With Rock Creek parkway, its an easy shot to both SE as well as Georgetown.

Definitely feels like two different cities, depending on where you live.

I also thought of Woodley Park for OP's family, but not sure her budget (1.25) would work there.