Affordable home in good school district?

[Anonymous]

Another takoma parent here. Dont know anyone who has their kids in private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid the east side of the county. Basically use 270 as your barrier. If you choose the east side your schools might be Kennedy, Einstein, or Springbrook. Each is filled with thugs and not a day goes by without a big fight. Sometimes three or four a day.

There are many neighborhoods on the east side of the county where you are lucky to hear English spoken. Its not going to get any better and a lot of the homes are rentals.

I teach at Springbrook, and your use of "thugs" clearly oozes with racism. I work closely with administration, and I have yet to hear of "three or four" fights a day.

Please don't cash in the race card just because someone uses the term "thugs." Your bank called to let us know that there isn't any more credit for this purchase. A thug, is a thug, is a thug.[b]

Springbrook was becoming a tough school when I was growing up, and that was in the 1980s. I can only imagine what it's up to these days.

A racist is a racist is a racist.

and tough in the 80s? LOL! I graduated from SHS in the 80s. tough? by whose standards?

And as an alumni, I can tell you that there are MANY more alumnis who have returned to teach there.

I imagine you're white, PP?

[Anonymous]

What HS serves Takoma Park?

[Anonymous]

Takoma Park is zoned to Montgomery Blair H.S.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Takoma Park is zoned to Montgomery Blair H.S.

Thanks - that makes a world of difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takoma Park is zoned to Montgomery Blair H.S.

Thanks - that makes a world of difference.

Isnt TKPK part of the downcounty consortium - so students from TKPK would be able to choose from several schools, including Montgomery Blair?

[Anonymous]

All schools are overcrowded and more budget cuts are on the way. I don't know anyone who has had luck with getting into the consortium school of their choice --- you just end up in your neighborhood school. And Blair is super huge and crowded FWIW. Having said that, I know lots of smart kids who have done well there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All schools are overcrowded and more budget cuts are on the way. I don't know anyone who has had luck with getting into the consortium school of their choice --- you just end up in your neighborhood school. And Blair is super huge and crowded FWIW. Having said that, I know lots of smart kids who have done well there.

We are zoned for Northwood and I know a lot of kids in our neighborhood who got into Blair through the consortium lottery, so it's not impossible. I also know kids there who aren't in the magnets and who are doing well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't move to Wheaton - it is unsafe, our friends got their car stolen at gunpoint in broad daylight near Westfield mall/Metro station there (they had their young children with them, too!).

Kensington townhouse or rundown small 3 bedroom.
Silver Spring further out.
Takoma Park, but not the nicest side.

At the middle to high school level in the areas mentioned above, safety and quality of education become increasingly problematic.

Personally, and unless I could put down more money, I would rent in a better school district such as Bethesda-Chevy Chase, or buy further out west.

This advice/fear is overblown. I commute every day using the Wheaton metro. It is full of regular DC commuters (including many Yuppies) during rush hour and is easily accessible by car from many nice areas. IMO, mall parking lots are pretty unsafe in general, especially during busy/high theft times.

Totally agree. People have gone insane and to read this board, one would think the only safe or "good enough" place is Chevy Chase, Great Falls or McLean. Some places are magnets for criminal opportunists -- mall parking lots, garages etc. I live in Prince George's and somehow we make it through each day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid the east side of the county. Basically use 270 as your barrier. If you choose the east side your schools might be Kennedy, Einstein, or Springbrook. Each is filled with thugs and not a day goes by without a big fight. Sometimes three or four a day.

There are many neighborhoods on the east side of the county where you are lucky to hear English spoken. Its not going to get any better and a lot of the homes are rentals.

I teach at Springbrook, and your use of "thugs" clearly oozes with racism. I work closely with administration, and I have yet to hear of "three or four" fights a day.

Please don't cash in the race card just because someone uses the term "thugs." Your bank called to let us know that there isn't any more credit for this purchase. A thug, is a thug, is a thug.

Springbrook was becoming a tough school when I was growing up, and that was in the 1980s. I can only imagine what it's up to these days.

A racist is a racist is a racist.

and tough in the 80s? LOL! I graduated from SHS in the 80s. tough? by whose standards?

And as an alumni, I can tell you that there are MANY more alumnis who have returned to teach there.

[b]I imagine you're white, PP?

Now I ask you - who is the racist? The one that comes to DC Urban Moms repulsively asking about the race of other posters, or the ones that address the topic at hand (recommending a good school district). Enough said. The public is tired. Enjoy your New Year, if you're able.

[Anonymous]

what about the Rockville cluster (rock creek valley es, Earle b wood ms, Rockville hs) ?
is this a good school district and neighborhood? I see its close to the townsfolk station on the red line.

[Anonymous]

check out highland view school district, in silver spring!

[Anonymous]

There are houses in that price range in the Four Corners neighborhood of Silver Spring. It's a wonderful, friendly community with lots of kids, good school district (Forest Knolls), close to downtown Silver Spring, very convenient. We could afford a bigger, more expensive house elsewhere but are staying put because we love the neighborhood so much.

[Anonymous]

How much juggling and stress MCPS parents have to go through to provide for their kids appropriate education! Would not it be nice if the required GT services were available in all the home schools in MCPS, so that parents did not have to uproot families and move in search of a better school?

Plan to show up at the GT forum on March 22 at Magruder HS. See thread http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/221871.page for details.

Post your comments and questions at GTA site http://www.gtamc.org/2012-gt-forum before hand.