Question for those who are doing the DCPS lotteries-- why did you choose to live where you live?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For 95% of people the lottery works out.

We live in a neighborhood that the OP would undoubtedly consider undesirable. We moved there before I was pregnant. We thought we would move before our kids were school aged.

I now have 3 kids OOB at one of the best EOP elementary schools in the city. My kids litterally run into the school like they were going to Disney World every day. Our house payment is slightly less than $1600 a month. We live 2 blocks from a metro station. Our house has doubled in value. Our commutes are very reasonable.

The middle school lottery craziness looms ahead, but if we strike out we can move to Takoma Park or whereever. I kind of think on the lottery stuff that you just have to fight letting it get to you, and getting obsessed with it. Go to a couple open houses. See where the chips fall.

I really don't think that NWDC was the safest bet for you OP. If I was going to be totally Ms. safe choice, I'd have gone with Arlington or Bethesda near a metro.

That's the key isn't it. OP probably considers a majority of the neighborhoods in DC undesirable - except maybe in her perfect Ward 3 world.

Right, but it's so desirable to you that you want to send your kids to school anywhere but there (dare I even say her precious ward 3). Give me a break!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the posts that say "we bought a house 10 years ago and didn't think we could have kids." You can't put your house on the market in the 4 years (at least) that you knew that you had one?

Why don't we just get honest with each other and say we love our bigger homes that we would never be able to afford in a neighborhood with a great IB school. I think all of you who keep harping on the OP even asking the question are full of shit. You want a big house, close to work and you want your kid to go to a good school. Nothing wrong with that right? Not so much in DC. See, you start crowding out my kids who live in a tiny space because I made a choice that my kids' education is more important and moved accordingly. You preach diversity and gentrification as long you don't have to send your kids to the same schools. Puhhleeaseee

In other words, I hope none of you get in my kids' school.

OP here. Thanks for the defense (and no the PP is not a sock puppet post). My only quibble is that if you are IB for a good school, the OOB folks will not crowd you out because you will have admission as a matter of right, no?

Your points are similar to my friends' comments about living where they live (outer Hill, Bloomingdale, etc) vs where I live: they don't want to move up the Red line to Ward 3 because it takes longer to get to work, could only buy a crappy tiny house (see Real Estate threads on AU Park/Ch Ch DC etc). They are actively chosing to live there, and view the lottery/no good IB school as the price to pay for that. I was interested in what others' choices are/were.

No, you wanted to be smug about what your choices were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the posts that say "we bought a house 10 years ago and didn't think we could have kids." You can't put your house on the market in the 4 years (at least) that you knew that you had one?

Why don't we just get honest with each other and say we love our bigger homes that we would never be able to afford in a neighborhood with a great IB school. I think all of you who keep harping on the OP even asking the question are full of shit. You want a big house, close to work and you want your kid to go to a good school. Nothing wrong with that right? Not so much in DC. See, you start crowding out my kids who live in a tiny space because I made a choice that my kids' education is more important and moved accordingly. You preach diversity and gentrification as long you don't have to send your kids to the same schools. Puhhleeaseee

In other words, I hope none of you get in my kids' school.

OP here. Thanks for the defense (and no the PP is not a sock puppet post). My only quibble is that if you are IB for a good school, the OOB folks will not crowd you out because you will have admission as a matter of right, no?

Your points are similar to my friends' comments about living where they live (outer Hill, Bloomingdale, etc) vs where I live: they don't want to move up the Red line to Ward 3 because it takes longer to get to work, could only buy a crappy tiny house (see Real Estate threads on AU Park/Ch Ch DC etc). They are actively chosing to live there, and view the lottery/no good IB school as the price to pay for that. I was interested in what others' choices are/were.

PP here who defended you. I get that my kids have guaranteed admission, but look what's happening with Deal and Wilson and it's because high numbers of OOB kids. That's what I'm talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For 95% of people the lottery works out.

We live in a neighborhood that the OP would undoubtedly consider undesirable. We moved there before I was pregnant. We thought we would move before our kids were school aged.

I now have 3 kids OOB at one of the best EOP elementary schools in the city. My kids litterally run into the school like they were going to Disney World every day. Our house payment is slightly less than $1600 a month. We live 2 blocks from a metro station. Our house has doubled in value. Our commutes are very reasonable.

The middle school lottery craziness looms ahead, but if we strike out we can move to Takoma Park or whereever. I kind of think on the lottery stuff that you just have to fight letting it get to you, and getting obsessed with it. Go to a couple open houses. See where the chips fall.

I really don't think that NWDC was the safest bet for you OP. If I was going to be totally Ms. safe choice, I'd have gone with Arlington or Bethesda near a metro.

That's the key isn't it. OP probably considers a majority of the neighborhoods in DC undesirable - except maybe in her perfect Ward 3 world.

Right, but it's so desirable to you that you want to send your kids to school anywhere but there (dare I even say her precious ward 3). Give me a break!

Nope, wouldn't even send my kids to Ward 3 schools. No immersion programs that is acceptable to me in DCPS. My kid goes to charter school. My child is bilingual and will most likely be trilingual by the time she graduates. I'm sure your kids will enjoy working for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the posts that say "we bought a house 10 years ago and didn't think we could have kids." You can't put your house on the market in the 4 years (at least) that you knew that you had one?

Why don't we just get honest with each other and say we love our bigger homes that we would never be able to afford in a neighborhood with a great IB school. I think all of you who keep harping on the OP even asking the question are full of shit. You want a big house, close to work and you want your kid to go to a good school. Nothing wrong with that right? Not so much in DC. See, you start crowding out my kids who live in a tiny space because I made a choice that my kids' education is more important and moved accordingly. You preach diversity and gentrification as long you don't have to send your kids to the same schools. Puhhleeaseee

In other words, I hope none of you get in my kids' school.

OP here. Thanks for the defense (and no the PP is not a sock puppet post). My only quibble is that if you are IB for a good school, the OOB folks will not crowd you out because you will have admission as a matter of right, no?

Your points are similar to my friends' comments about living where they live (outer Hill, Bloomingdale, etc) vs where I live: they don't want to move up the Red line to Ward 3 because it takes longer to get to work, could only buy a crappy tiny house (see Real Estate threads on AU Park/Ch Ch DC etc). They are actively chosing to live there, and view the lottery/no good IB school as the price to pay for that. I was interested in what others' choices are/were.

No, you wanted to be smug about what your choices were.

Nope! Why do I need validation from total strangers about whether I made good choices? You can be smug in your decisions that your homes have probably tripled in value and are living the urban hipster dream.

[Anonymous]

PP here who defended you. I get that my kids have guaranteed admission, but look what's happening with Deal and Wilson and it's because high numbers of OOB kids. That's what I'm talking about.

Wilson and Deal were built on the backs of OOB families who stuck with those schools when they weren't so great but held promise. Now that they are doing great Ward 3 parents who can't afford private anymore want to cash in at Wilson and Deal adn close the borders. It's not going to happen. Kaya is now talking about getting rid of ALL borders for Deal and Wilson. Hooray!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For 95% of people the lottery works out.

We live in a neighborhood that the OP would undoubtedly consider undesirable. We moved there before I was pregnant. We thought we would move before our kids were school aged.

I now have 3 kids OOB at one of the best EOP elementary schools in the city. My kids litterally run into the school like they were going to Disney World every day. Our house payment is slightly less than $1600 a month. We live 2 blocks from a metro station. Our house has doubled in value. Our commutes are very reasonable.

The middle school lottery craziness looms ahead, but if we strike out we can move to Takoma Park or whereever. I kind of think on the lottery stuff that you just have to fight letting it get to you, and getting obsessed with it. Go to a couple open houses. See where the chips fall.

I really don't think that NWDC was the safest bet for you OP. If I was going to be totally Ms. safe choice, I'd have gone with Arlington or Bethesda near a metro.

That's the key isn't it. OP probably considers a majority of the neighborhoods in DC undesirable - except maybe in her perfect Ward 3 world.

Right, but it's so desirable to you that you want to send your kids to school anywhere but there (dare I even say her precious ward 3). Give me a break!

Nope, wouldn't even send my kids to Ward 3 schools. No immersion programs that is acceptable to me in DCPS. My kid goes to charter school. My child is bilingual and will most likely be trilingual by the time she graduates. I'm sure your kids will enjoy working for her.[/quote]

Most likely not if they have the same stick up their ass

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here who defended you. I get that my kids have guaranteed admission, but look what's happening with Deal and Wilson and it's because high numbers of OOB kids. That's what I'm talking about.

Wilson and Deal were built on the backs of OOB families who stuck with those schools when they weren't so great but held promise. Now that they are doing great Ward 3 parents who can't afford private anymore want to cash in at Wilson and Deal adn close the borders. It's not going to happen. Kaya is now talking about getting rid of ALL borders for Deal and Wilson. Hooray!

And how could she possibly accommodate everyone in the city? Does she plan to open more schools?

And just so we are clear, I have ABSOLUTELY nothing against children attending better schools. Some people truly can't afford to live in a good school district. Wilson is full of kids from SE and I see nothing wrong with that. It's people who clearly have good jobs, but choose the size of the house and how hip the neighborhood is over their kids' education that piss me off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For 95% of people the lottery works out.

We live in a neighborhood that the OP would undoubtedly consider undesirable. We moved there before I was pregnant. We thought we would move before our kids were school aged.

I now have 3 kids OOB at one of the best EOP elementary schools in the city. My kids litterally run into the school like they were going to Disney World every day. Our house payment is slightly less than $1600 a month. We live 2 blocks from a metro station. Our house has doubled in value. Our commutes are very reasonable.

The middle school lottery craziness looms ahead, but if we strike out we can move to Takoma Park or whereever. I kind of think on the lottery stuff that you just have to fight letting it get to you, and getting obsessed with it. Go to a couple open houses. See where the chips fall.

I really don't think that NWDC was the safest bet for you OP. If I was going to be totally Ms. safe choice, I'd have gone with Arlington or Bethesda near a metro.

That's the key isn't it. OP probably considers a majority of the neighborhoods in DC undesirable - except maybe in her perfect Ward 3 world.

Right, but it's so desirable to you that you want to send your kids to school anywhere but there (dare I even say her precious ward 3). Give me a break!

I live in Ward 6 and my children go to school in Ward 6 - but not to my DCPS assigned school. I am probably step foot in Ward 3 about twice a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here who defended you. I get that my kids have guaranteed admission, but look what's happening with Deal and Wilson and it's because high numbers of OOB kids. That's what I'm talking about.

Wilson and Deal were built on the backs of OOB families who stuck with those schools when they weren't so great but held promise. Now that they are doing great Ward 3 parents who can't afford private anymore want to cash in at Wilson and Deal adn close the borders. It's not going to happen. Kaya is now talking about getting rid of ALL borders for Deal and Wilson. Hooray!

And how could she possibly accommodate everyone in the city? Does she plan to open more schools?

And just so we are clear, I have ABSOLUTELY nothing against children attending better schools. Some people truly can't afford to live in a good school district. Wilson is full of kids from SE and I see nothing wrong with that. It's people who clearly have good jobs, but choose the size of the house and how hip the neighborhood is over their kids' education that piss me off.

The idea is more magnets, specialty and theme-based high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here who defended you. I get that my kids have guaranteed admission, but look what's happening with Deal and Wilson and it's because high numbers of OOB kids. That's what I'm talking about.

Wilson and Deal were built on the backs of OOB families who stuck with those schools when they weren't so great but held promise. Now that they are doing great Ward 3 parents who can't afford private anymore want to cash in at Wilson and Deal adn close the borders. It's not going to happen. Kaya is now talking about getting rid of ALL borders for Deal and Wilson. Hooray!

And how could she possibly accommodate everyone in the city? Does she plan to open more schools?

And just so we are clear, I have ABSOLUTELY nothing against children attending better schools. Some people truly can't afford to live in a good school district. Wilson is full of kids from SE and I see nothing wrong with that. It's people who clearly have good jobs, but choose the size of the house and how hip the neighborhood is over their kids' education that piss me off.

The idea is more magnets, specialty and theme-based high schools.

I would completely support that idea. It's a European model for high school and it works wonderfully over there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the posts that say "we bought a house 10 years ago and didn't think we could have kids." You can't put your house on the market in the 4 years (at least) that you knew that you had one?

Why don't we just get honest with each other and say we love our bigger homes that we would never be able to afford in a neighborhood with a great IB school. I think all of you who keep harping on the OP even asking the question are full of shit. You want a big house, close to work and you want your kid to go to a good school. Nothing wrong with that right? Not so much in DC. See, you start crowding out my kids who live in a tiny space because I made a choice that my kids' education is more important and moved accordingly. You preach diversity and gentrification as long you don't have to send your kids to the same schools. Puhhleeaseee

In other words, I hope none of you get in my kids' school.

Well, right back at you - I hope your kids get redistricted out of Deal/Wilson. In any event, it's likely that your kids won't have the firepower to get into the Wilson Academies - if there's anything to the apple falling not far from the tree, that is.

[Anonymous]

Off topic, but PP even if your kid is bilingual or trilingual, she or he might not have a great job. Look at all the bilinguals you know who don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the posts that say "we bought a house 10 years ago and didn't think we could have kids." You can't put your house on the market in the 4 years (at least) that you knew that you had one?

Why don't we just get honest with each other and say we love our bigger homes that we would never be able to afford in a neighborhood with a great IB school. I think all of you who keep harping on the OP even asking the question are full of shit. You want a big house, close to work and you want your kid to go to a good school. Nothing wrong with that right? Not so much in DC. See, you start crowding out my kids who live in a tiny space because I made a choice that my kids' education is more important and moved accordingly. You preach diversity and gentrification as long you don't have to send your kids to the same schools. Puhhleeaseee

In other words, I hope none of you get in my kids' school.

Well, right back at you - I hope your kids get redistricted out of Deal/Wilson. In any event, it's likely that your kids won't have the firepower to get into the Wilson Academies - if there's anything to the apple falling not far from the tree, that is.

of course! Gambling on your children's education out of purely selfish purposes makes you so much smarter.

[Anonymous]

We bought in Brookland almost a decade ago now, about 5 years before we had kids. Our IB school isn't an option, but we never felt good about traditional public schools anyway-- DCPS's track record in Ward 5 isn't exactly inspiring, and I'm not interested in trekking across town for good DCPS schools, even if we could get in.

We like our house, which is a good size for us. Not big, not small. Our affordable mortgage meant that we could have a nanny, which was like nirvana. We love our community, and like raising our children in a place that is diverse in so many ways. We played the lotteries for charters and got into Yu Ying-- YY is close by, and we feel so lucky to have the opportunity to be part of the school and have the kids learn Chinese.

We also got into Inspired Teaching and Mundo Verde that year, so I feel like we had very good options. It was a bit stressful to deal with the lotteries, but not any more stressful than it would have been to leave our neighborhood, buy a new house and take on a new mortgage! And now that we're at Yu Ying, it feels like we're a part of something that is very unique educationally, something that wouldn't have been available or accessible if we lived somewhere else.

Life is complicated, people's choices are complicated. My rule of thumb in life is to assume that everyone is making the right decisions for themselves and their family at the time they make them.