Oyster vs. Ross

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all the feedback. A somewhat related question - as long as we move into the Ross school zone before the lottery deadline, we should be able to claim IB w/sib if we have a prospective kindergartner who is guaranteed a spot at the school, correct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for all the feedback. A somewhat related question - as long as we move into the Ross school zone before the lottery deadline, we should be able to claim IB w/sib if we have a prospective kindergartner who is guaranteed a spot at the school, correct?

You need an IB address to get IB status in the lottery. With this and a kid going in to K you should get IB + sib preference for the little one. Talk to the principle though. A lot of this is still managed manually.

[Anonymous]

This is the order of preference.
Order of "Preference Category":
In-Boundary w/Sibling: Applicant lives in-boundary for the school & has a sibling who attends the school or graduated within the past two years.
In-Boundary w/Sibling Accepted: Applicant lives in-boundary for the school & has a sibling who was admitted in this year’s lottery.
In-Boundary: Applicant lives in-boundary for the school.
Etc

[Anonymous]

And as always, check the boundary map very carefully. The Ross boundaries are so tiny and oddly configured. For example, the south side of Swann street is inbounds and the north side of Swann is out of bounds - and that is only a few blocks away from the school. For PS and PK you are unlikely to get in even with proximity.

[Anonymous]

Check very carefully. Swann St is OOB. The boundary runs along the middle of S. St. between Connecticut and 16th. Point taken though, the boundaries are very tight.
http://dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/SCHOOLS/DCPS_ELEM_K8_ATTZONES_20122013A.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do current Ross families end up doing for middle school if they don't use the current MS feeder? Are people going with a charter or do they go private?

Keep in mind that Ross has only emerged as desirable ES in the last few years. As recently as 2006 these types of squabbles were going on:
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/cover/2006/cover0616.html
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/33109/rebirth-of-the-school
The school has changed pretty quickly, so its hard to say what current Ross families end up doing for middle school. Given playground and PTA talk its safe to say that nobody has an appetite for Cardozo. Deal OOB may have been an option some years back but no longer. There is a push to get feeder rights to Hardy, but its not clear if that is politically feasible. For SWW@Frances Stevens its wait and see. Otherwise charter or move.

This, totally.

- Ross parent

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on how important it is to you that your children learn Spanish and become bilingual. If it is important, the choice is obvious. Both are great schools. As for your 3 year old, do the lottery for public and charter school for next year. Apply to Appletree. It's only 3 and 4 year olds. Good luck with your decision!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ross already has more IB-with-sibling apps for its PS3 than it can accept. So it's not a guarantee your younger one will get in even with both preferences.

Not sure this is true. Last year 5 IB with sibling were addmitted to PS3. 9 places went to IB no sibling. http://dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/Learn-About-Schools/OOB%20-%20Schools%20That%20Have%20Seats/2013%20Lottery%20Results%20for%20Web%20Post.pdf

But the OP's kid won't have a sibling there at time of application, right? So they won't get IB with sibling privilege unless I'm mistaken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ross already has more IB-with-sibling apps for its PS3 than it can accept. So it's not a guarantee your younger one will get in even with both preferences.

Not sure this is true. Last year 5 IB with sibling were addmitted to PS3. 9 places went to IB no sibling. http://dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/Learn-About-Schools/OOB%20-%20Schools%20That%20Have%20Seats/2013%20Lottery%20Results%20for%20Web%20Post.pdf

But the OP's kid won't have a sibling there at time of application, right? So they won't get IB with sibling privilege unless I'm mistaken.

OP here - that's a question I'll ask the principal at the next open house. If we move before the lottery deadline and my 5 year old will be attending in the fall, is the 3 year old considered IB w/sibling? Or does the sibling need to be a current student? I would think it's the former, but will check. I'm also curious what happens if we move after the lottery deadline. I'd apply as OOB for both, but after the move, the kindergartner would get in, and would the 3 year old then move to the top of the waitlist automatically as a new status of IB w/sibling?

Really appreciate all the input.

[Anonymous]

In-Boundary w/Sibling Accepted gets 2nd preference in the lottery; after IB with sibling but before general IB. The more difficult situation arises if you don't have an IB address before the PS lottery closes. This is something you will need to discuss with the principal. I don't know of a clear rule that governs this situation.

[Anonymous]

How is it possible that Ross has only 40% inbounds students, according to dcps' own numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is it possible that Ross has only 40% inbounds students, according to dcps' own numbers.

That's per school not per grade. If the older grades are primarily OOB and the lower grades are all IB, that would make about 40% total.

[Anonymous]

Yes. It's only in the past couple of years that the classes have filled with IB kids. Boundaries are tiny so in the upper grades (1-5) you have lots of neighborhood kids who are OOB + some who are from further afield. Watch the IB % increase in the next few years.

[Anonymous]

NP here with question re: Oyster, tried to find on other threads or dcps website but wasn't able. What is the real definition for "spanish language dominant"? Does it work to apply as spanish-dominant if the child was in a bilingual preschool, if the parents are not native Spanish speakers?

[Anonymous]

^people will say it's cheating, but if you're kid can pass the language test, how can they be denied? My kid has been speaking Spanish since birth that she learned from her nanny. We applied as Spanish dom. And got in. We went elsewhere though. If the school doesn't want kids to enter, they need to make the test harder and require parents to be Span. Dom.