MS Families that Did Not Succeed in the Lottery

[Anonymous]

Blythe-Templeton at the Hill Center is under $15k/yr.

Considering that, along with Jefferson (IB), SH or Hardy OOB, a few charters, renting IB for Deal, or moving to BCC cluster (or possibly other clusters near metro in Silver Spring). Luckily have the income and home equity to make these possible. Leaving the DC area altogether is less of a possibility since my spouse and I have jobs that would be hard to replicate elsewhere and we have family here.

[Anonymous]

Good for you, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought we could magnet in... My plan may need work. I don't think it is all magnet, anyway. As to why--have some concerns about very specific kids on that deal bus. They're not axe murderers or anything, so don't worry. Just would rather not make the middle school years even more Lord of the flies than they already are.

Umm... I ride by the kids on 16th Street waiting for the Deal bus everyday. I even know a few of them. "Lord of the Flies?" Seriously? They're regular middle school kids. Also, if your kid isn't already at Deal why are you worried about "specific" kids who may or may not be there by the time your kid reaches middle school. Even if your kid does end up in school with these "specific" kids, my kid goes to Deal and not only do most upper grade kids not see the lower grade kids by virtue of the school set up, but when they do, they completely ignore them. Moreover, are you really thinking about shifting your entire life by moving to Maryland over some "specific" middle school kids who ride a bus? I can't follow your thought process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought we could magnet in... My plan may need work. I don't think it is all magnet, anyway. As to why--have some concerns about very specific kids on that deal bus. They're not axe murderers or anything, so don't worry. Just would rather not make the middle school years even more Lord of the flies than they already are.

Umm... I ride by the kids on 16th Street waiting for the Deal bus everyday. I even know a few of them. "Lord of the Flies?" Seriously? They're regular middle school kids. Also, if your kid isn't already at Deal why are you worried about "specific" kids who may or may not be there by the time your kid reaches middle school. Even if your kid does end up in school with these "specific" kids, my kid goes to Deal and not only do most upper grade kids not see the lower grade kids by virtue of the school set up, but when they do, they completely ignore them. Moreover, are you really thinking about shifting your entire life by moving to Maryland over some "specific" middle school kids who ride a bus? I can't follow your thought process.

I agree. Also from Shepherd Park you could easily get them to Silver Spring metro station and have them take the red line all the way around.

And spend some time at TPMS before you uproot yourself - the kids there are nearly as stratefied as you will find in the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought we could magnet in... My plan may need work. I don't think it is all magnet, anyway. As to why--have some concerns about very specific kids on that deal bus. They're not axe murderers or anything, so don't worry. Just would rather not make the middle school years even more Lord of the flies than they already are.

Umm... I ride by the kids on 16th Street waiting for the Deal bus everyday. I even know a few of them. "Lord of the Flies?" Seriously? They're regular middle school kids. Also, if your kid isn't already at Deal why are you worried about "specific" kids who may or may not be there by the time your kid reaches middle school. Even if your kid does end up in school with these "specific" kids, my kid goes to Deal and not only do most upper grade kids not see the lower grade kids by virtue of the school set up, but when they do, they completely ignore them. Moreover, are you really thinking about shifting your entire life by moving to Maryland over some "specific" middle school kids who ride a bus? I can't follow your thought process.

I agree. Also from Shepherd Park you could easily get them to Silver Spring metro station and have them take the red line all the way around.

And spend some time at TPMS before you uproot yourself - the kids there are nearly as stratefied as you will find in the city.

+1. No guarantee that you won't run into similar social dynamics at TPMS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't done it yet--my oldest is in 3rd grade. But I've thought through what we will do and I think it's something like this (we are EOTP):

1. Spring of 4th grade: lottery for first choice charter middle school. If that fails,
2. Attend 5th grade at our beloved elementary.
3. 5th grade spring: Lottery for nearby but out-of-bounds DCPS middle school, out-of-bounds but far away DCPS middle. If both of those fail,
4. Move over the summer to a house inbounds for either Deal or Hardy. Or, if that proves impossible, move to somewhere like Takoma Park. My choice would be to rent out our house on the Hill and just rent a house for the duration of middle and high school for both kids. Then, unless things change, we could move back once the kids are done with school.

I am several years away from middle school, but have thought about this plan too. I'd be willing to live 4-7 years in the burbs for a good high school education and then move back when the kids are in college. There is also the added benefit of getting in-state tuition at some great VA schools if we move to the VA burbs for high school.

Then you will have to stay in VA for the ration of college too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't done it yet--my oldest is in 3rd grade. But I've thought through what we will do and I think it's something like this (we are EOTP):

1. Spring of 4th grade: lottery for first choice charter middle school. If that fails,
2. Attend 5th grade at our beloved elementary.
3. 5th grade spring: Lottery for nearby but out-of-bounds DCPS middle school, out-of-bounds but far away DCPS middle. If both of those fail,
4. Move over the summer to a house inbounds for either Deal or Hardy. Or, if that proves impossible, move to somewhere like Takoma Park. My choice would be to rent out our house on the Hill and just rent a house for the duration of middle and high school for both kids. Then, unless things change, we could move back once the kids are done with school.

I am several years away from middle school, but have thought about this plan too. I'd be willing to live 4-7 years in the burbs for a good high school education and then move back when the kids are in college. There is also the added benefit of getting in-state tuition at some great VA schools if we move to the VA burbs for high school.

Then you will have to stay in VA for the ration of college too.

I'm pretty sure that isn't true. The student has to maintain residency, not her family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't done it yet--my oldest is in 3rd grade. But I've thought through what we will do and I think it's something like this (we are EOTP):

1. Spring of 4th grade: lottery for first choice charter middle school. If that fails,
2. Attend 5th grade at our beloved elementary.
3. 5th grade spring: Lottery for nearby but out-of-bounds DCPS middle school, out-of-bounds but far away DCPS middle. If both of those fail,
4. Move over the summer to a house inbounds for either Deal or Hardy. Or, if that proves impossible, move to somewhere like Takoma Park. My choice would be to rent out our house on the Hill and just rent a house for the duration of middle and high school for both kids. Then, unless things change, we could move back once the kids are done with school.

I am several years away from middle school, but have thought about this plan too. I'd be willing to live 4-7 years in the burbs for a good high school education and then move back when the kids are in college. There is also the added benefit of getting in-state tuition at some great VA schools if we move to the VA burbs for high school.

Then you will have to stay in VA for the ration of college too.

I'm pretty sure that isn't true. The student has to maintain residency, not her family.

Only if the student is not a dependent.

"A dependent student is a student who receives substantial financial support from his or her parents or legal guardian. A college or university in Virginia looks at the supporting parents' domicile to determine if a dependent student is eligible for in-state tuition or state financial aid programs.

If you are under age 24 on the first day of classes, an institution will classify you as a dependent student unless you: are married; are a veteran or active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces; are a graduate or first-professional student; are a ward of the court or were a ward of the court until age 18; have no adoptive or legal guardian when both parents are deceased;or have legal dependents other than a spouse. If a student under the age of 24 who wishes to be considered independent but does not meet one of these exceptions, then he must be able to demonstrate, via clear and convincing evidence to the institution, that his parents have surrendered the right to his care, custody, and earnings, do not claim him as a dependent on federal or state income tax returns, and have ceased to provide him substantial financial support.

If you are not classified as a dependent student, you may establish your own Virginia domicile."
From the State Conuncil of Higher education
http://www.schev.edu/students/vadomicile.asp

[Anonymous]

Moreover, are you really thinking about shifting your entire life by moving to Maryland over some "specific" middle school kids who ride a bus? I can't follow your thought process.

I was asked a question, and I answered it. The kids I am concerned about are not at Deal. Yet. I know several lovely kids that ride the bus too. Kids change. Hopefully they grow up. We are just keeping our options open.

[Anonymous]

To the Hill families who moved to NW to attend Deal for MS-- How did your kids handle the transition? I'm asking because this is our back-up plan too. How was the social transition? Were there other Hill families that did the same? How was the academic transition? Did you find that your child's Hill DCPS elementary prepared them as well as the WOTP DCPS elementary schools?

[Anonymous]

Kids adjust, don't worry.

[Anonymous]

+1.

[Anonymous]

Jefferson and Stuart Hobson buildings could become specialty magnet schools that would take the numbers pressure off the comprehensive middle school and draw from wards 7 and 8 ( keeping those students in DCPS rather than charter schools ).

I don't really have answers but what really burns me is that John Davis and the central office circus don't even seem to give things like this any thought.

[Anonymous]

ˆˆˆˆwhoops. Wrong thread. Pardon me while I sheepishly take my misplaced comment and head over to the right one

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids adjust, don't worry.

True. They also adjust to schools which on face value we may not meet our expectations. I know several families who've been pleasantly surprised with both Hardy and Stuart Hobson