Moving to a new school

[Anonymous]

I lived in the same school district from K to 12 and therefore knew most of the kids I went to school with all the way through (more kids were added as ES's consolidated into Middle and High schools, but I always knew a core of kids).

I know families move because of job relocation, desire to be back home closer to family (or move far from family!), etc. all the time and kids adapt. But my question is, how big a deal is it to move at, say, the middle school or high school level within MoCo, just to get to a better school than what you were zoned for?

I ask because we can't afford much now and it seems there are a lot of good ES choices in neighborhoods that are affordable for us. But if we are not thrilled with the MS or HS (and, assuming by the time our children are older, we still felt they would not be a good fit) are we creating a lot of problems for our kids by moving to a better HS cluster if we can afford it in 8 years? Or should we search for something too small in a good HS cluster now (it would mean cramming into an apartment, possibly with too few bedrooms, instead of a TH or SFH).

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Where are you looking? I had the same concerns but see that areas with good elementaries and not so great middles and highs are improving and people are keeping their kids in those school (or not). A lot can change in 6 years including your salary, etc. Who knows, your kids may want to move, or get into magnets and have to switch anyway.

[Anonymous]

Disagree. If you read research on moving schools, it is very hard on kids. Obviously , there are circumstances where this can't be avoided or is preferable ( child is bullied). One of DC's friends is brilliant and they are switching from private to public next year and friend has been very upset about the change. Maybe it will be awesome for friend but I worry for the child emotionally and how friend will fit in the new school. Your best bet will be to try to move to a community where DC can go all the way through even if you need to move. Maybe rent the smallest place possible until you feel comfortable buying.

[Anonymous]

OP, my kids moved to new schools last year (8th and 11th grades) and I'll tell you that it was a bit challenging. Of course, they were coming in at odd grades rather than natural transition points like 6th or 9th grade. They missed their friends and it took this year for the transition, but they are both doing well now. In some ways the experience of moving was positive because it forced them to be more assertive in getting new friends and maintaining contacts with old ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived in the same school district from K to 12 and therefore knew most of the kids I went to school with all the way through (more kids were added as ES's consolidated into Middle and High schools, but I always knew a core of kids).

I know families move because of job relocation, desire to be back home closer to family (or move far from family!), etc. all the time and kids adapt. But my question is, how big a deal is it to move at, say, the middle school or high school level within MoCo, just to get to a better school than what you were zoned for?

I ask because we can't afford much now and it seems there are a lot of good ES choices in neighborhoods that are affordable for us. But if we are not thrilled with the MS or HS (and, assuming by the time our children are older, we still felt they would not be a good fit) are we creating a lot of problems for our kids by moving to a better HS cluster if we can afford it in 8 years? Or should we search for something too small in a good HS cluster now (it would mean cramming into an apartment, possibly with too few bedrooms, instead of a TH or SFH).

Thanks!

What neighborhoods are you looking at, and what are the MS/HS issues?

[Anonymous]

I overthought this and picked a trajectory that had good schools all the way through. We ended up spending a ton on a rental and hating the elementary school and we are getting the hell out of dodge. I wish we had just moved where we knew the elementary was well-liked and worried about what to do for middle school later. Some of the middles schools are getting better and "iffy" highschools are also well-liked by those who actually attend them (though still ill-favored by those who don't have children there and like to snark without full information).

[Anonymous]

I think you should move where you can afford and where you like the elementary school now. People move all the time, and children's groups of friends are reshuffled when middle school and high schools start anyway. Lots of kids in our neighborhood have gone off to magnets or privates too, and still keep up with their old friends.

I think it's more about parents' comfort: it reduces anxiety a little to feel like you are in a "good" district all the way through, but it may not be a good financial move and it certainly may not be fun to live in a much smaller space just for the sake of a future school that may or may not be good enough.

Another issue is overcrowding. If you check out the elementary schools in these "good" clusters, they are often much more crowded, and in addition if they are in wealthier areas they have a lot larger class sizes than nearby elementaries with some low-income kids.

[Anonymous]

I think that you should check whether the "not good" middle and high schools are actually not good or whether their test scores are just not as high as Bethesda area schools largely due to demographics. Maryland is one of the best states in the country in terms of schools, and a MoCo school with a Great Schools rating of 5 is probably fine (and the vast majority of the kids pass standardized tests in spite of ELL/FARMS status) compared to a DC school with a Great Schools rating of 5 that is actually awful. Great Schools just compares schools to other schools in the state.

What's your price range?

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thanks, everyone. I have totally confused myself and need to start a spreadsheet.... I think the clusters we are looking at either go to Julius West MS and Richard Montgomery HS or go to Sligo Middle and DCC(Einstein) for high school. Which seem okay/fine but not the favorites on this board. And the whole DCC thing confuses me.

Everything I know about these schools, I've learned on this board, so I know it may not all be accurate and may come with bias. I am not opposed to a high ratio of FARMS just because it's FARMS and I'm not totally hung up on test scores. I just want my kids to be in a supportive school that serves families that value education, discipline and personal responsibility (that can definitely include FARMS and immigrant families) and that challenges them and prepares them to do whatever they want to do in life (doesn't pressure them to be a rocket scientist or neurosurgeon, but they could be if they want to).

We will be renting for the first 2-5 years, until we can sell our old house in Middle America, budget around $2000-$2500 for 3BR. Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

we live in the JW/RM cluster. The folks that actually live here really love the schools. Don't listen to all the snark from others. They are good schools. Go visit them I think you will be impressed.

[Anonymous]

Have you considered The Frost/Wootton cluster. DD is at Lakewood and there are apartments and townhouses in the zone.

Just something to consider. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

If it helps, I actually couldn't stand the kids I went to elementary school with (bad social clique) so I was much better off when I switched schools in middle school. Now, I did protest like heck... I was leaving the social environment I had known for my whole life, even if it wasn't great... but once I got there, it was a great change for me.

[Anonymous]

We are in the Einstein cluster. There is so much movement- some kids go to the highly gifted centers in 4th and 5th. And then there is even more movement in middle school- magnets, choice programs, private schools, etc. Most will go to Sligo of course. My point is only that there seems to be a lot of movement of kids so I don't think switching schools will be that big a deal in this county- so many kids are switching at that point. I'd focus on the elementary school.

[Anonymous]

You know, we're in a similar situation and are focusing on finding somewhere with a good elementary. We figured looking beyond that is pointless for us because of potential changes within the 10 years before DC would even enter MS. Changes in the schools, our job situation, etc. We can't buy our dream house now anyway so we may even outgrow it.

FWIW, my parents moved us when I was in the middle of third grade. I was a rather shy kid but did ok adjusting to the new school. Then right before I entered middle school our district re-zoned and I ended up in a completely different middle school than all my friends. That was actually more difficult in some ways, but eventually I ended up with a more close knit set of friends than I had had in elementary anyway. That seemed to be the time period where everyone was shuffling social groups.