Basic questions from a 1.5 year old parent

[Anonymous]

Either through needless obsession, fear, or valid curiosity, I'm a parent whose child can't even go to school for 2 more years and yet already found this great resource. Some questions for you more weathered parents if you can kindly address as you bite your nails until lottery time:

1. How do you find out about non-charter public schools - charter schools seem to have open houses, but I imagine public schools, since they mainly feed in-boundary kids, don't have a need for such events?

2. How does one decipher reputation/popularity from real quality in schools? There are some schools that seem to have a great rep though only having existed for a few short years, but probably others just starting / diamonds in the rough that are probably very good. What variables do parents look at? How do you really know a school is "good enough" for one's standards without having your kid actually go there?

3. What did you wish you knew when sitting in my place? What were the most useful sources of information you actually used?

[Anonymous]

Many public schools do have open houses. You can usually find a listing of events on their websites which you can link to through www.dcps.org

The short answer is you don't know ahead of time , best you can do is visit the schools, talk with current parents, the principal, some teachers, etc

What wished I knew (and my oldest is in K so I am only moderately weathered ) is that most likely your child will be able to thrive in a range of environments so I would encourage you to prioritize school choices which work for your entire family in terms of commuting, your availability to be involved at the school, etc. Ie, The shiniest new building is not always de facto the best or even the only good option for your child to have a good experience.

[Anonymous]

If you have a not so hot in-boundary school, start volunteering there now. I really wish I had done that. At the very least, meet the principal and possibly show up at a pta meeting, if there are any. Dcps do have open houses. You can call to find out or some are listed on the myschooldc website. Talk with other parents with older kids.

But overall, don't stress too too much too early or it will be a long road.

[Anonymous]

Don't overly stress, but also have a backup plan for PS3 so you are not reliant on the lottery.

[Anonymous]

Make a friend in the neighborhood who has been through the lottery. Take her/him out for coffee. Pick their brain, ask about your IB school...thoughts, ask how the lottery went for them, get ideas and thoughts.

[Anonymous]

Check out your in-boundary school even if people on DCUM think you are crazy. I was shocked at how muh I liked mine, and it gets trashed here. If you are in-boundary for an unpopular EOTP school, then it can be your back-up even if it is not perfect.

I don't think I would have checked out our in-boundary school if my husband hadn't first gone to am open house. It's now a relatively high pick for us, and because they offer seats to all IB applicants historically, we don't feel we need to have other safety schools.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Definitely too early to worry but not at all too early to check out your school(s)! We did that and, as PP mentioned, found our in-boundary school to be an excellent choice even if it wasn't the school of choice to tell from playground chatter. I think you have the right attitude about trying to find a way to look over and through that playground chatter. I continue to be stunned how misinformed that can be, sometimes from eons ago. Your best bet is to speak with current families about what they like and also to go check it out. If it's not a hyper-popular choice (thus increasing your chances to get a preschool spot), they'll let you sit in (bring a book and be a guest reader, don't bring your 1.5 yo.). You can also offer to volunteer so as to get to know the school and get invested in it. And then keep in mind that things change, mostly for the better, rarely for the worse. But principals leave, teachers may change, families move.

[Anonymous]

Visit schools - but remember things change.

Principals change, they may revamp a program. Get (or lose) a specials teacher that was core to the school culture.

Culture is not static and things that matter to you will change as well. The questions you ask of the school when you are looking for your 3 YO are different than what you need to know about your 3rd grader.

When you tour, look to see how teachers talk to each other and how the teachers interact with the students - and check out an older grade as well.

All schools have issues . The longer you are there the more apparent they are.

[Anonymous]

Another idea if you are at home during a weekday -- walk by the school playground in the late morning/early afternoon. You can tell a lot about a school by how the kids play together and how the adults interact with them. You may even see an outdoor gym class. These are things that you can't see at an open house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you have a not so hot in-boundary school, start volunteering there now. I really wish I had done that. At the very least, meet the principal and possibly show up at a pta meeting, if there are any. Dcps do have open houses. You can call to find out or some are listed on the myschooldc website. Talk with other parents with older kids.

But overall, don't stress too too much too early or it will be a long road.

If you don't care about being viewed as weird and overzealous than do this. Otherwise, I think it's okay to attend a PTA and an open house where you can meet the principle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have a not so hot in-boundary school, start volunteering there now. I really wish I had done that. At the very least, meet the principal and possibly show up at a pta meeting, if there are any. Dcps do have open houses. You can call to find out or some are listed on the myschooldc website. Talk with other parents with older kids.

But overall, don't stress too too much too early or it will be a long road.

If you don't care about being viewed as weird and overzealous than do this. Otherwise, I think it's okay to attend a PTA and an open house where you can meet the principle.

Not PP, but I don't think it's weird and overzealous. I know a bunch of people who volunteered for EOTP schools before their kids could go, and they helped make the school better while learning about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have a not so hot in-boundary school, start volunteering there now. I really wish I had done that. At the very least, meet the principal and possibly show up at a pta meeting, if there are any. Dcps do have open houses. You can call to find out or some are listed on the myschooldc website. Talk with other parents with older kids.

But overall, don't stress too too much too early or it will be a long road.

If you don't care about being viewed as weird and overzealous than do this. Otherwise, I think it's okay to attend a PTA and an open house where you can meet the principle.

Not PP, but I don't think it's weird and overzealous. I know a bunch of people who volunteered for EOTP schools before their kids could go, and they helped make the school better while learning about it.

I would also lean toward weird and overzealous, but it would depend on the activity. Helping out with the auction, not so weird. Chaperoning a field trip, very weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have a not so hot in-boundary school, start volunteering there now. I really wish I had done that. At the very least, meet the principal and possibly show up at a pta meeting, if there are any. Dcps do have open houses. You can call to find out or some are listed on the myschooldc website. Talk with other parents with older kids.

But overall, don't stress too too much too early or it will be a long road.

If you don't care about being viewed as weird and overzealous than do this. Otherwise, I think it's okay to attend a PTA and an open house where you can meet the principle.

Not PP, but I don't think it's weird and overzealous. I know a bunch of people who volunteered for EOTP schools before their kids could go, and they helped make the school better while learning about it.

I would also lean toward weird and overzealous, but it would depend on the activity. Helping out with the auction, not so weird. Chaperoning a field trip, very weird.

School Beautification Day in August is a great time for all community members to volunteer at a school.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the suggestion to get involved in your in-bound DCPS school early. I think it's an excellent idea. Parents of young toddlers in my neighborhood created a Google group for prospective parents and neighbors of our in-bound DCPS (Bruce Monroe at Park View), on which people discuss School Beautification Days, volunteering opportunities, playdates, etc...

[Anonymous]

What is your in-boundary OP? We can tell you about it.