Oyster Adams vs. Powell?
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Anonymous
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HI DC public school parents! We are moving our our kids (currently in a great public dual language program) from Dallas to DC for a job change. We have narrowed it down to two options and I'm curious what locals would advise. We are nervous about buying a home in a new area, though prices in Petworth are tempting and may soon rise above our budget.
Option 1) Buy or rent in Petworth to attend Powell. Seems like a great school that has a sense of community in the surrounding neighborhood. Reviews of principal are A+. Option 2) Rent an apartment in Woodley park to attend Oyster-Adams. Seems like a beautiful area with an established Dual Language program. Reviews of administration seem mixed. Thank you for your advice. |
Anonymous
| Oyster is a much better school and in a much better established neighborhood than Powell. Hands down, Oyster. |
Anonymous
| We are a current Powell family and don't have any complaints about the school. We are however, in the early years so we haven't reached 1st grade yet which is a year that most high-SES families leave. With that being said, you've basically summed it up. |
Anonymous
| oyster no question. Much better school |
Anonymous
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What would you rent in Woodley Park - would you need 3BR or more? I suspect rents in Woodley would be so much higher than a mortgage in Petworth...I guess it depends what you find.
I think a lot depends on what ages your kids are. I think Powell will be changing a lot and many more high SES parents over time will stay, but the experience will be drastically different depending on the ages of your kids. My sense if your kids are in preschool Powell is a great option but beyond about second grade it may not be where you want it to be.l You also have another option you don't mention, of trying to get into an immersion or dual language charter school. Just FYI - I live in Petworth and the demographic changes are huge...my block has a 12 year old, a 5 year old, three 1 year olds, and 4 infants. There's quite a baby boom going on, and most of the births are to newcomers to the neighborhood (when I moved to Petworth in 2005 my block was mostly elderly people). |
Anonymous
| I didn't think I had any chance of getting into a charter since the lottery was already conducted. My kids are 3rd grade, 1st grade, and prek. How would I understand openings? Thx for the suggestion. I'm only finding 2br units in woodley park. |
Anonymous
Correct, it's too late to enroll in a Charter. You do have options at an IB school, but your preker may not get a spot. K and above are guaranteed spots, the lower grades are done by lottery, with IB preferences given. |
Anonymous
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Families I know with 3rd graders who were IB for Powell did not consider it an option. They are either at a charter, paying for private, or at another DCPS through the OOB lottery.
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Anonymous
| OP, go for oyster if you can swing the living arrangements with three children, but that will be pricey in WP. |
Anonymous
Agree with this. |
Anonymous
OP, are these the ages that your children will be in September or what they are now? There are logistical issues with Oyster-Adams that you should be aware of. The school currently splits elementary grades across two buildings over a mile apart (or 7 miles in Dallas wink wink) with little to no parking. PK (if you can get in, no guarantee) to 3rd is in Woodley Park on Calvert Street. While 4th, 5th] and middle school grades 6-8 are in a building on 19th Street in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. It could be possible that the 3rd and 1st grader would be in one building, but the pre-K child would not be admitted (pre-K is not compulsory in DC). Or the oldest at the Adams building for 4th and 5th while the K/1st and 2nd/3rd grader are at the Oyster building. You should also note that the current principal and assistant principal of PK-3rd are leaving. Replacements have not been found yet, so it's hard to say what the school will be like in 2-3 years. I know nothing about Powell, but I've been at O-A a while. We'd be thrilled to have you, but it's only fair to let you know what things are like these days. |
Anonymous
A lot changes, even within a school year. Oyster has a long reputation, but Powell is quickly rising, faster than I can even keep up. I considered it "not an option" last year and this year feel lucky to get in. Home prices in Petworth are also going up, but it's much easier to find a three bedroom house with a yard than a two-bedroom condo in Woodley Park. The new boundary maps can give you a hint about where to look. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/local/proposed-school-zones/ |
dcmom
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Part of Adams Morgan is zoned for Oyster, so check that out too. Re new boundary maps, don't follow those, because they won't be in effect til next year, and they expand the OA boundary in AdMo. Definitely stick to the current boundaries. Good luck! |
Anonymous
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Well there will be new leadership at Oyster next year. Who knows how it will be.
Part if it is deciding really whether you intend to live in DC long term. If so I simply wouldn't rent. I would buy. The time is now within Powell boundaries. |
Anonymous
The part of Adams Morgan that is zoned for Oyster is very expensive as well (just not as expensive as Woodley Park). |