Moving to DC - COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED by school choice

[Anonymous]

I will be moving to DC from Indiana this summer and as my husband and I decide on where we want to live, school choice is a huge consideration. My son will be starting Kindergarten in the Fall. He has been thriving in Montessori for the last two years and I hesitate to take him out of that familiar environment in addition to moving him across the country. HOWEVER, I've been reading that it would be good for him socially to go to the nearby public school to meet kids in the neighborhood. HOWEVER, the areas we are looking at are a bit more urban and I don't know if the public schools in these areas will meet our needs. PLUS, I am legally blind and don't drive so I would really prefer his school be within walking distance of our home. SO, if anyone has advice on good walkable neighborhoods with good public schools, experience with moving Montessori kids to the public school system, or ANYTHING ELSE you think might be helpful for me I really appreciate it!!! Thanks for your help!

[Anonymous]

You said you've already researched a few areas--which ones? Have you found out which elementary schools serve them? (If not, there are school locators that can help with that--e.g. here's the one for Montgomery County, Maryland: http://gis.mcps.k12.md.us/gis/Publiclocator.asp) People may be able to help you with opinions on specific neighborhoods and schools.

We love our Montgomery County school and chose a house within walking distance of it, which is great. But there's not much else walkable nearby, so I can't help you there!

Good luck with the move. I know it's tough to do with kids, but they are often resilient about these things.

[Anonymous]

Several DCPS elementary schools are now on the Montessori model. Check the DCPS website for more information.

DC has several walkable neighborhoods with great public elementary schools:
Tenleytown-- Janney. School has top scores, good parent support, moderate diversity.

Woodley Park-- Oyster. Excellent Spanish-English two-way immersion program. Extremely walkable neighborhood right near Metro. There are several apartment buildings walkable to Oyster if you want to rent before buying. There's also a K-8 private Montessori called Aidan in Woodley Park, walkable to Metro.

Cleveland Park-- Hearst and Eaton. Really lovely community, two good elementary schools.

Friendship Heights-- Murch. Right on Metro, more mall/shopping center/wide streets than the ones above.

Capitol Hill "Cluster."

Hyde-- Georgetown. Amazing school, walkable, but no metro.

I didn't list Mann or Key here because the neighborhoods are not very walkable.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP!

You say you are considering mostly urban areas, but let me add one suburban suggestion to the mix: Greenbelt, MD. This town is in Prince George's County, which is not generally considered to be a great place to find good p[ublic schools. HOwever, the schools are improving, and some of the choices are outstanding. Housing prices are generally much more reasonable than in neighboring counties as well.

Greenbelt is a very walkable community with a farly progressive feel to it. There is a town center with library, co-op grocery store, shops and movie theater, co-op restaurant, pool/althletic center, and much more. The local elementary school is Greenbelt Elementary, and (from what I have heard from others) it is condered a great school. About 25% of the students in the school are within the 1.5 miles "walking perimeter" and thus either walk to school or are dropped off by someone. I don't know what distance you consider walkable.

info on Greenbelt elementary:

http://www1.pgcps.org/greenbeltes/index.aspx?id=4642

report on the school:

http://schools.pgcps.org/sip/21106.pdf

In addition, there are several well-regared magnet programs in Prince George's County School district that are considered top-notch. Two of them are loctaed in Greenbelt -- the Robert Goddard MOntessori School and the Robert Goddard French immersion program. I believe the Goddard Montessori is from ages 3 to grade 8, and is a well-regared, thriving public Montessori school. The French IMmersion program runs K-grade 8. ATt he moment both are housed in the same building. I doubt that the school is really consdiered "walkable" though -- unless you happen to buy or rent a house very close to the school. As both programs are enterable only via a lottery system, that probably woulnd't be a smart move.

Info on Robert Goddard French Immersion:

http://www1.pgcps.org/robertgoddardfrenchimmersion

School Report:

http://www1.pgcps.org/robertgoddardfrenchimmersion/index.aspx?id=39304

Info on Robert Goddard Montessori:

http://www1.pgcps.org/robertgoddardmontessori

I can't find a echool report for the Montessori school, sorry.

Here's a little discussion of Greenbelt/Mt Rainer:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/39312.page#261933

[Anonymous]

Any discussion of DC schools would be incomplete without directing you towards charter schools as well. Here's a guide to give an overview of DC public schools, charter schools and independent (private) schools:

http://fightforchildren.org/page05.html#chooser

(click on the link 2009-2010 school chooser)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all this great info! I REALLY appreciate your help; I feel like I finally have a direction. I probably should have mentioned that my husband's job will have him mainly in McLean and Herndon. We were looking a bit at Arlington (Ballston area), Alexandria (Old Town/Braddock Road Metro), and Falls Church. Any thoughts on those?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all this great info! I REALLY appreciate your help; I feel like I finally have a direction. I probably should have mentioned that my husband's job will have him mainly in McLean and Herndon. We were looking a bit at Arlington (Ballston area), Alexandria (Old Town/Braddock Road Metro), and Falls Church. Any thoughts on those?

Most of the public schools in those areas would be fine choices. Arlington County in particular has a great school district. It's very pricy to buy a house there though.

[maynie]

Also that area around Braddock Rd Metro is very hit or miss. You would probably love Arlington though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all this great info! I REALLY appreciate your help; I feel like I finally have a direction. I probably should have mentioned that my husband's job will have him mainly in McLean and Herndon. We were looking a bit at Arlington (Ballston area), Alexandria (Old Town/Braddock Road Metro), and Falls Church. Any thoughts on those?

As a PP said, all the schools in Arlington are really good. If you are looking in Ballston, the elementary school for most of that area is Barrett. My nieces went there and had a great experience. There is a neighborhood behind Barrett called Arlington Forest where the houses tend to be older and smallish (unless they have been expanded), but the neighborhood is really nice and family friendly. Two of my DH's brothers and their families live there and have been very happy. Depending on where you are in Arlington Forest, you could walk to Ballston. Other neighborhoods close to Ballston are Waycroft-Woodlawn and Waverly Hills. We are in Waverly Hills and love it. Places are a bit more expensive here than in Arlington Forest, but they have come down somewhat recently. Are you looking to rent or buy? Also, Key Elementary near Courthouse definitely has a more urban feel to it. However, because of its proximity to metro, houses there tend to be very expensive. There are lots of apartments and condos in that area as well. As for Falls Church, the schools there are excellent as well. There is Falls Church City which has its own school system (excellent) and the Fairfax County part of Falls Church (schools also good). But if you are looking for a more urban feel, Falls Church City would fit that better (although it is not really urban per se). Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Also, Arlington has a public school Montessori program. Someone mentioned Barrett already, Barrett has a Montessori class for 3-5 year olds and a year for kindergarten Montessori. Drew Model School in Arlington a county-wide Montessori program that goes up to 5th grade.