Moving to DC:Oyster/Eaton/Hyde/Stoddert/Murch?
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Anonymous
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DH & I are moving back to DC after living in another part of the country for a few years. Neither of us grew up in the DC area. We were living in DC when we met but I moved to the city as a 21-year-old new college graduate & was only 25 when we left so wasn't really paying attention to schools back then. DH is about 10 years older but none of his friends in the city had kids yet when we lived here so he's also not very knowledgeable about DC schools. Some of his old friends in DC are parents now but their kids are all under 3 so they're still figuring the school situation out, too, & can't provide us with much direction in this area.
Our DC is only 2 but we'd like to purchase a home that we can stay in when DC (& any future siblings) are school age. We can afford private school but would very much prefer to send her to public, if possible. We're looking for a school that is reasonably strong academically & provides some differentiated instruction based on student ability. We obviously have no idea whether or not DC is "academically advanced" at this stage -- or, for that matter, if she has a learning disability-- but would like there to be an option for her to receive instruction that is more on par with whatever her abilities might be as opposed to having her curriculum determined solely by her grade level. We'd also like a school that has at least some economic & racial/ethnic diversity & one where there's a strong sense of community among the students' families. We've found several homes we like that are zoned for Oyster-Adams. The fact that this is a bilingual immersion school appeals to us as does the fact that it goes up to 8th grade. Would the fact that DH & I are nowhere close to being fluent in Spanish detract from our ability to communicate with some other members of the school community or hinder our involvement in DC's education? We've also looked at some great houses zoned for Eaton, Hyde & Stoddert, all of which appear to be good schools judging by test scores, etc. They all feed into Hardy except maybe Eaton (the real estate agent says there's some debate about where Eaton students will attend middle school & it's still kind of up in the air right now?).We like that Hardy is small, as we think that can be a big advantage for kids that age but we've heard few students from these elementary schools actually end up going to Hardy as most switch to private for middle school. If true, that means DC would have little continuity in terms of her peer group from elementary to middle school (& that age can be difficult enough without having to start a new school without any of your friends!) & few of our neighbors would have kids there, which could detract some from the sense of community. Has anyone sent their kids to one of these elementary schools & then Hardy? If so, what was that experience like? One of the houses we like is zoned for Murch, which feeds into Deal. We've heard good things about both of these schools but also hear that Murch's boundaries are in flux so there's a chance that our DC will be sent somewhere else that's not within easy walking distance when she's ready for K in a few years (we have a car but I very much prefer to walk places as much as possible). Does anyone know how much truth there is to this? Also, although Deal appears to be have higher test scores & more students from its elementary feeders who attend, would people consider buying a home we like less just because that home is zoned for Deal to be worth it or is Deal not really that much better than Hardy? We've also heard that Hardy is "up-and-coming" so is there a good chance that it will be on par with Deal academically by the time DC is in middle school in a little less than a decade? All of these schools feed into Wilson, which we've heard is the best public, non-magnet high school in DC. Thoughts on this? Posters who have kids currently attending Wilson, would you say their experiences have been positive for the most part? I know I've asked a lot of questions lol but any help/thought/opinions would be very much appreciated! This is all a little overwhelming for first time parents! 
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Anonymous
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Next year Hearst will be the only Ward 3 school with PK3 and it still feeds into Deal. Just something to think about.
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Anonymous
Thanks! Do a lot of kids in DC who eventually attend public kindergarten attend PK at one of the public schools or do most go to independent preschools before K? Where we currently live there aren't a lot of spots for PK in the public schools & the ones that do exist generally are reserved for children who are either from low income families or have diagnosed special needs. I guess this isn't the case in DC? I've also heard the non-special needs public PK programs here tend to be very heavy on academics & extremely light on play time which is not something I'd want for my 3-year-old. Are the public PK programs in DC known for being overly academic, as well? |
Anonymous
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Despite what many of the Murch parents who are worried about the shift in the boundary between Murch and Hearst, many others feel that the area in question is still quite walkable to Hearst. Murch and Hearst are about 1 mile apart, and the area in question is all south of Murch, i.e. in the direction of Hearst.
But frankly, don't take any of our opinions on it. I'd look at the houses and check out the distances for yourself. If they are too far away from Hearst for you, so be it. But I would encourage you to check Hearst out. It is a wonderful school with a close-knit community. The school is also small -- around 300 students -- and so is also a warm and welcoming environment for little kids. Its PK4 and K grades (and I am sure PK3 when it opens) are simply stellar. All that said, Murch, Eaton, Stoddert, etc. are all great schools. You cannot go wrong. You just have to find the place both school and neighborhood that is right for you. |
Anonymous
| I would buy in boundary for Oyster if I could afford to do so. I don't think it matters that you don't speak Spanish. |
Anonymous
| I can only speak for the Murch boundary, because that's what I know (and I live south of Murch, so in the area that may move to Hearst eventually although not in this round). The housing stock in this neighborhood is really limited - you may end up in Hearst, Lafayette, or Janney because that's the place you find a house. All of these schools are great and your kid will most likely come out the same way regardless of which one he or she attends. Pick the house that works for you - all of the schools you mention are fine! |
Anonymous
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Another Murch poster here, and I agree with PP. We love Murch, but I think you should go with finding the right house since all of the schools you mention are good. The Hardy vs. Deal thing rouses lots of passions among a subset of DCUM posters, but I wouldn't let that influence your decision given how far your child is from middle school--10 years ago people had very different opinions of Deal than they do today.
I also agree with another PP about giving Hearst a close look. That PS3 thing is pretty awesome.... |
Anonymous
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Eaton parent here. We love our school. The staff is great and the family community is incredibly welcoming and diverse. The student body comes from all over the District and represents numerous cultural backgrounds. Our family has first-hand experience with educational differentiation where our child has participated in higher level math classes than the standard taught at her grade level. The school also has fabulous reading and math teachers that provide extra support for students. We have active parents who work hard to support the school and enjoy having fun at the same time. I would encourage you to visit the school if possible to see what a welcoming and accomodating place it is.
The school currently feeds into either Deal or Hardy. From what I hear, the vast majority (if not all) of students who choose between the two go to Deal. Because of the overcrowding issue at Deal, the current proposals from the office of the Deputy Mayor for Education are changing Eaton to feed only to Hardy. I stress that this is a propsal, because we have no idea what the next proposal may be, whether the current Mayor will accept it and whether the incoming mayor will implement it. Hardy has solid support from current families, a seemingly growing number of in-boundary participation and a principal who is focused on increasing class offerings. I wish you luck with your choice and your move. We love living in DC. |
Anonymous
| Since you're a newbie. Rule number one on DCUM-- Take EVERYTHING you read here with a grain of salt. You'll get a lot of good information, but be very discerning over what is OPINION vs. fact. Every school that has been mentioned on this string so far is a good school. There are schools people frequently bash on this forum that when you visit them, you will leave scratching your head over what they were talking about. On the flip side, even the most popular schools have their flaws which are sometimes not discussed and some of these schools may not be the best fit for your kid. Bottom line... visit the schools so that you can make an informed decision. I believe Open Houses start in October. |
Anonymous
| The only correct answer here is Mann. |
Anonymous
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I'm IB for Mann -- not the previous poster, obviously. While I don't have anything to say against Mann, I don't want the previous post to derail what has been a very civil and restrained conversation. The previous posters are right: all of the schools you've mentioned, including Hardy, are fine. Find where you're comfortable and the rest will fall into place.
Frankly, it's not really fair to compare Hardy to Deal. Deal is the better school. Hardy is better in some things, especially size, but Deal is superior. Fortunately, this comparison is irrelevant since your child won't be there for 10 years. A decade is forever in the present school climate. Personally, I'm confident Hardy will be an attractive option for IB Deal families within 2 years. The tide has turned. |
Anonymous
Wrong answer. She wants a racially DIVERSE school...and that is not Mann. Btw, Mann's aftercare program is mediocre. |
Anonymous
Mann is not very economically diverse either. |
Anonymous
Yes it is. You have people who live in apartments and town homes on Massachusetts. |
Anonymous
| If you honestly think a townhome on Massachusetts Avenue NW provides economic diversity, then we have different definitions of what that term means. |