single parent/downtown DC work/downtown SS life?

[Anonymous]

I work downtown DC and need a quick commute b/c I do all the pick ups and drop offs. I'm getting a lot of conflicting advice and leads that really end up being wild goose chases to find nice apartment (meaning, clean, w/d, dishwasher, parking) in the low $2K range in a good school elementary district (which I take to mean, safe, friendly, has a good arts program and plenty of playtime to balance out the academics).

Is the commute to silver spring do-able? Looks like it'd be a half hour or more, each way regardless if I drive or take metro, which is a long time to spend commuting given that I am balancing job and kids pick ups. I was going to drive at least for the first year b/c at the moment both kids are in nursery school near my work, but DC1 will be starting public next fall so then maybe I could metro with DC2.

What is the school district for downtown by the metro station - I saw that the vermillion at 1133 East West has some specials if I move in now, which could be nice, if this is at all feasible!!

Feasible? Or another wild goose chase?

[Anonymous]

Use this to check school assignments for desirable addresses
http://gis.mcpsmd.org/SchoolAssignmentTool2/Index.xhtml

then look at the "Schools at a Glance" to check how well the assigned school is doing.

[Anonymous]

Look into before after care options at the schools too. Seems like you will need it. They usually cover most snow and vacation days too.

[Anonymous]

The weird thing about downtown SS is that it includes boundaries for three or four different elementary schools that end up feeding to 3 different middle schools and three different high schools.

http://gis.mcpsmd.org/gis/WallMap1415.pdf

DCUM has previously recommended trying to get in bounds for Rosemary Hills as part of the highest performing group of schools for that area.

[Anonymous]

I live in Silver Spring (Forest Glen now, used to live downtown). I will tell you that this may be difficult and would very much depend on your work hours. My downtown SS to downtown DC commute was usually over 45 minutes. Adding in daycare pick-up plus aftercare can run you a lot longer than that. Many aftercares only go until 6 or 6:30, meaning you'd have to be able to leave work before 5 p.m. to give you enough time to pick up both kids. That all said, I don't think you're going to find another suburb that's much easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in Silver Spring (Forest Glen now, used to live downtown). I will tell you that this may be difficult and would very much depend on your work hours. My downtown SS to downtown DC commute was usually over 45 minutes. Adding in daycare pick-up plus aftercare can run you a lot longer than that. Many aftercares only go until 6 or 6:30, meaning you'd have to be able to leave work before 5 p.m. to give you enough time to pick up both kids. That all said, I don't think you're going to find another suburb that's much easier.

+1

Especially in that price range

[Anonymous]

What metro stop do you work by?

[Anonymous]

I am a solo parent who lives in SS, and works in DC. My commute from leaving the house, dropping off at school, getting to metro and then to work is 45 minutes. Before care at DD's school starts at 7, and goes until 6:30. If you lived in a rental near the metro, the commute should be completely doable.

[Anonymous]

Op. Thank you all. Yes I find the downtown boundary results confusing but will look a little more. Thank you again!

[Anonymous]

The boundaries were adjusted a few years ago; now, most of the buildings in downtown Silver Spring, including those along East-West Hwy, go to Sligo Creek Elem. That's a perfectly fine school, no worries there.

There are so many large, new apartment buildings springing up in downtown SS now and competing with each other, that I imagine there are deals to be had. So do shop around. If you think you could live without an in-unit W/D, The Blairs complex might be slightly cheaper and is home to more families with kids than some of the new high-rises. But if you do check out The Blairs, be sure to ask about the timetable for re-development, because at some point all those older buildings are slated to come down for a new master plan. But that may be years off.

If your workplace is along the Red Line, door to door from your downtown SS apartment should be under 30 minutes on a good day (meaning no Red Line delays, of which there are many, unfortunately). But Sligo Creek Elem is not an easy walk from downtown SS, so you would still probably need to go home to get your car to pick up a child from after-care.

Hope this helps. We live in downtown Silver Spring and it's an awesome community. I don't want to live anywhere else.

[Anonymous]

You may be able to find a house near the forest glen metro too. Flora singer is a very good school and people like the after care provider.

[Anonymous]

There is a brand new building on the north end of SS that would put you in the Woodlin ES district, which seems to be very well liked. The middle school, Sligo, not so much, but you have very young kids and I'm presuming you're not necessarily looking to stay in the same apartment for many years, so the middle schools may not be a concern.

The building is: http://premierapt.com/

But as the PP noted with regard to Sligo Creek ES, though the apartment may be very Metro accessible, the school is not, so you would still need to use a car for pick ups.

Good luck with your search!