MCPS to Virginia - where do I start?

[Anonymous]

Live in Silver Spring, MD and considering a job near Virginia Square metro. Two DD's in 1st and 3rd grade. One has ADHD and an IEP, the other has been designated "GT" by MCPS. We love our elementary but were considering moving to Olney, MD for middle school. If I am relocated to Alexandria that commute would be hellish, but we know NOTHING about Virginia - the schools, the neighborhoods, etc. We are pretty progressive, like a sense of community, Jewish, value public education and particularly want a well regarded middle school/HS district becuase once we move we're staying. We don't want our kids to be the only Jewish kids in their class. Max housing budget $600K for 4 bedroom. Where to start?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Live in Silver Spring, MD and considering a job near Virginia Square metro. Two DD's in 1st and 3rd grade. One has ADHD and an IEP, the other has been designated "GT" by MCPS. We love our elementary but were considering moving to Olney, MD for middle school. If I am relocated to Alexandria that commute would be hellish, but we know NOTHING about Virginia - the schools, the neighborhoods, etc. We are pretty progressive, like a sense of community, Jewish, value public education and particularly want a well regarded middle school/HS district becuase once we move we're staying. We don't want our kids to be the only Jewish kids in their class. Max housing budget $600K for 4 bedroom. Where to start?

I think you start in the Frost MS/Woodson HS district in Fairfax County, just outside the Beltway in Annandale and Fairfax. It's one of the parts of NoVa with a larger number of Jewish families, and it's far enough out that you can find something in your budget.

https://www.redfin.com/real-estate#!uipt=3%2C1&max_price=650000&num_beds=4&v=8&sst=®ion_id=55896®ion_type=7&market=dc

[Anonymous]

See if there's anything in the Woodson school district (Fairfax/Annandale), which is near the JCC and has a good-sized Jewish community. You will have some commute, but it's a nice place to live, and meets some of your other requirements.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Thank you for the suggestion. Can someone weigh in on the commute from that area to Virginia Square metro area? If it is an hour commute I'd just as soon stay put. If we can't afford anyplace within 45 minutes we would stay in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Thank you for the suggestion. Can someone weigh in on the commute from that area to Virginia Square metro area? If it is an hour commute I'd just as soon stay put. If we can't afford anyplace within 45 minutes we would stay in MoCo.

What's your work schedule? I commute from Wakefield Chapel Rd to Ballston at 6:30 am and I'm at my desk before 7.

[Anonymous]

OP,
I don't know about your situation, but I live in Western Fairfax and have a fair amount of Jewish neighbors. (this would not be a good commute, though). I would suggest you check out synagogues in Virginia.

[Anonymous]

OP again: keep in mind I don't know Ballston from Boston or that Chapel from the Cathedral. All I know about Virginia is that every time I cross the bridge, I get lost. PP could you tell me is that less-than-30 minute commute close to the school district that people were recommending and work near Virginia Square metro? I'd like to work 8:30am to 5pm but I could get out of the house by 7:30.

[Anonymous]

Look at area around Rodef Sholom. Haycock is the school and has many Jewish families. Near the West Falls Church metro stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again: keep in mind I don't know Ballston from Boston or that Chapel from the Cathedral. All I know about Virginia is that every time I cross the bridge, I get lost. PP could you tell me is that less-than-30 minute commute close to the school district that people were recommending and work near Virginia Square metro? I'd like to work 8:30am to 5pm but I could get out of the house by 7:30.

Yes, it is close to the school district people were recommending and Ballston is one Metro stop away from Virginia Square.

This is the route I take. At 7:30 am, it would likely take you closer to 35-40 minutes.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=38.8238707,-77.2391264&daddr=38.8372807,-77.1714318+to:38.8784771,-77.1114309+to:Ballston+Metro,+Arlington,+VA&geocode=Fb9nUAIdqmxl-w%3BFSCcUAIdGXVm-ykL8HTXP7O3iTHNgRSVeJZdFw%3BFQ09UQIdel9n-ylZyMp-I7S3iTGajObKiY5Vqw%3BFb5LUQIdAl9n-yllUb8OJbS3iTGbvrtekXOcZw&via=1,2&dirflg=d&t=h&z=16

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at area around Rodef Sholom. Haycock is the school and has many Jewish families. Near the West Falls Church metro stop.

Second to the area around Rodef Shalom in Falls Church. We're Jewish with similar considerations. I grew up in MCPS and we are moving to Falls Church City largely for schools, but also for commuting distance, walkability, and proximity to a decent Jewish community.

This area straddles the Fairfax / Falls Church City line. Haycock is probably a better bet for you because it is larger and from secondhand info has more resources for special needs (both IEP and GT kids). But Falls Church City has its own school system that is generally very well regarded, particularly for people looking for a smaller school and a more intimate setting. We chose FCC but Haycock is also quite good. Your budget will go farther in the Haycock district because FCC schools carry a cost premium, and taxes are higher there also.

Some other thoughts:

The densest Jewish area is, as others have said, around the JCC in Annandale/Fairfax. The NoVA Jewish community is in general less dense than in Maryland and your kid won't have a class that's 40% Jewish like in some parts of Montgomery County no matter where you move. But there are a number of synagogues in Northern Virginia that I've generally found to be as welcoming as where I went in Maryland.

Rodef is the largest synagogue in Northern Virginia so you'll find a fair concentration of Jews in the surrounding area. It's Reform. If you are conservative, check out Agudas Achim in Alexandria, Olam Tikvah in Fairfax, or Etz Hayim in Arlington. I know Rodef, Agudas, and OT all have active families programming. I assume Etz Hayim does but don't know for sure.

I would recommend against the area around the JCC even though there are more Jews if you're prioritizing commute above everything else. That's maybe a 30-40 minute drive in traffic. In contrast, it's about a 10-15 minute drive or metro ride from the Rodef Shalom part of Falls Church, near WFC Metro, to Virginia Square.

The right hand side of this page has a good overview of the major parts of Northern Virgjnia from a Jewizh perspective: http://www.jconnect.org/resources/new-to-the-area/northern-virginia.

[Anonymous]

OP, You might consider Reston area. There are two synagogues --one on Wiehle and one on Reston Parkway. You could take the Silver line if your work is near metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at area around Rodef Sholom. Haycock is the school and has many Jewish families. Near the West Falls Church metro stop.

I don't know what they could get for $600K for a 4 bedroom in that neighborhood!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at area around Rodef Sholom. Haycock is the school and has many Jewish families. Near the West Falls Church metro stop.

Second to the area around Rodef Shalom in Falls Church. We're Jewish with similar considerations. I grew up in MCPS and we are moving to Falls Church City largely for schools, but also for commuting distance, walkability, and proximity to a decent Jewish community.

This area straddles the Fairfax / Falls Church City line. Haycock is probably a better bet for you because it is larger and from secondhand info has more resources for special needs (both IEP and GT kids). But Falls Church City has its own school system that is generally very well regarded, particularly for people looking for a smaller school and a more intimate setting. We chose FCC but Haycock is also quite good. Your budget will go farther in the Haycock district because FCC schools carry a cost premium, and taxes are higher there also.

Some other thoughts:

The densest Jewish area is, as others have said, around the JCC in Annandale/Fairfax. The NoVA Jewish community is in general less dense than in Maryland and your kid won't have a class that's 40% Jewish like in some parts of Montgomery County no matter where you move. But there are a number of synagogues in Northern Virginia that I've generally found to be as welcoming as where I went in Maryland.

Rodef is the largest synagogue in Northern Virginia so you'll find a fair concentration of Jews in the surrounding area. It's Reform. If you are conservative, check out Agudas Achim in Alexandria, Olam Tikvah in Fairfax, or Etz Hayim in Arlington. I know Rodef, Agudas, and OT all have active families programming. I assume Etz Hayim does but don't know for sure.

I would recommend against the area around the JCC even though there are more Jews if you're prioritizing commute above everything else. That's maybe a 30-40 minute drive in traffic. In contrast, it's about a 10-15 minute drive or metro ride from the Rodef Shalom part of Falls Church, near WFC Metro, to Virginia Square.

The right hand side of this page has a good overview of the major parts of Northern Virgjnia from a Jewizh perspective: http://www.jconnect.org/resources/new-to-the-area/northern-virginia.

We looked in that area and found that similar homes were more expensive in the Haycock district than in FCC. There are many Asian and Jewish families, in particular, looking to live in that district who are not as interested in FCC. You may end up paying more in FCC because of the higher taxes on top. Agree with the poster, though, who pointed out it will be next to impossible to find a nice four-bedroom in either for under $600K.

[Anonymous]

We live in one of the neighborhoods near the JCC in the Frost/Woodson pyramid. I have a kid with an IEP in the AAP program at Frost, and I have been very happy with the IEP team there. They have been very responsive and proactive. Just wanted to add that into the mix.

You can definitely get a 4 bedroom for <$600K. You may need to look at houses that feed to Wakefield Forest, Canterbury Woods, Little Run or Olde Creek vs. Mantua.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Live in Silver Spring, MD and considering a job near Virginia Square metro. Two DD's in 1st and 3rd grade. One has ADHD and an IEP, the other has been designated "GT" by MCPS. We love our elementary but were considering moving to Olney, MD for middle school. If I am relocated to Alexandria that commute would be hellish, but we know NOTHING about Virginia - the schools, the neighborhoods, etc. We are pretty progressive, like a sense of community, Jewish, value public education and particularly want a well regarded middle school/HS district becuase once we move we're staying. We don't want our kids to be the only Jewish kids in their class. Max housing budget $600K for 4 bedroom. Where to start?

Just curious - how could it possibly be?
I moved to DC 5 years ago from another country, and I believe I know a lot about good schools in VA, MD and DC, the neighborhoods to live (and their price ranges), good restaurants and things to do with the kids in all three states.