Moving to DC, and can't decide between Oyster and MoCo

[Anonymous]

OP, I doubt you will be able to decide this from a distance searching internet and reading boards. They do add to arguments but eventually you would want to see how it feels. Are you too far from here (sorry I haven't read every single post, so not sure if you mentioned it), but if it accessible distance, why don't you just come to DC and check it out for yourself (it won't be the same like living in a place, but at least you'll have an idea). Also, are you renting or buying? If renting, see if you can rent for a year, and then may be move if you are not happy where you are. Definitely a hassle, but not the end of the world.

[Anonymous]

ps I live in bethesda, just across the street from DC, and I miss that part of DC tremendously, it's just not the same, but there are other things that I enjoy here. But i could without much consequences move back, would gladly do it.

[Anonymous]

I agree. some perspective is merited here - Bethesda is not the Boonies, it is only a couple of miles from Woodley Park. You can certainly live there without a car, and certainly without using a car much.

[Anonymous]

Ok - as a gifted person and as the parent of a gifted child - i can tell you that g&t programs in most schools are pretty worthless. They are not this bastion of creativity and discovery, as most of you are probably envisioning. It's still public school. Still worksheets. Just a grade or 2 ahead. There's no differentiation (there is still a curriculum, after all). It's one size g&t fits all.

I, for one, hated gifted. It was still boring, still unchallenging. It's my parents who really provided me my gifted education - by bringing me to cultural events, giving me music lessons, and keeping the bookshelves stocked with books on everything you can imagine (we basically had a library in our small house).

Your kids can deal with all this so-called boredom. And, I'm willing to bet, that most of your gifted kids will be just fine too. They will be making friends of all kinds (the social aspect of being gifted is so often ignored and at an enormous cost to the kids) and will be learning to "deal" with their "giftedness" in a normal enviornment. I deal with many smart, talented people, but I also deal with not so smart people. And it's nice that I can actaully have patience and compassion for that, instead of thinking I'm better than them, or thinking I need to be segregated to save myself from their "stupidity".

We chose Oyster for the language component, first and foremost. Is it nice that my dd may have an added challenge? Sure! But, choose your school because of community. Choose your school because you want your kid to be surrounded by XYZ all day long. Choose your school because they will reinforce what you teach at home, whether it be cultural diversity, language skills, socio-economic diversity, etc. I know that we're surroudned by the top school systems in the country in Arlington, MontCo and Fairfax and they all have their fine points. But, you will not being doing your kids a disservice for not enrolling them in a g&t.

[Anonymous]

OP, you should visit the schools and then decide.

You've been dithering a long time about this. No matter what choice you make, something will go wrong. But no matter what choice you make, something will also go right.

Making this choice won't allow you to foresee every problem and challenge your kids will face because you can't control the next 15-20 years of your kids' lives. I know you're anxious about making the move and setting up in the right place for your family but there is only so much you can control and so much you can predict.

Visit the schools, do your final pro and con list, and then take the leap!

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Gotta agree with the immediately previous poster. Gifted programs per se aren't necessarily challenging or interesting. Especially in environments where standardized testing is king, they can be the same old stuff just done faster. That's not intellectually engaging.

I've seen the grads of MD G&T programs and been underwhelmed by their education (especially writing skills) and I've seen 8th graders at my daughter's school who went to Oyster for elementary school. Not an entirely fair comparison, I recognize -- college freshman vs. 8th graders; college in question may have been easier to get into than middle school in question. And the 8th graders had had a couple of years in a private middle school before I met them so it's hard to sort out what's ES and what's MS. All that said, the Oyster alumns were smart, happy, intellectually curious kids who spoke highly of their days at Oyster and who went on to flourish in a demanding middle school environment. I don't think that they "suffered" because they went to Oyster rather than a Bethesda ES.

[Anonymous]

PP here -- I was agreeing with 10:52 who, as it turned out, was no longer the immediately previous poster by the time I posted!

[Anonymous]

OP. Thanks. We visited (twice) and decided on MoCo, but after house-hunting, realized the we felt more at home in the city. Even DC told us she liked the city and wanted to live there.

Really don't know about immersion vs learning another language. How you can decide in advance whether immersion is a good fit? My kids like learning Spanish, but we're not bilingual.

[Anonymous]

How old is/are your child/children? I can't recall if you've mentioned that. If they're older, moving into the bilingual program gets tricky.

[Anonymous]

21:24 I'm the PP you quoted. Yes, huge. I prefer Silver Spring, BTW. Bethesda oozes too much conspicuous-consumption privilege for my taste.

[Anonymous]

OP: I can't tell how much you've researched what entering a bilingual program would be like for your children and your family. I think that is essential information for you and without it you really cannot make an informed decision about Oyster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We chose Oyster for the language component, first and foremost. Is it nice that my dd may have an added challenge? Sure! But, choose your school because of community. Choose your school because you want your kid to be surrounded by XYZ all day long. Choose your school because they will reinforce what you teach at home, whether it be cultural diversity, language skills, socio-economic diversity, etc. I know that we're surroudned by the top school systems in the country in Arlington, MontCo and Fairfax and they all have their fine points. But, you will not being doing your kids a disservice for not enrolling them in a g&t.

This one of the most helpful posts I've seen in a while. Thank you!

OP, the difference is between learning a language as the content of a course, like math or science. Versus learning a course in math using a second language. Make sense? Sounds like your DC are happy with the former. And in DC area there are lots of fun ways for them, and you, to enjoy exposure to Spanish language and Latin cultures.

So if you weren't enamored with the whole Oyster package, then language exposure alone is not a reason to go. The Oyster dual-immersion bilingual program is being changed next year FYI, see DCPS forum.

Perhaps we could all help more if we understood the age/grade range of your kids and where you're coming from geographically. For example, people who know both NYC and DC could give your analogies on neighborhoods, logistics.

If you've seen schools twice and decided on MoCo, then it seems like your choice on school is made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP. Thanks. We visited (twice) and decided on MoCo, but after house-hunting, realized the we felt more at home in the city. Even DC told us she liked the city and wanted to live there.

If you want to live in the city and your child wants to live in the city and the schools in question are of at least roughly equivalent quality -- which, after all the ink is spilled, they plainly are -- why is this a hard decision? This is your LIFE -- live where you want to live. If you do otherwise, you'll all resent it (especially whenever the inevitable school frustrations pop up).

[Anonymous]

It ought to be an easy decision, but we've moved DC to two schools for various reasons, and I don't want to pick the wrong school for her. That's why I'm second-guessing myself. If it were just me, I'd move to the city, no question. Many people on DCUM have fled the city solely because of the schools. My friends and relations in DC unanimously recommend moving to the suburbs. I'm fighting more than my own instincts here. DH has never lived in a city (I'm from NYC), and he's leaning toward the suburbs for the schools, but sees the better fit for our family (mostly ME) in the city.

Thanks for all the comments. I have not researched immersion (understand the definition, of course)--where does one do that? DD is learning Spanish in an after-school immersion program she LOVES. But it's mostly fun, not geared toward learning any other subject. I've been assuming my kids will do well anywhere. Are there specific drawbacks to immersion? DD is 8--is that too old to start immersion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It ought to be an easy decision, but we've moved DC to two schools for various reasons, and I don't want to pick the wrong school for her. That's why I'm second-guessing myself. If it were just me, I'd move to the city, no question. Many people on DCUM have fled the city solely because of the schools. My friends and relations in DC unanimously recommend moving to the suburbs. I'm fighting more than my own instincts here. DH has never lived in a city (I'm from NYC), and he's leaning toward the suburbs for the schools, but sees the better fit for our family (mostly ME) in the city.

Thanks for all the comments. I have not researched immersion (understand the definition, of course)--where does one do that? DD is learning Spanish in an after-school immersion program she LOVES. But it's mostly fun, not geared toward learning any other subject. I've been assuming my kids will do well anywhere. Are there specific drawbacks to immersion? DD is 8--is that too old to start immersion?

Honestly - I would NEVER listen to a person who would say "stay away from all DCPS" OR a person who would say "stay away from the suburbs - they suck the life out of you". Any person who is unable to see the fine points about both options is just not the type of person I'd be willing to listen to for advice.

Now that you tell us your kid is 8 - I think that's too old for an immersion school. The kids will all be fluent by then, able to write in both languages, etc. It just wouldn't be fair for your kid.

That said - It's not an Oyster or Bethesda kind of decision. There are MANY good elementary schools and charter schools in DC. They are just as good as MontCo. There have been many changes at Deal (IB program), there is an amazing magnet program at Banneker, School w/o Walls is fantastic. DCPS is not all scary - don't believe the people who say otherwise.

Schools in bethesda are great too.
I personally like the options in Arlington Co better (science, montessori, independent study, ib), so you might want to look into moving into Clarendon area, etc. It's much more urban than Bethesda. good mix of city and burb.

Good luck!