Moving from DC to Takoma Park?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No middle school in the DMV can compete with TPMS. This is the middle school that competes in High school Math competitions.

Just because there are a handful of brilliant math students at TPMS doesn't mean that it is a great school overall for the average kid. That's the farce about magnet schools.

Yeah, I think there are much better middle schools than TPMS for students who are *not* math geniuses. Also found their Humanities to pretty "meh." TPMS has some very bright kids and some very privileged kids--not always the same subset

Then explain to me why they always do great in humanities competitions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we paid $10k more than we sold our 3 bed one bath bloomingdale row house for a 6 bed, 5 bath house with a third of an acre and a garage. Can walk to metro and downtown TKPK. Miss our excellent charter school though. MCPS is disappointing.

Where is a 6BR house walkable to the Metro? I live in TKPK, and find this hard to believe...

A troll? Because I thought the same thing. And garages aren’t really a TKPK thing either

My relatives sold one on Maple Ave. 6 bedrooms, garage, huge lot. Gorgeous home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is Blair aside from the magnet program? Is it worth moving from a DC charter to takoma/east SS for Blair?

We did it. And my answer is... Maybe, but.

A few things. What high school options are there in DC and how well do they dovetail with interested? Is the charter school Latin? Probably not, then. I think. How good is your kid with crowds? Are they self directed enough to be happy with 3000 peers? Will they find their gang (that is not an actual gang) or be overwhelmed by the options?

The DCC has some great programs, many of which are self-selecting, so even a bon magnet kid has some choices. But... There is also another lottery. If you want IB, Blair doesn't have it. Need to lottery or test into a school that does. If you want a magnet and don't get in... That's it. You can't apply next year. (Except to Vac). Didn't get into the lottery option I was counting on (we turned down Blair for it) but did get into a selective program. But off a wait list. So there was a good week or so when I was staring at the offered school (which wasn't awful, but wasn't great for the programs and the kid) and having flashbacks to the DC lottery system, where I had to make choices like, "what happens in middle school to a Montessori kid?" And, "what if we don't lottery into Latin?" (We did not get a spot there.)

Every school in the DCC has its strengths and I am impressed by them. But there are some weird things too. Like the pecking orders. The snobbery from the east part of the county. The sheer size.

Oh, and this may not bug you, but it does me: every single high school in the DCC (except Einstein and Wheaton) is parked along a major busy massive six-lane road. It just makes coming and going feel like you'd never want to go for a walk afterward. On the other hand, unlike DC, they have school busses. And for working parents that's pretty huge too

Wheaton is also parked along a major busy massive six-lane highway: Randolph Road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved a rented apartment in Petworth to a house in Takoma Park. When we first moved we were childless; now we have two young kids. Overall, we are very happy here. The neighborhood (especially all the parks) is great. Lots of young families. The downtown and the Junction make it very walkable. Farmers market is nice, even during covid. Kids not old enough for public school yet,so can't comment on that personally, although I have heard the schools are fine.

As other posters have observed, the city taxes make it more expensive than neighboring SS. The current mayoral election is turning into a fight over how to decrease the city tax rate. But at the end of the day, it's all lumped into your PITI, which is really what we focused on when buying a house.

Takoma Park is small town - for better and for worse. I love it, but it can tend towards provincial especially re: development and politics. The funny thing about the new candidate looking to decrease taxes is that he is part of very vocal group that wants the City to develop and operate a city-owned parking lot for community purposes (though there is a relatively new community building literally down the street) - so not sure how this fits into lower taxes.

Takoma Park isn't a small town. Its large and has a huge population. people confuse the historic area near the metro with being all of TP. That is the small town feel part. Go to the Chucky Cheese in TP and tell me if it still feels like a quaint middle class small town. Thats a larger part of TP and defines it more even if the white moms pretend it isn't part of it. The families that live in that part is why so, so many from the SFH part fight so hard to get their kids in immersion, magnet or Enriched programs. It isn't because their kids are that smart

Those families are also really successful at it. It’s almost impossible to get into Blair’s enrichment program if you aren’t already zoned for the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh, and this may not bug you, but it does me: every single high school in the DCC (except Einstein and Wheaton) is parked along a major busy massive six-lane road. It just makes coming and going feel like you'd never want to go for a walk afterward. On the other hand, unlike DC, they have school busses. And for working parents that's pretty huge too

Wheaton is also parked along a major busy massive six-lane highway: Randolph Road.

I'm not following what the issue is here. If for some reason you want to take a walk around the neighborhood of the school, you could certainly do so on the smaller streets. Even if they front on a big road, all these schools have residential neighborhoods surrounding them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No middle school in the DMV can compete with TPMS. This is the middle school that competes in High school Math competitions.

Just because there are a handful of brilliant math students at TPMS doesn't mean that it is a great school overall for the average kid. That's the farce about magnet schools.

Yeah, I think there are much better middle schools than TPMS for students who are *not* math geniuses. Also found their Humanities to pretty "meh." TPMS has some very bright kids and some very privileged kids--not always the same subset

Then explain to me why they always do great in humanities competitions?

Same as with the kids excellent at math. The fact that there are a few kids who are very strong in a particular area does not mean that the school is good for the vast majority of kids. Citing the prevalence of awards at a particular school, especially a magnet school, is not persuasive. You should be look at the median or mean, not the high end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No middle school in the DMV can compete with TPMS. This is the middle school that competes in High school Math competitions.

Just because there are a handful of brilliant math students at TPMS doesn't mean that it is a great school overall for the average kid. That's the farce about magnet schools.

Yeah, I think there are much better middle schools than TPMS for students who are *not* math geniuses. Also found their Humanities to pretty "meh." TPMS has some very bright kids and some very privileged kids--not always the same subset

Then explain to me why they always do great in humanities competitions?

Same as with the kids excellent at math. The fact that there are a few kids who are very strong in a particular area does not mean that the school is good for the vast majority of kids. Citing the prevalence of awards at a particular school, especially a magnet school, is not persuasive. You should be look at the median or mean, not the high end.

Again, it's a magnet school in STEM not in humanities.
Even by GS standards, it's a good school for the majority of kids.
Don't talk about the school if you know nothing about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No middle school in the DMV can compete with TPMS. This is the middle school that competes in High school Math competitions.

Just because there are a handful of brilliant math students at TPMS doesn't mean that it is a great school overall for the average kid. That's the farce about magnet schools.

Yeah, I think there are much better middle schools than TPMS for students who are *not* math geniuses. Also found their Humanities to pretty "meh." TPMS has some very bright kids and some very privileged kids--not always the same subset

Then explain to me why they always do great in humanities competitions?

Same as with the kids excellent at math. The fact that there are a few kids who are very strong in a particular area does not mean that the school is good for the vast majority of kids. Citing the prevalence of awards at a particular school, especially a magnet school, is not persuasive. You should be look at the median or mean, not the high end.

Again, it's a magnet school in STEM not in humanities.
Even by GS standards, it's a good school for the majority of kids.
Don't talk about the school if you know nothing about it.

I know plenty about the school. I like in TKPK and have several kids in the local public schools. I was only responding to the PP (maybe it's you) who insists on highlighting a few award winning students as evidence that it is a good all around school. Those prizes are pretty much irrelevant to the issue. It's a fine school. Relax.

[Anonymous]

I was not impressed by the Humanities at TPMS when my kids went there a few years ago. Is that more clear?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh, and this may not bug you, but it does me: every single high school in the DCC (except Einstein and Wheaton) is parked along a major busy massive six-lane road. It just makes coming and going feel like you'd never want to go for a walk afterward. On the other hand, unlike DC, they have school busses. And for working parents that's pretty huge too

Wheaton is also parked along a major busy massive six-lane highway: Randolph Road.

I'm not following what the issue is here. If for some reason you want to take a walk around the neighborhood of the school, you could certainly do so on the smaller streets. Even if they front on a big road, all these schools have residential neighborhoods surrounding them.

It just feels oppressive. In my opinion. Going down the "back way" of the school into a residential neighborhood doesn't really help any student that doesn't live in that residential neighborhood go anywhere.

Look at Blair, which I think has the best commercial district surrounding it. It's all on the other sides of massive, massive roads. I dont think it's particularly dangerous, I just found it oppressive. My memories of high school involved going places in my neighborhood, which was the downtown of a major city, so the places were libraries, museums, shops, cafes, etc. Was a huge part of our socialization to walk around together.

You could argue that burb kids can so that too--and you'd be right they can--but first they need to be close to somewhere they want to go.

Since the poster was asking about what they'd give up by moving to the DCC from the District... That's what comes to mind. The after school experience will be defined more by clubs and busses and sports. Regimented time. It's how a lot of people like it, and that's fine, but it is a regret that I have for our kids. And the highways are just unpleasant to walk along, to wait for the bus next to, to cross the street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No middle school in the DMV can compete with TPMS. This is the middle school that competes in High school Math competitions.

Just because there are a handful of brilliant math students at TPMS doesn't mean that it is a great school overall for the average kid. That's the farce about magnet schools.

Yeah, I think there are much better middle schools than TPMS for students who are *not* math geniuses. Also found their Humanities to pretty "meh." TPMS has some very bright kids and some very privileged kids--not always the same subset

Then explain to me why they always do great in humanities competitions?

Same as with the kids excellent at math. The fact that there are a few kids who are very strong in a particular area does not mean that the school is good for the vast majority of kids. Citing the prevalence of awards at a particular school, especially a magnet school, is not persuasive. You should be look at the median or mean, not the high end.

Again, it's a magnet school in STEM not in humanities.
Even by GS standards, it's a good school for the majority of kids.
Don't talk about the school if you know nothing about it.

It is decent only because it sends the poorest Takoma kids to Eastern much like the west county kids that Takoma parents decry. Takoma middle is way more gerrymandered to pick up SFH than most of the W’s. At least with the W’s they aren’t really excluding local poor kids because there aren’t any. Takoma just ships them to eastern. Don’t worry all the poor kids meet up with the snow flakes at Blair

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is decent only because it sends the poorest Takoma kids to Eastern much like the west county kids that Takoma parents decry. Takoma middle is way more gerrymandered to pick up SFH than most of the W’s. At least with the W’s they aren’t really excluding local poor kids because there aren’t any. Takoma just ships them to eastern. Don’t worry all the poor kids meet up with the snow flakes at Blair

This is a bizarre, and worse, inaccurate point you're trying to make. Eastern's boundaries do not include any area within Takoma Park. TP residents are zoned for either TPMS or SSIMS. No one is "shipped to Eastern" unless they're in the magnet program.

[Anonymous]

I live and Shepherd Park and can't speak to the TKPK or SS schools, but we walked to TKPK and SS pre-COVID, and there's plenty to do for families. DTSS has kids' ice skating lessons in Winter, a dance place, Dave & Busters, plus Michaels, Guitar Center, 5&below, etc at Ellsworth Plaza. Free garage parking evenings and weekends. Tons of inexpensive places to eat. There's a very cute wine bar, Urban Winery, which is good for grown ups. Farmers market in DTSS.

TKPK has lots of family-friendly restaurants, farmer's market, and lots of festivals. Plus hardware store and other stuff. Depending where you are, you might be able to walk to the Parks at Walter Reed, which will have more retail and green space. There's also a lot of development with retail in the Shepherd Park, Brightwood, and Takoma DC areas, which isn't far from SS or TKPK.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No middle school in the DMV can compete with TPMS. This is the middle school that competes in High school Math competitions.

Just because there are a handful of brilliant math students at TPMS doesn't mean that it is a great school overall for the average kid. That's the farce about magnet schools.

Yeah, I think there are much better middle schools than TPMS for students who are *not* math geniuses. Also found their Humanities to pretty "meh." TPMS has some very bright kids and some very privileged kids--not always the same subset

Then explain to me why they always do great in humanities competitions?

Same as with the kids excellent at math. The fact that there are a few kids who are very strong in a particular area does not mean that the school is good for the vast majority of kids. Citing the prevalence of awards at a particular school, especially a magnet school, is not persuasive. You should be look at the median or mean, not the high end.

Again, it's a magnet school in STEM not in humanities.
Even by GS standards, it's a good school for the majority of kids.
Don't talk about the school if you know nothing about it.

It is decent only because it sends the poorest Takoma kids to Eastern much like the west county kids that Takoma parents decry. Takoma middle is way more gerrymandered to pick up SFH than most of the W’s. At least with the W’s they aren’t really excluding local poor kids because there aren’t any. Takoma just ships them to eastern. Don’t worry all the poor kids meet up with the snow flakes at Blair

That is not true. TP kids don't go to Eastern. Stop making stuff up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No middle school in the DMV can compete with TPMS. This is the middle school that competes in High school Math competitions.

Just because there are a handful of brilliant math students at TPMS doesn't mean that it is a great school overall for the average kid. That's the farce about magnet schools.

Yeah, I think there are much better middle schools than TPMS for students who are *not* math geniuses. Also found their Humanities to pretty "meh." TPMS has some very bright kids and some very privileged kids--not always the same subset

Then explain to me why they always do great in humanities competitions?

Same as with the kids excellent at math. The fact that there are a few kids who are very strong in a particular area does not mean that the school is good for the vast majority of kids. Citing the prevalence of awards at a particular school, especially a magnet school, is not persuasive. You should be look at the median or mean, not the high end.

Again, it's a magnet school in STEM not in humanities.
Even by GS standards, it's a good school for the majority of kids.
Don't talk about the school if you know nothing about it.

It is decent only because it sends the poorest Takoma kids to Eastern much like the west county kids that Takoma parents decry. Takoma middle is way more gerrymandered to pick up SFH than most of the W’s. At least with the W’s they aren’t really excluding local poor kids because there aren’t any. Takoma just ships them to eastern. Don’t worry all the poor kids meet up with the snow flakes at Blair

See folks, this is why Ignorant W parents should not comment on schools they know nothing about. TP kids are not zoned for Eastern.
Idiot.