Relocating to dc for 1 year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: Definitely consider Brent Elementary on Capitol Hill. It’s a wonderful neighborhood for young families with immediate access to all that DC has to offer. You can literally stroll down to the National Mall and the museums—pop in with your kids and pop out when they are tired. Also the Hill is lousy with nice, friendly parks and playgrounds. There’s a group called Sports on the Hill that organizes sports teams for your older child. There’s also Capitol Hill Little League, dance studios, a Trader Joe’s, a Whole Foods, a library with story hours, independent bookstores, a game store, neighbor-owned restaurants, Eastern Market, immediate access to great bike paths, close to Nationals Stadium and Audi Field..Once you are settled ask a neighbor how to get set up on the Moms on The Hill ( MOTH ). Listserve. It’s a great way to know what’s going on for little kids around the neighborhood and the city.

If your 4 year old isn’t able to secure a spot at Brent, there is a sweet private preschool right next door called The Hill Preschool

http://www.thehillpreschool.org/

This is all true, but equally true of Ludlow-Taylor where you’d also get free PK4 of higher quality than HPS. Hill Preschool is great for 2s and 3s, but it skews very young for the reason the PP said (families bail for free PK4) and so your PK4 aged kid will probably be bored. Like Brent is perhaps marginally better for 3rd (although I’m not even sure that that’s true anymore), but the L-T PK4 v paying for HPS is a much bigger difference.

[Anonymous]

^^ All that said, I completely agree with PP that Capitol Hill is where I’d spend a year in DC with elementary school aged kids, no question. It is an amazing lifestyle and friendly community and you don’t need to worry about middle school. The dream!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ All that said, I completely agree with PP that Capitol Hill is where I’d spend a year in DC with elementary school aged kids, no question. It is an amazing lifestyle and friendly community and you don’t need to worry about middle school. The dream!

+1. I would not want to stay in CH in the long run, but would folded stay there if it were just for one year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The op needs recommendations for a school she can enroll in over the summer - and the older child will pull the younger child in. We all know that siblings are not guaranteed a spot at Brent - do not look there. You need to look at schools that have some pre-K 4 waitlist movement in august. Navy yard and Van ness is a great option. No = Ross and Brent.

Can’t she also lottery and still move over the summer? This would allow her to lottery into a good charter school (perhaps) and if not, move to a good dcps with plenty of PK space.

Not clear if she really wants the city or the suburbs though.

No - she needs to provide evidence of residency when she enrolls. If you lottery in to a charter, this evidence is required in May. At that time, it appears they will not have a DC address.

[Anonymous]

Yes- thanks all, this is useful to hear how all of this works. Hopefully we could have a lease by May, but it wouldn’t start until August. Basically I am trying to figure out how much we could count on just moving over the summer and finding public school for both kids in somewhat same area. Ok with 2 drop offs so long as they are not in totally different areas of the city. The LT school sounds like it is less in demand so we could try to move in the boundary over the summer and then enroll both. Could also lottery and see what happens but we would like to be in a fun neighborhood for the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ All that said, I completely agree with PP that Capitol Hill is where I’d spend a year in DC with elementary school aged kids, no question. It is an amazing lifestyle and friendly community and you don’t need to worry about middle school. The dream!

+1. I would not want to stay in CH in the long run, but would folded stay there if it were just for one year.

Friend, I’ve lived on Capitol Hill for nearly 20 years and will have three children graduate from public schools in DC. Two have entered highly selective colleges—one Ivy League. So. There’s that.

[Anonymous]

This is a very trollish post:

- relocating for only a year? Is this a secondment?

- most professionals don’t uproot their family/ kids in school for a domestic move like this. It’s one thing to go live in the UK for a year. DC during a pandemic from a small town in New England?

- you don’t even know where the place of employment will be location wise in DC? How is that possible? That doesn’t make any sense


If you’re not a troll, save yourself the headache and stress of moving somewhere for only a year. It will be hard on your children and it’s not like DC is different enough culturally to them to make the stress worthwhile. Stay in your current town and have the spouse travel to DC during the week. It’s only for one year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes- thanks all, this is useful to hear how all of this works. Hopefully we could have a lease by May, but it wouldn’t start until August. Basically I am trying to figure out how much we could count on just moving over the summer and finding public school for both kids in somewhat same area. Ok with 2 drop offs so long as they are not in totally different areas of the city. The LT school sounds like it is less in demand so we could try to move in the boundary over the summer and then enroll both. Could also lottery and see what happens but we would like to be in a fun neighborhood for the year.

You’re crazy. It’s just a year. By the time you even meet anyone...it will be time to move back. DC clears out in the summer and is blazing hot. Once you know your way around and have unpacked boxes it will be time to move back.

Have your spouse get an apartment and come to visit over the holidays, spring break, etc. Perhaps have your spouse find a two bedroom with a pool and then you can at least spend a few weeks of the summer in DC while your kids are in school.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, but it’s me with the work opportunity awaiting details and just trying to think ahead about logistics/feasibility. - hopefully not in a pandemic anymore but who knows! Thanks to all for the advice.

[Anonymous]

Lots of people do this in DC for government jobs. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people do this in DC for government jobs. Good luck!

They do? I have lived in DC for a long time and have never met someone who moved to DC for only one year *from somewhere else in the United States.* At least not someone old enough to have a family. I am unaware of any government jobs where you move to DC for only one year and have a housing allowance. Four years - ok sure. From another country...yes. One year from a few states away? Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, but it’s me with the work opportunity awaiting details and just trying to think ahead about logistics/feasibility. - hopefully not in a pandemic anymore but who knows! Thanks to all for the advice.

Still don’t believe you. A lot of government agencies are still WFH. I find it very hard to believe you’re being assigned to a role beginning in May 2022 and you’ve been told you’d need to relocate to DC for only one year and would receive a housing allowance.

How could you not even know where the offices are located?

Sorry but it doesn’t add up at all. I’d be more believing if you were coming from overseas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people do this in DC for government jobs. Good luck!

They do? I have lived in DC for a long time and have never met someone who moved to DC for only one year *from somewhere else in the United States.* At least not someone old enough to have a family. I am unaware of any government jobs where you move to DC for only one year and have a housing allowance. Four years - ok sure. From another country...yes. One year from a few states away? Nope.

Then you don’t know anyone taking a political aide or chief of staff type position. They often only keep the job for 2 years and if they move their family to FC it’s for one school year. This is not done crazy rarity.

I don’t think this is a troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people do this in DC for government jobs. Good luck!

They do? I have lived in DC for a long time and have never met someone who moved to DC for only one year *from somewhere else in the United States.* At least not someone old enough to have a family. I am unaware of any government jobs where you move to DC for only one year and have a housing allowance. Four years - ok sure. From another country...yes. One year from a few states away? Nope.

I am aware of one. My husband had the same position but most others were relocated for a year costs covered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a very trollish post:

- relocating for only a year? Is this a secondment?

- most professionals don’t uproot their family/ kids in school for a domestic move like this. It’s one thing to go live in the UK for a year. DC during a pandemic from a small town in New England?

- you don’t even know where the place of employment will be location wise in DC? How is that possible? That doesn’t make any sense


If you’re not a troll, save yourself the headache and stress of moving somewhere for only a year. It will be hard on your children and it’s not like DC is different enough culturally to them to make the stress worthwhile. Stay in your current town and have the spouse travel to DC during the week. It’s only for one year.

OP: ignore these posters questioning your very move. We took our entire family across the country for a one-year academic fellowship and enrolled the kids in elementary, middle and high school in that district. The move, the adjustment, the experience, the sense of an intrepid family adventure was all a complete plus for our family. We are closer, stronger, with more friendships and great memories. You do you and ignore these strange people who don’t seem to understand that life itself is about embracing change and learning to adapt.