New to area: Stoddert vs. Oyster Adams Bilingual?

[Anonymous]

We are looking at apartments IB for both schools - and would be really grateful for any current family feedback. We will tour both schools ASAP but have not yet - but from outside I like the facilities at Stoddard better (playing fields). What do the kids do at Oyster for sports/rec? I love the Oyster biligual program though. DC will be PK3 this coming school year and from previous threads it doesn't seem likely he'd get a spot at either school, which is ok, we could do private PK until he gets a spot. My work is closer to Stoddert. Like the Oyster apartment more. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Actually I see Oyster is only PK4. - OP.

[Anonymous]

Stoddert only has preK-4, too. Both are great schools. If you're staying long-term, Oyster has its own middle school, and students move into that building starting in 4th grade, whereas Stoddert feeds into Hardy and as of now, loses a number of students to charter schools after 4th grade. (Depending on whom you ask, this may or may not be rapidly changing.)

If you're not in it for the long haul, then I'd focus primarily on how important the bilingualism is to you and which neighborhood better suits your family. I think that the school profiles re academic benchmarks and involved parents are pretty similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually I see Oyster is only PK4. - OP.

Others can correct me here, but based on previous lottery results and this year as well, you have little chance of getting your child in for PK4 to either school without an older sibling enrolled. The data here:

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Learn+About+Schools/Lottery+and+Admissions:+Apply+to+Our+Schools

shows that all PK4 slots (non-Spanish for Oyster) went to kids with siblings already at the school. So you are likely looking at evaluating which school for Kindergarten 2 years from now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at apartments IB for both schools - and would be really grateful for any current family feedback. We will tour both schools ASAP but have not yet - but from outside I like the facilities at Stoddard better (playing fields). What do the kids do at Oyster for sports/rec? I love the Oyster biligual program though. DC will be PK3 this coming school year and from previous threads it doesn't seem likely he'd get a spot at either school, which is ok, we could do private PK until he gets a spot. My work is closer to Stoddert. Like the Oyster apartment more. Thanks!

Agreed with other poster that the immersion aspect is a huge dividing line and I would probably make my decision based on which side of that line I came down on. Other considerations would be Metro access (Woodley Park better, obviously), access to other amenities (personally I love the family amenities of Woodley Park, including parks, access to Rock Creek and Metro, library at Cleveland Park, etc), and of course commute. But I would make the decision on how important Spanish is to you and how committed you will be to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking at apartments IB for both schools - and would be really grateful for any current family feedback. We will tour both schools ASAP but have not yet - but from outside I like the facilities at Stoddard better (playing fields). What do the kids do at Oyster for sports/rec? I love the Oyster biligual program though. DC will be PK3 this coming school year and from previous threads it doesn't seem likely he'd get a spot at either school, which is ok, we could do private PK until he gets a spot. My work is closer to Stoddert. Like the Oyster apartment more. Thanks!

Agreed with other poster that the immersion aspect is a huge dividing line and I would probably make my decision based on which side of that line I came down on. Other considerations would be Metro access (Woodley Park better, obviously), access to other amenities (personally I love the family amenities of Woodley Park, including parks, access to Rock Creek and Metro, library at Cleveland Park, etc), and of course commute. But I would make the decision on how important Spanish is to you and how committed you will be to it.

Since you'll have to wait until K to get into either school, I'd go with lifestyle over commute. Since you're new to DC, be prepared for a LOT of craziness getting into a private PS/PK (some charge tuition of $15K and up) or coop playgroup or nanny share.

See the forum on daycare and preschool.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Neither school has a PK3, so you have no chance at all until PK4, and even then you have a chance of not getting in. You are not guaranteed until K so whichever you choose, be prepared to have another option for 1-2 years.

[Anonymous]

Go with the living situation you want. You like the apt in the oyster district, so go there. PS3 doesn't exist for either school and for Stoddert there is only one PK and I dont expect that to change and it will likely be filled with all Ib kids with siblings already at the school. That's the case this upcoming year.

[Anonymous]

I've considered both for my family- would definitely go for Oyster Adams! Diverse, multicultural environment with great feeder pattern if you are in DC for the long haul.

In the end, we decided not to move as we were accepted to a bilingual Spanish immersion program so are staying in our current home.

[Anonymous]

Stoddert is very diverse as well. Personally, I'd pick Stoddert.

[Anonymous]

We chose Woodley/ Oyster because of the bilingual program. Once in, we discovered it's a great neighborhood and community to live in, and also that the school has a second, middle-school campus, so we're pretty much set from K till 8th grade.