Public Or Private? Choices... Choices

[Anonymous]

My husband and I are considering moving to Maryland or Virginia from DC metro. (We're cramped in a three bedroom apartment in Tenleytown/AU Park!) We want a larger space to raise our kids, but also a good school district.

Currently, I honestly don't know much about what schools we're zoned for. (I abandoned the public school system all together years ago before we moved here.) But... where we used to live... private school was affordable. $11,000 per year for our daughter... no textbook fees or supply fees or anything... Just a yearly field trip that was maybe $150. We also lived in 2300 sq. ft. house with a fairly large yard... but a horrible school district.

So... my problem now is... we're paying more than 4 times as much for way less space on top of $30k for private school and another large sum for day care. (Previously we paid $12k total for daycare between our two younger kids).

So in order to save money/get more for our money... we're considering moving into the suburbs, where we can send our youngest child to public school, while keeping our older two in private in DC.

So... in the short term... I was wondering about good, solid public schools in either Maryland or Virginia that have 4k and go through at least 3rd grade. I'd also like to get an idea for neighborhoods also... and how far out they are from DC.

We don't mind keeping our expenses at 3k for rent per month, but we do want more space in an equally safe neighborhood. But at the same time, we can't be hours away from DC, because my husband and I work there and our two oldest children will be staying at their current schools in DC.

So suggestions?

I'd also like to hear of small privates in Maryland or Virginia for 4k through 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

The BCC cluster in MD is confusing. I would avoid it if possible. The other close in choice is the Whitman cluster. The drawback: it is the boring suburbs. I live in the burbs myself. I love the open spaces, and my kids also like that. I do wish for easier urban access though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are considering moving to Maryland or Virginia from DC metro. (We're cramped in a three bedroom apartment in Tenleytown/AU Park!) We want a larger space to raise our kids, but also a good school district.

Currently, I honestly don't know much about what schools we're zoned for. (I abandoned the public school system all together years ago before we moved here.) But... where we used to live... private school was affordable. $11,000 per year for our daughter... no textbook fees or supply fees or anything... Just a yearly field trip that was maybe $150. We also lived in 2300 sq. ft. house with a fairly large yard... but a horrible school district.

So... my problem now is... we're paying more than 4 times as much for way less space on top of $30k for private school and another large sum for day care. (Previously we paid $12k total for daycare between our two younger kids).

So in order to save money/get more for our money... we're considering moving into the suburbs, where we can send our youngest child to public school, while keeping our older two in private in DC.

So... in the short term... I was wondering about good, solid public schools in either Maryland or Virginia that have 4k and go through at least 3rd grade. I'd also like to get an idea for neighborhoods also... and how far out they are from DC.

We don't mind keeping our expenses at 3k for rent per month, but we do want more space in an equally safe neighborhood. But at the same time, we can't be hours away from DC, because my husband and I work there and our two oldest children will be staying at their current schools in DC.

So suggestions?

I'd also like to hear of small privates in Maryland or Virginia for 4k through 3rd grade.

If you want a public school, I'm not sure why you'd consider moving. From your description I'd guess you're zoned for Janney. You're going to have a hard time beating that anywhere. Even Bethesda isn't going to get you anything better at the elementary level. You might want to consider cross-posting this to the DC Public Schools forum where people from your neighborhood can address this. Bottom line though, if you were looking for a place to put your child for high school I could understand moving, but the child isn't even in K yet? I'd look long and hard at the local public elementary, you're going to have a hard time doing better - even in a private.

[Anonymous]

Agree generally with PP about Janney and DC does have all day pre-K (4 by Sept. 30). It is lottery but Janney had 40 slots this year so you have a chance at that. I do not believe any of the close in suburbs have that.

I hear great things about all the North Arlington elementary schools and that is very close in, also Falls Church City and many Fairfax County Schools.

[Anonymous]

Ditto Janney, great school, beats Bethesda. But it sounds like you want a bigger house, right?

You could move to downtown Silver Spring and send your youngest to Sligo Creek or Takoma Elementary (they have a great magnet starting first grade).

You can rent a nice house (4BR, nice yard) walkable to the metro for $2500 or so. But the commute downtown is longer if you work on K-Street, easier if you work on the hill.

WOn't your younger child resent the older sibs in the fancy private school, though?

[Anonymous]

Takoma Elementary will be rebuilt starting next year and the kids will be bussed rather far.

We're very happy in the Walter Johnson high school cluster in Montgomery County. (We're in Bethesda.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Takoma Elementary will be rebuilt starting next year and the kids will be bussed rather far.

We're very happy in the Walter Johnson high school cluster in Montgomery County. (We're in Bethesda.)

Yes, but this is for one only year. The children will be bussed to Grosvenor. Of course, I doubt anyone interested in TPES would be living in Bethesda, but still I wanted to clarify.

[Anonymous]

Do you plan to move the younger one to private in a few years or are you planning on a totally different track?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WOn't your younger child resent the older sibs in the fancy private school, though?

I wondered this too. Not that it's any of my business, I realize. Just thinking it seems like a tough shadow for one to grow up under.

[Anonymous]

I don't think any of the close in MD or VA suburbs offer PreK-4 as a standard part of the public schools. Some of the Virginia magnet programs offer it - such as the Montessori elementary schools - but these are also application / lottery based.

In contrast, DC offers it - although it is through a lottery. My understanding is you would fall within Janney which had 40 PreK spots this last year and 60 in boundary applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WOn't your younger child resent the older sibs in the fancy private school, though?

I wondered this too. Not that it's any of my business, I realize. Just thinking it seems like a tough shadow for one to grow up under.

Ditto. I'm not necessarily an equal-equal person, and I can imagine if my kids had different needs, I would consider different schools (e.g., special needs child may receive more apropos services from publics), but seems a bit odd. And potentially fraught with a lifetime of conflict.

[Anonymous]

Well we can't try lottery as he's only three.

On the other side, I'm not too sure about my three year old knowing the difference between public and private.

The reason why we're looking now, is so that in the fall, he can start one school and remain in it for a few years if we like it. If we don't... then we'll try to get him into private.

The plan is to put him in public through third grade or so... If we keep him until third or fourth grade in public, then my oldest daughter will be out of high school and on to college. (Hopefully on scholarship...)

I'm not concerned about him resenting his older siblings. In all honesty, I wouldn't dare put my seventh grade daughter in DCPS... nor would I my son when he was that age. I was only looking for a good, solid elementary school.

It's nothing against DCPS. It's just that the types of problems we encountered in our old district... we just don't want it here and they seem to only get bigger in junior high and senior high.

But thank you for the tips. I'll look into everything you mentioned.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if you'd consider this, but I like the elementary schools in Great Falls, VA. We live in Herndon, and we're zoned for Forestville elementary. Also Haycock elementary in Fairfax County - right on the border of Falls church is a really good school as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well we can't try lottery as he's only three.

On the other side, I'm not too sure about my three year old knowing the difference between public and private.

The reason why we're looking now, is so that in the fall, he can start one school and remain in it for a few years if we like it. If we don't... then we'll try to get him into private.

The plan is to put him in public through third grade or so... If we keep him until third or fourth grade in public, then my oldest daughter will be out of high school and on to college. (Hopefully on scholarship...)

I'm not concerned about him resenting his older siblings. In all honesty, I wouldn't dare put my seventh grade daughter in DCPS... nor would I my son when he was that age. I was only looking for a good, solid elementary school.

It's nothing against DCPS. It's just that the types of problems we encountered in our old district... we just don't want it here and they seem to only get bigger in junior high and senior high.

But thank you for the tips. I'll look into everything you mentioned.

I think all anybody was looking for was an understanding of the different treatment, it is very common to do public elementary and then go private in DC. If that is your plan and you want to stay in DC, I would look into moving into the Mann school district.

I completely get leaving the district for schools, especially past elementary. But you indicated you were looking for a public 4K (is that pre-K or kindergarten for 4 year olds) through third grade public. You can get a good public elementary in the district and it starts at pre-K. Most of the close is suburbs do not have public pre-K. I think you are going to be going private for your 3 year old next year no matter what, there are some public preschools in DC, but they are probably in areas you are not interested in and the lotteries are over. It is a little late to be looking at preschools for the fall, but the preschool forum has some good posts on good programs to apply to if you are applying late. If you are interested in the pre-K lottery for fall 2010, the window for applying this year was between early February and mid-March so you should check out the DCPS website next fall for dates.

[Anonymous]

Op Here:

Let me get this straight: My son just turned 3. He will NOT qualify for pre-k this fall (2009).

My interest is not in a good school district in DC, because, frankly, our neighbors tell us we live in a great school zone. My interest is in a good school district outside of DC for more space.

But what I am gathering is that the local suburbs don't have Pre-K? If that's the case then I may be stuck placing my son in a small private pre-K.

I hope this post didn't sound snooty... for some reaosn in my head it's starting to sound snooty.

But really, thank you all for your help. =)