Charters v JKLM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would much rather live on the Hill (IB for a good school) than WOTP. It is much more urban on the Hill. That's what I would do if I were OP, and then maybe also try the charter lotteries if there were some that really appealed.

We have several friends on the Hill who are moving out of the local ES, even Brent, as OOB students at WOTP schools. OP, we are WOTP and applied for a language-immersion charter. We ultimately turned it down because we love the neighborhood feel at our JKLM school. We weren't convinced about the charter's immersion methods--that's for another thread--but the differences in resources killed it for us. Our school has a large library, fantastic programs, afterschool activities, etc.

That may not be a reflection of the Hill elementaries as much as the truth that the Hill middle and high schools are not good to and they want to gain preference at Deal and Wilson. In any event, the problem with buying on the Hill in my view is that the commute to Deal/Wilson or any of the privates is killer. I would happily send my kids to Brent (and maybe Maury) but there is not an easy answer for after elementary school. If you really want to be urban, you could buy in boundary for Ross in DuPont Circle and just plan on moving or going to private school for middle and high. At least the commute from DuPont Circle to many of the private schools is not terrible.

[Anonymous]

^There are easy answers on the Hill after elementary if you can afford parochial school and are OK with it philosophically, especially for boys. We know atheist, Jewish and Moslem families on the Hill who fit the bill.

St. Anselm's has a terrific boys only MS a 15-30 minute ride from the entire Hill. Gonzaga is a first-rate boys high school (Jesuit), and more than 10K cheaper than Sidwell, St. Albans etc. St. Peters isn't bad for MS, and is relatively cheap and co-ed. Many Hill kids head to St. Stephens and St. Agnes in Alexandria (Episcopal, much easier to reach that Upper NW) for MS and HS, and even summer Johns Hopkins CTY gifted camps from 2nd grade through MS.

Moreover, all of the Brent 4th graders who tried for Latin or BASIS in the spring got into either or both right away.

You're painting with too broad a brush from the far reaches of NW, mate.

[Anonymous]

IB for Janney, Deal and Wilson, but chose to enter the lottery for Basis and Latin. Got both, but only because we were willing to jump ship for 5th grade. SO glad we did. My child is being challenged, and not being left behind because he wasn't considered "super smart" or "academically challenged". I know Janney has great overall scores, compared to other schools in the city. But for our family, we will now happily leave our neighborhood school because we are looking for something that will eventually prepare them for a more challenging academic road. And because every day my child comes home with more than 2 math problems as homework. We wanted more. That's what works for us. Personally, I feel incredibly grateful to have won the lottery AND to have figured it out before our middle school was our only option. Again, glad to have the choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB for Janney, Deal and Wilson, but chose to enter the lottery for Basis and Latin. Got both, but only because we were willing to jump ship for 5th grade. SO glad we did. My child is being challenged, and not being left behind because he wasn't considered "super smart" or "academically challenged". I know Janney has great overall scores, compared to other schools in the city. But for our family, we will now happily leave our neighborhood school because we are looking for something that will eventually prepare them for a more challenging academic road. And because every day my child comes home with more than 2 math problems as homework. We wanted more. That's what works for us. Personally, I feel incredibly grateful to have won the lottery AND to have figured it out before our middle school was our only option. Again, glad to have the choice.

Did you chose Latin or BASIS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB for Janney, Deal and Wilson, but chose to enter the lottery for Basis and Latin. Got both, but only because we were willing to jump ship for 5th grade. SO glad we did. My child is being challenged, and not being left behind because he wasn't considered "super smart" or "academically challenged". I know Janney has great overall scores, compared to other schools in the city. But for our family, we will now happily leave our neighborhood school because we are looking for something that will eventually prepare them for a more challenging academic road. And because every day my child comes home with more than 2 math problems as homework. We wanted more. That's what works for us. Personally, I feel incredibly grateful to have won the lottery AND to have figured it out before our middle school was our only option. Again, glad to have the choice.

Did you chose Latin or BASIS

Latin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would much rather live on the Hill (IB for a good school) than WOTP. It is much more urban on the Hill. That's what I would do if I were OP, and then maybe also try the charter lotteries if there were some that really appealed.

We have several friends on the Hill who are moving out of the local ES, even Brent, as OOB students at WOTP schools. OP, we are WOTP and applied for a language-immersion charter. We ultimately turned it down because we love the neighborhood feel at our JKLM school. We weren't convinced about the charter's immersion methods--that's for another thread--but the differences in resources killed it for us. Our school has a large library, fantastic programs, afterschool activities, etc.

That may not be a reflection of the Hill elementaries as much as the truth that the Hill middle and high schools are not good to and they want to gain preference at Deal and Wilson. In any event, the problem with buying on the Hill in my view is that the commute to Deal/Wilson or any of the privates is killer. I would happily send my kids to Brent (and maybe Maury) but there is not an easy answer for after elementary school. If you really want to be urban, you could buy in boundary for Ross in DuPont Circle and just plan on moving or going to private school for middle and high. At least the commute from DuPont Circle to many of the private schools is not terrible.

No Capitol Hill schools- even Brent- are in the same league as the JKLM schools or the top charters. Many, many people still leave the Hill because of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ Famous last words. OP, don't believe that nonchalant generic advise. It's a bleak world out there with the EofP abyss. Save yourself the headache. Go for JKLMM (that feed Deal/Wilson) or move to the burbs. It'll keep you sane.

Otoh, the hottest schools in DC are either charters or privates. Sure, the PP will howl, but charters LAMB (Spanish Immersion Montessori) and Yu Ying (Mandarin Immersion International Baccalaureate) - not to mention privates St. Albans and Sidwell Friends, all have more cachet than JKLM. Buying in JKLM increases your travel time to the desirable charters and decreases your discretionary $ for tuition.

There's no guarantee you can get into any of those schools, but living in a nice flat on Connecticut Ave. while you make your choice can help pave the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not judging OP (these are certainly not my standards for a school), if he/she really wants JLKM or charters, he/she should go west of the Park.

Charter admissions, for the ones people like this would consider equivalent to JKLM, are nearly impossible. Not the kind of thing you could ever base a house purchase on, unless you had the admission already in hand.

Which charters are considered JKLM equivalents?

LAMB
Latin
Yu Ying

Maybe MV or Sela or Basis

Generally, the schools that offer a major competitive advantage over JKLM, and have the enrollments from those neighborhoods to back it up.

[Anonymous]

Otoh, the hottest schools in DC are either charters or privates. Sure, the PP will howl, but charters LAMB (Spanish Immersion Montessori) and Yu Ying (Mandarin Immersion International Baccalaureate) - not to mention privates St. Albans and Sidwell Friends, all have more cachet than JKLM. Buying in JKLM increases your travel time to the desirable charters and decreases your discretionary $ for tuition.

There's no guarantee you can get into any of those schools, but living in a nice flat on Connecticut Ave. while you make your choice can help pave the way.

First of all, I don't really understand why "cachet" has any relevance until high school, other than parent's bragging rights. I went to Lafayette, and lots of kids from Lafayette go on to St. Albans, NCS, Sidwell, GDS, Field, Burke, Holton, Landon, Maret, Gonzaga, and so on and so forth. "JKLM" schools all offer fantastic educations up until at least middle school, possibly high school from what I've heard about Deal improvements over the years (and Wilson certainly works for many families). It might give you peace of mind to know that you have a excellent elementary school choice that you don't have to go through handwringing and applying to get into. I know a lot has changed since I was a kid, but a lot of families used the excellent public school option and saved for private middle and/or high school if they were able. Of course there is all this handwringing about how much easier it is for a 4 year old to get into Sidwell than a high schooler who has to get on on their own merits/academic record, but honestly if your kid is really going to benefit from an elite college prep school/stand out there, I don't see how it could hurt them to have to compete on their own merits anyway. And by the time middle/high school rolls around, if you want to take advantage of Latin, Basis or SWW, your kid should be old enough to be able to use public transportation to get there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would much rather live on the Hill (IB for a good school) than WOTP. It is much more urban on the Hill. That's what I would do if I were OP, and then maybe also try the charter lotteries if there were some that really appealed.

We have several friends on the Hill who are moving out of the local ES, even Brent, as OOB students at WOTP schools. OP, we are WOTP and applied for a language-immersion charter. We ultimately turned it down because we love the neighborhood feel at our JKLM school. We weren't convinced about the charter's immersion methods--that's for another thread--but the differences in resources killed it for us. Our school has a large library, fantastic programs, afterschool activities, etc.

That may not be a reflection of the Hill elementaries as much as the truth that the Hill middle and high schools are not good to and they want to gain preference at Deal and Wilson. In any event, the problem with buying on the Hill in my view is that the commute to Deal/Wilson or any of the privates is killer. I would happily send my kids to Brent (and maybe Maury) but there is not an easy answer for after elementary school. If you really want to be urban, you could buy in boundary for Ross in DuPont Circle and just plan on moving or going to private school for middle and high. At least the commute from DuPont Circle to many of the private schools is not terrible.

No Capitol Hill schools- even Brent- are in the same league as the JKLM schools or the top charters. Many, many people still leave the Hill because of this.

You hear this ignorant argument a lot. I expect it to persist for a long time.