Please help us--where to send child with significant health problem?

[Anonymous]

Not sure if it has been mentioned on here yet, but check out Washington Waldorf in Bethesda - one story school, small student body, lovely community. If you rent nearby, your older kids would go to bannockburn or wood acres, both fine schools (but neither sound like a good fit for your youngest with OI).

[Anonymous]

Consider looking at Barrie School in Silver Spring-- there are tons of same-sex parent families there, very diverse and welcoming environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, finally getting a chance to check back. Thanks to everyone so much for the wealth of information! we have been looking at your suggestions. We are a little nervous about religious schools as we are lesbians and I am a doctor for Planned Parenthood. So Catholic schools are definitely out...not sure about Episcopal schools. We are looking at the Kensington, Takoma Park, Silver Spring areas so far. We do want to be close-ish to DC if possible so that my wife can see the kids at dinner and help with homework and such. Everyone has really nailed the requirements we have--we love the idea of a progressive school and have scanned the websites for Lowell, Sheridan and Green Acres. Our daughter would love those schools but she would likely break there way too easily, and we have the same concerns of course about publics--the independence issue is huge. If she were jostled wrong on the playground it could be a major incident and that is traumatic not only for our daughter but also for her classmates and teachers.

However we will be looking closely at the two publics listed above--calling them is on my to-do list for Monday! I am also planning to call WES, SSFS and...what was it called? SSESS? I can't keep up with the acronyms

thanks again to everyone. we have upped our housing budget btw to 3000-3500

I would go visit Green Acres...it is actually a fairly small school, with separate buildings for each of the cohorts (prek and k in one building, 1-2 in another, etc.). It has a way of making the school feel smaller, and they have a lot of control at drop off/pickup. The campus is spacious, but they set up each of the buildings to be just right for the age group, and that might actually make it a good fit for your needs as well.

Check out Feynman School - with only 65 kids in the entire school and an accessible building, you may find that the smaller environment would be a good fit, and definitely welcoming to your family. and it is centrally located to quite a few good public schools (in the WJ district). A public school like Cold Spring that is under-enrolled might also be a good option for all of your children, because it means fewer students and smaller class size. Also, check out some of the private schools that only go to 2nd grade, too - like Primary Day or Concord Hills or Harbor School - they may also have that smaller school higher attention lower jostle likelihood for you.

[Anonymous]

the hallways are crowded at COncord Hill. They have 24 kids in a class. And you need to go upstairs. Not a realistic choice.

[Anonymous]

Special needs mom here.

There are two Montgomery County Elementary Schools that have a physical disabilities program -- intensive environment that includes kids with walkers, wheelchairs, etc., but kids are on grade level with no intellectual, cognitive disabilities.

One in Silver Spring -- Forest Knolls Elementary.
One is in Rockville -- Beall Elementary.

I've heard mixed reviews of both.

I recommend you also post on Special Needs. I find a lot of well meaning posters on DCUM post recommending schools for kids in wheelchairs but have no idea that the physical layout/terrain is completely inappropriate for a w/c user. Lowell is prime example. I went to Lowell, but I can't imagine sending my daughter there in her Convaid Cruiser. How in the hell would she even enter the school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, with that budget I would suggest Kensington/Silver Spring or Takoma and sending your DD with OI to Grace Episcopal or Christ Episcopal. [/quote

Neither have a nurse if you need one. GrAce episcopal school could be perfect. Lovely school although it ends in 5th grade. Best to you and your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, with that budget I would suggest Kensington/Silver Spring or Takoma and sending your DD with OI to Grace Episcopal or Christ Episcopal.

Or green acres.

Green acres is very spread out with lots of space to travel. Grace is cozy and self contained.

[Anonymous]

Grace only had 10 kids in last year's kindergarten class. All the resources of a much larger school with nice small classes and very involved teachers.

[Anonymous]

$3500 for housing + private school? + a good ES for the other kids? Is it that cheap in Takoma Park?

[Anonymous]

Some of these privates you are putting out are $40K -- that's about $4k a month right there.

[Anonymous]

Grace is $23,000. And in Kensington

[Anonymous]

I would also look at Barnsville School in upper Montgomery County, MD (it's in, wait for it...Barnesville). It's a small school that is highly regarded, but not very well known. The families I know that send their kids there love it. Your rental budget would probably get you a home or townhome not too far from that area. It would be a long commute to DC for your wife, though.

In your budget, you are going to have to make some compromises.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grace only had 10 kids in last year's kindergarten class. All the resources of a much larger school with nice small classes and very involved teachers.

What resources?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grace only had 10 kids in last year's kindergarten class. All the resources of a much larger school with nice small classes and very involved teachers.

What resources?

. What does this question mean?

Also loved Barnesville. It was just too far from home. When visiting the drive killed me each time. But I think it's a magical and accepting place. Applied here and Grace. Love both.

[Anonymous]

OP back again finally! Thanks again for all the suggestions. Flying out this week with DD to look at Waldorf, Barre, Friends Community, Green Acres, Grace, and the 2 publics.