Lottery Swami Checking in for MSDC Season

[Anonymous]

Hi Swami! What do you think of my pre-K 3 list? We live in Brightwood and proximity is key for us, but including MV 8th st since it’s a decent shot at immersion with the new campus. Really feel like the only order that matters is what order to put Breakthrough, Sela, Whittier and Bridges, since those are most realistic. Still have room for one more school.
1. Dc bilingual
2. Cap City
3. EL Haynes
4. YuYing
5. Mundo Verde - 8th st
6. Whittier (IB)
7. Breakthrough Takoma
8. Sela
9. Creative Minds
10. Bridges
11. Breakthrough Petworth

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi Swami! What do you think of my pre-K 3 list? We live in Brightwood and proximity is key for us, but including MV 8th st since it’s a decent shot at immersion with the new campus. Really feel like the only order that matters is what order to put Breakthrough, Sela, Whittier and Bridges, since those are most realistic. Still have room for one more school.
1. Dc bilingual
2. Cap City
3. EL Haynes
4. YuYing
5. Mundo Verde - 8th st
6. Whittier (IB)
7. Breakthrough Takoma
8. Sela
9. Creative Minds
10. Bridges
11. Breakthrough Petworth

Not Swami but hi, neighbor!

It seems like you value language immersion and don't have any other montessori schools listed here - I'd think about that when ranking Breakthrough vs Sela. You also may want to list Whittier below both of those unless you visited and really liked it because you'll likely get in there and forego your chances of Breakthrough or Sela.

Did you visit Cap City? You've listed it pretty high IMO. vs MV and Haynes which both have good middle/high feeders and great reputations.

Bridges is in the right spot on your list. Have you considered ITS to round out your list? Or CMI?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi Swami! What do you think of my pre-K 3 list? We live in Brightwood and proximity is key for us, but including MV 8th st since it’s a decent shot at immersion with the new campus. Really feel like the only order that matters is what order to put Breakthrough, Sela, Whittier and Bridges, since those are most realistic. Still have room for one more school.
1. Dc bilingual
2. Cap City
3. EL Haynes
4. YuYing
5. Mundo Verde - 8th st
6. Whittier (IB)
7. Breakthrough Takoma
8. Sela
9. Creative Minds
10. Bridges
11. Breakthrough Petworth

Not Swami but hi, neighbor!

It seems like you value language immersion and don't have any other montessori schools listed here - I'd think about that when ranking Breakthrough vs Sela. You also may want to list Whittier below both of those unless you visited and really liked it because you'll likely get in there and forego your chances of Breakthrough or Sela.

Did you visit Cap City? You've listed it pretty high IMO. vs MV and Haynes which both have good middle/high feeders and great reputations.

Bridges is in the right spot on your list. Have you considered ITS to round out your list? Or CMI?

Everything below Whittier is not worth listing, you're guaranteed there I believe - or at least chances there are much higher than any that you have put below it. So, consider if you truly prefer it. If not then put it below the others (knowing that acceptance at them would then knock off Whittier). You do not need to fill out the whole list. Just list as many schools as you want.

Similarly, Haynes being above Yu Ying and MV, acceptance there will knock off those two, both of which are much harder to get into at PK3 - so your list kind of gives you no chance at those. Cap City is a great school I've heard and if you're nearby even better.

Also do LAMB lottery

[Anonymous]

I might visit Sela and Bridges before finalizing. You are likely to get offers at both and may want to decide which you'd prefer. We are neighbors and liked all we heard about Sela but the physical space really turned us off, especially compared to Bridges.

I think Cap. City at number 2 makes a lot of sense, especially if you are in Brightwood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:hi Swami!

Would you look at my Kindergarten list? Currently Prek4 at Seaton and loving it, but worried about the higher grades and also about attrition of all his friends this year. Would be open to staying, though.

1. ITS
2. Eaton (we would move to be closer if we got in)
3. Mundo Verde - P Street (but honestly I have a lot of reservations about the school (teachers/rigor/playground) and I don't know if I would accept.

Thanks!

If you’re willing to move, why not just move now and get guaranteed access? Or do you prefer ITS and your current neighborhood?

This may be a little convoluted, but if we got into eaton, we would move to mount pleasant. Also love our current neighborhood.

To the ITS questioner, I like the rigor/individualization/school atmosphere/parent community/ middle school option. I also have friends who are very discerning about education (educators and school admins) who send their kids to ITS and love it.

Also, i suspect that I know the ITS questioner so perhaps we can have a longer convo about this at the playground

ITS questioner. I’m sure you don’t know me. I have a kid in middle at ITS and love the school, I was just curious as I’d rather move for a sure thing if that was already in your plans. Then you don’t have to worry about swami or luck

Good luck! It really is an amazing school. The new lower school principal has really found her stride and every single teacher is stellar.

NP here: you could lottery with this list, and if you don't get in to ITS or Eaton, then move in boundary and enroll your kindergartner in Eaton by right.

[Anonymous]

Payne parent here - the past few years we have been 'Early Action', which meant all in bounds kids got in, but this year we are losing that so there is not a guarantee that all in bounds kids will even get in. The past few years OOB siblings have been waitlisted (Payne has strange boundaries, so some families less than 2 blocks away are out of bounds). Usually a handful of those kids get in, but I still know several OOB siblings that never got in this year for PreK3. It can't hurt to put it on your list, but I imagine it will be tough for OOB without siblings to get in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi Swami!

PK-3

1. Maury (IB)
2. Brent
3. Peabody
4. Payne
5. Watkins

Thank you!!!!

Why not add Miner and SWS?

I would definitely add Miner. Getting into Maury IB is very difficult and you won’t get into Brent or Peabody (or L-T, or Van Ness) OOB. I’d also add Appletree Lincoln Park, Appletree OK Ave.

[Anonymous]

Maury is probably the only viable school on your list right now. You might try: Miner, Tyler (non-Spanish), SWS, Two Rivers Young, Two Rivers 4th, CHML (if Montessori interests you), AppleTree Lincoln Park, AppleTree Oklahoma Ave. I think Yu Ying has a bus from the Hill, too.

Anonymous wrote:Payne parent here - the past few years we have been 'Early Action', which meant all in bounds kids got in, but this year we are losing that so there is not a guarantee that all in bounds kids will even get in. The past few years OOB siblings have been waitlisted (Payne has strange boundaries, so some families less than 2 blocks away are out of bounds). Usually a handful of those kids get in, but I still know several OOB siblings that never got in this year for PreK3. It can't hurt to put it on your list, but I imagine it will be tough for OOB without siblings to get in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi Swami!

PK-3

1. Maury (IB)
2. Brent
3. Peabody
4. Payne
5. Watkins

Thank you!!!!

Why not add Miner and SWS?

I would definitely add Miner. Getting into Maury IB is very difficult and you won’t get into Brent or Peabody (or L-T, or Van Ness) OOB. I’d also add Appletree Lincoln Park, Appletree OK Ave.

[Anonymous]

Why would the pp have Watkins and Peabody lsted for ps3? DId she mean SWS? Might as well put that on the list since it is citywide. Agree with adding appletrees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What do you like so much about ITS? We are in K there, switched from our IB, and so far I'm not blown away.

Sorry to hear this - we have a K student at ITS as well and love the school. Hang in there. We had had a rough spot early on (in PK) that was more our kid not adjusting than the school, but I've been very happy with teachers and the quality of the teaching. I hope you have a better experience next semester.

[Anonymous]

Is it me or does Swami always check in then go missing? I don’t understand the point of checking in if you’re not going to respond. If this thread disappears for lack of action, how wil s/he find it?

[Anonymous]

I’m still checking out some open houses, but here is my list for prek3. We are IB for Noyes.

1. Stokes Spanish
2. Mundo Verde 8th St
3. DC Bilingual
4. Lee Montessori
5. Inspired Teaching
6. Shining Stars Montessori
7. Two Rivers 4th St
8. Burroughs
9. Langdon Montessori
10. Langdon Elem
11. Bethune Brookland
12. Noyes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it me or does Swami always check in then go missing? I don’t understand the point of checking in if you’re not going to respond. If this thread disappears for lack of action, how wil s/he find it?

I think in this case it was a fake swami started this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m still checking out some open houses, but here is my list for prek3. We are IB for Noyes.

1. Stokes Spanish
2. Mundo Verde 8th St
3. DC Bilingual
4. Lee Montessori
5. Inspired Teaching
6. Shining Stars Montessori
7. Two Rivers 4th St
8. Burroughs
9. Langdon Montessori
10. Langdon Elem
11. Bethune Brookland
12. Noyes

Not Swami, but I'd move Two Rivers above Shining Stars. Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

Hi Swami,

Hope you come back soon. Here’s our PreK3 list. If non Swamis have opinions on whether I should drop Payne and JO and just stick with Miner, let me know.

1. SWS
2. Two Rivers @ Young
3. Mundo Verde P St NW
4. Lee Montessori
5. Lee Montessori EE
6. Stokes EE Spanish
7. Stokes EE French
8. Tyler Spanish
9. Tyler Creative Arts
10. JO Wilson
11. Payne
12. Miner (IB)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What do you like so much about ITS? We are in K there, switched from our IB, and so far I'm not blown away.

Sorry to hear this - we have a K student at ITS as well and love the school. Hang in there. We had had a rough spot early on (in PK) that was more our kid not adjusting than the school, but I've been very happy with teachers and the quality of the teaching. I hope you have a better experience next semester.

Another family with an elementary student at ITS, and we also love it. For the poster that has a child in K after having switched from his/her IB, and is "not blown away," do you plan to return to your IB? There are undoubtedly many, many families that would love to take your child's spot at ITS next year.