Two Rivers worth it?
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Anonymous
I have no doubt that ECE is pretty good (or even great) at most DCPS in-bounds, but seems like UMC families peel off from JO and Miner rather quickly, while a critical mass (~22-25%) seem to stick around Two Rivers through upper-elementary (even if disenchanted by some aspects). |
Anonymous
They do, but they may have made that decision years ago, and they're different people from you, with different children. Miner continues to improve, not sure about JOW, so the decision facing you may be different. And they probably made that decision back when their kids could go to middle school at the 4th Street location-- I know having to commute so far to Young was a dealbreaker for us. And just because some people are happy with TR's middle school doesn't mean that you will be. Or you may want to secure a path to a high school and that's understandable too. If you know you'd be leaving TR for the Wilson pyramid eventually, why go to TR at all? |
Anonymous
| I find it so weird when people make such a big deal about the new TR MS location. It is really not that far from the other campus. |
Anonymous
It's not, but for people who live west or north of the 4th St campus, it adds up to a longer drive than I want to do. |
Anonymous
This. Miner--->move house to Deal feeder IB---->Deal---->Wilson is definitely no worse than Miner---->Two Rivers----> Wilson. If you can afford it. |
Anonymous
But who says TR folks that stay through upper elementary are going to return to the Wilson pyramid? They could just as likely lottery for a Latin/Basis option or plan to go private for middle school, in which case they might find TR to be a sufficient way-station with more diverse demographics (versus a JO or a Miner), which matters in terms of peer groups, etc. Further, from a UMC perspective, there may be more Two Rivers families living within JO Wilson's attendance zone than JO attendees, who are still primarily OOB. |
Anonymous
They might do Latin/BASIS, but if you strike out in the 5th grade lottery, chances aren't looking so good. And if your kid isn't a contender for Walls/Banneker/McKinley, then the options are basically a far commute and paying for private, or move. If you have a boy and want Gonzaga or DeMatha, great, but if you have a girl the good private high schools are pretty far. |
Anonymous
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I hate replying to these inane threads but I cannot help myself. No clue where you got the "22-25%". For at least 3 years running 4th grade at TR has retained @80% of the rising class. That's not some angry parents' opinion, it's math.
5th grade at all elementary schools on the Hill is always a big departure year because Basis and Latin begin in 5th and if you match you solve the HS problem. That skews all rising 5th grade data and makes it hard to determine with any certainty whether that's a reflection of a school or the challenges for HS faced by DC parents who are not IB for Wilson HS. My kid did great at TR but when they matched in 5th to a school with a HS path I had no choice but to pull the trigger. I don't know whether the MS years are any better than what TR MS had to offer. But I know damn well that my IB HS is not an option so there's no option but to jump in 5th if you can. And that is true at almost every school in DC. Some day someone is going to explain to me what DCUM posters get out of just making shit up. I don't get it. Here's some free advice for any parent looking to make an informed decision about any school issues. Step 1: Ignore all of DCUM Step 2: If you want to know about retention data, ask the school. Do not trust DCUM. Step 3: If you want to know about a school find some families who will tell you about their experience, warts and all. Do not trust DCUM anymore than you would trust FaceBook for vaccine and COVID data. |
Anonymous
The question is when you move to Deal feeder though, right? ECE will be fine/great anywhere. But I'd be more comfortable with TR4 through upper elementary versus either Miner or JO (though I'd ultimately be fine with JO/Miner ----> Stuart Hobson, if that's what it comes to). |
Anonymous
So TR4 was a viable option through 4th grade for you (i.e., your "kid did great" there), as I imagine it would be for me. But my nearby DCPS in-bound is not a viable for me beyond PreK 5, maybe K. Having a viable elementary option through 4th grade is nothing to sneeze at, notwithstanding the need to bounce at 5th if the opportunity/necessity arises. I would love to have the 4 additional years of breathing room to remain in place before we had to move or go private. |
Anonymous
It just depends. When your oldest child's academic and social needs would be significantly better served, I think that's the time to move. But only if you can afford it. And then there is the commute-- for Hill staff with crazy hours, the convenience of living in the area is a very real consideration. And for younger siblings, they'll be moving when those conditions are met, whenever it is. |
Anonymous
*PreK 4 |
Anonymous
To be clear, TR was a viable option (and one about which I was excited) through 8th. The problem was HS. TR has a good track record of getting kids into application HS but I was not willing to take the risk. The truth of the matter is that School Without Walls seems like a better fit for what I think my kid is/will become in HS but I was not willing to take the risk. I don't know if we made the right choice; it sucks to have to make that decision after 4th grade but that's the reality. And I know HS is set, which is something most DC parents cannot confidently say. |
Anonymous
| Thomson has excellent speech therapists and a great special education teachers. The school has keyboards, recorders, and ukes. |