Elementary School Recommendations for Family moving to DC from Australia

[Anonymous]

Thank you in advance for reading my long and complicated post!

We are a family of 6 (6 yo, 4 yo, twin babies) looking to move to DC next June from Australia. We are dual citizens.

Because my daughter will be 7yo when we arrive, we are looking to move to a neighborhood where we can attend in boundary elementary through high schools.

I will be working throughout DC, in wards 4,5,6, 7 and 8 via car. My main office will be between Georgetown and Downtown. My partner hasn't decided on a job, but he's flexible. It would be great to live near(ish) to work, but since I'll be travelling during the day anyway, that's not the main priority.

We are a bit stressed about this move- mainly because we don't want to uproot our children and then have them attend a school only to have us switch them out to a new school soon after. This is why we want to enrol in the in-boundary schools.

Could you please advise on your favorite elementary, middle and/or high schools and share why? We are looking for schools with a strong sense of community that are friendly and safe. We have been looking at neighborhoods in NW. Our housing budget is $1.25 million.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

The conventional wisdom is to live in-bounds for Wilson high school. While the elementary and middle schools that feed into Wilson vary in many ways, your kids will likely be fine at any of them (I would skip Bancroft and Oyster-Adams since they are Spanish immersion and your older child would likely be behind). Hyde-Addison and Stoddert are probably the closest elementary schools to Georgetown, and Hardy is the middle school for them. Deal has higher test scores than Hardy but students seem to do well at both--Hardy is smaller which could be good or bad depending on what your kid prefers (which you probably don't know yet since she's only 7!).

Houses in your price range (especially in 3-4 bedrooms, which I'm assuming you want) in-bounds for Wilson go very fast and with multiple offers so what elementary school you end up may just be a factor of which house you're able to get. Homes in-bounds for Shepherd elementary school tend to be a bit cheaper than other parts of the Wilson boundary. You may also want to look at Glover Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The conventional wisdom is to live in-bounds for Wilson high school. While the elementary and middle schools that feed into Wilson vary in many ways, your kids will likely be fine at any of them (I would skip Bancroft and Oyster-Adams since they are Spanish immersion and your older child would likely be behind). Hyde-Addison and Stoddert are probably the closest elementary schools to Georgetown, and Hardy is the middle school for them. Deal has higher test scores than Hardy but students seem to do well at both--Hardy is smaller which could be good or bad depending on what your kid prefers (which you probably don't know yet since she's only 7!).

Houses in your price range (especially in 3-4 bedrooms, which I'm assuming you want) in-bounds for Wilson go very fast and with multiple offers so what elementary school you end up may just be a factor of which house you're able to get. Homes in-bounds for Shepherd elementary school tend to be a bit cheaper than other parts of the Wilson boundary. You may also want to look at Glover Park.

Thank you for your reply. Do houses often go much higher than their asking price in the areas you mentioned above?

[Anonymous]

Also I am so interested in what job you're doing. Not a Fulbright or other fellowship if you're buying and staying a while, probably not a federal government job restricted to US citizens or a DC government job with residency preference, not an embassy job if you're mostly going to be working in Wards 4-8...and yet something that allows a single earner to buy a $1.25 million house and support 6 people. Whatever you're doing sounds fascinating and lucrative--kudos to you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The conventional wisdom is to live in-bounds for Wilson high school. While the elementary and middle schools that feed into Wilson vary in many ways, your kids will likely be fine at any of them (I would skip Bancroft and Oyster-Adams since they are Spanish immersion and your older child would likely be behind). Hyde-Addison and Stoddert are probably the closest elementary schools to Georgetown, and Hardy is the middle school for them. Deal has higher test scores than Hardy but students seem to do well at both--Hardy is smaller which could be good or bad depending on what your kid prefers (which you probably don't know yet since she's only 7!).

Houses in your price range (especially in 3-4 bedrooms, which I'm assuming you want) in-bounds for Wilson go very fast and with multiple offers so what elementary school you end up may just be a factor of which house you're able to get. Homes in-bounds for Shepherd elementary school tend to be a bit cheaper than other parts of the Wilson boundary. You may also want to look at Glover Park.

Thank you for your reply. Do houses often go much higher than their asking price in the areas you mentioned above?

Yes, there are often bidding wars. But if you search for this on Redfin, you'll see many houses in-bounds for Wilson in your price range with 4+ bedrooms that sold at or below the list price. One thing to note is that many 4brs are really 3brs up (one of which is quite small) and one bedroom in the basement, which may or may not work for you.

[Anonymous]

Look at AU Park and Janney Elementary School. Great family friendly neighborhood, great school, walkable, lots of international families. You should be able to find something in your price range.

[Anonymous]

Look at Hyde Addison.

[Anonymous]

All of the WOTP elementary schools that feed to Wilson High school have large international student populations. So I'd focus on finding a house you like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of the WOTP elementary schools that feed to Wilson High school have large international student populations. So I'd focus on finding a house you like.

Definitely IB for Wilson HS. Some would say also for Deal MS. Will the 4 yo turn 5 before Sept. 30, 2019? If so, the two older ones will have by-right seats. Only drawback is that while you would get sibling preference help with the twins when they are 4 for PK4 lottery, you would have to go OOB/charter for the twins if you want then in a PK3 when the time comes. That would be unlikely close by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The conventional wisdom is to live in-bounds for Wilson high school. While the elementary and middle schools that feed into Wilson vary in many ways, your kids will likely be fine at any of them (I would skip Bancroft and Oyster-Adams since they are Spanish immersion and your older child would likely be behind). Hyde-Addison and Stoddert are probably the closest elementary schools to Georgetown, and Hardy is the middle school for them. Deal has higher test scores than Hardy but students seem to do well at both--Hardy is smaller which could be good or bad depending on what your kid prefers (which you probably don't know yet since she's only 7!).

Houses in your price range (especially in 3-4 bedrooms, which I'm assuming you want) in-bounds for Wilson go very fast and with multiple offers so what elementary school you end up may just be a factor of which house you're able to get. Homes in-bounds for Shepherd elementary school tend to be a bit cheaper than other parts of the Wilson boundary. You may also want to look at Glover Park.

Thank you for your reply. Do houses often go much higher than their asking price in the areas you mentioned above?

If you are comfortable renting for a year, you can rent a house somewhere in the area that feeds into Wilson - and based on current DC Policy, you can move and your children have the right to continue attending the school they are enrolled in. There are many families in Janney Elementary School who rent and then buy in the school zone. In this case you would not have the same pressure to find the right property immediately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The conventional wisdom is to live in-bounds for Wilson high school. While the elementary and middle schools that feed into Wilson vary in many ways, your kids will likely be fine at any of them (I would skip Bancroft and Oyster-Adams since they are Spanish immersion and your older child would likely be behind). Hyde-Addison and Stoddert are probably the closest elementary schools to Georgetown, and Hardy is the middle school for them. Deal has higher test scores than Hardy but students seem to do well at both--Hardy is smaller which could be good or bad depending on what your kid prefers (which you probably don't know yet since she's only 7!).

Houses in your price range (especially in 3-4 bedrooms, which I'm assuming you want) in-bounds for Wilson go very fast and with multiple offers so what elementary school you end up may just be a factor of which house you're able to get. Homes in-bounds for Shepherd elementary school tend to be a bit cheaper than other parts of the Wilson boundary. You may also want to look at Glover Park.

Thank you for your reply. Do houses often go much higher than their asking price in the areas you mentioned above?

If you are comfortable renting for a year, you can rent a house somewhere in the area that feeds into Wilson - and based on current DC Policy, you can move and your children have the right to continue attending the school they are enrolled in. There are many families in Janney Elementary School who rent and then buy in the school zone. In this case you would not have the same pressure to find the right property immediately.

Are you saying that, under current policy, you could rent for one year in an ES that feeds into Wilson, then move to a completely different part of the city, and still retain your right to go to Wilson, not to mention the ES and MS that feed to Wilson?

If I am reading that right, do a ton of people game the system by moving for one year to one of those schools and then moving to a more affordable area, all the while retaining rights to Wilson?

[Anonymous]

What field is your husband in? Maryland has a lot of biotech and science-related jobs whereas Virginia has a lot of defense contractors. In general.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The conventional wisdom is to live in-bounds for Wilson high school. While the elementary and middle schools that feed into Wilson vary in many ways, your kids will likely be fine at any of them (I would skip Bancroft and Oyster-Adams since they are Spanish immersion and your older child would likely be behind). Hyde-Addison and Stoddert are probably the closest elementary schools to Georgetown, and Hardy is the middle school for them. Deal has higher test scores than Hardy but students seem to do well at both--Hardy is smaller which could be good or bad depending on what your kid prefers (which you probably don't know yet since she's only 7!).

Houses in your price range (especially in 3-4 bedrooms, which I'm assuming you want) in-bounds for Wilson go very fast and with multiple offers so what elementary school you end up may just be a factor of which house you're able to get. Homes in-bounds for Shepherd elementary school tend to be a bit cheaper than other parts of the Wilson boundary. You may also want to look at Glover Park.

Thank you for your reply. Do houses often go much higher than their asking price in the areas you mentioned above?

If you are comfortable renting for a year, you can rent a house somewhere in the area that feeds into Wilson - and based on current DC Policy, you can move and your children have the right to continue attending the school they are enrolled in. There are many families in Janney Elementary School who rent and then buy in the school zone. In this case you would not have the same pressure to find the right property immediately.

Are you saying that, under current policy, you could rent for one year in an ES that feeds into Wilson, then move to a completely different part of the city, and still retain your right to go to Wilson, not to mention the ES and MS that feed to Wilson?

If I am reading that right, do a ton of people game the system by moving for one year to one of those schools and then moving to a more affordable area, all the while retaining rights to Wilson?

This advice is dated, and no longer valid.

If you rent for a year and enroll your older children at an elementary school in the Wilson high school feeder pattern for a year -- and then move you can stay a) IF the principal agrees 2) your children may or may not get in as they would have to lottery in as out of boundary children.

Further you only have the right to stay at that school until 5th (when students go on to the next school). You used to be able to stay in the feeder pattern all the way through 12th grade but that policy was changed last year.

[Anonymous]

Shepherd Park can get you a nice sized lovely home in the Deal feeder pattern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The conventional wisdom is to live in-bounds for Wilson high school. While the elementary and middle schools that feed into Wilson vary in many ways, your kids will likely be fine at any of them (I would skip Bancroft and Oyster-Adams since they are Spanish immersion and your older child would likely be behind). Hyde-Addison and Stoddert are probably the closest elementary schools to Georgetown, and Hardy is the middle school for them. Deal has higher test scores than Hardy but students seem to do well at both--Hardy is smaller which could be good or bad depending on what your kid prefers (which you probably don't know yet since she's only 7!).

Houses in your price range (especially in 3-4 bedrooms, which I'm assuming you want) in-bounds for Wilson go very fast and with multiple offers so what elementary school you end up may just be a factor of which house you're able to get. Homes in-bounds for Shepherd elementary school tend to be a bit cheaper than other parts of the Wilson boundary. You may also want to look at Glover Park.

Thank you for your reply. Do houses often go much higher than their asking price in the areas you mentioned above?

If you are comfortable renting for a year, you can rent a house somewhere in the area that feeds into Wilson - and based on current DC Policy, you can move and your children have the right to continue attending the school they are enrolled in. There are many families in Janney Elementary School who rent and then buy in the school zone. In this case you would not have the same pressure to find the right property immediately.

Are you saying that, under current policy, you could rent for one year in an ES that feeds into Wilson, then move to a completely different part of the city, and still retain your right to go to Wilson, not to mention the ES and MS that feed to Wilson?

If I am reading that right, do a ton of people game the system by moving for one year to one of those schools and then moving to a more affordable area, all the while retaining rights to Wilson?

This advice is dated, and no longer valid.

If you rent for a year and enroll your older children at an elementary school in the Wilson high school feeder pattern for a year -- and then move you can stay a) IF the principal agrees 2) your children may or may not get in as they would have to lottery in as out of boundary children.

Further you only have the right to stay at that school until 5th (when students go on to the next school). You used to be able to stay in the feeder pattern all the way through 12th grade but that policy was changed last year.

I think the PP was suggesting that you could rent for a year in the Wilson zone and then buy anywhere in the Wilson zone and still stick with the ES where you rented. However, your younger kids might have trouble getting into the same school as the older ones if you move before they start.