Fellow PK3 newbies, post your lottery nerves here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I’m still nervous, but coming to terms that PK3 is pretty much a win anywhere and trying to focus on helping DS with his transition from daycare to school. but I know I’ll be more freaked out the closer it gets. Also was interesting to watch the private school forum post last Friday for their decision day. A bit different bc of the selection process obviously but seeing the anxiety, anticipation, then relief/acceptance. I imagine I’ll be refreshing my screen like crazy the day our results are posted but until then, I’m good.

Just a reminder, lottery in the past comes out around 10/10:30pm the night before

What?? Why not advertise it for the next day? Who releases something at literally the 11th hour? Ugh thanks for the heads up. I’ll just wait until Saturday or DCUM let’s me know it’s up.

You misunderstood what they said. Results usually come out the night before the expected date. My School DC does exactly what you suggested they should do.

In my experience with and in 30+ years in Washington, DC, My School DC is one of the best run governmental programs we have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I’m still nervous, but coming to terms that PK3 is pretty much a win anywhere and trying to focus on helping DS with his transition from daycare to school. but I know I’ll be more freaked out the closer it gets. Also was interesting to watch the private school forum post last Friday for their decision day. A bit different bc of the selection process obviously but seeing the anxiety, anticipation, then relief/acceptance. I imagine I’ll be refreshing my screen like crazy the day our results are posted but until then, I’m good.

Just a reminder, lottery in the past comes out around 10/10:30pm the night before

What?? Why not advertise it for the next day? Who releases something at literally the 11th hour? Ugh thanks for the heads up. I’ll just wait until Saturday or DCUM let’s me know it’s up.

You misunderstood what they said. Results usually come out the night before the expected date. My School DC does exactly what you suggested they should do.

In my experience with and in 30+ years in Washington, DC, My School DC is one of the best run governmental programs we have.

Ahh, I see now. I read too quickly. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

2 weeks! I had to complete my son’s 2023-2024 registration form for daycare. I had to say that no, he won’t attend

We were talking on our walk home yesterday about how it’s almost time for his new school. I’ve gathered he thinks all his friends and teachers will follow him where he goes. I’m going to keep talking about his new school randomly but am ready for 3/31 so we can visit the playground and make it more real.

Has anyone else slowly been introducing the reality of a new place next year? How are your children processing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks! I had to complete my son’s 2023-2024 registration form for daycare. I had to say that no, he won’t attend

We were talking on our walk home yesterday about how it’s almost time for his new school. I’ve gathered he thinks all his friends and teachers will follow him where he goes. I’m going to keep talking about his new school randomly but am ready for 3/31 so we can visit the playground and make it more real.

Has anyone else slowly been introducing the reality of a new place next year? How are your children processing?

How are you so sure you’ll get a pre-K slot? Curious, we estimated our chances at 50/50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks! I had to complete my son’s 2023-2024 registration form for daycare. I had to say that no, he won’t attend

We were talking on our walk home yesterday about how it’s almost time for his new school. I’ve gathered he thinks all his friends and teachers will follow him where he goes. I’m going to keep talking about his new school randomly but am ready for 3/31 so we can visit the playground and make it more real.

Has anyone else slowly been introducing the reality of a new place next year? How are your children processing?

How are you so sure you’ll get a pre-K slot? Curious, we estimated our chances at 50/50.

Some schools have Early Action, which doesn't mean you find out before the lottery, it means they accept all IB PK3s and PK4s who don't match elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks! I had to complete my son’s 2023-2024 registration form for daycare. I had to say that no, he won’t attend

We were talking on our walk home yesterday about how it’s almost time for his new school. I’ve gathered he thinks all his friends and teachers will follow him where he goes. I’m going to keep talking about his new school randomly but am ready for 3/31 so we can visit the playground and make it more real.

Has anyone else slowly been introducing the reality of a new place next year? How are your children processing?

I feel this so much! I just want to know where my little guy will be heading next year. I hate the idea of leaving our daycare but hopeful that some of his buddies might end up at the same school with him. We assume that he’ll get in somewhere as we listed a few schools that had no waiting lists last year or that cleared them. Just sending solidarity! 2 weeks!

[Anonymous]

How's everyone feeling? Are folks planning on checking Thursday night or waiting until 3/31?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How's everyone feeling? Are folks planning on checking Thursday night or waiting until 3/31?

From what I've heard they typically the email results around 10pm on 3/30.

I'm definitely getting anxious. Would be nice to have some certainty of where DD is going next year! I recognize that waitlists move and things can change after 3/31, but still.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How's everyone feeling? Are folks planning on checking Thursday night or waiting until 3/31?

From what I've heard they typically the email results around 10pm on 3/30.

I'm definitely getting anxious. Would be nice to have some certainty of where DD is going next year! I recognize that waitlists move and things can change after 3/31, but still.

Same here! I'm currently in job limbo so we might be moving before then anyway but I still want to at least know where she'll be in preK if we stay. (I'm pretty sure we'll get into our not competitive in boundary but what if we don't?! )

[Anonymous]

Things I wish I knew then that I know now:
1. Buy a house in a neighborhood with a good IB feeder pattern through high school (don't rely on charters).
2. Don't assume you will "just move" when you get to middle school/high school. It's VERY difficult on kids socially as they get older. It's also hard to move as an adult and make new friends in a new neighborhood.
3. Private are not a guaranteed option C. It's a very competitive market.
4. It all does work out, despite the stress. But, I wish I had just bought a house in NW when my kid was in PK3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Things I wish I knew then that I know now:
1. Buy a house in a neighborhood with a good IB feeder pattern through high school (don't rely on charters).
2. Don't assume you will "just move" when you get to middle school/high school. It's VERY difficult on kids socially as they get older. It's also hard to move as an adult and make new friends in a new neighborhood.
3. Private are not a guaranteed option C. It's a very competitive market.
4. It all does work out, despite the stress. But, I wish I had just bought a house in NW when my kid was in PK3.

Agree, except on the second point. There is so much movement in DC schools, particularly at the middle school level, that switching schools within DC is very normal. Moving houses or moving into a more insular suburban school is a different situation, but a move across the park is not a huge deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How's everyone feeling? Are folks planning on checking Thursday night or waiting until 3/31?

From what I've heard they typically the email results around 10pm on 3/30.

I'm definitely getting anxious. Would be nice to have some certainty of where DD is going next year! I recognize that waitlists move and things can change after 3/31, but still.

You might have to log in to see results the night before. If I remember correctly, the email comes the next day. But someone will surely post here to alert you that they are available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How's everyone feeling? Are folks planning on checking Thursday night or waiting until 3/31?

From what I've heard they typically the email results around 10pm on 3/30.

I'm definitely getting anxious. Would be nice to have some certainty of where DD is going next year! I recognize that waitlists move and things can change after 3/31, but still.

One minor note. The results are almost always posted to My School DC the night before, but the emails don't necessarily get sent contemporaneous with results posting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Things I wish I knew then that I know now:
1. Buy a house in a neighborhood with a good IB feeder pattern through high school (don't rely on charters).
2. Don't assume you will "just move" when you get to middle school/high school. It's VERY difficult on kids socially as they get older. It's also hard to move as an adult and make new friends in a new neighborhood.
3. Private are not a guaranteed option C. It's a very competitive market.
4. It all does work out, despite the stress. But, I wish I had just bought a house in NW when my kid was in PK3.

I don't think #2 holds. The movement (except maybe in W3) in 5th, MS and HS makes it much less of an issue to change schools. I wouldn't sweat that one.

#1 makes sense, but only if you are buying your first or next house now. I would certainly wait until lottery results come out before pulling the trigger. Years ago we were one of those families needing more space and considering leaving CH (which we loved and still love) for upper NW. We didn't pull the trigger because our kid was 3 so there was no by-right PS3 in W3 and no guarantee for PK4 without a sibling. We hit lottery gold in PS3 and then again in 5th. We are so thankful we didn't move to a neighborhood that is a less good fit for us without giving the lottery gods a chance to come through for us.

[Anonymous]

Just a note not to be too disappointed if you don’t get in anywhere. Be prepared to add some more schools and then hit the CBO list hard and cross your fingers for waitlist movement.