I have no idea what I'm doing.

[Anonymous]

The bus situation is interesting and worthy of its own thread. I agree it adds to traffic in the city. But it is derailing this thread.

OK, OP, now you have added another requirement to your list -- commute! That complicates things significantly for you. If you are not going to your neighborhood school, then your commute won't be as smooth unless you live smack dab next to a charter. (I actually live around the corner from one charter that is 'hot' on DCUM but my kids go to another as, of course, my oldest did not get into the one that is around the corner from me...alas.)

[Anonymous]

Given you have free housing - I would take what you are not spending on housing and plan on spending it on private school.

You have commented that commute is very important - given where you will be living there are not many privates in the neighborhood so you are going to need to decide what is most important for you.

If the stars align and you land at a spot at a reasonable school - great. But you need a back up plan. (I am not sure you will find someone on DCUM who sends a 3rd grader to Marie Reed - your IB school) Last year's test results has less than 60% of the school proficient in math and similar results in reading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given you have free housing - I would take what you are not spending on housing and plan on spending it on private school.

You have commented that commute is very important - given where you will be living there are not many privates in the neighborhood so you are going to need to decide what is most important for you.

If the stars align and you land at a spot at a reasonable school - great. But you need a back up plan. (I am not sure you will find someone on DCUM who sends a 3rd grader to Marie Reed - your IB school) Last year's test results has less than 60% of the school proficient in math and similar results in reading.

NP - what privates are close to OPs address?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given you have free housing - I would take what you are not spending on housing and plan on spending it on private school.

You have commented that commute is very important - given where you will be living there are not many privates in the neighborhood so you are going to need to decide what is most important for you.

If the stars align and you land at a spot at a reasonable school - great. But you need a back up plan. (I am not sure you will find someone on DCUM who sends a 3rd grader to Marie Reed - your IB school) Last year's test results has less than 60% of the school proficient in math and similar results in reading.

We would need financial aid, but maybe we should look at privates.

We're inbound for Garrison, not Marie Reed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bus situation is interesting and worthy of its own thread. I agree it adds to traffic in the city. But it is derailing this thread.

OK, OP, now you have added another requirement to your list -- commute! That complicates things significantly for you. If you are not going to your neighborhood school, then your commute won't be as smooth unless you live smack dab next to a charter. (I actually live around the corner from one charter that is 'hot' on DCUM but my kids go to another as, of course, my oldest did not get into the one that is around the corner from me...alas.)

The commute thing is crazy to me. I don't know anyone who can't walk their kid to school (or the bus stop) in our neighborhood. How do you meet other parents if everyone is coming from all over? How do you do play dates? It's so different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given you have free housing - I would take what you are not spending on housing and plan on spending it on private school.

You have commented that commute is very important - given where you will be living there are not many privates in the neighborhood so you are going to need to decide what is most important for you.

If the stars align and you land at a spot at a reasonable school - great. But you need a back up plan. (I am not sure you will find someone on DCUM who sends a 3rd grader to Marie Reed - your IB school) Last year's test results has less than 60% of the school proficient in math and similar results in reading.

NP - what privates are close to OPs address?

none - but if they are considering Hearst - they pass by Maret and Sheridan to get there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bus situation is interesting and worthy of its own thread. I agree it adds to traffic in the city. But it is derailing this thread.

OK, OP, now you have added another requirement to your list -- commute! That complicates things significantly for you. If you are not going to your neighborhood school, then your commute won't be as smooth unless you live smack dab next to a charter. (I actually live around the corner from one charter that is 'hot' on DCUM but my kids go to another as, of course, my oldest did not get into the one that is around the corner from me...alas.)

The commute thing is crazy to me. I don't know anyone who can't walk their kid to school (or the bus stop) in our neighborhood. How do you meet other parents if everyone is coming from all over? How do you do play dates? It's so different.

welcome to DC - this is what families here navigate each day. You commented that the move is best for your family. Make sure you understand what you are giving up and what the worse case scenario may look like as you move. Would you be OK sending your child to your IB school? 2 years after you move your oldest will be off to Cardozo Middle School. If your daughter was 3 years older, I would say you could bank on getting into BASIS but by the time your oldest is ready for MS, BASIS will have a waitlist that you may not clear.

Now some exciting opportunities for you is that rumor has it BASIS is opening an elementary school starting in 2016.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given you have free housing - I would take what you are not spending on housing and plan on spending it on private school.

You have commented that commute is very important - given where you will be living there are not many privates in the neighborhood so you are going to need to decide what is most important for you.

If the stars align and you land at a spot at a reasonable school - great. But you need a back up plan. (I am not sure you will find someone on DCUM who sends a 3rd grader to Marie Reed - your IB school) Last year's test results has less than 60% of the school proficient in math and similar results in reading.

NP - what privates are close to OPs address?

none - but if they are considering Hearst - they pass by Maret and Sheridan to get there.

Capitol Hill Day School wouldn't be the worst commute from their neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still seems like a bus system for those who want it would make sense and cut down on traffic parents, no?

No, it doesn't make any sense for the school system to pay for that at all. It's the price you pay for some modicum of school choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given you have free housing - I would take what you are not spending on housing and plan on spending it on private school.

You have commented that commute is very important - given where you will be living there are not many privates in the neighborhood so you are going to need to decide what is most important for you.

If the stars align and you land at a spot at a reasonable school - great. But you need a back up plan. (I am not sure you will find someone on DCUM who sends a 3rd grader to Marie Reed - your IB school) Last year's test results has less than 60% of the school proficient in math and similar results in reading.

NP - what privates are close to OPs address?

none - but if they are considering Hearst - they pass by Maret and Sheridan to get there.

Technically they pass Maret but not Sheridan. But Hearst is also be across the street from Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

We had school choice in NYC too. More, even, because all middle schools and high schools are choice or application. We also had a functioning bus system. That functioned, and allowed working parents to work and not drive across town with their children every day, because who, besides people who don't know any better, thinks that is a sane and viable option?

Here in dc? Unbelievably, I've heard excuses like, "it would add to traffic, having school busses."

It's a different world here, op. Some parts of it are good, like more space, better public pools, free museums, cheap activities, etc. We rent a house here for the price of our Brooklyn apartment. Our kids know what trees are now.

But some things are not as good. And the lack of bussing, indeed, the lack of transit options near most of the charter schools in NE is one of the not good things.

Garisson is a very small school. Maybe small enough to not be so bad? Definitely check it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had school choice in NYC too. More, even, because all middle schools and high schools are choice or application. We also had a functioning bus system. That functioned, and allowed working parents to work and not drive across town with their children every day, because who, besides people who don't know any better, thinks that is a sane and viable option?

Here in dc? Unbelievably, I've heard excuses like, "it would add to traffic, having school busses."

It's a different world here, op. Some parts of it are good, like more space, better public pools, free museums, cheap activities, etc. We rent a house here for the price of our Brooklyn apartment. Our kids know what trees are now.

But some things are not as good. And the lack of bussing, indeed, the lack of transit options near most of the charter schools in NE is one of the not good things.

Garisson is a very small school. Maybe small enough to not be so bad? Definitely check it out.

Thanks so much for this response. It's nice to hear from someone who's done it. I am planning to visit Garrison and Marie Reed among the OOB publics and charters. Maybe something local will feel right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Thanks so much for this response. It's nice to hear from someone who's done it. I am planning to visit Garrison and Marie Reed among the OOB publics and charters. Maybe something local will feel right.

NP here - definitely visit the school there's "general DCUM wisdom", and then there's the reality of you and your priorities. I was in a similar situation where the school is (per DCUM wisdom) "OK for Pre-K only", but we're now happily into our elementary years. It may not be the same for you with Garrison / Marie Reed, but it's at least worth it to try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thanks so much for this response. It's nice to hear from someone who's done it. I am planning to visit Garrison and Marie Reed among the OOB publics and charters. Maybe something local will feel right.

NP here - definitely visit the school there's "general DCUM wisdom", and then there's the reality of you and your priorities. I was in a similar situation where the school is (per DCUM wisdom) "OK for Pre-K only", but we're now happily into our elementary years. It may not be the same for you with Garrison / Marie Reed, but it's at least worth it to try.

Except the situation where they are coming from is ....

Anonymous wrote:. Right now my dd is in one of the best gifted and talented schools in nyc (public that she tested into for Kindergarten).![/quote]

How many current 2nd graders are Garrison would be a part of that cohort?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thanks so much for this response. It's nice to hear from someone who's done it. I am planning to visit Garrison and Marie Reed among the OOB publics and charters. Maybe something local will feel right.

NP here - definitely visit the school there's "general DCUM wisdom", and then there's the reality of you and your priorities. I was in a similar situation where the school is (per DCUM wisdom) "OK for Pre-K only", but we're now happily into our elementary years. It may not be the same for you with Garrison / Marie Reed, but it's at least worth it to try.

Thank you. This is great advice.