PK3 list for military family with unique-ish situation

[Anonymous]

Hey all, recent lurker, first time poster. Backstory: my spouse and I lived in DC from 2010-2016, moved due to military service, and are now moving back (still in the military, got stationed locally). We own a house that's IB for Seaton, but it's currently rented through 1 December (and we're on the fence about moving back there or keeping it rented and renting somewhere else). We'll be living at Joint Base Anacostia Bolling to start, and then either moving to our IB Seaton-home or potentially to a rental that works for my spouse's commute to the Foggy Bottom area and my PK3 son's school. My son has been at a Montessori school/daycare for about 18 months and has really thrived. We also have a 9-month old. We'll likely be stationed here for 4 years, and there's a decent chance that I separate from active duty at that point to stay in the DC area.

Here is our current list. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you!

1. Hyde-Addison
2. Capitol Hill Montessori - Logan
3. Bancroft (English Dominant)
4. Lee Montessori - Brookland
5. MV - P St. (only bilingual on the list, spouse has background in French and I have Spanish/Italian - we've read the posts re: the amount of out of school support for such a program)
6. SWS
7. Seaton (not IB for this lottery, but potentially future IB/"neighborhood school")
8. Inspired Teaching Demonstration School
9. Friendship PCS Montessori - Armstrong (why doesn't this school get much love on DCUM?)
10. Thomson
11. Two Rivers PCS - 4th St
12. Lee Montessori PCS - East End (we could potentially remain living at Bolling)

I'll be in and out all day, so apologies in advance if I don't immediately respond to questions, I will do so as soon as I can.

[Anonymous]

Check out Stokes East End.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey all, recent lurker, first time poster. Backstory: my spouse and I lived in DC from 2010-2016, moved due to military service, and are now moving back (still in the military, got stationed locally). We own a house that's IB for Seaton, but it's currently rented through 1 December (and we're on the fence about moving back there or keeping it rented and renting somewhere else). We'll be living at Joint Base Anacostia Bolling to start, and then either moving to our IB Seaton-home or potentially to a rental that works for my spouse's commute to the Foggy Bottom area and my PK3 son's school. My son has been at a Montessori school/daycare for about 18 months and has really thrived. We also have a 9-month old. We'll likely be stationed here for 4 years, and there's a decent chance that I separate from active duty at that point to stay in the DC area.

Here is our current list. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you!

1. Hyde-Addison
2. Capitol Hill Montessori - Logan
3. Bancroft (English Dominant)
4. Lee Montessori - Brookland
5. MV - P St. (only bilingual on the list, spouse has background in French and I have Spanish/Italian - we've read the posts re: the amount of out of school support for such a program)
6. SWS
7. Seaton (not IB for this lottery, but potentially future IB/"neighborhood school")
8. Inspired Teaching Demonstration School
9. Friendship PCS Montessori - Armstrong (why doesn't this school get much love on DCUM?)
10. Thomson
11. Two Rivers PCS - 4th St
12. Lee Montessori PCS - East End (we could potentially remain living at Bolling)

I'll be in and out all day, so apologies in advance if I don't immediately respond to questions, I will do so as soon as I can.

You are very unlikely to get in to:

Bancroft, Seaton (w/o IB preference), and Thomson.

You have as good a chance as any other 3-year-old without siblings at the others.

[Anonymous]

OP - have you looked at the data from past year's lotteries? I've pasted the link below. It is relevant to the DCPS schools you are applying to as an OOB student.

1) If you think you may end up in Foggy Bottom, list the school that you would be IB for (especially if you can prove residency at that address by May 1. The MSDC office can tell you how to enter the lottery at a TBD address.

2) If you think you will be on-base through Dec, you may wish to talk to the liaison at JBAB and find out which schools the base is providing transportation to, and see if they are of interest. I believe Langley is one, but not sure of the others.

https://www.myschooldc.org/resources/data (shows seats and wait list for all schools)

https://www.dcpcsb.org/evaluating/waitlist-data (shows seats available and how many were offered to IB w/Sibling attending, IB, OOB w/sibling attending, OOB) etc

[Anonymous]

Friendship Armstrong is Reggio not Montessori. I know people who go to the preschool but have not observed people staying like they do at Seaton.

[Anonymous]

If you're going to be IB for Leckie since you're living on base, I'd list it. For Montessori, you could do Nalle and Langdon.

Then I'd swap out Hyde-Addison, Bancroft, and Thomson, where you have very little chance. It seems you prefer Montessori to immersion, and Bancroft is immersion.

If you do in fact like immersion, why not the French programs at both Stokes schools?

You should also apply to LAMB, which runs its own lottery.

[Anonymous]

Definitely contact MySchoolDC about military in the lottery--I think I remember there being some accommodation but can't remember anything about it.

Capitol Hill Montessori is in a swing space by Howard for the next two years, so make sure that location works for you (there will be busing from the school's normal local I think).

If I were you, I might swap out Bancroft, which you will not get into OOB as English dominant, for a safety. If it's true that Langley has a bus from the base, that's a good option. And FWIW, I've heard positive reviews from the two from a few moms who have kids at Friendship Armstrong, but their kids were in early childhood education. I think it maybe gets less love on this site because it's less diverse, and maybe less represented on here.

Welcome back and good luck!

[Anonymous]

Not sure how good your odds are, but if your spouse works in Foggy Bottom, check out School Without Walls @ Francis Stevens.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the help so far! Here are some quick responses:

1. I believe the military accommodation doesn't start until K or later -- I think it's a program where if your child is already in a particular program (like Montessori) in North Carolina or where ever, you get a preference in your new state so your child can stay in the same environment. But I don't believe his current school gives him a Montessori preference for PK3.

2. Swing space for CHM would work for us.

3. Spouse has contacted JBAB school liaison, but I'll have to ask about bussing options to Langley, which I like

4. Good call on listing Leckie. If we remain on base, we are considering paying for the Child Development Center, since it's about 670/mo.

5. My bad on Friendship Armstrong! Yes, it's a Reggio.

6. I looked at the waitlist data for Seaton, but the page I looked at didn't differentiate who got in off the waitlist, IB or OOB. Are only IB kids getting in off the waitlist now?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're going to be IB for Leckie since you're living on base, I'd list it. For Montessori, you could do Nalle and Langdon.

Then I'd swap out Hyde-Addison, Bancroft, and Thomson, where you have very little chance. It seems you prefer Montessori to immersion, and Bancroft is immersion.

If you do in fact like immersion, why not the French programs at both Stokes schools?

You should also apply to LAMB, which runs its own lottery.

Langdon and LAMB would be inconvenient for a commute to Foggy Bottom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the help so far! Here are some quick responses:

1. I believe the military accommodation doesn't start until K or later -- I think it's a program where if your child is already in a particular program (like Montessori) in North Carolina or where ever, you get a preference in your new state so your child can stay in the same environment. But I don't believe his current school gives him a Montessori preference for PK3.

2. Swing space for CHM would work for us.

3. Spouse has contacted JBAB school liaison, but I'll have to ask about bussing options to Langley, which I like

4. Good call on listing Leckie. If we remain on base, we are considering paying for the Child Development Center, since it's about 670/mo.

5. My bad on Friendship Armstrong! Yes, it's a Reggio.

6. I looked at the waitlist data for Seaton, but the page I looked at didn't differentiate who got in off the waitlist, IB or OOB. Are only IB kids getting in off the waitlist now?

Thanks!

Right now Seaton takes all IB and a few OOB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you're going to be IB for Leckie since you're living on base, I'd list it. For Montessori, you could do Nalle and Langdon.

Then I'd swap out Hyde-Addison, Bancroft, and Thomson, where you have very little chance. It seems you prefer Montessori to immersion, and Bancroft is immersion.

If you do in fact like immersion, why not the French programs at both Stokes schools?

You should also apply to LAMB, which runs its own lottery.

Langdon and LAMB would be inconvenient for a commute to Foggy Bottom.

If Langdon is too far, they should also take Lee Brookland off their list. If they're willing to commute for Montessori, may as well list as many as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the help so far! Here are some quick responses:

1. I believe the military accommodation doesn't start until K or later -- I think it's a program where if your child is already in a particular program (like Montessori) in North Carolina or where ever, you get a preference in your new state so your child can stay in the same environment. But I don't believe his current school gives him a Montessori preference for PK3.

2. Swing space for CHM would work for us.

3. Spouse has contacted JBAB school liaison, but I'll have to ask about bussing options to Langley, which I like

4. Good call on listing Leckie. If we remain on base, we are considering paying for the Child Development Center, since it's about 670/mo.

5. My bad on Friendship Armstrong! Yes, it's a Reggio.

6. I looked at the waitlist data for Seaton, but the page I looked at didn't differentiate who got in off the waitlist, IB or OOB. Are only IB kids getting in off the waitlist now?

Thanks!

Right now Seaton takes all IB and a few OOB.

Two years ago, we got a wait list spot for Seaton OOB but it was in late September when my kid had already settled into another school. We never got off the OOB waitlist at Francis Stevens. Typically schools increase in competitiveness each year.

[Anonymous]

We are a military family that left jbab a few months ago. Leckie was good for prek. I’d do leckie for the next two years (or until you move from jbab) and lottery/military preference into K somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

Hyde-Addison is re-opening this fall. Brand new gorgeous facility. Lots of families left, because they did not want to go to remote temporary campus in Columbia Heights.

This year is literally your best - and perhaps last - chance to ever get in. My DW is pregnant and H-A is our local school. We plan on sending our son in a few years. Lots of other young pregnant couples in our 'hood are going to do the same. Within 5 years, the school will be 90%+ filled with in-bound families.

Put it at #1, if you're willing to make the trek.