Just moved to DC post-divorce and COMPLETELY confused about public schools - Please Help!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Which red line station is near Shepherd Park elementary?

The Silver Spring station is 1 mile away. Northern parts of Shepherd Park are even closer. I know a couple folks who walk from their homes to Metro in 10-15 min.

I am 6 blocks to Takoma metro.

how long is the walk? do you commute that way?

My walk is about 8-10 minutes. I metro to work, DH takes 16th St bus after walking to Shepherd (which happens to be a few more block walk than metro for us). Shepherd is a bit isolated, buts it's really convenient for our family, especially in summer where we tend to do camps WOTP and lower MoCo. Our close friends are in Petworth, Brightwood and Columbia Heights so for us we consider it convenient and suburban. Best of both worlds. I would never sell it as the most central neighborhood, but there's a great charm to it and the school.

Totally agree with this assessment. Shepherd Park's location also works great if one person in household works in MD and the other in DC--we know several families in this situation.

PP, the only thing you didn't hit on is the proximity to Rock Creek Park. In our household, all adults (and the dog) go for hikes/jogs on RCP trails regularly. Also great access to Beach Drive for cycling. So for outdoorsy families, this is a great benefit of the location.

+1 we are 3 blocks from Holly trail in RCP. It is such a lovely mini-hike that we do almost daily from March-Oct (gets too muddy in winter). My kids and dogs think it's the coolest thing in the world to explore it and encounter horses and different animals each day. When we're really adventurous, we walk it all the way to MD side and visit the horse stables.

I'm the PP you're quoting--I also live 3 blocks from the Holly Trail entrance. Small world!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can afford it, I would try to move inboundary for Hearst. That will give you what you are looking for at the elementary school level and ensure that your kids are inbounds for Deal/Wilson.

Re the differences between the two, Deal is an International Baccalaureate middle school and is much, much bigger than Hardy (1,300 students vs. 350). Deal has higher test scores, but that may be because the students are much wealthier than the Hardy students.

Hardy has a great new principal that has set up an honors track to challenge students. But there are lots of people on DCUM who wouldn't consider it because, frankly, there are not many white students there; most of the students are from out of boundary; it's low income, and as a result the scores are much lower.

Since you're looking for a school right now, assuming you are comfortable with its size, I would go for Deal if you have the choice. I think that Hardy is improving and that you could be a part of the improvement, but Deal is possibly the best school in all of DC, and I think it's a surer bet that your kids will like it there. Also, if they are into sports and extracurricular activities, Deal will have more options just because it is so much bigger.

For what it's worth, there are a few people who go to Hardy out of bounds on my block, and their parents really like it. So, I wouldn't say don't go there--I just think that Deal gets the edge because you're ready to send your kids there now.

Good luck--let us know where you end up!

+1. Sensible recommendations. Hardy seems to have some momentum going and parents who like it but if I was coming from another country and was at all risk-averse, I'd go with Deal as a safer bet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it seems that some people prefer Hardy and some Deal. Why is one "better" than the other? What are the differences?

And since the older two are already in Middle School, it seems that you guys are listing the Elementary Schools so I choose one and then move into that area for my little one. Are all the elementaries that feed into Hardy or Deal comperable? Are there notable differences between the different elementary schools that would cause one to choose one over the other?

I am looking for something multicultural, and not too test heavy. Inclusive and embracing, where they will easily settle in as international students.

In terms of budget, honestly I have no idea. I started looking at schools first. What do you guys think are reasonable budgets for places for a mom and three kids? What options do I have? I would be renting and have never rented in DC before.

As always, thank you!

OP, I'm assuming you'd want at least 3 bedrooms? It's pretty expensive in all the neighborhoods zoned for Hardy and Deal. And do you want a single family home, condo, etc.? For a SFH I'd think you'd be spending at least $4,000-4,500 monthly in most of these neighborhoods (someone with more recent rental experience in NW DC can chime in). Not sure how much a condo or rowhome would rent for. In Shepherd Park you might be able to rent a SFH for $3,500, but there's not much rental inventory.

As you probably know DC has a pretty international vibe, and this will be true in both Hardy and Deal-zoned neighborhoods, so you should be fine in this regard.

All the schools take the same standardized tests, although I'm sure people will offer there opinions on the test culture at Hardy vs. Deal. Not many people will have experience with both schools sufficient to make a real comparison.

Are you able to visit the area before deciding where to rent? If so, I'd tour both Hardy and Deal while you're here.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

From experience, don't go Hardy

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My advice, do everything you can to get into Janney. There's Janney and then everything else . . .

Ugh. People don't take the bait.

I was just thinking the same thing. I'd love to think it is a troll, but I think that many Janney parents on DCUM would seriously post that.

Why on earth would you think a Janney parent would post this? Janney is bursting at the seams and does not need the promoting or more students. And the families really are not a bunch of jerks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My advice, do everything you can to get into Janney. There's Janney and then everything else . . .

Ugh. People don't take the bait.

I was just thinking the same thing. I'd love to think it is a troll, but I think that many Janney parents on DCUM would seriously post that.

Why on earth would you think a Janney parent would post this? Janney is bursting at the seams and does not need the promoting or more students. And the families really are not a bunch of jerks.

It is consistent with the Janney parents who post on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP, I'm assuming you'd want at least 3 bedrooms?

Why would she need that? Two bedrooms should be fine. Maybe even one if she sleeps on fold out in living room. Just temporary until she saves up enough to buy a house or condo. Rates are still so low, it makes sense to own if at all possible.

[Anonymous]

What about this house: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/5019547184.html

or this apartment?

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/5009891629.html

I have family 2 blocks away and it has made a tremendous improvement in my life. And DCPS schools in Georgetown areas are good!

alternatively-- is your sister interested in moving out of Georgetown? It's the most expensive neighborhood in DC and schools are no better than other NW areas. So if you can pull your sister into considering Deal neighborhoods you'd get cheaper property AND theoretically better schools-- However, I don't see such a significant difference as the "walking distance from sister" vs. "20 minutes drive from sister". If you and sister can combine income and rent a place together in the Deal area, that would be ideal! Not sure if that is doable, but something to consider!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies! It seems that living in Georgetown is out since it's not in the Deal area. What are good options to live in the Deal area? As in, close to a metro stop where I can go to Gerogetown? I don't have a car or anything so are there areas that I can navigate walking? I looked at the map of the area but I don't know anything about what I am looking for! And I should look for something in the Shepherd or Hearst Elementary School area, correct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the replies! It seems that living in Georgetown is out since it's not in the Deal area. What are good options to live in the Deal area? As in, close to a metro stop where I can go to Gerogetown? I don't have a car or anything so are there areas that I can navigate walking? I looked at the map of the area but I don't know anything about what I am looking for! And I should look for something in the Shepherd or Hearst Elementary School area, correct?

Georgetown isn't easy to get to by any means even if you had a car (in which you'll get stuck). Your best bet from upper NW, which where you seem to focus your attention, are any of the buses going down Wisconsin and right through the (congested) heart of Georgetown. However, I have a hard time thinking that anything zoned for Deal would be much cheaper than a decent size apartment in Glover Park, North Georgetown, pool, front desk service, and all included. Try those apartment complexes along Mass Ave, north of Embassy Row. You'd have proximity to Georgetown (and your sister), your kids would be at an excellent middle school which is not overwhelmingly big for them to enter mid-way and which, as Deal, feeds to Wilson HS and also does well placing kids in application high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the replies! It seems that living in Georgetown is out since it's not in the Deal area. What are good options to live in the Deal area? As in, close to a metro stop where I can go to Gerogetown? I don't have a car or anything so are there areas that I can navigate walking? I looked at the map of the area but I don't know anything about what I am looking for! And I should look for something in the Shepherd or Hearst Elementary School area, correct?

I would suggest looking on Wisconsin by the Tenleytown/Friendship Heights area, where there should be apartment buildings where you can rent. They will be near the 30 buses, which go from Friendship Heights to Georgetown and then toward downtown. These addresses should be inbounds for Deal/Wilson, but you can make sure they are by checking the address against find.myschooldc.org. Tenleytown would be ideal, as Deal and Wilson are both there. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Look a McLean Gardens (WI just south of Fannie Mae)

You can walk to Giant - Metro Bus to Deal - Metro to Georgetown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look a McLean Gardens (WI just south of Fannie Mae)

You can walk to Giant - Metro Bus to Deal - Metro to Georgetown

How, pray tell, does one Metro from McLean Gardens to Georgetown?

[Anonymous]

There are not many apartments in Tenleytown, that is just the nature of the housing stock.

I would suggest McLEan Gardens, but be careful, some are inbounds for Hearst/Deal and some are inbounds for Eaton/Hardy so you need to check the addresses if you want Deal. You can take the Bus down Wisconsin to Georgetown

Alternatively, you could live in an apartment building on Connecticut, in bounds for Murch or Hearst (both Deal feeders), and take the metro down to Dupont. There are buses that cut over from Dupont to Georgetown.

The metro intentionally does not go to Georgetown (back when it was being built I understand Georgetown did not want to be on it)

[Anonymous]

The metro intentionally does not go to Georgetown (back when it was being built I understand Georgetown did not want to be on it)

This is a myth but otherwise PP is correct.