Hearst - Pros and Cons

[Anonymous]

Any current or former Hearst parents? I know the school takes a lot of OOB kids. It seems like a neighborhood packed with kids - where do they go? For people who started at Hearst, do many people stay? I get that people often go private in 3rd, what other dynamics are at play? I know it used to be a K-3 school, how has the transition and management of space gone? A friend is moving here and is considering a house in bounds, just trying to get some info for them. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Most of the kids inbound for Hearst go private. It's not that Hearst is a bad school, but to be inbounds for Hearst is to own a large, multi-million dollar home in Cleveland Park. Hearst is directly across from Sidwell Friends - which is the school many Cleveland Park families REALLY aspire to send their children to. Going to Hearst everyday and having to look at Sidwell across the street and not be there? No thank you, there are other private schools which would be much better and wouldn't rub so raw (Beauvoir, Burgundy Farm, CHDS, GDS, Maret, Sheridan, St. Agnes, St. Pat's, WES, WIS, etc.).

[Anonymous]

I am an out of boundary parent at Hearst and we love it. We have a wonderful principal, terrific teachers, some of the best test scores in the city, a new playground, the school is slated for expansion in the next couple years, we have a very active PTA and strong parent involvement (both in and out of boundary)....and believe it or not, I don't think many of us look across the street at Sidwell with envy.

[Anonymous]

We are an in-boundary family for Hearst. We do not own a multi-million home, nor do any of the neighbors on our street--not that it was cheap to buy in. We had a good experience at DC public and now charter for our son. If we have another baby, we will look at Hearst--our neighborhood, in-boundary school. The high OOB ratio worries me--not because I have anything against OOB (we were at one of our son's schools) but because I like balance--at least some neighborhood families along with OOB, like Hyde in Georgetown. We LOVE living where we live; it's a great neighborhood for kids. I hope more neighbors look at Hearst. Again, if we have another baby we would like our kid to have some neighborhood friends in the school. Certainly not thinking of going private, OR looking at Sidwell with envy...