Neighborhoods with Excellent Public Schools?

[Anonymous]

Moving to DC this spring. We're coming to DC for a visit to look around first, and I need some help figuring out which neighborhoods to visit while we're there.

Which neighborhoods in DC have excellent public schools? We're interested specifically in NW DC, on or near the red line. (Just DC, please. Not surrounding suburbs.)

tia!

[Anonymous]

Follow the red line out, from Woodley Park up to the MD line. So, the neighborhoods (and schools) will be:

Woodley Park (Oyster)
Cleveland Park (Eaton and Hearst)
North Cleveland Park/Forest Hills (Hearst and Murch)
Chevy Chase (Murch and Lafayette)
Tenleytown/Friendship Heights (Janney)

Of the above, the very best are generally considered to be Janney, Lafayette, Murch, and Oyster. In that same tier are also Key and Mann, although they aren't in neighborhoods on the red line.

There are, of course, many other great schools in DC, but based on your question, I think the above list is the right starting point--and a lot of ground to cover.

My personal favorite is Woodley Park, but it's also the most expensive to buy in; there are lots of rentals there, though, if you're interested in going that route. We live in the Chevy Chase (Murch) district, and we're happy here--it's walkable, and there's a relatively wide range of house prices.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

of the above mentioned schools, Heast is definitely at the bottom of the list.

Also - what grades? I ask b/c Oyster is a bi-lingual immersion program. If you have a child in elementary school who has not previously been exposed to foreign language (Spanish) this might be a very difficult transition.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget that the western part of Adams Morgan also feeds into Oyster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:of the above mentioned schools, Heast is definitely at the bottom of the list.

Also - what grades? I ask b/c Oyster is a bi-lingual immersion program. If you have a child in elementary school who has not previously been exposed to foreign language (Spanish) this might be a very difficult transition.

OP: My kids are in preK, and we will only be in DC for 3 yrs. So I care about just the lower grades in elementary school -- K, 1st.

I'm confused about the spanish immersion program at Oyster. How does it work? Is it optional or is the whole school a spanish immersion? My kids have not been exposed to spanish at all, really, so I don't know if that program would be for us. But I have heard good things about Woodley Park, so I'm intrigued.

[Anonymous]

You might also look at Shepherd Park (Shepherd ES). You can walk to Silver Spring or Takoma Metro stations or take express buses down 16th St or Georgia Ave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:of the above mentioned schools, Heast is definitely at the bottom of the list.

Also - what grades? I ask b/c Oyster is a bi-lingual immersion program. If you have a child in elementary school who has not previously been exposed to foreign language (Spanish) this might be a very difficult transition.

OP: My kids are in preK, and we will only be in DC for 3 yrs. So I care about just the lower grades in elementary school -- K, 1st.

I'm confused about the spanish immersion program at Oyster. How does it work? Is it optional or is the whole school a spanish immersion? My kids have not been exposed to spanish at all, really, so I don't know if that program would be for us. But I have heard good things about Woodley Park, so I'm intrigued.

The entire school is Spanish Immersion. If you are considering this, I would recommend that you reach out to the school and talk to someone there so that you understand how your children will be integrated into the language. I would not worry that your children had not yet been exposed to Spanish. By the end of 2nd grade they will have a great foundation.

Question - are your children currently in PreK - so they will be entering K in the fall?

[Anonymous]

"Question - are your children currently in PreK - so they will be entering K in the fall? "

No, my kids would be entering preK in the fall. And no, I don't have a clue where they're going to attend preK. Let's just say we did NOT do well in the DCPS lottery.

But we would def do private preK, if I can get them into a decent school.