Looking on the Hill - curious for reviews of area elementary schools

[Anonymous]

We have been looking at houses on the Hill. Our DC will be in kindergarten in the fall, and we're currently in DCPS in Shaw. Think we probably couldn't afford the area around Brent, so this would be mostly about weighing Maury and Watkins. We're aware of the challenges for middle and high school. Same issues in this area.

[Anonymous]

I'd go for Ludlow-Taylor over Watkins! It's smaller, better led, on the rise and more high SES.

[Anonymous]

If you would go to Stuart-Hobson then choose one of those feeders. If not, what is the plan?

Some kids from the Senate side and Hill east go to ITS.

[Anonymous]

Did you try to lottery for SWS?

[Anonymous]

Maury is great.

[Anonymous]

If in-person in the short-term is very important to you, you might inquire as to whether the school has been able to accommodate in-person for all families that wanted it. Not sure about all Cap Hill elementary schools, but Brent was not able to and unless the guidelines change re class size/space, many of the schools will presumably be in the same position in the fall as they are today.

[Anonymous]

No, schools won't be in the same position. Looks like the CDC is about to recommend that 3 ft. of distancing between desks is fine. September is a long time from now.

Brent, Maury, Ludlow, all solid choices these days. It's hard to lottery into SWS and Watkins' leadership issue seem to be constant, chronic, never-ending.

If MS is a concern, BASIS works for almost everybody who wants it from the Hill.

[Anonymous]

Purely in terms of school, Maury is the safest choice. But Maury is $$ in the small section of the zone I’d want to live in. LT is better located to transport/amenities and is also a solid school. Watkins (Peabody for K) is a mess and K next year would be particularly dicey — not even clear if Peabody will be ready in time. If any kids can’t go back in person, it will be Peabody kids. SWS is good if you happen to lottery in, but it’s hard to and in trailers next year, which makes in person riskier. I’d lean strongly Maury or L-T.

[Anonymous]

Really depends how long you want to stay on the Hill.

Brent is the probably the best choice just for elementary. Maury next best. Neither Brent not Maury feeds into a MS the overwhelming majority of in-boundary families will touch. No guarantees that you get into an acceptable charter MS (if any are acceptable to you; none are acceptable to us).

If you think Stuart Hobson would work for you for MS, L-T is best. A more few in-boundary families are choosing Hobson with each passing year.

[Anonymous]

^^SWS swing space is perfectly fine. My in-person daughter likes it as does her teacher.

[Anonymous]

Right, but most Hill families who put their name into the hat for SWS don't get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Purely in terms of school, Maury is the safest choice. But Maury is $$ in the small section of the zone I’d want to live in. LT is better located to transport/amenities and is also a solid school. Watkins (Peabody for K) is a mess and K next year would be particularly dicey — not even clear if Peabody will be ready in time. If any kids can’t go back in person, it will be Peabody kids. SWS is good if you happen to lottery in, but it’s hard to and in trailers next year, which makes in person riskier. I’d lean strongly Maury or L-T.

I actually think housing prices in the Maury zone aren’t that much worse especially as you go out to Kingman Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really depends how long you want to stay on the Hill.

Brent is the probably the best choice just for elementary. Maury next best. Neither Brent not Maury feeds into a MS the overwhelming majority of in-boundary families will touch. No guarantees that you get into an acceptable charter MS (if any are acceptable to you; none are acceptable to us).

If you think Stuart Hobson would work for you for MS, L-T is best. A more few in-boundary families are choosing Hobson with each passing year.

So, we bought zoned for Maury and are now facing MS, but I don’t think we’d choose Stuart Hobson even if we were inbounds. This is NOT a S-H bashing post because I’m positive it’s a solid choice for many. But it turns out our kid needs a smaller and more personal environment. And given that there is also no great IB HS, the S-H factor just gets you another 3 years before you have to face it. So I wouldn’t rest the whole choice on that. Also, I legitimately think E-H was improving but that may have been really disrupted by covid.

[Anonymous]

S-H would be a solid choice for many more in-boundary if they offered honors class (pitched at grade level) for science and math and discipline was better. The school is just OK, with too much supplementing involved. The in-boundary % never seems to rise above one-quarter. Frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really depends how long you want to stay on the Hill.

Brent is the probably the best choice just for elementary. Maury next best. Neither Brent not Maury feeds into a MS the overwhelming majority of in-boundary families will touch. No guarantees that you get into an acceptable charter MS (if any are acceptable to you; none are acceptable to us).

If you think Stuart Hobson would work for you for MS, L-T is best. A more few in-boundary families are choosing Hobson with each passing year.

So, we bought zoned for Maury and are now facing MS, but I don’t think we’d choose Stuart Hobson even if we were inbounds. This is NOT a S-H bashing post because I’m positive it’s a solid choice for many. But it turns out our kid needs a smaller and more personal environment. And given that there is also no great IB HS, the S-H factor just gets you another 3 years before you have to face it. So I wouldn’t rest the whole choice on that. Also, I legitimately think E-H was improving but that may have been really disrupted by covid.

Last thought ... the Hill really is a wonderful place to live with kids in so many ways. While I am stressed now about MS, zero regrets for the decision to move here 10 yrs ago when I was pregnant. We’ve gotten to enjoy so much with a short commute as well. Though I am a big Maury booster I don’t think you can gl wrong if you find a house you can afford zoned for any of the solid elementary schools.