As of today we have a a couple options for Prk3 in DCPS and are low on a few other lists. We are trying to get some insight on the schools we may actually have a chance to attend. (Of our "top 10" schools only 6-9 are even in the 100s for wait lists I am guessing it is unlikely to get a offer from them even by fall??)
Our current priorities:
Primarily play based & emotional learning program
Caring/warm teachers & staff with good communication
Great Speech Therapist & Special Education Teachers (a couple hours per week push-out & push-in services)
Experience with kids from different backgrounds, families, cultures. Ideally a divers student & staff body
Less of a learning gap and is good option for staying into K and beyond
Good options for before & Aftercare
PTO or PTA



DCPS with a offer or realistic chance???
11) Burroughs Elementary School #22

12) Raymond Education Campus #14

13) Dorothy I. Height Elementary School- Offer Extended (would currently drop us from Barnard & Truesdell?)

14) Barnard Elementary School #74

15) Truesdell Education Campus #21

16) Bunker Hill Elementary School - Offer Extended


Wait listed in 100's, possibly a slim chance?

6) Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS: Waitlisted - #125

7) Bridges PCS: Waitlisted - #118

8) E.L. Haynes PCS - Elementary School: Waitlisted - #152

9) Two Rivers PCS at Young: Waitlisted - #163



Probably not worth worrying about all waitlisted listed in the 200-400's
Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS
Creative Minds International PCS
Lee Montessori PCS
Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS (Spanish Language Program)
Two Rivers PCS at 4th Street
Capitol Hill Montessori School @ Logan
DC Bilingual PC

Anonymous wrote:Which is the better commute?

Currently commute is not a issue. Bunkerhill is closer as we don't have go up and around FT. But both are 5-10 minutes with traffic but it looks like a bus would be a option for either.

Anonymous wrote:As someone also in Brookland, we had many of your schools on our list but also added some good (better) DCPS like Bruce Monroe and even Langley. I see both of these on the upswing. Then you may also be able to get into Seaton, Garrison or even Cleveland over in Shaw area. These too are going to be not exactly "safety" but everything on your list requires a super number. They may be mainly full with IB but I think chances are higher. I understand disappointment with our local DCPS in this neighborhood, they really should be better by now.

If more 'new' higher SES families would go to their IB schools and invest in the community resources could come more quickly. There won't be great neighborhood choices until attention is drawn the needs of DCPS neighborhood schools and more funding. DC needs to spot opening charter schools and invest in neighborhood schools. Which is very long over due.

Anonymous wrote:

mcjd79 wrote:[quote=Anonymous

I guess I am not sure how the other schools on our list with a realistic shot of getting in compare to BH?

Yes, some people enroll in multiples schools between May 1 and the actual first day of school.

How is it possible to enroll in multiple schools? IF you accept a spot off your wait list others get dropped. Also, aren't the school enrollments connected? How or why would DC let the same student be listed as enrolled at more than one school?

Anonymous wrote:

mcjd79 wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you meet the special ed team at BH?

Since you have an IEP/IFSP and got an Early Stages seat, you need to look at your choices from that angle.

They were doing testing at the time I was there. Do you happen to have any insight into the special education teachers at Bunker Hill or other DCPS on my list?

I don't. Truesdell has about 2x as many children with IEPs as Bunker Hill. If you took the Truesdell placement, was your child going to be placed in the general education classroom f ull time with push in or pull out services, or spend some time in a specialized class?

Primarily general education class room with a couple hours of push-out and one hour push-in services each week.

Anonymous wrote:Did you meet the special ed team at BH?

Since you have an IEP/IFSP and got an Early Stages seat, you need to look at your choices from that angle.

They were doing testing at the time I was there. Do you happen to have any insight into the special education teachers at Bunker Hill or other DCPS on my list?

Anonymous wrote:I would take BH if I were you. It will be fine, and you can wait and see on the rest of your list.

So, it is typical for parents to move schools if they get a 'better' offer??

I guess I am not sure how the other schools on our list with a realistic shot of getting in compare to BH?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MV seems to still be suffering some growing pains with only its current campus (see, oops, we need to add a few new classes after the lottery to be able to pay our bills) (also see, classroom control and supervision issues that took most of last year to resolve). Do we really think they have shown a track record t now manage multiple locations?

Whatever, I will take it.

--Bunker Hill mom.

I would like to learn more about your experience at Bunker Hill. We just got offered a Prk3 seat. Not sure how to message folks that don't login though. pleas feel free to direct message me.

We toured Bunker Hill today and it seemed like a nice school. Big bright class rooms, long term teachers and a new principal that is trying and has made improvements. The Principal talked about wanting to make it a really great and improved neighborhood school but they currently lack funding for a lot of things and dont have a PTO or PTA. They do have a library, music, art, Spanish and PE weekly.

We struck out on our 1st round lottery picks which was filled charters. (Mostly waits 200 or 300+, but a few in the 100s). So, we did some more looking and added a few nearby DCPS to our 2nd lottery list. I think our highest PCS number was in the 30s. (But then we also figured it wasn't worth adding the higher wait list schools.
We have been offered a Prk3 seat at Bunker Hill. I would love any feed back possible on the school. We are also 'Early Stages' and we're just this week offered a seat at Truesdell. But given school is out soon late it doesn't really make sense to start now. (Also we had not orginally planned on getting a seat this year as it stands our child would miss the last week or so due to prior obligations. So we hate to take the seat from someone that needs it this year) Sadly this means we may not get offered a seat a Trusedell for 17-18.

Thoughts on the two schools?? Or our 2nd round DCPCS list??

1st round lottery: Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS,Creative Minds International PCS, Lee Montessori PCS , Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS (Spanish Language Program),Two Rivers PCS at 4th Street , Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS , Bridges PCS , E.L. Haynes PCS – Elementary School,Two Rivers PCS at Young , Washington Yu Ying PCS

2nd 'round' we added: Burroughs Elementary School, Raymond Education Campus, Dorothy I. Height Elementary School, Barnard Elementary School , Truesdell Education Campus, Bunker Hill Elementary School
Capitol Hill Montessori School @ Logan, DC Bilingual PCS

Anonymous wrote:We live across the street and DD is slated to start PK3 there in the fall. We met with the PK teachers, and have met the Principal on numerous occasions. The teachers are highly motivated and follow the Theory of the Mind philosophy in their teaching, and I am impressed with the principal and her philosophy. The scores for the school are basically equivalent to those in the "hot" Petworth school (Powell). Obviously I will know a lot more once school starts in the fall, but I am cautiously optimistic as of now.

I am going to have to look that up. I know our little one would do best with lots of play based learning, songs, story times, hands on exploring and smaller class sizes. Do you know if they are highly focused K prep for 3s or do they allow time for emotional, social, and whole child development??

Anonymous wrote:We are in PK3 at Truesdell right now, and will be returning for PK4. Our teachers have been great, and I am also very impressed with the principal. All the teachers and administrators we have met have been very welcoming. I wish there was more outdoor recess than the thirty minutes, but that is DCPS standard. I also wish the outdoor space was a bit nicer, but again, few schools have really good outdoor space. Overall, it's a perfectly good place at least for ECE. PP is right that it seems to be on par with other, more popular Title 1 schools (although it doesn't offer Spanish immersion like Powell does).

Would you mind sharing what a typical PrK 3 day looks like??

I am not sure if we will need it but it says in th dc lottery book there is no before school care?? Do you happen to know anything about there after care?? (the regular scholarship day is listed as 8:45a to 3:15pm M-F)

We are going on a tour soon. But we got offered a Early Stages seat at Truesdell Education Campus. Does anyone here have recent experience at this school in PrK or beyond?? Wondering if we should take the spot for this year which would allow us to come back for a full year of Prk3 for next year at Truesdell Education Campus. Or if we should pass and hope this school or a "better" one opens for 17-18 and or something come open on or very long lottery wait list. (It does seem to go through 8th so that could be good??) Please comment only if you have actually visited, atteneed, work with or know someone with kids attending currently. Thanks

Already working with Early Stages. For prek if a IEP is issued Early Stage will find a seat in a DCPS school that can provide all of the needed services (be it self contained or standard class room with extra support). Of course if it is a 'early stages seat' the family has no say in what school the seat is offered. Sure you can turn it down and go to a lottery charter or different DCPS. But then the services may be adjusted to 'equitable' if the needed support services are not available at the school you select or got through the lottery.

If we get a lottery spot at a charter it becomes more of a grey area of the school can do their own IEP. And they have some discretion providing exactly what is on the ES IEP vrs 'Equitable Services' depending on their in house resources vrs bringing specialists in for the student. Certainly not all schools can accommodate every special need as well as others. For some students a small group or private aide might work just as well as a specialized classroom for others it would not. (Not sure why charters who get DC money aren't held to the same standards for meeting IEPs. But that is a while different thead and conversation.)

How much time spent pushing into a regular class room vrs in a specialized class room is still being determined. I did want to get my information gathered and be prepared for either possibility.

Thanks for the help!

Anonymous wrote:https://dcps.dc.gov/node/995542

Thank you! I totally missed that page when looking today.

Anonymous wrote:For charters - St Colettas, CMI and Bridges

Thank you. Bridges is the only one with a sperate wait list for higher special needs correct?