Moving to dc....

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[Post New]04/10/2014 11:01
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dcmom
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Anonymous wrote:How do you get downtown from Glover Park? Also... price...


The 30 buses go toward downtown, but having lived there without a car, I can say it is hard. If you want to go car-free or minimize time in a car, I would look to be relatively close to a Metro line.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:02
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dcmom
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Anonymous wrote:I lived in NY back when Clinton Hill was still Bedstuy, so I'm wondering what the racial/socioeconomic mix is now, and what the test scores are for your current schools, and your level of comfort with a changing school environment. I imagine the schools in Ft. Greene/Clinton Hill are still on an upward trajectory performance wise? I live in Petworth and you can get a great house for your price range, but very few professional parents have 3rd graders in the local schools. That said, I don't think it's out of the question. If you are looking EOTP but not into immersion programs, I have heard good things about West, and the scores are reasonably high. I know parents with kids currently in PK and 1st grade who said they would definitely consider staying through 5th. The principal is really energetic and approachable, so definitely organize a tour for when you come out here. There is also an engaged parent group. At Powell, the draw is really the Spanish immersion track, and the highest grade that I know people with kids is 1st but all in the bilingual program. I do not know the quality of the English-only track. Again, you can definitely visit and there is an engaged parent group. Bancroft is another popular "rising" school in Mt. Pleasant, but I feel like again it is the Spanish track that is attracting the professional class. But Mt. Pleasant is an awesome neighborhood. It seem like for an English-only option I would look at West, Brent, Maury, Ross, ... I'm IB for Barnard and it seems to be an extremely well-run school with beautiful facilities, but your daughter would really be an "only" in her class. That said, I was pretty impressed with the classrooms I saw.


Bancroft, like Oyster, has no English-only track. If you move in-boundary for 3rd grade both schools have to take you and do whatever they can to get you up to speed, but I wouldn't recommend it.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:03
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Closest thing to Clinton Hill/Ft. Greene is probably Capitol Hill. You'd want to rent a rowhouse inbound for Brent or Maury elementary schools. You'll have a few years to get the lay of the land for middle school. You may have to move, eventually, but there are significant school boundary issues in play right now - nothing is certain for anyone.


Having lived in BKLYN, second this. FWIW, Columbia Heights/Mount Pleasant do as well. OP, DC will never be NYC. Will help you tremendously to embrace that as soon as you can. If you are going to be in DC for the duration, then you probably want to figure out the best possible feeder option, which would mean upper NW DC.


I agree. If you live in Fort Greene, you will hate most of the neighborhoods mentioned - Tenleytown, Glover Park, etc. You will like Capital Hill, Mt. Pleasant, even Shepherd Park because of the people, maybe Adams Morgan.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:05
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Anonymous

Bancroft, like Oyster, has no English-only track. If you move in-boundary for 3rd grade both schools have to take you and do whatever they can to get you up to speed, but I wouldn't recommend it.


Much as I'd love the kid to learn Spanish, throwing her into it seems a little cruel, yeah. I've thought about it.

Wait, What does SWS stand for? And where is it? And it's a charter?
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:06
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dcmom
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Anonymous wrote:

Bancroft, like Oyster, has no English-only track. If you move in-boundary for 3rd grade both schools have to take you and do whatever they can to get you up to speed, but I wouldn't recommend it.


Much as I'd love the kid to learn Spanish, throwing her into it seems a little cruel, yeah. I've thought about it.

Wait, What does SWS stand for? And where is it? And it's a charter?


School-Within-School: It is an extremely popular DCPS that is city-wide and is Reggio-inspired. I think next year they may have a 3rd grade, but there is no chance you will get in given its popularity, unfortunately. There are no boundaries so you cannot move in boundary to get in.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:11
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Anonymous
Okay, we won't speak of SWS again then

Lotteries for schools in New York are just as brutal, probably, but there are fewer of them. I guess the good news is, neither place is San Francisco, which sounds truly awful.

Now that I have some tentative inbound plans, what charters would I list on the lottery? Or where is the site with charter information--because it seems piecemeal. I found the school profiles site on the DC public schools page, but the charter stuff is harder to parse.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:14
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Anonymous
dcmom wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Bancroft, like Oyster, has no English-only track. If you move in-boundary for 3rd grade both schools have to take you and do whatever they can to get you up to speed, but I wouldn't recommend it.


Much as I'd love the kid to learn Spanish, throwing her into it seems a little cruel, yeah. I've thought about it.

Wait, What does SWS stand for? And where is it? And it's a charter?


School-Within-School: It is an extremely popular DCPS that is city-wide and is Reggio-inspired. I think next year they may have a 3rd grade, but there is no chance you will get in given its popularity, unfortunately. There are no boundaries so you cannot move in boundary to get in.


PP here: Yes, sorry--SWS is a newly-growing former early childhood school that is now adding grades up through 5th. It is fantastic but since it has no boundaries and the lottery is over, it would be nearly impossible to enter next year. The neighborhood around it is fantastic. Mostly zoned for Ludlow-Taylor (which many people love--might be worth a visit) and right between the heart of the Hill and H street. Lots to do and a little more affordable than the area around Brent.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:15
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Okay, we won't speak of SWS again then

Lotteries for schools in New York are just as brutal, probably, but there are fewer of them. I guess the good news is, neither place is San Francisco, which sounds truly awful.

Now that I have some tentative inbound plans, what charters would I list on the lottery? Or where is the site with charter information--because it seems piecemeal. I found the school profiles site on the DC public schools page, but the charter stuff is harder to parse.


You know the lottery is over for next year, right? There's a second round but all the most popular schools are full. I think for next year at least inbounds is your only way to go.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:19
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Anonymous
I will visit Maury, Brent, Ludlow, (and Watkins? But not Wilson? I really liked what I read here about Wilson) West and Shepard. I think? Maybe Ross, but don't know if we can afford Ross's neighborhood and still get something we'd want to live in. I assume also it's like New York--once you're IB, you can move OOB? So... we could move IB for a year and then change locations and keep the school?
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:21
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Anonymous
ou know the lottery is over for next year, right? There's a second round but all the most popular schools are full. I think for next year at least inbounds is your only way to go.


Yes, I know. But I think I read somewhere here that the second round sometimes has slots, and for upper grades the odds might be even better? Maybe not, who knows. One thing New York does, at least with the citywide G&T lotteries, is leave a few slots open for families that move in the summer. Sounds like DC does... not do this. It's okay. Inbound can be done.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:28
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Anonymous
I'm sorry, I haven't read the whole thread, but have you visited the city OP? I really dislike the hill - tends to be more conservative and uppity, in my opinion. I personally love the Dupont/Logan circle area and would echo a few other posters at trying to get a small 2 bedroom inbounds for Ross if you find you like that neighborhood more.

Unlike NY, if you move OOB, you lose you IB spot.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:43
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Anonymous
Former New Yorker here, there's some very "Fort Greene" stuff happening in the city (great markets, boutiques, new restos and bars peppered in with authentic joints) but those areas are not as safe nor have the same IB schools. However, $3k is on the low side for WOTP, especially closer in. And if you do get a car, plan on at least $200 per month if you want a space.

With that said, try for an apartment on CT between DuPont and Van Ness. Red line accessible. Walkable to zoo, Adams Morgan, Rock Creek Park (a city gem!). Safe with decent schools.

The Kennedy Warren's smallest 2 bedroom is around $3200 and worth a look. It's inbounds for oyster (a Spanish immersion) but at your son's age, you simply have to talk to the registrars to get a waiver to go to Eaton. It's been done before and the nice thing is, it's the closer school.

Good luck! We may be switching places with you as we're thinking about heading back!
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:43
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Anonymous
I'm sorry, I haven't read the whole thread, but have you visited the city OP? I really dislike the hill - tends to be more conservative and uppity, in my opinion. I personally love the Dupont/Logan circle area and would echo a few other posters at trying to get a small 2 bedroom inbounds for Ross if you find you like that neighborhood more.


You say "small two bedroom" and I remember the years I've spent in New York in small two bedrooms before we finally got a decent apartment, which we now have to leave, and I cry. Unless small means about 1300 square feet with outdoor space... but I'm guessing it doesn't.

My friends who live in DC are all childless, except for one who goes to a charter, and I don't remember which charter. They have all described the Hill as both boring and dangerous. I do understand how a place can be both, lol. Still, it looks pretty. And I'm assuming I would like its fringes more than its center... which is probably good as they will be cheaper.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:45
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I will visit Maury, Brent, Ludlow, (and Watkins? But not Wilson? I really liked what I read here about Wilson) West and Shepard. I think? Maybe Ross, but don't know if we can afford Ross's neighborhood and still get something we'd want to live in. I assume also it's like New York--once you're IB, you can move OOB? So... we could move IB for a year and then change locations and keep the school?


One warning-- the Ross boundaries are pretty tiny so be sure you look closely at any address you might be considering. Great school though and fun neighborhood.

And it depends on the school as to whether they kick you out if you move OOB. It is not a guarantee.

I have not read the entire thread and I'm sure many people told you to avoid upper NW, but honestly if you are considering West and Shepard I'm not sure why you wouldn't throw Hearst into the mix. There are more things (grocery stores, restaurants, shops, etc.) walkable in North Cleveland Park than there are in Shepard Park, plus you get easy metro access. And Hearst will not make you leave if you more OOB. Might be worth it just for a year to get into a great school and get your DC bearings, then move to a neighborhood you like better.

I am a city girl and used to live in Adams Morgan and now am in North Cleveland Park. Sure I'd love to be a bit closer to the action, but it is so awesome to have my kids walk to school that it's worth it to me to live here. When I want to go someplace cooler I hop on the metro or the crosstown buses and I am there in no time.

Capitol Hill is also great, I just have a strange aversion to row houses so I've never lived down there. But it has a lot of great things to offer.
[Post New]04/10/2014 11:46
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Anonymous
Good luck! We may be switching places with you as we're thinking about heading back!


Well, we may be subletting Thanks, that's good info about Eaton and Oyster. That's like... Kalorama Heights?
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