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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here. Thanks for the helpful responses. Here's some more information in case it helps elicit any more good advice :)

We have already done our due diligence on the current school and determined we are not comfortable with it. We have determined if we were to stay, we would need to do some heavy-duty supplementing in order to feel like we're were doing right by our kids. We want them to achieve to their potential, academically.

My spouse and I both work full time and so in the evenings, we only have 2-3 hours per night with our kids. We do all the stuff "good" "smart" families are supposed to do-- discussions about current events, incorporating math and reading into everyday stuff we do as a family. We read stories together at night. We love spending weekends in the great outdoors and the boys are very into their sports teams, which is also important to us. We have not, in the past, done any sort of deliberate supplementing at home where there is a set curriculum, goals, etc.

Recently I have tried kumon and other workbooks. It just doesn't work. My kids, although they are fine with schoolwork done at school, are very resistant to doing it at home. They don't see the point if their teachers think they are doing fine. It becomes a battle and I would rather spend family time on the fun stuff and the enrichment side of things, and let school focus on the academic fundamentals.

Our in-bounds school is Maury. No personal experience with it since we lotteried into the charter, but have heard mixed things and don't want to pull the kids from somewhere they are happy only to find we didn't improve our situation and need to move again.

We can afford to, and would gladly (well somewhat gladly) [b]move to be in bounds for JKLM. And we will attend those open houses this year. But I am realistic about what you can learn from an open house. Their test scores are respectable but we would be bummed to move only to find the reason the scores at those schools are good is that those parents are supplementing to[/b]o.

Our ideal is a school where the kids get good fundamentals and are challenged to do advanced work (not necessarily "gifted"-- I am realistic about that). There will be homework from school but otherwise we can enjoy our limited family time doing sports, music, hiking, and enjoying each other's company.  Is this possible in DC?  I went to public schools myself and have plenty of friends from undergrad and grad school who also went to public schools and did very well academically. So I know private is not necessary. But a good public is...[/quote]

I have three kids in a JKLM and many, many friends in the school (we've been in the community for 6 years).  I don't know of anyone who formally supplements outside of school.   Kids do music lessons, travel sports, and every other extracurricular under the sun, (competitive swimming, ice skating, diving, ballet etc) but no academic supplementation.   My neighbor's kid is really academically gifted (one of those kids who could do probably do trig in 4th grade with the slightest bit of direction) and even his parents don't supplement.  They just encourage him to read and have playdates.  
You might be pleasantly surprised here.  [/quote]

This is exactly what I wanted to hear.  Really, we had in the back of our mind that we would move to JKLM anyhow, but then after learning of this supplementing subculture (which people tend to be pretty quiet about), I started to worry everyone supplements up there too, and moving might not improve things for us.  And after investing that much in a house, it would be pretty disappointing to figure out we'd have to be spending our time (and perhaps additional money) supplementing anyhow.   (And to be clear, when I say supplement, I mean formal academic supplementing, not the types of enrichment activities most higher SES families do with their kids anyhow).

Also, I love the idea of PP's imaginary academically rigorous yet non-punitive charter school![/quote]

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