If your child is in-bounds for JR then she can try Banneker and always go to JR if she doesn't like it. But if you are not in-bounds (eg, you are in a feeder pattern) and she doesn't like Banneker then she can't go back to JR, she could go to her in-bounds school.

So we have a kid at Banneker and I am happy this kid is there because of the emphasis on just plain old work. School work, homework, getting used to talent and background knowledge not being enough, and getting a work ethic down.

If your kid is talented and needs a challenge in terms of effort rather than an opportunity to explore and engage or whatever, Banneker is probably right for that kid. If kid isn't going to be happy with limited electives and two hours of homework a night, plus, you're probably better off at JR.

I think Banneker will serve a student better if they need a lot of pressure/monitoring/handholding. At J-R you can easily get lost in the crowd, so if self-motivation is lacking, this can be an issue. If your kid can shine in a very large setting, J-R is better.

Also consider the importance of sports/afternoon activities/amount of community service that your kid wants to complete (Banneker has a higher requirement than DCPS).

^^^PP here and just want to note—I’m a happy JR parent, with one kid there now and another alum. They are different kids with different interests, but both really wanted and thrived in the big-school environment with lots of academic and activity options. So I think it’s a great place, but since your kid has a choice (and it’s so different), she should really think about what she wants and why. This won’t be answered by anyone else!

They are so different that this has to be about what she wants. Is she looking for small, focused, disciplined, intense? That’s Banneker. Is she looking for big, lots of independence, lots of activities/ECs? That’s JR.

Also worth looking at course offerings; if she wants to take lots of APs, JR offers about 30. Not sure if Banneker is able to offer the same range given the smaller size.

Location is also a question worth considering: if you’re very close to one school, that makes a difference in terms of how long of a day she’ll have.

I assume access to JR means that you’re in-bounds or coming from an in-bounds MS, meaning maybe she has a lot of friends going there? Could that be why she’s so torn, meaning she really wants the Banneker environment but also wants to be with friends? Is she coming from Deal and didn’t like it because it’s so big and overwhelming? That’s worth teasing out; if she was unhappy in Deal’s environment and/or wants small and intense, she will not get that at JR and could end up pretty unhappy academically.

Ultimately, if she’s really torn (and you’re in-bounds for JR), she should probably try Banneker for 9th since she can always switch back to JR if she doesn’t like it.

Good luck!

Which would you pick and why? My kid feels paralyzed by the decision she has to make. I have a feeling I’m no longer helping. Would love some fresher takes.