Anonymous
12/19/2025 11:01
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes, that makes sense to me. K is a big entry year so you can revisit if you get to that point and are still local.
I would even put in a big pitch in that situation for going to your IB. Being able to walk to school, meeting neighbors, running into them on the way to school, it's a delight, and being in your IB for PK can really help build a lovely local social circle for you and your kid. That's what we did (different neighborhood, but not a traditionally "good" school) and it's been even more valuable than we dreamed. Example: in a pinch there are 3 families within a block that can take my kids to school or pick them up (and we do the same for them) and it's super easy and not even really an imposition. It's difficult to express how valuable that is for everyone involved. Without having to consider a long term educational path, this is a no brainer, IMHO. Do an open house at your IB even if you're skeptical - PK is done well across the district, and you might be pleasantly surprised.
The only other thing I would include in your thinking is immersion. There are French, Chinese, Hebrew, and a myriad of Spanish immersion options starting in PK. If you have interest in that, that's worth considering now (either above or in addition to commute) as I think kids get get a LOT out of that in two years of PK (especially if there's a chance you might be going to a country that speaks one of those languages). And I say that as someone who has no interest in immersion for my kid.
Thank, we are looking at a Spanish immersion school. What were you not interested in one?
PP here. For us, it wasn't appealing. Neither my husband nor I speak Spanish. I think if you're really going to take a whack at immersion, it's best to lean in - immersion day off camps/summer camps, using the language as much as possible, and we just... aren't enthusiastic. And we didn't like the idea of being separated from our kids learning, if that makes sense. That we might not be able to help with math homework or discuss social studies projects because we literally are speaking different languages. So we opted against.
But when I see a family planning on an international move, who work in the international world, it seemed like a natural fit.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 09:21
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Anonymous wrote:Trying again will not be even slightly difficult, because lots of schools expand their class size for K.
Thanks this is reassuring to hear.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 09:21
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Anonymous wrote:Yes, that makes sense to me. K is a big entry year so you can revisit if you get to that point and are still local.
I would even put in a big pitch in that situation for going to your IB. Being able to walk to school, meeting neighbors, running into them on the way to school, it's a delight, and being in your IB for PK can really help build a lovely local social circle for you and your kid. That's what we did (different neighborhood, but not a traditionally "good" school) and it's been even more valuable than we dreamed. Example: in a pinch there are 3 families within a block that can take my kids to school or pick them up (and we do the same for them) and it's super easy and not even really an imposition. It's difficult to express how valuable that is for everyone involved. Without having to consider a long term educational path, this is a no brainer, IMHO. Do an open house at your IB even if you're skeptical - PK is done well across the district, and you might be pleasantly surprised.
The only other thing I would include in your thinking is immersion. There are French, Chinese, Hebrew, and a myriad of Spanish immersion options starting in PK. If you have interest in that, that's worth considering now (either above or in addition to commute) as I think kids get get a LOT out of that in two years of PK (especially if there's a chance you might be going to a country that speaks one of those languages). And I say that as someone who has no interest in immersion for my kid.
Thank, we are looking at a Spanish immersion school. What were you not interested in one?
Anonymous
12/19/2025 09:20
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We are looking for Pre K options for our toddler daughter for next year and live in Brookland, DC.
We both work for IMF/ World Bank type of organization and hoping to take a foreign assignment in the coming 1-2 yrs.
We value education and in the long run want a school with minimal behavior issues as we never have dealt with them in or home countries.
Our thinking is to pick a pre-K school primarily driven by distance due to our travel, as we will not be in the system for long. If there are no opportunities to move abroad, we could try again for the lottery or send DD to private school.
Am I missing anything in my thinking?
What if your kid ends up being the one with behavior issues?
As responsible parents we will do what we need to. I am hoping to be in a school where parents are involved in their kids lives and follow through if their kid needs help.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 09:20
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Brookland? I would go charter. DCPS schools get good but can’t stay good for some reason (eg Noyes). That could just be a post COVID thing and things will stabilize.
YY, Mundo Verde Calle Ocho, ITDS are right there.
YY, Mundo Verde Calle Ocho, ITDS are right there.
Anonymous
12/19/2025 09:18
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Anonymous wrote:Not missing anything. Make your lives easy and pick a school you can walk to.
Thanks, OP here yes we agree.
Anonymous
12/18/2025 22:10
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Not missing anything. Make your lives easy and pick a school you can walk to.
Anonymous
12/18/2025 21:38
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Anonymous wrote:We are looking for Pre K options for our toddler daughter for next year and live in Brookland, DC.
We both work for IMF/ World Bank type of organization and hoping to take a foreign assignment in the coming 1-2 yrs.
We value education and in the long run want a school with minimal behavior issues as we never have dealt with them in or home countries.
Our thinking is to pick a pre-K school primarily driven by distance due to our travel, as we will not be in the system for long. If there are no opportunities to move abroad, we could try again for the lottery or send DD to private school.
Am I missing anything in my thinking?
What if your kid ends up being the one with behavior issues?
Anonymous
12/18/2025 20:13
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
its lovely to go nearby for school especially when commuting with little kids. and can be miserable to commute across town. sometimes the pressure to get the best option in the lottery causes people to lose sight of that.
Anonymous
12/18/2025 14:47
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Yes, that makes sense to me. K is a big entry year so you can revisit if you get to that point and are still local.
I would even put in a big pitch in that situation for going to your IB. Being able to walk to school, meeting neighbors, running into them on the way to school, it's a delight, and being in your IB for PK can really help build a lovely local social circle for you and your kid. That's what we did (different neighborhood, but not a traditionally "good" school) and it's been even more valuable than we dreamed. Example: in a pinch there are 3 families within a block that can take my kids to school or pick them up (and we do the same for them) and it's super easy and not even really an imposition. It's difficult to express how valuable that is for everyone involved. Without having to consider a long term educational path, this is a no brainer, IMHO. Do an open house at your IB even if you're skeptical - PK is done well across the district, and you might be pleasantly surprised.
The only other thing I would include in your thinking is immersion. There are French, Chinese, Hebrew, and a myriad of Spanish immersion options starting in PK. If you have interest in that, that's worth considering now (either above or in addition to commute) as I think kids get get a LOT out of that in two years of PK (especially if there's a chance you might be going to a country that speaks one of those languages). And I say that as someone who has no interest in immersion for my kid.
I would even put in a big pitch in that situation for going to your IB. Being able to walk to school, meeting neighbors, running into them on the way to school, it's a delight, and being in your IB for PK can really help build a lovely local social circle for you and your kid. That's what we did (different neighborhood, but not a traditionally "good" school) and it's been even more valuable than we dreamed. Example: in a pinch there are 3 families within a block that can take my kids to school or pick them up (and we do the same for them) and it's super easy and not even really an imposition. It's difficult to express how valuable that is for everyone involved. Without having to consider a long term educational path, this is a no brainer, IMHO. Do an open house at your IB even if you're skeptical - PK is done well across the district, and you might be pleasantly surprised.
The only other thing I would include in your thinking is immersion. There are French, Chinese, Hebrew, and a myriad of Spanish immersion options starting in PK. If you have interest in that, that's worth considering now (either above or in addition to commute) as I think kids get get a LOT out of that in two years of PK (especially if there's a chance you might be going to a country that speaks one of those languages). And I say that as someone who has no interest in immersion for my kid.
Anonymous
12/18/2025 13:17
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Nanny who can homeschool. Even privates have behavioral issues.
Anonymous
12/18/2025 13:13
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Trying again will not be even slightly difficult, because lots of schools expand their class size for K.
Anonymous
12/18/2025 13:12
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
Plan for the worst case scenario and go from there...Trying again may prove to be a very difficult task!
Anonymous
12/18/2025 12:58
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
You are correct that logistics are paramount. However, living in Brookland means you do still have a lot of options.
Anonymous
12/18/2025 12:55
Subject: How would you plan for school options in this scenario
We are looking for Pre K options for our toddler daughter for next year and live in Brookland, DC.
We both work for IMF/ World Bank type of organization and hoping to take a foreign assignment in the coming 1-2 yrs.
We value education and in the long run want a school with minimal behavior issues as we never have dealt with them in or home countries.
Our thinking is to pick a pre-K school primarily driven by distance due to our travel, as we will not be in the system for long. If there are no opportunities to move abroad, we could try again for the lottery or send DD to private school.
Am I missing anything in my thinking?
We both work for IMF/ World Bank type of organization and hoping to take a foreign assignment in the coming 1-2 yrs.
We value education and in the long run want a school with minimal behavior issues as we never have dealt with them in or home countries.
Our thinking is to pick a pre-K school primarily driven by distance due to our travel, as we will not be in the system for long. If there are no opportunities to move abroad, we could try again for the lottery or send DD to private school.
Am I missing anything in my thinking?