Anonymous wrote:Garrett Park will not provide much in the way of diversity. I know some parents who moved from Capitol Hill to Takoma Park, and they're quite happy.

GP may not be very urban - yes - it's much more of a small town feel (parades, halloween festivals, community pool, post office, farmer's market), and might be a bit of a culture shock, but in a good way. It's still within walking distance of metro and MARC. Not diverse? - Have to disagree. Perhaps not as diverse as Downtown SS, but certainly much more diverse than Bethesa/Potomac. Both in terms of socioeconomics and first-generation/international kids. Lots of diplomats - something like over 30 languages spoken at home for GPES kids and 20% are English as a Second Language. FARMS rate (as a stand-in for socioeconomic diversity) is 15%. On top of this, it has excellent teachers and staff and the ES is really part of the community and vice-versa. This is NOT to say that it's any better or worse than DSS or TP - just another area to look at if you are interested. I love and regard both DSS and TPP highly.

At any rate, it's an imperfect way of measuring, but you can always look at the schools lists for each. Downtown Silver Spring's well-regarded Elementary School include Woodlin, Sligo Creek (which also houses the French Immersion program). In Takoma Park, you have Takoma Park Elementary (which also houses one of the Elementary School magnet programs.)

Good luck

"MCPS elementaries are absolutely on par with ACPS"

That's a really stupid statement to make, considering ho wmany MCPS elementaries there are - some may well be just as good as Arlington schools but others in the Eastern part (where I live) are quite likely not. You can't pay the entire MCPS system w/ one brush when there is such a HUGE variation in schools from one part of the county to another.

University Park. It is walking distance to the PG plaza metro station and very diverse.

Takoma Park and Silver Spring, particularly 20910 and 20901 zip codes for proximity to metro and downtown. Some parts of 20902 are quite convenient as well. Research individual schools. And think about the quality of the entire feeder pattern from elementary to middle school to high school. These are great areas--convenient to DC, full of diversity and amenities, and close to other places like Bethesda.

Anonymous wrote:Arlington. MoCo elementary schools (except for the magnet programs) lag far behind. For middle school and high school, though, MoCo is on par with NoVa.

Total bull. MCPS elementaries are absolutely on par with ACPS.

OP here, sorry culture "shock." Thanks for the tips.

Check the schools out before you move - the quality in Silver Spring varies tremendously.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks. I'm really comparing to DCPS, which I know is setting the bar low...

I think Bethesda would be way too much culture school for my kids.

Downtown Silver Spring is appealing and I will research Garret Park. Thanks for the tips.

Not sure what culture school means but I know a lot of people who live on the Hill (I lived there prekids) and I don't think Bethesda and CH are that different from a kid perspective, especially places like E Bethesda. People here tend to be highly educated, work downtown or on the Hill, be focused on their kids, and generally live like normal people. As long as you don't live right in downtown Bethesda the parking situation is better than on the Hill. Certainly some neighborhoods are more collegial and Hill-like than others.

Bethesda or Silver Spring.

Garrett Park is very nice but also not very urban. I would think downtown SS, maybe E. Bethesda, maybe Kensington (nearish the MARC station).

Garrett Park will not provide much in the way of diversity. I know some parents who moved from Capitol Hill to Takoma Park, and they're quite happy.

OP here. Thanks. I'm really comparing to DCPS, which I know is setting the bar low...

I think Bethesda would be way too much culture school for my kids.

Downtown Silver Spring is appealing and I will research Garret Park. Thanks for the tips.

If you're going to compare them to Private, then you are probably going to be dissapointed no matter where you go. The class sizes are big, and getting bigger. The emphasis on the common core means less focus on science/art/music/pe than your average private. But, if you are comparing to DC, downtown Silver Spring, Downtown Bethesda (better schools, less diversity while still Metro accessible), Garrett Park (Grovesnor Metro station)

Arlington. MoCo elementary schools (except for the magnet programs) lag far behind. For middle school and high school, though, MoCo is on par with NoVa.

Longtime DCPS parent here. Oldest is in a private and is very happy. Getting tired of the DCPS issues that just never seem to get better and thinking it might be smarter to move the 2 youngest to a good public school system.

Right now we live on Capitol Hill and love being able to walk most anywhere.

Is there a part of Maryland (Silver Spring? Somewhere?) that could provide quality schools (elementary and middle), diversity and metro access?

Any pointers or suggestions would be welcome.