Anonymous
Post 06/13/2012 15:56     Subject: If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Kensington/Parkwood


Looks nice. Would not have thought to look behind the Spaceship


Huh?
Anonymous
Post 06/13/2012 15:53     Subject: If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
P.S. Just to close out, aside from the few special programs like immersion (or the 4th/5th grade gifted program), if you live in a school's catchment area you are guaranteed a spot in that school-- even if you move in after the school year starts.
Anonymous
Post 06/13/2012 15:52     Subject: Re:If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
Anonymous wrote:So here's a related question. In DC, any decent public or charter school has a lottery process to get in. And its a total Waiting for Superman moment of anguish and torment. Does this happen at all in MoCo? If so, are there elementary schools in Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Kensington, etc that do/do not require lottery? I don't want to make a move just to find myself in lottery hell again.


The language immersion programs are lottery-based and I think some parents enter the lottery based on their perception of the home school as much as their desire for immersion, but I think generally MoCo schools are much more alike than different (and differences in test scores are attributable to SES etc., not to quality of the teaching).
Anonymous
Post 06/13/2012 15:48     Subject: Re:If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
So here's a related question. In DC, any decent public or charter school has a lottery process to get in. And its a total Waiting for Superman moment of anguish and torment. Does this happen at all in MoCo? If so, are there elementary schools in Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Kensington, etc that do/do not require lottery? I don't want to make a move just to find myself in lottery hell again.
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 22:17     Subject: Re:If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
Anonymous wrote:I would live near downtown Silver Spring.
These are all a ten-minute walk from the shops, library, etc.

Schools are good too (IMO).


God, that one on Dale Drive... I'd buy it today if I could. So nice and for just $550K.
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 22:11     Subject: Re:If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
I would live near downtown Silver Spring.

I like the neighborhood this house is in:

http://www.weichert.com/43035362/?hood=15306&type=new&view=gallery

This one is nice:

http://www.weichert.com/42889215/?hood=15306&type=new&view=gallery

http://www.weichert.com/42610682/?hood=15306&view=gallery

These are all a ten-minute walk from the shops, library, etc.

Schools are good too (IMO).
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 21:59     Subject: If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
Rosemary Hills or Rock Creek Forest
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 21:52     Subject: If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
Anonymous wrote:Kensington/Parkwood


Looks nice. Would not have thought to look behind the Spaceship
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 21:45     Subject: If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
Kensington Parkwood, Silver Spring or Takoma Park
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 21:43     Subject: Re:If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
You should look at lower Kensington/North Chevy chase. Zips 20895 and 20815 north of east-west. Zones to BCC.
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 21:41     Subject: Re:If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
Anonymous wrote:600K isn't going to get a great house


I'm not expecting a "great" house. Just 3Br + basement & yard on semi-quiet street. House can be a fixer if need be
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 21:38     Subject: Re:If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
Anonymous wrote:600K isn't going to get a great house with great schools close-in. Takoma Park actually is probably your best bet, or parts of Silver Spring.


Would you consider Takoma Park Elem-to-Blair HS a worthy track then?
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 21:13     Subject: Re:If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
I like the North Bethesda/Rockville area. Close to the Red Line, excellent schools, convenient to a lot of shopping and restaurants, and a little more down to earth than close-in Bethesda or Potomac. Downside is not so charming or quaint, unless you count the older homes in downtown Rockville.
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 21:11     Subject: Re:If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
600K isn't going to get a great house with great schools close-in. Takoma Park actually is probably your best bet, or parts of Silver Spring.
Anonymous
Post 06/12/2012 21:03     Subject: If you could live anywhere in MOCO, where would you send your kids?
Well, not anywhere, but anywhere close-in to DC where $600K gets you a house vs. an apartment.

After more than a decade of DC living, I'm looking at MD schools, DC schools, and my two kids and calling it. Its time to move to MoCo. I'm tired of hoping, pushing, wishing just to get into a "good" DC charter school that still would not even rank in MoCo. My preference is for Takoma Park - relatively affordable, relaxed, close-in and with amazing trees. But am I missing something? Potomac seems waaaay too expensive and Bethesda seems too white. Rockville is... well, if I'm gonna live that far out, I might as well move to Seattle.

Anyway, love some options on which school clusters are attractive and worthy of house-hunting nearby. The girls will be in K & 2nd when we move & I would expect us to stay through the full 18 years of their schooling (or at least have that option).

PS: No, VA is not an option.