North Michigan Park and Fort Totten have lots of young families moving into the area. It is a balance of affordable by DC standards, fairly safe, family friendly and growing with resources.
We have the new shops slowly opening at art place, lots nearby in MD and brookland. And of course many bus lines and metro line options. Definitely worth a look!

We attended Bunker Hill for Prk. Overall we had a really positive experience. We also found the staff and administrators warm, welcoming and inviting. The teachers did a LOT on with very little extra resources. Seriously, walking field trips, field day, and the art projects, winter and mothers day gifts made were very resourceful and cute. The teachers definitely invested their own resources and the principles did a lot of little things out of their own pocket often.
The few minor issues or concerns were fairly common amoung dcps and charters for that matter. What felt like a little lack of communication and notice on school events like class parties, school assemblies, sign up for conferences etc. Some behaviors in the upper grade that concerned us a little but those can be anyplace.
I think it is a school many families could be comfortable at through at least early elementary. Brookland middle also seems to be growing and doing great things. Idk if it will be ready for our kid in time but they are on the right track.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bunker Hill parent here. I was able to get a seat pretty soon post-lottery, but aftercare is limited so be sure to sign up early if you decide to attend. My child is in PreK 3 there and I find the teachers and
leadership to be warm and the overall environment supportive. The downsides are that the parent community is not very engaged, but the PTO is still fairly new so there are plenty of opportunities for involvement.

I am honestly surprised by how much I like this school.

Kudos to you, friend. I wish Bunker Hill all the success!

If you're interested in Whittier, my friends' house a couple blocks away is for rent in your price range: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/617-Powhatan-Pl-NW-Washington-DC-20011/483634_zpid/

I recommend both the school and the house (and the house's owners)!

elizaw8 wrote:We have a 2.5 year old and are looking to apply for PK3 through the lottery.

We are relocating to DC and saw some homes with these in-bound schools. Does anyone have any experience with any of these?
JO Wilson - seemed impossible to get into without the sibling preference
LaSalle Backus - didn't have much of a waitlist but it seemed some parents didn't like it?
Bunker Hill Elementary School

We haven't found many homes in other areas in our price range.

Are there other neighborhoods we should be looking at with rent between $2500-3000 for a 2-3 bedroom? These were all in
Fort Totten
Michigan Park
Capitol Hill

JO Wilson boundary isn't in Capitol Hill per se, although it's close. It's technically H St/SoFlo area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:JO Wilson admitted every in boundary PK3 kid last year - you don't need sibling preference to get in.

This. You have a 50/50% shot at Ludlow-Taylor if you are IB without sibling -- your odds at JO are much better. Miner is guaranteed for IB.

The way this year's lottery turned out, I wouldn't say any school is guaranteed for PreK 3 unless it's EA.

Anonymous wrote:JO Wilson admitted every in boundary PK3 kid last year - you don't need sibling preference to get in.

This. You have a 50/50% shot at Ludlow-Taylor if you are IB without sibling -- your odds at JO are much better. Miner is guaranteed for IB.

A 2br at the Gables Takoma Park (which is in NW, not Maryland) is in your budget and the in-bounds school (Takoma Education Campus) has early action PK. That means anyone who's in-bounds and lists the school on their lottery form is guaranteed a spot there or at a school they rank higher. You would have to be able to prove residency by May 1.

It's not hard to find a 2br in your price range in lots of parts of the city. The Brandywine (near Van Ness metro) has 2brs starting at $2600 a month. 3brs are harder.

And I wouldn't suggest Van Ness if you're gung-ho on DCPS preK, since the schools over there don't start until PK4 and it's unlikely to get in without a sibling. If you'd be willing to pay for private, commute a bit to a school like Appletree Columbia Heights, or investigate some of the community-based options (Jubilee Jumpstart, Communikids, etc.) there are plenty of older buildings along Connecticut and Wisconsin Aves that would work for you.

elizaw8 wrote:We have a 2.5 year old and are looking to apply for PK3 through the lottery.

We are relocating to DC and saw some homes with these in-bound schools. Does anyone have any experience with any of these?
JO Wilson - seemed impossible to get into without the sibling preference
LaSalle Backus - didn't have much of a waitlist but it seemed some parents didn't like it?
Bunker Hill Elementary School

We haven't found many homes in other areas in our price range.

Are there other neighborhoods we should be looking at with rent between $2500-3000 for a 2-3 bedroom? These were all in
Fort Totten
Michigan Park
Capitol Hill

You should look in Brookland! More amenities for the price you are looking for, and closer to more of the best charters in the city. Here's an example: https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/d/parcel-return-service-great-3bd-house/7019179915.html

JO Wilson admitted every in boundary PK3 kid last year - you don't need sibling preference to get in.

Anonymous wrote:Bunker Hill parent here. I was able to get a seat pretty soon post-lottery, but aftercare is limited so be sure to sign up early if you decide to attend. My child is in PreK 3 there and I find the teachers and
leadership to be warm and the overall environment supportive. The downsides are that the parent community is not very engaged, but the PTO is still fairly new so there are plenty of opportunities for involvement.

I am honestly surprised by how much I like this school.

Kudos to you, friend. I wish Bunker Hill all the success!

I'd look at Takoma, Truesdell, and Whittier if I were you. Whittier's test scores last year were impressive.

If you can afford it, look at Eckington (cheaper than Bloomingdale). Langley will be great for a few years and meanwhil, you can try for one of the many area charters.

If the commute works for you, check out Houston.

Bunker Hill parent here. I was able to get a seat pretty soon post-lottery, but aftercare is limited so be sure to sign up early if you decide to attend. My child is in PreK 3 there and I find the teachers and
leadership to be warm and the overall environment supportive. The downsides are that the parent community is not very engaged, but the PTO is still fairly new so there are plenty of opportunities for involvement.

I am honestly surprised by how much I like this school.

elizaw8 wrote:We have a 2.5 year old and are looking to apply for PK3 through the lottery.

We are relocating to DC and saw some homes with these in-bound schools. Does anyone have any experience with any of these?
JO Wilson - seemed impossible to get into without the sibling preference
LaSalle Backus - didn't have much of a waitlist but it seemed some parents didn't like it?
Bunker Hill Elementary School

We haven't found many homes in other areas in our price range.

Are there other neighborhoods we should be looking at with rent between $2500-3000 for a 2-3 bedroom? These were all in
Fort Totten
Michigan Park
Capitol Hill

I live in bound for Bunker, we didn’t look at it much but some report it’s fine. I would also try Burroughs nearby and easy to get into.

Living in FT Totten or Michigan Park has the added bonus that if you’re lucky you may get into a charter and those in this area are very good. Backup, Burroughs or maybe bunker hill or Noyes. For PK you can’t really go too wrong. You’ll be fine for a couple years no matter what this way.

We have a 2.5 year old and are looking to apply for PK3 through the lottery.

We are relocating to DC and saw some homes with these in-bound schools. Does anyone have any experience with any of these?
JO Wilson - seemed impossible to get into without the sibling preference
LaSalle Backus - didn't have much of a waitlist but it seemed some parents didn't like it?
Bunker Hill Elementary School

We haven't found many homes in other areas in our price range.

Are there other neighborhoods we should be looking at with rent between $2500-3000 for a 2-3 bedroom? These were all in
Fort Totten
Michigan Park
Capitol Hill