Anonymous wrote:I would not bet on SP staying in the Deal-Wilson pyramid. Try Glover Park, or Takoma Park (MD) with that budget.

Even if SP left pyramid it would be in same pyramid as Takoma and Shepherd elementary is stellar. SP also has many more pros than just Deal. Also GP can not be had for $1.2.

I would not bet on SP staying in the Deal-Wilson pyramid. Try Glover Park, or Takoma Park (MD) with that budget.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shepherd Park might work for you if you’re strategic about where in the neighborhood. Choosing closer to downtown silver spring or Takoma so you have more metro access. Also the new Walter Reed development will help with walkability.

Shepherd Park will be too Chevy Chase-y for OP. Walter Reed will help with things to walk to, but ChCh DC near Connecticut has more walkability than SP, and if that isn't enough for OP, they won't like SP.

+ 1 to well chosen Shepherd Park. I am 0.6 mile to downtown Takoma and 2 blocks from Georgia Ave shops that include ethnic food, Target, coffee, nails salon, library, new Walter Reed development that will include Whole Foods, dog park, brewery, outdoor music/movies, outdoor pool in a year. Also still blocks from Rock Creek trails. Not to mention being under 1 mile from Silver Spring drag and it’s offerings.

I'd recommend you come up with you absolute must haves and budget for private school at some point. If the lottery works out, you are in great shape. If it doesn't than you're not so house poor you can't afford private school if necessary.

I strongly suggest not moving until after the kindergarten lottery (or sooner if you get in somewhere you like). You seem to be fine where you are now, and there are many good pre-K and K programs in the District. Pick somewhere you like and that is convenient, and play the lottery for your top choices. If you get in, great, move near that school or stay where you are. If not, then you've got a few more years under your belt to know what you really want in a school.

If you don't care about Montessori or immersion, Hyde Addison is a great option for OOB. Then you can look anywhere that is within a good commute to that school without worrying about buying in a specific zone.

Anonymous wrote:Shepherd Park might work for you if you’re strategic about where in the neighborhood. Choosing closer to downtown silver spring or Takoma so you have more metro access. Also the new Walter Reed development will help with walkability.

Shepherd Park will be too Chevy Chase-y for OP. Walter Reed will help with things to walk to, but ChCh DC near Connecticut has more walkability than SP, and if that isn't enough for OP, they won't like SP.

Move someplace you can send your kid to HS. Don't believe the hype that "the lottery will work out!" It's a lottery - it probably won't work. Currently Mt Pleasant is zoned for Deal and J-R but I wouldn't really be so sure it will stay that way.

See, OP, if you're certain to get into a school for PK3, chances are you won't be happy there long-term. There's a reason it's so easy to get in-- it's because many people don't choose that school. Make your peace with Tubman or private childcare for PK3 and focus on quality elementary grades.

Anonymous wrote:OP here - re: the PreK3 lottery, I was under the impression that we would be lucky to get a spot even at our not that desired in bound (Tubman), let alone somewhere more desired (for us) like Bancroft. Are you talking about charters then? Are those easier to get in off the lottery?

Well, I can see 18 in-boundary kids got into Tubman without sibling preference, so I wouldn't give up on it yet. I think it's quite likely you'd get a spot.

At charters, there's no boundary so nobody has in-bound preference. There's sibling preference, and then whoever has the best lottery number gets in. So if you have a good lottery number, you'll likely get Tubman if siblings don't take all the spots, but you won't get a really desirable neighborhood school like Bancroft because the siblings and in-boundary kids will go ahead of you even if your lottery number is better. It's possible you could get something like Burroughs or Langley which are good schools but do have room for a few out-of-boundary kids after siblings and in-boundary kids. Or you could get a charter if all the spots don't go to siblings.

https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/aaron2446/viz/MSDCSeatsandWaitlistOfferData_draft/MSDCPublicDisplay

So basically you do the lottery the winter before your kid is to start PK3. You see what you get around April 1. If you have a good number you'll get into something you ranked high, and then you can move to there. If you have a bad number, then you can move to a desirable in-boundary school, or you can probably still squeak into Tubman and try your luck next year.

Anonymous wrote:OP here - re: the PreK3 lottery, I was under the impression that we would be lucky to get a spot even at our not that desired in bound (Tubman), let alone somewhere more desired (for us) like Bancroft. Are you talking about charters then? Are those easier to get in off the lottery?

You'll get into Tubman. You will definitely not get into Bancroft. Charters are a crapshoot. I would personally ignore the posters in this thread and move to an IB you like now.

I think you'll love the Hill. If you buy IB for L-T, you'll at least have S-H as a backup if you don't get a charter that works. For $1.2-$1.4, you can get a great house, in probably the most walkable part of the city, meeting all of your requirements & IB for L-T.

From the RE forum, here's a 3 bed, but with an office area of the main, and an unfinished basement you could build out if you wanted: https://redf.in/3NMMBw.

Shepherd Park might work for you if you’re strategic about where in the neighborhood. Choosing closer to downtown silver spring or Takoma so you have more metro access. Also the new Walter Reed development will help with walkability.

OP here - re: the PreK3 lottery, I was under the impression that we would be lucky to get a spot even at our not that desired in bound (Tubman), let alone somewhere more desired (for us) like Bancroft. Are you talking about charters then? Are those easier to get in off the lottery?

I would target the Brookland area. There's a million charters and the IB schools are ok for preschool and kindergarten-- some of them are quite good through 2nd or 3rd. I still think 4 BRs are ambitious on your budget, but if you're willing to do some work on the place (like dig out a basement, add a bathroom, etc), it could work out.

It might be helpful to figure out what you can compromise on and what are non-negotiables. For example: Is a fixer-upper OK? Are you OK with moving again for middle school? Can transit or walkability be convenient for just where you need to go every day (work, grocery stores) or absolutely everything even if you don't go every day (birthday parties, music lessons)?

Also, even if you move WOTP, you can pick your block strategically to be close to transit. There are houses near the Tenleytown station that sometimes list for your budget. Not fancy by any means, but - compromises. Also, WOTP is going to have a more suburban feel, even if convenient to transit. We considered buying in Tenleytown once, and while transit wasn't a problem (it's really quite well served by metro and bus, the H buses and the 96 get you to Mt. P and CH), "living all the way out there" felt like a separate minus. (No knock on those who live out there, obviously - it's personal - and we understood at the time that was a compromise, for us.) So consider whether it's the lack of transit options that worries you, or the suburban feel - two separate issues.

I think the advice of doing the PK3 lottery first, and listing schools close to where you might want to move, is a good one.