Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

What schools do you actually like, OP? If you don't actually like even the hard-to-get-into schools, then you should move.

If you try for long enough, you'll get into Inspired or Ludlow-Taylor. Have you looked at Seaton?

Where do you get the idea I don't like "hard-to-get-into" schools? We'd be thrilled with ITS or Ludlow (and are currently waitlisted for both). I think Seaton is realistically an impossible commute for us, but otherwise we'd do Seaton or Garrison or Hyde-Addison (the last of which we are also waitlisted for).

I don't think I have unreasonable expectations, we've just been very unlucky with the lottery and do have at least SOME logistic restrictions based on geography/work schedules.

Anonymous wrote:Look harder at short wait lists.

I would give you the name of my kid's genuine hidden gem school which is basically in your target area, has slots in almost every grade, and IMHO, a solid middle school feeder. (HS option pretty terrible though, at least currently).
But I don't want to be accused of the ultimate DCUM crime of boostering.

And it's not the only school that fits that description, there are similar options that are definitely worth considering. I know our school is working its wait list and assume others will pick up this summer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

What schools do you actually like, OP? If you don't actually like even the hard-to-get-into schools, then you should move.

If you try for long enough, you'll get into Inspired or Ludlow-Taylor. Have you looked at Seaton?

Where do you get the idea I don't like "hard-to-get-into" schools? We'd be thrilled with ITS or Ludlow (and are currently waitlisted for both). I think Seaton is realistically an impossible commute for us, but otherwise we'd do Seaton or Garrison or Hyde-Addison (the last of which we are also waitlisted for).

I don't think I have unreasonable expectations, we've just been very unlucky with the lottery and do have at least SOME logistic restrictions based on geography/work schedules.

What's unreasonable is thinking you'll get into a good school for PK4. I was once you-- my DD's number for PK4 at Mundo Verde in 2017 was 360! And I felt those same feelings of frustration and jealousy. But the lottery gets a LOT easier in K and up.

Seaton is right on the G8 bus line and green line metro, so tons of people from the areas you listed attend Seaton. You must have an idiosyncratic commute.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

What schools do you actually like, OP? If you don't actually like even the hard-to-get-into schools, then you should move.

If you try for long enough, you'll get into Inspired or Ludlow-Taylor. Have you looked at Seaton?

Where do you get the idea I don't like "hard-to-get-into" schools? We'd be thrilled with ITS or Ludlow (and are currently waitlisted for both). I think Seaton is realistically an impossible commute for us, but otherwise we'd do Seaton or Garrison or Hyde-Addison (the last of which we are also waitlisted for).

I don't think I have unreasonable expectations, we've just been very unlucky with the lottery and do have at least SOME logistic restrictions based on geography/work schedules.

Anonymous wrote:OP, you'll surely get into Seaton, LT, Watkins, ITS, Lee, or Burroughs for 1st or 2nd. There's no secret here-- you just lottery widely and wait for a good number or some random luck.

Is this for PK4? Why not Seaton? I'm sure you'd get in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

What schools do you actually like, OP? If you don't actually like even the hard-to-get-into schools, then you should move.

If you try for long enough, you'll get into Inspired or Ludlow-Taylor. Have you looked at Seaton?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We struck out pre-K3 to K, then ended up at one of the short waitlist schools, and it's not without it's warts, but is definitely as good as the "HRCS" friends lucked into. Doesn't solve the middle school question, but takes the pressure off and gives us time to figure out what middle-high school pathway is actually best for us (versus guessing with a toddler!). The term "hidden gem" school is controversial, but there are many schools throughout the city that really are hidden gems. Where are you located, OP, and what grade are you looking for?

Or rent IB and then move home. Also controversial, but allowed under DCPS policy and used by upper NW families as much as the homeless kids it's intended for.

Thank you for this, it does make me feel better.

We are in NE and would consider schools in Edgewood, Brookland, H-Street, Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, EotR. I think that's our limit. We are at an underperforming DCPS that seems to shed families like crazy so as we go up in grade it gets worse. At this point don't care about MS (I mean, do care, but not essential). We've added a few "short waitlist" schools from this geographic area but honestly, those lists aren't moving either.

Actually, NO lists are moving, almost at all. Do things speed up in August? Are schools just not moving lists right now? I get it's the middle of the summer and both schools and families are less focused on this right now, except I guess me.