Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 14:50     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Anonymous wrote:My DS takes the train in from MD through Union Station. I was worried at first but he is never alone getting to school or after school due to the number of boys who travel back and forth to Union Station. If he has a late practice we have found a carpool system that works really well to pick up after dark. The community at Gonzaga is good at having meet and greets with other families and we are able to carpool at lot. So my son doesn't have to go to the station late evenings. The campus is secure. Talk to your son about being aware of surroundings. I feel my DS is learning vital life skills as well as top academics.


And there are so many middle and high schools along the red line that the trains have tons of kids on them.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 14:46     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
I traverse this area almost daily and see packs of GZ boys happily going to and fro between the Union Station, First Street, K Street environs.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 12:20     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
OP, understand your concern but fwiw, I have lived and/or worked near Gonzaga for decades. In spite of the increased random crimes in DC, the neighborhood is far better than it used to be.

The kids travel in packs and I agree that they get to know the people they serve and vice versa.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 11:52     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
A lot of older boys that drive often offer to give my son a ride home from practice. I was surprised how rides are offered to anyone that lives in the neighborhood whether they know the boys or not. It is a thing at Gonzaga.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 11:47     Subject: Re:Gonzaga neighborhood concern
My son graduated years ago, but his experience being in that neighborhood and working with the community made for a really strong college essay.

Also being in an urban setting forced him to learn how to navigate public transportation, which came in wherever he went.

Recommend this school highly.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 11:39     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
My DS takes the train in from MD through Union Station. I was worried at first but he is never alone getting to school or after school due to the number of boys who travel back and forth to Union Station. If he has a late practice we have found a carpool system that works really well to pick up after dark. The community at Gonzaga is good at having meet and greets with other families and we are able to carpool at lot. So my son doesn't have to go to the station late evenings. The campus is secure. Talk to your son about being aware of surroundings. I feel my DS is learning vital life skills as well as top academics.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 11:27     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga has always been a somewhat sketchy location. I would not let that influence your decision if it’s the right school. If your kid is going to metro and walk, I’d make sure they are comfortable dealing with panhandling etc.


This. All I hear from the boys about the location is how long the line is at Cane's.

With WM closed and Georgetown moving to control half that block, I would expect some continued improvement in the direction toward Union Station.


Is the law school expanding? I’m an alum and had not heard about it. That neighborhood was bad 20 years ago when I was in law school and I doubt has gotten that much worse.

The law school just completed (at least one) brand new building (I think its dorm/apartments) adjacent to Gonzaga's campus (actually the land is leased form Gonzaga). There are cool new eateries and restaurants in the area and much more common to see law students walking/running around the area. In that sense, it's much better than when we went to GU law.


In addition to Georgetown Law buildings and dorms that are built on Gonzaga’s property, they are building new classrooms close by on the corner of F and 1st Street. It is for the law school and also public policy, I think.


McDonough is building a huge new Gtown business center a block away as well.


^school
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 11:27     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga has always been a somewhat sketchy location. I would not let that influence your decision if it’s the right school. If your kid is going to metro and walk, I’d make sure they are comfortable dealing with panhandling etc.


This. All I hear from the boys about the location is how long the line is at Cane's.

With WM closed and Georgetown moving to control half that block, I would expect some continued improvement in the direction toward Union Station.


Is the law school expanding? I’m an alum and had not heard about it. That neighborhood was bad 20 years ago when I was in law school and I doubt has gotten that much worse.

The law school just completed (at least one) brand new building (I think its dorm/apartments) adjacent to Gonzaga's campus (actually the land is leased form Gonzaga). There are cool new eateries and restaurants in the area and much more common to see law students walking/running around the area. In that sense, it's much better than when we went to GU law.


In addition to Georgetown Law buildings and dorms that are built on Gonzaga’s property, they are building new classrooms close by on the corner of F and 1st Street. It is for the law school and also public policy, I think.


McDonough is building a huge new Gtown business center a block away as well.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 11:26     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga is such a wonderful school. My son is in a morning carpool and takes the VRE or metro home from Union Station. If he is getting out after dark I will pick him up or he will hop in with another family that lives nearby. They move in big groups to Union Station. My son “knows” or recognizes many of the people between school and Union Station because they also serve them meals at the McKenna Center during the school day. I love that attending Gonzaga exposes my DS to this everyday. He has become so compassionate and thoughtful about these issues. Also, Gonzaga will hear if boys are misbehaving or acting disrespectfully at Union Station and they are disciplined. Teachers, parents, etc. report it if they see it happening at Union Station (using bad language, roughhousing, etc.). You have to figure out how risk adverse your family is, OP. For us, it is a huge plus that our suburban DS is now very comfortable navigating urban environments.


100% Serving lunch at McKenna during his lunch period has really moved my kid. I also love that service is built into the school day. Only school with a homeless center on campus. Pretty unique place.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 11:20     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga has always been a somewhat sketchy location. I would not let that influence your decision if it’s the right school. If your kid is going to metro and walk, I’d make sure they are comfortable dealing with panhandling etc.


This. All I hear from the boys about the location is how long the line is at Cane's.

With WM closed and Georgetown moving to control half that block, I would expect some continued improvement in the direction toward Union Station.


Is the law school expanding? I’m an alum and had not heard about it. That neighborhood was bad 20 years ago when I was in law school and I doubt has gotten that much worse.

The law school just completed (at least one) brand new building (I think its dorm/apartments) adjacent to Gonzaga's campus (actually the land is leased form Gonzaga). There are cool new eateries and restaurants in the area and much more common to see law students walking/running around the area. In that sense, it's much better than when we went to GU law.


In addition to Georgetown Law buildings and dorms that are built on Gonzaga’s property, they are building new classrooms close by on the corner of F and 1st Street. It is for the law school and also public policy, I think.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 11:12     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Gonzaga is such a wonderful school. My son is in a morning carpool and takes the VRE or metro home from Union Station. If he is getting out after dark I will pick him up or he will hop in with another family that lives nearby. They move in big groups to Union Station. My son “knows” or recognizes many of the people between school and Union Station because they also serve them meals at the McKenna Center during the school day. I love that attending Gonzaga exposes my DS to this everyday. He has become so compassionate and thoughtful about these issues. Also, Gonzaga will hear if boys are misbehaving or acting disrespectfully at Union Station and they are disciplined. Teachers, parents, etc. report it if they see it happening at Union Station (using bad language, roughhousing, etc.). You have to figure out how risk adverse your family is, OP. For us, it is a huge plus that our suburban DS is now very comfortable navigating urban environments.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 10:39     Subject: Re:Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Fwiw, GZ does so, sooooo much outreach in the local neighborhood--I feel as if they respect the students.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 10:39     Subject: Re:Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Raising Cane's
District Rico
Quickway

What's not to love?
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 10:37     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Anonymous wrote:This board might affect your feelings but it doesn’t reflect our reality. I have a junior and while it’s been a good way to talk about street smarts and common sense (like keeping an arm looped through your backpack on the metro instead of next to you where it can get stolen), we have never been worried about safety. He’s not allowed to walk to the metro in the dark, but that’s just normal teenage best practice, not unique to that area.


Same. We live in a pretty urban area next to a Metro station (not DC) and our kids grew up with street smarts.

Gonzaga has a very secure campus; gated, security. For upper classmen--parking is underground at the school.

I feel safer with my kids there than our local public that has had overdoses, mob fights and evacuations due to shooter threats (in VA).

With my younger/smaller one--I do stress if he decides to take Metro (instead of ride home with sibling)--he has to go with friends.

Raising Cane's has been a huge hit .

I lived here in the 1980s when I might agree with you about the neighborhood---so different today.
Anonymous
Post 02/23/2024 10:29     Subject: Gonzaga neighborhood concern
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga has always been a somewhat sketchy location. I would not let that influence your decision if it’s the right school. If your kid is going to metro and walk, I’d make sure they are comfortable dealing with panhandling etc.


This. All I hear from the boys about the location is how long the line is at Cane's.

With WM closed and Georgetown moving to control half that block, I would expect some continued improvement in the direction toward Union Station.


Is the law school expanding? I’m an alum and had not heard about it. That neighborhood was bad 20 years ago when I was in law school and I doubt has gotten that much worse.

The law school just completed (at least one) brand new building (I think its dorm/apartments) adjacent to Gonzaga's campus (actually the land is leased form Gonzaga). There are cool new eateries and restaurants in the area and much more common to see law students walking/running around the area. In that sense, it's much better than when we went to GU law.