Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aw, Brent is such a lovely school. Too bad you’re moving while they are in the swing space.
I’d go with Maury to avoid commute.

I would not go with Van Ness if your child is in 1st and not Pre-K.

I’m sure Van Ness is just fine for 1st grade.

A school where half the students are at risk and scores are low is not great for 1st. Kids learn many critical things in that grade so personally I wouldn’t want my kid to go to a school that’s ’just fine.’

It actually is just fine. You are looking at test scores for 3-5 grades at a school where the younger grades have a very different socioeconomics makeup. You think a few numbers on a page tells you something but actually you are ignorant.

So half the kids being at risk is a lie? That making a difference must also be a lie.

I am a coach for a DCPS school, I can see the kids iReady scores (from all schools). Just in case you are more daft than I think, iReady starts in K.

Nope, you don’t want to be there for first, if anyone is ‘ignorant’ it is you for not having all the information. Or perhaps you are an admin trying to advertise your mediocre school.

Wow - good to know this is how a coach for DCPS acts and thinks...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aw, Brent is such a lovely school. Too bad you’re moving while they are in the swing space.
I’d go with Maury to avoid commute.

I would not go with Van Ness if your child is in 1st and not Pre-K.

I’m sure Van Ness is just fine for 1st grade.

A school where half the students are at risk and scores are low is not great for 1st. Kids learn many critical things in that grade so personally I wouldn’t want my kid to go to a school that’s ’just fine.’

It actually is just fine. You are looking at test scores for 3-5 grades at a school where the younger grades have a very different socioeconomics makeup. You think a few numbers on a page tells you something but actually you are ignorant.

So half the kids being at risk is a lie? That making a difference must also be a lie.

I am a coach for a DCPS school, I can see the kids iReady scores (from all schools). Just in case you are more daft than I think, iReady starts in K.

Nope, you don’t want to be there for first, if anyone is ‘ignorant’ it is you for not having all the information. Or perhaps you are an admin trying to advertise your mediocre school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aw, Brent is such a lovely school. Too bad you’re moving while they are in the swing space.
I’d go with Maury to avoid commute.

I would not go with Van Ness if your child is in 1st and not Pre-K.

I’m sure Van Ness is just fine for 1st grade.

A school where half the students are at risk and scores are low is not great for 1st. Kids learn many critical things in that grade so personally I wouldn’t want my kid to go to a school that’s ’just fine.’

It actually is just fine. You are looking at test scores for 3-5 grades at a school where the younger grades have a very different socioeconomics makeup. You think a few numbers on a page tells you something but actually you are ignorant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aw, Brent is such a lovely school. Too bad you’re moving while they are in the swing space.
I’d go with Maury to avoid commute.

I would not go with Van Ness if your child is in 1st and not Pre-K.

I’m sure Van Ness is just fine for 1st grade.

A school where half the students are at risk and scores are low is not great for 1st. Kids learn many critical things in that grade so personally I wouldn’t want my kid to go to a school that’s ’just fine.’

Maury is not welcoming to new kids. It is good academically, but for one year, your kid have a much better experience at L-T. Don’t overcount test scores that don’t even come from the grades your kid would be attending.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP and wanted to add some more detail on our wish list. Our top priorities are strong academics and a short, manageable commute, since we don't want to be either spending lots of time commuting to work or having our son be on a bus for a big portion of each day. We like the feel of a community school, and would like families to live within the area around the school generally. A nice facility and playground are also really great to have. We likely don’t need extensive after-school programming, as we’ll have a nanny to help with pickup.
We’re very happy with our current public school in NYC and are hoping to find something comparable. Our current school is in a safe neighborhood, has nice facilities, strong academic outcomes (around 88% proficiency in reading and math), and lots of extras like dance and specialized gardening and language classes. The student body is roughly 60% white and 10% are on free/reduced lunch; I’m sharing that only to give context for the environment we’re coming from, not as a target necessarily. We are comfortable and happy with diverse environments.

I'd say L-T is your best bet but Maury, Payne, and Watkins would all work for you too.

It's not worth bussing to Columbia Heights for Brent.

This.

OP is here for one year, is coming from NYC, and values short commute to school and work. The obvious solution is one of the decent public schools on the Hill (but not Brent because of the swing space), and to cast a somewhat wide net because rental housing options on the house can be a bit limited.

I would look in boundary for L-T (agree this is likely the best option in terms of the combination of location, culture, and academic quality) and agree on Maury and Payne, but I'd look at JO Wilson before Watkins because of the location -- proximity to the Hill plus all the new development around Union Market offers a ton of walkable entertainment. Plus brand new campus. Also the 1st grade team at JO is really strong. I'd still look at Watkins, which is perfectly good, but think JOW is a comparable school with a better location for OP's purposes.

But yes, L-T would be my first choice.

Watkins is 27% economically disadvantaged. JO is 61%. That's a huge difference.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP and wanted to add some more detail on our wish list. Our top priorities are strong academics and a short, manageable commute, since we don't want to be either spending lots of time commuting to work or having our son be on a bus for a big portion of each day. We like the feel of a community school, and would like families to live within the area around the school generally. A nice facility and playground are also really great to have. We likely don’t need extensive after-school programming, as we’ll have a nanny to help with pickup.
We’re very happy with our current public school in NYC and are hoping to find something comparable. Our current school is in a safe neighborhood, has nice facilities, strong academic outcomes (around 88% proficiency in reading and math), and lots of extras like dance and specialized gardening and language classes. The student body is roughly 60% white and 10% are on free/reduced lunch; I’m sharing that only to give context for the environment we’re coming from, not as a target necessarily. We are comfortable and happy with diverse environments.

I'd say L-T is your best bet but Maury, Payne, and Watkins would all work for you too.

It's not worth bussing to Columbia Heights for Brent.

This.

OP is here for one year, is coming from NYC, and values short commute to school and work. The obvious solution is one of the decent public schools on the Hill (but not Brent because of the swing space), and to cast a somewhat wide net because rental housing options on the house can be a bit limited.

I would look in boundary for L-T (agree this is likely the best option in terms of the combination of location, culture, and academic quality) and agree on Maury and Payne, but I'd look at JO Wilson before Watkins because of the location -- proximity to the Hill plus all the new development around Union Market offers a ton of walkable entertainment. Plus brand new campus. Also the 1st grade team at JO is really strong. I'd still look at Watkins, which is perfectly good, but think JOW is a comparable school with a better location for OP's purposes.

But yes, L-T would be my first choice.

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP and wanted to add some more detail on our wish list. Our top priorities are strong academics and a short, manageable commute, since we don't want to be either spending lots of time commuting to work or having our son be on a bus for a big portion of each day. We like the feel of a community school, and would like families to live within the area around the school generally. A nice facility and playground are also really great to have. We likely don’t need extensive after-school programming, as we’ll have a nanny to help with pickup.
We’re very happy with our current public school in NYC and are hoping to find something comparable. Our current school is in a safe neighborhood, has nice facilities, strong academic outcomes (around 88% proficiency in reading and math), and lots of extras like dance and specialized gardening and language classes. The student body is roughly 60% white and 10% are on free/reduced lunch; I’m sharing that only to give context for the environment we’re coming from, not as a target necessarily. We are comfortable and happy with diverse environments.

I'd say L-T is your best bet but Maury, Payne, and Watkins would all work for you too.

It's not worth bussing to Columbia Heights for Brent.

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP and wanted to add some more detail on our wish list. Our top priorities are strong academics and a short, manageable commute, since we don't want to be either spending lots of time commuting to work or having our son be on a bus for a big portion of each day. We like the feel of a community school, and would like families to live within the area around the school generally. A nice facility and playground are also really great to have. We likely don’t need extensive after-school programming, as we’ll have a nanny to help with pickup.
We’re very happy with our current public school in NYC and are hoping to find something comparable. Our current school is in a safe neighborhood, has nice facilities, strong academic outcomes (around 88% proficiency in reading and math), and lots of extras like dance and specialized gardening and language classes. The student body is roughly 60% white and 10% are on free/reduced lunch; I’m sharing that only to give context for the environment we’re coming from, not as a target necessarily. We are comfortable and happy with diverse environments.

I’d temper expectations given your very limited stay. Coming in for 1st grade already puts you a bit behind in the friends groups for any of those Hill schools you listed. With a one-year timeline, most families will be perfectly nice at pickup but aren’t going to go out of their way to build strong relationships with you or your kid. I’m not saying it to be negative, it’s just a reality of Capitol Hill and its transience. You don’t want to put in effort with someone you know is on the clock — We’ve been in Hill elementary schools for a long time and have seen a lot of appointees etc. come and go. You invite the kid to full-class parties but you’re not having one-on-one hang outs with people who are here short-term. IMHO, in that respect re: established cliques, Maury will absolutely be the hardest nut to crack for a rising 1st. LT easier but still a very strong cohort coming up from K, though they took a few 1st grade kids from the lottery this year. Brent not worth it for one year because of the bus. (FWIW we are at one of those schools.)

It’s not as highly rated as the others right now, but an interesting option could be Watkins because it starts at 1st (Peabody is its PK-K feeder) so everyone is “new” in 1st. We aren’t there, but we know families there who are very happy and we also know others that weren’t and lotteried out. Just depends.

As others have said, almost anywhere on the Hill ECE is very good, education-wise. So yes, go for convenient location since you’re short term.

Look for local weekend activities like soccer where you might hang with others his age outside of school, and outside of their friend groups, to strengthen connections.

You could also try to not broadcast that you’re a one and done — might be better for your kid’s sake.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is he working on the House or Senate side? I would not do Brent either way. Van Ness, Maury, or Ludlow Taylor would be my suggestions; maybe JO Wilson if Senate side since the location is convenient and they will have a new building. If you will have a lease by May 1, you can also do the lottery for school within school.

Wouldn’t Peabody be the closest to the Senate offices?

Their child will be too old for Peabody. Peabody ends at K.

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP and wanted to add some more detail on our wish list. Our top priorities are strong academics and a short, manageable commute, since we don't want to be either spending lots of time commuting to work or having our son be on a bus for a big portion of each day. We like the feel of a community school, and would like families to live within the area around the school generally. A nice facility and playground are also really great to have. We likely don’t need extensive after-school programming, as we’ll have a nanny to help with pickup.
We’re very happy with our current public school in NYC and are hoping to find something comparable. Our current school is in a safe neighborhood, has nice facilities, strong academic outcomes (around 88% proficiency in reading and math), and lots of extras like dance and specialized gardening and language classes. The student body is roughly 60% white and 10% are on free/reduced lunch; I’m sharing that only to give context for the environment we’re coming from, not as a target necessarily. We are comfortable and happy with diverse environments.

FWIW the L-T after school clubs aren’t for child care purposes (there’s also separate aftercare). They are awesome extras (for a fee): a yearly musical, a real school newspaper, a Mathletes Club (only public in DC that seems to have competition math offered), a dance program that performs at community events, coding, chess, debate, etc.

I’m the OP and wanted to add some more detail on our wish list. Our top priorities are strong academics and a short, manageable commute, since we don't want to be either spending lots of time commuting to work or having our son be on a bus for a big portion of each day. We like the feel of a community school, and would like families to live within the area around the school generally. A nice facility and playground are also really great to have. We likely don’t need extensive after-school programming, as we’ll have a nanny to help with pickup.
We’re very happy with our current public school in NYC and are hoping to find something comparable. Our current school is in a safe neighborhood, has nice facilities, strong academic outcomes (around 88% proficiency in reading and math), and lots of extras like dance and specialized gardening and language classes. The student body is roughly 60% white and 10% are on free/reduced lunch; I’m sharing that only to give context for the environment we’re coming from, not as a target necessarily. We are comfortable and happy with diverse environments.

OP, can you say more about what you're looking for in a school?

The responses so far are based on very different ideas of what makes a school good.

There are many Capitol Hill elementary schools with strong teaching, involved families, and lots of extracurriculars, but with a couple of exceptions almost all of the schools are highly socioeconomically and racially diverse.

The people telling you to move to Silver Spring or that Van Ness won't work for 1st grade are operating under the assumption you're not going to be comfortable in a school with 20-40% of families on SNAP or only 20-40% of students who are white.

Anonymous wrote:I would actually go with LT over Maury for 1 1st grade year, because of the strength of their afterschool club options (really incredible and unmatched in DCpS in my experience) and the fact that the have more new kids entering each year, so easier to make friends for a new kid.

Agree with this. Also L-T is a bit heavier with Hill workers, higher likelihood of some of your DH's coworkers having kids there. The commute to both House and Senate from the L-T zone is super easy.

Maury is a fantastic school but the culture is a bit more insular with many families having known each other since kids were babies and just a little more daunting to outside or new families.

I would actually go with LT over Maury for 1 1st grade year, because of the strength of their afterschool club options (really incredible and unmatched in DCpS in my experience) and the fact that the have more new kids entering each year, so easier to make friends for a new kid.