The school feeds into SWW@Francis Stevens for MS.

There are several areas that kids play for recess and the classes rotate between play spaces and the gym. The play spaces are areas with soft surface with an open wall like a balcony that is secure. Its outside, but covered by the upstairs floor of the building.

The negative is that the kids don't get the vitamin D and some activities are limited, but the kids can play in these spaces even on bad weather days.

Kids who live in the Wilson boundary (including those in SW) can go to Wilson no matter where they went to middle school--Jefferson, another DCPS, charter, private, etc.

Kids who go to Jefferson can either go to Eastern (as their feeder school) or whatever their in-bound school is. For kids in SW and near SE, that in-bound school is Wilson.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:According to http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Thomson+Elementary+School they feed to Jefferson Academy, which is working towards an IB curriculum (that then feeds to Eastern's IB program). They switched over from Jefferson JHS to Jefferson Academy a few years ago; for a while, the school had one principal for the older kids in the JHS and one for the younger grades of Academy but I think it's all Academy now.

Yeah, this has always confused me. Southwest kids go to Jefferson, but then Wilson is their in bound HS. So do only pre-IB kids at Jefferson Academy feed to Eastern (and its IB)? Or do SW kids still feed to Wilson and Jefferson students from the Hill to Eastern?

I wonder if originally the feeder pattern was to Wilson but the Eastern was a recent change because they wanted students who were familiar with the IB program?

Anonymous wrote:According to http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Thomson+Elementary+School they feed to Jefferson Academy, which is working towards an IB curriculum (that then feeds to Eastern's IB program). They switched over from Jefferson JHS to Jefferson Academy a few years ago; for a while, the school had one principal for the older kids in the JHS and one for the younger grades of Academy but I think it's all Academy now.

Yeah, this has always confused me. Southwest kids go to Jefferson, but then Wilson is their in bound HS. So do only pre-IB kids at Jefferson Academy feed to Eastern (and its IB)? Or do SW kids still feed to Wilson and Jefferson students from the Hill to Eastern?

I'm not seeing Thomson on the list of schools to select from on the myschooldc.org application. I see Thomas Elementary, but not Thomson (or Strong John Thomson). Anyone else able to select Thomson?

Whoops, this was my mistake. Thomson is one of my IB schools and I forgot that since we're over PK grade level now we wouldn't have to lottery into it so that's why it's not showing!

Anonymous wrote:We went to Thomson about 4 years ago, the covered car ports sucked for play space. They were not allowed to use a lot equipment like balls because they were afraid it would damage the ceilings. A lot of kids that attended were apartment kids and just did not know how to play. It was horrible the kids just beat up or verbally tortured each other every day and teachers lost instruction time dealing with daily play ground conflicts. It has been several years and several principals since we left. I hope for the sake of the kids this has been figured out, but frankly, the playground issue is bigger than you think if you care about academics.

That is the most idiotic statement I've ever read. We live in a condo and my daughter spends a majority of her time outside the house. I'm pretty sure you mean to say "poor kids" vs. "apartment" kids or worse.

I've read between the lines of your post and really, I don't think city living is for you. Best you leave.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not seeing Thomson on the list of schools to select from on the myschooldc.org application. I see Thomas Elementary, but not Thomson (or Strong John Thomson). Anyone else able to select Thomson?

Make sure your birthday is correct for your child.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not seeing Thomson on the list of schools to select from on the myschooldc.org application. I see Thomas Elementary, but not Thomson (or Strong John Thomson). Anyone else able to select Thomson?

Weird, because Thomson Elementary School is an option on the drop down menu for me (PK3, OOB).

I'm not seeing Thomson on the list of schools to select from on the myschooldc.org application. I see Thomas Elementary, but not Thomson (or Strong John Thomson). Anyone else able to select Thomson?

No denying it, having no outdoor play space is a deficit. But being walking distance to many cultural institutions is a huge plus. And the gym is huge.

Great school. check it out

We went to Thomson about 4 years ago, the covered car ports sucked for play space. They were not allowed to use a lot equipment like balls because they were afraid it would damage the ceilings. A lot of kids that attended were apartment kids and just did not know how to play. It was horrible the kids just beat up or verbally tortured each other every day and teachers lost instruction time dealing with daily play ground conflicts. It has been several years and several principals since we left. I hope for the sake of the kids this has been figured out, but frankly, the playground issue is bigger than you think if you care about academics.

Several of Thomson's kids went to Basis this year for 5th grade and are doing quite well. 90's club, etc. Thomson has prepared them well!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They do have a roof garden. It's a really nice space.

Great, but where do the kids play outside?

I think for some downtown parents the question becomes, what is more important - exercise and play or being on rolling lawns or green space.

We live DOWNTOWN in DC, if you want large vast green space move to Maryland.

They have a place on each floor that is inside the building but still open. It's really large and each floor has the same playground type equipment in that room. The flooring is soft etc. Basically the one outside wall is open to the elements - like a really really long storm door with reinforcements. So not outside but not climate controlled either.