Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:48     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Based on how you want to live, I suggest Hyattsville. You definitely can afford the houses and with the savings on mortgage, you can afford private schools in the area. The public school has tremendous neighborhood and parent support and when I look around the neighborhood at the families I spend time with; the children are HES, Robert Goddard Montessori, French Immersion, Friends Community School and Christian Family Montessori. There is absolutely no judgment on educational choices that I have been privy to and I have been in the 'hood for 10 years. Very active neighborhood community with neihgborhood potlucks, babysitting co-ops, active parent list serv, active neighborhood list serv, inside the beltway, 2 metro stops and lots odf development. You can search for other threads on the neighborhood. good luck!
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:46     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI quite a bit less than yours, live in a house that is just over half your budget, and I feel that we are more on the "bohemian" side--and I feel like we "fit in" quite well in our area in Arlington. Yes, there are many people (including some close friends of ours) who live in bigger and more expensive houses; but so what? I am not looking to them to validate my life choices, and I would not choose to live in a 5000SF house even if I could. Our kids interact every day with some kids whose families are richer, and some whose families are poorer, and to me, that's sort of the point--in life, in my work, I don't expect the majority of interactions to occur with people who are just like me.

That said, I think daily commute is a huge factor in my enjoyment of life. I got to work in under 20 minutes this morning. DH takes metro and his commute is closer to 40 minutes, but it gives him time to read, email, etc. If either of us had to sit in traffic for an hour, or drive for an hour, or completely restructure our family or work schedules to avoid a super-long commute...I think we would all suffer. We lived in a small 2BR for years with our 2 kids to avoid having long commutes--it just is not worth it to me.



OP, here. Thanks, Arlington is an attractive option; what school are you zone for, are you happy with them? Arlington seems a little 'tale of two cities' with its north-south divide...


LOL. I love how people describe themselves as bohemian and open minded and free spirited, but then, god forbid they send their kids to school with poor kids!



Snark didn't take too long. Never said we were open minded, didn't read the part about tiger mom? it comes down to metrics and statistical likelihood; if most of the students succeed and the scores are well, I don't care if poor or whatever.

FWIW we have targeted schools that show true diversity (not just minority majority clumping) AND success, such as Blair and Washington Lee. Have no interest in Langley or the Kumon arms race that is TJ.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:44     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have it pretty good, OP - why would you go through the hassle of moving just to fit in?


Like I said we are happy, but you know the 'cruelty of schoolchildren' and being on the extremes of the group worry that it will negatively impact kids.


What are you basing this on? Are your kids being mocked for living in a $1 million house? And eating 100% organic food? You sound exactly like every other do-gooder faux boho family in the area. You seem to have an unnecessary chip on your shoulder that you may be passing on to your kids.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:40     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We have a HHI quite a bit less than yours, live in a house that is just over half your budget, and I feel that we are more on the "bohemian" side--and I feel like we "fit in" quite well in our area in Arlington. Yes, there are many people (including some close friends of ours) who live in bigger and more expensive houses; but so what? I am not looking to them to validate my life choices, and I would not choose to live in a 5000SF house even if I could. Our kids interact every day with some kids whose families are richer, and some whose families are poorer, and to me, that's sort of the point--in life, in my work, I don't expect the majority of interactions to occur with people who are just like me.

That said, I think daily commute is a huge factor in my enjoyment of life. I got to work in under 20 minutes this morning. DH takes metro and his commute is closer to 40 minutes, but it gives him time to read, email, etc. If either of us had to sit in traffic for an hour, or drive for an hour, or completely restructure our family or work schedules to avoid a super-long commute...I think we would all suffer. We lived in a small 2BR for years with our 2 kids to avoid having long commutes--it just is not worth it to me.



OP, here. Thanks, Arlington is an attractive option; what school are you zone for, are you happy with them? Arlington seems a little 'tale of two cities' with its north-south divide...


LOL. I love how people describe themselves as bohemian and open minded and free spirited, but then, god forbid they send their kids to school with poor kids!

Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:38     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you have it pretty good, OP - why would you go through the hassle of moving just to fit in?


Like I said we are happy, but you know the 'cruelty of schoolchildren' and being on the extremes of the group worry that it will negatively impact kids.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:36     Subject: Re:Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Anonymous wrote:I think I must have missed a memo...you cannot find a house in Takoma Park with a budget of $1m?


1M is not a number we are comfortable with, but it seems to be the price of admission to a house with good schools and close in suburb. You can find some 800k homes but generally need substantial work, so just a way to spread out spending close to a million thru repairs.

Taking park seems nice, but we both work south of capital and having driven that it is close to an hour, and it's not like TP is cheap, most of our friends have moved far out leaving the wealth to build huge crazy houses.

Obvious not just vacations, but the whole carefree attitude with money versus our strict 'deprivations' the kids will fear or
Embarrassment in friends coming over to our apartment or tiny townhouse.

Seems to be a good quotient that say don't take the commute, though I am going to look again at TP, but having driven it am not hopeful.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:33     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Sounds like you have it pretty good, OP - why would you go through the hassle of moving just to fit in?
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:32     Subject: Re:Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
7213 Holly Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:30     Subject: Re:Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
I think I must have missed a memo...you cannot find a house in Takoma Park with a budget of $1m?
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:28     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Anonymous wrote:how can it be the same thing?

I say the divide is in SES, not quality of education. You say that the divide in SES is diverting resources. You say that like it's a bad thing, so I'm going to assume you mean that the diversion of resources adversely affects the quality of education. So, um, we are not saying the same thing at all.


"There are more ... immigrant families in South Arlington, and that's where we see a lot of challenges," Willmore said. "These students come in with limited English and limited education, and we have to get them on and track and earning credits very quickly."
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:27     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
I'm confused here, you worry about "exotic vacations" but you are willing to spend 1mil on a house? And your HHI is 200K?

I would worry about not fitting in with you in your 1 million dollar house.

Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:25     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Anonymous wrote:We know families at every middle and high school in Arlington. The big divide is in socioeconomic status, not quality of education.


Big divide is true. There doesn't seem to be *any* middle class's in Arlington. Very wealthy living in million plus homes in north, working class with Esl needs in south. arlington tries to do right by the students in the south but a concentration of special needs is challenge. Middle class seems to have flown westward.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:22     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

Agreed arlington elementary schools can generally al be excellent. But high middle school and high school have a big divide in quality. You could argue a bright upper middle kid will do fine anywhere; but that is a desperate debate over current question of good schools and commute and community balance.


Please provide your evidence for this statement?


Wakefield almost lost accreditation. Yes it's because of SES and immigrant issues, And the teachers do a great job no doubt. But that is a burden on the administration and teachers, which saps their energy for your more middle of the road or even honors student. Simple triage.
http://m.washingtonexaminer.com/arlington-high-school-in-danger-of-losing-accreditation/article/118844
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 12:17     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
how can it be the same thing?

I say the divide is in SES, not quality of education. You say that the divide in SES is diverting resources. You say that like it's a bad thing, so I'm going to assume you mean that the diversion of resources adversely affects the quality of education. So, um, we are not saying the same thing at all.
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2013 11:17     Subject: Fitting into Upper Income Neighborhood Or Where Should Live/School
Anonymous wrote:We know families at every middle and high school in Arlington. The big divide is in socioeconomic status, not quality of education.


same thing because of diverted resources and focus on the lower performing