A few thoughts:
- it can be super helpful to have your child's school close to work vs. home if you have to go during the day - we had some potty training setbacks and I was so glad to work close by
- school pickup in the afternoon a problem? Do aftercare
- nanny can't drive? I think it depends what you are giving up to deal with this. You could put schools that are a reasonable drive on your list closer to the bottom and then if you get in, decide if going is worth changing nannies over
- don't put any school on your list that is an absolute no-go for you
I agree that your commute is a very important quality of life consideration. Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:We aren't using all our spots. I'm not willing to commute across town every day for PK3. It's not that important, IMO, and little kids have long enough days and we have little enough time together as a family in the evenings without adding a commute on top of that. If we can't walk to it or get to it on our way to work, we're not lottering for it.

This! Totally agree. The amount of stress added to our daily routine to get across the city in traffic with a little one in tow is just not worth the extra benefit of the program.

Echoing ... inbounds for Brent and didn't get in the past two years with spots in the high teens and twenties. Miserable luck.

Positive- we got into a HRCS along with multiple other Hill families. Now with the dilemma as to what to choose in the future when inbounds has to accept us. Are we willing to go at that point in time when the HRCS has exceeded expectations?

We aren't using all our spots. I'm not willing to commute across town every day for PK3. It's not that important, IMO, and little kids have long enough days and we have little enough time together as a family in the evenings without adding a commute on top of that. If we can't walk to it or get to it on our way to work, we're not lottering for it.

I am not using all the spaces. Only the ones for schools we could reasonably commute to and would want to use. If we don't get in any where, we'll pay for private.

We are at Lee.

^^PP where are you?

Applying for PK4. Pretty happy where we are- a newish charter. Only using 5 slots. Might not accept all if them if offered the choice.

We are applying to 4 schools. I would not use up a slot if you know it wouldn't work out to go. That would just add unneeded stress for me if I got in.

We are only doing 3. We have a good IB and I would rather stick wth daycare than have a long commute or deal with questionable after care. I know some people car pool or have vans from the hill to the hrcs but we don't want carpool duty and I feel weird about sticking my 3 year old in a van.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Peabody
Logan
SWS
Brent
Maury
Both Tyler programs
Ludlow
Payne
Minor
Maybe Thomson (metro accessible)?
Two Rivers (long walk)
Apple tree
Yu Ying (bus from Hill)

So, are you willing to stay at Watkins after K? (and agree with pp, Brent and Maury are throw-aways is you aren't IB) Because if you pull a good number here you'll get in a pebody and lose your chances at Logan/SWS. If you're IB for Peabody but you'd rather go Logan long-term - I'd flip this...

Yeah, I think you need to do a bit more research about how the lottery works because your list does not make a ton of sense. No way you are getting Brent or Maury. If you really want Logan or Sws those need to go first - if your number is good enough to get spots there then I think you would get Peabody first. And putting Yu Ying last is also pointless.

Anonymous wrote:And Van Ness
Some might consider amidon-Bowen and that the SW Appletree if close enough

Concur on all three especially since there's metro and bus nearby each.

Private preschools start at pk3.