I would not miss out on DC’s guaranteed free PK just to live in the neighborhoods recommended. Keep in mind that dcum skews a certain way….white and rich…. Maybe you do too.

OP: Definitely consider Brent Elementary on Capitol Hill. It’s a wonderful neighborhood for young families with immediate access to all that DC has to offer. You can literally stroll down to the National Mall and the museums—pop in with your kids and pop out when they are tired. Also the Hill is lousy with nice, friendly parks and playgrounds. There’s a group called Sports on the Hill that organizes sports teams for your older child. There’s also Capitol Hill Little League, dance studios, a Trader Joe’s, a Whole Foods, a library with story hours, independent bookstores, a game store, neighbor-owned restaurants, Eastern Market, immediate access to great bike paths, close to Nationals Stadium and Audi Field..Once you are settled ask a neighbor how to get set up on the Moms on The Hill ( MOTH ). Listserve. It’s a great way to know what’s going on for little kids around the neighborhood and the city.

If your 4 year old isn’t able to secure a spot at Brent, there is a sweet private preschool right next door called The Hill Preschool

http://www.thehillpreschool.org/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, where are you coming from? There's an issue in the Ross neighborhood with a homeless encampment — did that get cleaned up yet? We left the neighborhood partly because of this. I started feeling unsafe walking my kids past people clearly high on drugs on the way to school. I had plenty of conversations with my kids about homelessness and drugs and am fine with the realities of life, but I stopped feeling comfortable a while ago. That said, Ross was fantastic, a 3rd grader will be a welcome new friend for a small cohort of kids, many of whom do cycle through because of the international makeup of the school. I think Ross, like many dc public schools, lost a bunch of kids during the pandemic to privates, moving to the burbs, etc.

We would be coming from a suburban area in the northeast. My spouse and I have lived in cities, but before kids. We like the idea of a year of city life with the kids with plenty to do walking distance, but would also want them to feel safe in our neighborhood. We don’t know these neighborhoods too well, but might be able to make a trip to check out some neighborhoods this fall/winter.

I think you’d prefer central Capitol Hill to DuPont, if I had to guess. I think Ludlow-Taylor is your best bet, but if you really don’t mind paying for daycare & having two drop offs, Brent is good for 3rd. Personally, I’d go for more guaranteed free PK no question. Most private preschools on the Hill have very young skewing populations, since most families prioritize free PK3 & 4 on the Hill.

Anonymous wrote:OP, where are you coming from? There's an issue in the Ross neighborhood with a homeless encampment — did that get cleaned up yet? We left the neighborhood partly because of this. I started feeling unsafe walking my kids past people clearly high on drugs on the way to school. I had plenty of conversations with my kids about homelessness and drugs and am fine with the realities of life, but I stopped feeling comfortable a while ago. That said, Ross was fantastic, a 3rd grader will be a welcome new friend for a small cohort of kids, many of whom do cycle through because of the international makeup of the school. I think Ross, like many dc public schools, lost a bunch of kids during the pandemic to privates, moving to the burbs, etc.

We would be coming from a suburban area in the northeast. My spouse and I have lived in cities, but before kids. We like the idea of a year of city life with the kids with plenty to do walking distance, but would also want them to feel safe in our neighborhood. We don’t know these neighborhoods too well, but might be able to make a trip to check out some neighborhoods this fall/winter.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! Are there any private preschools near Ross or Brent that we might be able to get into? This could be another option if we knew we could likely get a rental in those districts.

JCC or School for Friends are good.

Put your name on the private preschool waitlist now, OP. The waitlists are really long.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks everyone! Are there any private preschools near Ross or Brent that we might be able to get into? This could be another option if we knew we could likely get a rental in those districts.

JCC or School for Friends are good.

OP, where are you coming from? There's an issue in the Ross neighborhood with a homeless encampment — did that get cleaned up yet? We left the neighborhood partly because of this. I started feeling unsafe walking my kids past people clearly high on drugs on the way to school. I had plenty of conversations with my kids about homelessness and drugs and am fine with the realities of life, but I stopped feeling comfortable a while ago. That said, Ross was fantastic, a 3rd grader will be a welcome new friend for a small cohort of kids, many of whom do cycle through because of the international makeup of the school. I think Ross, like many dc public schools, lost a bunch of kids during the pandemic to privates, moving to the burbs, etc.

Thanks everyone! Are there any private preschools near Ross or Brent that we might be able to get into? This could be another option if we knew we could likely get a rental in those districts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highly recommend Ross elementary. Wonderful community of families and lots of expats in DC for work and very welcoming. Tons of families and easy access to downtown, museums, activities, parks. Easy to walk everywhere or take public transit.
It is a tiny boundary so do check the address carefully. But there are many rental options.
Enjoy your time here!

Other than the expense and PK4 challenges, I think Ross is the best place for a family hoping to experience the city for a year. The area is fun, you’re close in, lots to do, and the Ross community is fantastic. Very welcoming but also a lot of families that move often so you probably won’t be the only one in and out in a year.

Is the one class dynamic not weird for new families? I’d have thought a school with more classes per grade would mean being new mattered less (since lots of kids will be in classes without their friends/with new-to-them kids. I had friends with a bad experience with the kid joining a private with a single class in a non-matriculation grade; very set social dynamics and didn’t happen to gel with the one other new kid, who was also the opposite gender. I’d worry about that for Ross.

It seems expensive to pay rent in the Ross boundary and also pay for daycare. OP would likely be equally as happy with Ludlow-Taylor or Eaton and would have the benefit of dropping both kids in the same place each morning.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highly recommend Ross elementary. Wonderful community of families and lots of expats in DC for work and very welcoming. Tons of families and easy access to downtown, museums, activities, parks. Easy to walk everywhere or take public transit.
It is a tiny boundary so do check the address carefully. But there are many rental options.
Enjoy your time here!

Other than the expense and PK4 challenges, I think Ross is the best place for a family hoping to experience the city for a year. The area is fun, you’re close in, lots to do, and the Ross community is fantastic. Very welcoming but also a lot of families that move often so you probably won’t be the only one in and out in a year.

Is the one class dynamic not weird for new families? I’d have thought a school with more classes per grade would mean being new mattered less (since lots of kids will be in classes without their friends/with new-to-them kids. I had friends with a bad experience with the kid joining a private with a single class in a non-matriculation grade; very set social dynamics and didn’t happen to gel with the one other new kid, who was also the opposite gender. I’d worry about that for Ross.

I think for most kids it’s fine. Ross always has families coming and going so it’s rare to be the only new kid in a class. And then because it’s so small you get a lot of attention. The staff really takes the time to get to know kids and parents too. I also think Ross is growing and no longer has single classes in every grade, though not sure which classes are doubled now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highly recommend Ross elementary. Wonderful community of families and lots of expats in DC for work and very welcoming. Tons of families and easy access to downtown, museums, activities, parks. Easy to walk everywhere or take public transit.
It is a tiny boundary so do check the address carefully. But there are many rental options.
Enjoy your time here!

Other than the expense and PK4 challenges, I think Ross is the best place for a family hoping to experience the city for a year. The area is fun, you’re close in, lots to do, and the Ross community is fantastic. Very welcoming but also a lot of families that move often so you probably won’t be the only one in and out in a year.

Is the one class dynamic not weird for new families? I’d have thought a school with more classes per grade would mean being new mattered less (since lots of kids will be in classes without their friends/with new-to-them kids. I had friends with a bad experience with the kid joining a private with a single class in a non-matriculation grade; very set social dynamics and didn’t happen to gel with the one other new kid, who was also the opposite gender. I’d worry about that for Ross.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highly recommend Ross elementary. Wonderful community of families and lots of expats in DC for work and very welcoming. Tons of families and easy access to downtown, museums, activities, parks. Easy to walk everywhere or take public transit.
It is a tiny boundary so do check the address carefully. But there are many rental options.
Enjoy your time here!

Other than the expense and PK4 challenges, I think Ross is the best place for a family hoping to experience the city for a year. The area is fun, you’re close in, lots to do, and the Ross community is fantastic. Very welcoming but also a lot of families that move often so you probably won’t be the only one in and out in a year.

I personally would do Capitol Hill over DuPont with under 12s. Lots of city-type amenities, but with more room & a more neighborhoody feel. I’d try for LT since it’s close to Union Station, a PK4er with a sibling will get in & it’s a good, diverse school. Brent is great too, but some chance PK4 doesn’t get in and your $$ won’t go as far.

Anonymous wrote:Highly recommend Ross elementary. Wonderful community of families and lots of expats in DC for work and very welcoming. Tons of families and easy access to downtown, museums, activities, parks. Easy to walk everywhere or take public transit.
It is a tiny boundary so do check the address carefully. But there are many rental options.
Enjoy your time here!

Other than the expense and PK4 challenges, I think Ross is the best place for a family hoping to experience the city for a year. The area is fun, you’re close in, lots to do, and the Ross community is fantastic. Very welcoming but also a lot of families that move often so you probably won’t be the only one in and out in a year.

PP who mentioned Ross - if there was no space for your PK4 child, many families use the nearby JCC for day care.

Anonymous wrote:The op needs recommendations for a school she can enroll in over the summer - and the older child will pull the younger child in. We all know that siblings are not guaranteed a spot at Brent - do not look there. You need to look at schools that have some pre-K 4 waitlist movement in august. Navy yard and Van ness is a great option. No = Ross and Brent.

Can’t she also lottery and still move over the summer? This would allow her to lottery into a good charter school (perhaps) and if not, move to a good dcps with plenty of PK space.

Not clear if she really wants the city or the suburbs though.