Anonymous wrote:But on the tour they said it won’t really have a playground.

Correct, no playground. There are 2 playgrounds close by that the kids walk to and are plenty adequate at Call ocho.

Honestly, above issue is nothing but a blimp in the big scheme of things. What is more important is the spanish is strong at MV and all the teaching is at least on grade level. The teachers and staff are also terrific. Great parent community too.

We had a really good experience there, my child has lots of fond memories of elementary, and his spanish is good!

Anonymous wrote:I was also at the JF Cook open house today and left with a good impression. It's a pretty nice facility and generally well-lit. Really the only obvious downside for me is that I've always heard pickup and drop-off are a nightmare there, and nothing I saw today disabused me of that notion. Still, I can see ways to make it work.

The JF Cook open house has made me want to take a closer look at Calle Ocho, but without a parent-organized bus from the Hill as Yu Ying apparently has, I don't see that commute working for us.

We generally walk to school, but occasionally drive to drop-off and pickup. If you are willing to park a block away from the school and walk your child to the entrance it's easy enough - I have never once had to circle the neighborhood to find a spot more than a block or two from school. If it's important to park on the unit block of P St (or drop-off in front of school) that'll be trickier.

But on the tour they said it won’t really have a playground.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if the new building at Calle 8 has a park ( I didn’t think to ask at the open house). The building looks like it is going to be beautiful. They said all prek will be there.

yes there will be a park

speaking of the construction at Calle Ocho, anyone aware of any plans for the Cook campus in the next few years?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was also at the JF Cook open house today and left with a good impression. It's a pretty nice facility and generally well-lit. Really the only obvious downside for me is that I've always heard pickup and drop-off are a nightmare there, and nothing I saw today disabused me of that notion. Still, I can see ways to make it work.

The JF Cook open house has made me want to take a closer look at Calle Ocho, but without a parent-organized bus from the Hill as Yu Ying apparently has, I don't see that commute working for us.

Haven’t heard of parent-organized buses. Can you say more about how they do that at YY?

One thing I’m noticing from tours so far and other conversations is there are a TON of Hill families interested in Spanish immersion. Some give up that desire because of the commute or don’t get in. I’m sure it’s been said before but it’s really too bad there aren’t more options in the neighborhood given how many people seem to want this.

Are people aware of fun Spanish-only summer camps that are in or close to the Hill?

If you are in CH, there will definitely be CH families at MV P st so reach out and carpool with them.

As to 8th St, not as many hill families in SE but I’m sure there are some in NE and also by H St. for carpool.

Also you can find a retired neighbor or college student to take your kid to school and pick up.

Also MV offers before and aftercare and the aftercare program at 8th was pretty good with lots of different activities (art, sports, karate, chess, etc..)

Oh also MV offers a great 4 week Spanish camp that is fun and reasonably cost so makes your summer Spanish enrichment planning much easier. My son did it every summer and liked it and helped keep up his Spanish over the summer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was also at the JF Cook open house today and left with a good impression. It's a pretty nice facility and generally well-lit. Really the only obvious downside for me is that I've always heard pickup and drop-off are a nightmare there, and nothing I saw today disabused me of that notion. Still, I can see ways to make it work.

The JF Cook open house has made me want to take a closer look at Calle Ocho, but without a parent-organized bus from the Hill as Yu Ying apparently has, I don't see that commute working for us.

Haven’t heard of parent-organized buses. Can you say more about how they do that at YY?

One thing I’m noticing from tours so far and other conversations is there are a TON of Hill families interested in Spanish immersion. Some give up that desire because of the commute or don’t get in. I’m sure it’s been said before but it’s really too bad there aren’t more options in the neighborhood given how many people seem to want this.

Are people aware of fun Spanish-only summer camps that are in or close to the Hill?

If you are in CH, there will definitely be CH families at MV P st so reach out and carpool with them.

As to 8th St, not as many hill families in SE but I’m sure there are some in NE and also by H St. for carpool.

Also you can find a retired neighbor or college student to take your kid to school and pick up.

Also MV offers before and aftercare and the aftercare program at 8th was pretty good with lots of different activities (art, sports, karate, chess, etc..)

Does anyone know if the new building at Calle 8 has a park ( I didn’t think to ask at the open house). The building looks like it is going to be beautiful. They said all prek will be there.

Here is the information about transportation at YY.

https://sites.google.com/view/yuyingpa/resources#h.2eicrljvzecb

There is a contact for Capital Hill/Navy Yard bus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was also at the JF Cook open house today and left with a good impression. It's a pretty nice facility and generally well-lit. Really the only obvious downside for me is that I've always heard pickup and drop-off are a nightmare there, and nothing I saw today disabused me of that notion. Still, I can see ways to make it work.

The JF Cook open house has made me want to take a closer look at Calle Ocho, but without a parent-organized bus from the Hill as Yu Ying apparently has, I don't see that commute working for us.

Haven’t heard of parent-organized buses. Can you say more about how they do that at YY?

One thing I’m noticing from tours so far and other conversations is there are a TON of Hill families interested in Spanish immersion. Some give up that desire because of the commute or don’t get in. I’m sure it’s been said before but it’s really too bad there aren’t more options in the neighborhood given how many people seem to want this.

Are people aware of fun Spanish-only summer camps that are in or close to the Hill?

I don't know a lot about it - I have not managed to make it to a YY open house and have yet to email the school (maybe today), but based on old DCUM threads and an oblique reference in this year's virtual open house presentation (describing "limited bus options") viewable on the YY website, my understanding is there is at least one parent-organized "bus" or van that runs a route from the Hill, probably from around Eastern Market. It has to be pretty dang pricey though, as even back in 2011 parents were saying it was like $220 per month (https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/297487.page). I had already written YY off after getting real about the brutal commute, but getting wind of the possibility of a bus option is putting it right back into contention if I can get confirmation. Mundo Verde Calle Ocho would probably be even higher if they had such a thing, as I can actually help a little with Spanish, unlike Mandarin.

As far as Spanish, I guess technically now the option in the neighborhood is Chisholm. I really don't know what to make of it though. The lottery results don't make a lot of sense to me and make it seem about impossible to get in OOB without preference, but then they ARE in a swing space the next two years so that in theory makes it more feasible. It's a bit of an enigma to me, and I had decided not to list it at all but now am reconsidering again.

Anonymous wrote:I was also at the JF Cook open house today and left with a good impression. It's a pretty nice facility and generally well-lit. Really the only obvious downside for me is that I've always heard pickup and drop-off are a nightmare there, and nothing I saw today disabused me of that notion. Still, I can see ways to make it work.

The JF Cook open house has made me want to take a closer look at Calle Ocho, but without a parent-organized bus from the Hill as Yu Ying apparently has, I don't see that commute working for us.

Haven’t heard of parent-organized buses. Can you say more about how they do that at YY?

One thing I’m noticing from tours so far and other conversations is there are a TON of Hill families interested in Spanish immersion. Some give up that desire because of the commute or don’t get in. I’m sure it’s been said before but it’s really too bad there aren’t more options in the neighborhood given how many people seem to want this.

Are people aware of fun Spanish-only summer camps that are in or close to the Hill?

I was also at the JF Cook open house today and left with a good impression. It's a pretty nice facility and generally well-lit. Really the only obvious downside for me is that I've always heard pickup and drop-off are a nightmare there, and nothing I saw today disabused me of that notion. Still, I can see ways to make it work.

The JF Cook open house has made me want to take a closer look at Calle Ocho, but without a parent-organized bus from the Hill as Yu Ying apparently has, I don't see that commute working for us.