Anonymous
08/22/2018 21:56
Subject: Elementary School Recommendations for Family moving to DC from Australia
Anonymous wrote:
As the other PP said, it's Rock Creek Park that runs north-south through the city. Due to Washington's history of segregation, the areas west of RCP (WOTP) are the historically whiter, wealthier ones, where the public schools have a longer history of upper middle class attendance and are therefore generally high performing. They are more suburban in character and have lower levels of violent crime. They are also the areas where upper middle class international families tend to gravitate, partly due to the fact that most embassies are west of the park, but there are also many international transplants in those neighborhoods who have no connections to the embassies.
Neighborhoods east of RCP (EOTP) will be more urban, more racially diverse, have more crime, and generally lower performing schools (although there are some high performing schools EOTP as well). This is not to say that they are unsafe (most are not), but there is definitely more violent crime than WOTP if you look at the statistics (google DC crime map if this is of concern to you). Some neighborhoods EOTP are also rather suburban, but many will be more interesting in terms of restaurants and bars and have more of a feel of being in the city.
Since the best public middle schools and the only good public high school in DC are WOTP, I would recommend settling there. Yes, it is true that there is a dedicated bus that takes kids to Deal/Wilson from feeder neighborhoods EOTP, but if you live in AU Park/Tenleytown, or in the eastern parts of Chevy Chase DC, your kids will be able to walk or bike to school, which in my opinion is invaluable.
Disagree. Wilson is a great school, but it's not for everyone (not even everyone on DCUM, who generally are 5 years behind progress in this city).
You are right, that should have said the only good public by-right high school. There are application schools as well.
Anonymous
08/22/2018 21:53
Subject: Elementary School Recommendations for Family moving to DC from Australia
As the other PP said, it's Rock Creek Park that runs north-south through the city. Due to Washington's history of segregation, the areas west of RCP (WOTP) are the historically whiter, wealthier ones, where the public schools have a longer history of upper middle class attendance and are therefore generally high performing. They are more suburban in character and have lower levels of violent crime. They are also the areas where upper middle class international families tend to gravitate, partly due to the fact that most embassies are west of the park, but there are also many international transplants in those neighborhoods who have no connections to the embassies.
Neighborhoods east of RCP (EOTP) will be more urban, more racially diverse, have more crime, and generally lower performing schools (although there are some high performing schools EOTP as well). This is not to say that they are unsafe (most are not), but there is definitely more violent crime than WOTP if you look at the statistics (google DC crime map if this is of concern to you). Some neighborhoods EOTP are also rather suburban, but many will be more interesting in terms of restaurants and bars and have more of a feel of being in the city.
Since the best public middle schools and the only good public high school in DC are WOTP, I would recommend settling there. Yes, it is true that there is a dedicated bus that takes kids to Deal/Wilson from feeder neighborhoods EOTP, but if you live in AU Park/Tenleytown, or in the eastern parts of Chevy Chase DC, your kids will be able to walk or bike to school, which in my opinion is invaluable.
Disagree. Wilson is a great school, but it's not for everyone (not even everyone on DCUM, who generally are 5 years behind progress in this city).
We are living very very inner city in Melbourne at the moment in a crammed two bedroom terrace so figuring out the lifestyle that suits everyone (as they grow up, too) is going to be really important. Many friends have recommended Brookland and Takoma Park. How are the ES in those areas? Since my daughter will be going straight into either 1st or 2nd and my son will be going straight into kindergarten, we are looking for calm, friendly and dedicated teaching staffs.