Moving and school zones

[MMDad]

You already know how you feel and what you believe the right answer is for you and your kids... just go back an re-read your post in this thread.

There is nothing any of us can offer but generalizations. What works or has worked for others has nothing to do with your kids... you are the only one that can make that judgement and it sure sounds like you know what the right answer is you just hate that it is not the convenient one.

Yep.

But Socki, your kids can get a great education in a mediocre school, a good education in a crappy school, or a crappy education in a great school.

Set your priorities. Is the 3 hours a day commuting fair to the kids? If you had an extra hour per day to spend with them, could you make up for any school differences? Would spending $10 a day less for gas make things easier for you?

Is there another before/after program you can use?

 

[stockgirl]

Yep.

But Socki, your kids can get a great education in a mediocre school, a good education in a crappy school, or a crappy education in a great school.

Set your priorities. Is the 3 hours a day commuting fair to the kids? If you had an extra hour per day to spend with them, could you make up for any school differences? Would spending $10 a day less for gas make things easier for you?

Is there another before/after program you can use?

St. Mary's County does not offer many before/after school programs. There are 3 Tae Kwon Do programs. 1 in Leonardtown (where they are now), 1 in Wildewood, and 1 in California. As far as I know, there are none in the northern end of the county. If there were, that would totally be the answer for me.

 

[kwillia]

Yep.

But Socki, your kids can get a great education in a mediocre school, a good education in a crappy school, or a crappy education in a great school.

Set your priorities. Is the 3 hours a day commuting fair to the kids? If you had an extra hour per day to spend with them, could you make up for any school differences? Would spending $10 a day less for gas make things easier for you?

Is there another before/after program you can use?

I agree with MMDad... at the age they are I don't believe your decision should be made based solely on their current schooling. You are the sole parent for your kids and a long commute will have more and more impact on them as the years go by... they will need more and more of your time as they get older not less.

Kids, even special needs kids are most often times more resilient than their parents give them credit to be... you son isn't going to have a life without disruption so the best thing you can do as a parent for him is to not try so hard to protect him from such... your job is to mentor him through the disruptions, disappointments and change so that he will develop the ability to deal with things on his own... and YES that starts at elementary school ages.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

St. Mary's County does not offer many before/after school programs.

St Mary's has Boys & Girls Club. I don't know if it is offered in every school or if they have phased it out, but my daughter attended it at Park Hall a few years back. The cost was $25 for the entire school year back then. If I didn't pick my daughter up, she'd be dropped off at home between 5:30 and 6 each night.

 

[maxima87]

St Mary's has Boys & Girls Club. I don't know if it is offered in every school or if they have phased it out, but my daughter attended it at Park Hall a few years back. The cost was $25 for the entire school year back then. If I didn't pick my daughter up, she'd be dropped off at home between 5:30 and 6 each night.

They don't have it anymore. No funding. They do have an afterschool program at some of the schools, but it is need/learning based, and they select you to be in it.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

They don't have it anymore.

That's a shame. It was a good program and my daughter really enjoyed it.

 

[stockgirl]

St Mary's has Boys & Girls Club. I don't know if it is offered in every school or if they have phased it out, but my daughter attended it at Park Hall a few years back. The cost was $25 for the entire school year back then. If I didn't pick my daughter up, she'd be dropped off at home between 5:30 and 6 each night.

It has not been offered at any of the schools that my kids have gone to. Also, it would not help me considering that their school is in Lexington Park and I work in Indian Head. I really do not want to pull them out of their school or Tae Kwon Do program so I am sure that I'll continue to look in the Hollywood/Leonardtown/California/Lexington Park area.

This all sucks. I need chocolate.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

I'll continue to look in the Hollywood/Leonardtown/California/Lexington Park area.

I'll sell you my rental house. It's got a doll house with electricity for the girls.

You can also buy my big house, too; I've got my eye on something else down on the water.

 

[stockgirl]

I'll sell you my rental house. It's got a doll house with electricity for the girls.

You can also buy my big house, too; I've got my eye on something else down on the water.

Is your rental house the house that I've been to? It's a really nice house but it's a little too close to someone that I definitely do not want to live near. I saw that you were selling the doll house. I even showed the kids' grandparents the pic. They reminded me that the girls are growing way too fast and will be grown out of that stage soon.

I have seen some gorgeous houses on the water for sale. Unfortunately, they're either out of my price range or falling apart and would need too many repairs.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Is your rental house the house that I've been to?

Yep!

 

[stockgirl]

Yep!

Put it on the market. I know a few people that would probably be interested in that area. They all work on Pax and would love to have that tiny commute to work!

 

[sm8]

I can not offer much more suggestions than you already know but I am familiar with the schools in Mechanicsville. Last year Lettie Marshall Dent had a before and after school program (not sure if they do this year or not). White Marsh would be your best bet for smaller class size. Lettie Dent is running way over capacity and Mechanicsville is pushing it whether they fall in capacity or not. I was reading an article that they building a new school in Mechanicsville. I believe it will start as a Middle school and then Transition into a High school. I think the article said that would be around 2020 though so I quit reading, figured it would change 200 times between now and then.

 

[stockgirl]

I can not offer much more suggestions than you already know but I am familiar with the schools in Mechanicsville. Last year Lettie Marshall Dent had a before and after school program (not sure if they do this year or not). White Marsh would be your best bet for smaller class size. Lettie Dent is running way over capacity and Mechanicsville is pushing it whether they fall in capacity or not. I was reading an article that they building a new school in Mechanicsville. I believe it will start as a Middle school and then Transition into a High school. I think the article said that would be around 2020 though so I quit reading, figured it would change 200 times between now and then.

My issue would not be a before/after school program if I moved north. I'd be in daycare range with my schedule then. My issue is that I love the program that they're in now. It's a great deal at Black Belt. They get transportation to/from school and tae kwon do class for a decent price. My son is doing very well in the program and I'd like to keep him in it. He needs it right now. My daughter could take it or leave it. She's lost complete interest in it. But, she doesn't seem to hold interest in anything for too long.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Put it on the market. I know a few people that would probably be interested in that area. They all work on Pax and would love to have that tiny commute to work!

I plan to next year (Spring).

 

[stockgirl]

I plan to next year (Spring).

I'll alert the people that I know. Remind me in the spring. The housing market should look better for you by then. Right now it's still somewhat a buyer's market.

 

[somdfunguy]

I'll alert the people that I know. Remind me in the spring. The housing market should look better for you by then. Right now it's still somewhat a buyer's market.

Just wait, when sequester happens it will really be a buyers market.

 

[daylily]

CPCS is like a private school. It offers a small class size and is a uniform school. They also have an almost 11 month school year. All of these are things that I am just not sure if I cannot give up, or expect the kids to.

The commute is not temporary. I love this base and do not plan on leaving. I've been trying to get a job on Pax for 17 years with no luck at all. I absolutely love my job here and am finally making decent money.

Glad things are really looking UP for you. That commute must be so rough on you. But I know being successful at your job in part depends on knowing your kids are happy/doing well at school and that they're safe. If I was in your position, I'd leave them where they are and continue house hunting. I also understand what others are saying about kids being more able to adapt to change the younger they are. So if you think you're gonna pull them, sooner would be better than later.

And don't be afraid to make a low ball offer on a house, the worst they'll say is NO. Like you said, it's still a buyers market. Good luck!

 

[stockgirl]

Glad things are really looking UP for you. That commute must be so rough on you. But I know being successful at your job in part depends on knowing your kids are happy/doing well at school and that they're safe. If I was in your position, I'd leave them where they are and continue house hunting. I also understand what others are saying about kids being more able to adapt to change the younger they are. So if you think you're gonna pull them, sooner would be better than later.

And don't be afraid to make a low ball offer on a house, the worst they'll say is NO. Like you said, it's still a buyers market. Good luck!

My kids have already gone thru enough changes in their lives. I just do not want to interupt their lives again. They're doing well in the school and are getting a great education. Yes, they can adapt better at their age but I really do not want to force them to (again).

I've offered $25k less than the asking price of the house that I'm looking at now. It has been on the market for a year and has work that needs to be done. The listing agent thinks that it is a good offer. Apparently, there has only been one other offer on the house in the past year and it did not go thru based on financing reasons. It's an estate and the siblings are eager to get rid of it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because it's a great house.

 

[daylily]

My kids have already gone thru enough changes in their lives. I just do not want to interupt their lives again. They're doing well in the school and are getting a great education. Yes, they can adapt better at their age but I really do not want to force them to (again).

I've offered $25k less than the asking price of the house that I'm looking at now. It has been on the market for a year and has work that needs to be done. The listing agent thinks that it is a good offer. Apparently, there has only been one other offer on the house in the past year and it did not go thru based on financing reasons. It's an estate and the siblings are eager to get rid of it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because it's a great house.

Hope it works out for you, let us know! I know I'd accept 25k less to get rid of a house in that situation, as long as I could afford to and pay off the mortgage if there was one.

 

[stockgirl]

Hope it works out for you, let us know! I know I'd accept 25k less to get rid of a house in that situation, as long as I could afford to and pay off the mortgage if there was one.

The listing agent stated that the mortgage was nearly paid off. I'd think that they'd let it go for that price unless they want it to sit on the market for another year. It has an odd layout that has not seemed to appeal to buyers. I'm fine with the odd layout. I have a carpenter for a dad, bf, and bf's father.