Washington Park vs. Cherry Hills Village

[tfox]

Originally Posted by Sters

How are the schools in Washington Park? I'm from out of state and am trying to get a handle on Denver public schools, or does Washington Park have their own??? What is the difference between east and west?

Schools are DPS. It's not so much that DPS is uniformly terrible; in fact, Steele elementary, one of the Elementary schools for Wash Park (mostly the eastern side), is generally agreed to be a very good elementary school. It's just that DPS is kind of hit or miss: schools can be excellent or they can be awful, or in-between and you have to do a lot of research to figure out how to navigate the system.

What I say about DPS is that it's pretty easy to find a good elementary school, but great high schools are harder to find. East High is probably the best in DPS, and South High is actually decent, but a lot of parents avoid South because it's so big and there's such a wide range of kids there -- everyone from super achievers to fresh-off-the-boat, so it's a bit overwhelming (the latter definitely bring average CSAP scores down to middling ranges, which doesn't look good on paper). I think a lot of the well-heeled parents are willing to use DPS for elementary, but by the time High School rolls around, they either choice into different DPS schools, sign up for charters, choice out of DPS entirely, send to private school, or move to the suburbs.

[dj32]

Steele is thought of as a good elementary school, and getting better given the affluence of the people moving into wash park who want their kids to go to that school. There is a lot of parent involvment.

East Wash Park is more expensive, more SFH, larger homes (usually) than West Wash Park. West Wash Park is still nice, I think it is a bit younger, usually more renters (but renting from owners versus complexes or things like that). I know that STeele is the school for West Wash Park but there is a dividing line on that side so check the boundary. West Wash Park is closer to highway and light rail but East Wash Park has more shops (GAylord STreet), festivals (GAylord) and closer to University and Cherry Creek. Hope that helps.


I am the original poster and since that time, we've stayed put in Wash Park vs. moving down to CHV... but still contemplating a move down that way but likely Southern Hills or Cherry Hills Heights. NOt sure. I will say that our neighborhood has held it's own even with the recent slump, there is still much construction- new build and renovations- here. So I don't think you can go wrong from an investment perspective. Some deals to be had too though right now- ESPECIALLY on "pop-tops" or renovated bungalows.