Brent rebuild details to know before you accept that lottery spot

[Anonymous]

DCPS and the Brent principal surprised parents before spring break announcing that the swing space for the Brent modernization will be at Meyer in Columbia Heights and will now be two years instead of the expected 18 months. The plan now calls for kids to be on a bus an hour earlier than current drop off because of the significant bus time/traffic issues. It’s the furthest swing space DCPS has ever assigned.

They’re pretty dismissive of a much more preferable spot at RFK — or anywhere else that would keep drop off times normal, make it possible for parents to get to school during the day for appointments or events, and would keep the strong Brent community together.

We took a lottery spot last year and are now looking to drop out, but of course this was all rolled out when it was too late for the lottery this year.

This is more of a PSA — we feel burned and people should know before they make decisions.

[Anonymous]

Wow I am so sorry, PP. That is incredibly frustrating. I wish I could say I can't believe DCPS would do that but... of course I believe it. That's terrible.

[Anonymous]

Yikes. Mayer was where CHML was placed and it caused craziness with their waitlist when 50%+ of the ECE left once it was apparent how awful the bus drive was (in a bus with no seatbelts for 3 year olds). They offered 160ish folks spots to fill 50 seats — including 50ish in September alone. It took 45 minutes - 1 hour during morning traffic. Brent is quite a bit farther!

[Anonymous]

Kids on a bus for an hour a day. Drop off at even 7:45 am is going to mean a 6:30 wake up. How is that good for learning? Imagine a 5 year old doing that every day. Just insanity.

It’s currently a walkable Hill school. This seems like it takes the worst parts of DCPS you put up with and combines it with the worst part of a suburban school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes. Mayer was where CHML was placed and it caused craziness with their waitlist when 50%+ of the ECE left once it was apparent how awful the bus drive was (in a bus with no seatbelts for 3 year olds). They offered 160ish folks spots to fill 50 seats — including 50ish in September alone. It took 45 minutes - 1 hour during morning traffic. Brent is quite a bit farther!

Agreed, I thought of this too. We wound up lotterying for CHML during their second year in the swing space and then wound up not caring when our terrible lottery number meant we had no shot at getting in, because by them we'd heard from multiple neighbors about the awful bus situation for PK kids. It was a blessing in disguise for sure.

[Anonymous]

What is the argument against the space near RFK?

Honestly, they should postpone a year and use the NE swing space that SWS used. I believe JO Wilson is moving into it soon for their renovation, but I think they are further along in the process? That space is nice and a much easier commute across the Hill instead of through the heart of the city.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear this. We left Brent last year, after 10 years at the school. Is the PTA challenging? Have they got Ward 6 lobbying DCPS for more workable solution? Why Columbia Heights when they were talking about a trailer village in Garfield Park just last year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the argument against the space near RFK?

Honestly, they should postpone a year and use the NE swing space that SWS used. I believe JO Wilson is moving into it soon for their renovation, but I think they are further along in the process? That space is nice and a much easier commute across the Hill instead of through the heart of the city.

Also at Brent and from what we’ve been able to tell — there isn’t one?

It’s been confusing and it happened right before spring break, so most people I know are still seeing how it plays out. Nobody is really sure how it happened or why Norah is *so* dug in.

The only thing she’s said so far is that she wants people to swallow it so she can trade for changes she wants to the new building. A community garden is the one thing she said. But clearly this can’t be over a community garden? She warned against burning bridges with DCPS, but to us this is exactly the fight we should be having.

They also claimed, but were rightfully corrected, that there wouldn’t be busses to RFK. Which by DCPS policy just isn’t true.

I have heard that there are conversations with parents at A-B, which is also due for modernization and got a bad space. A-B has already been working with Charles Allen and there may be a way to combine for a new space at RFK.

[Anonymous]

What's the target date for moving to the swing space?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's the target date for moving to the swing space?

2025-2026 to 2026-2027

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the target date for moving to the swing space?

2025-2026 to 2026-2027

If they bumped to 2026 to start renovations, they could have the NE swing space JOW is moving into.

Also, JOW was also told by DCPS at some point that they'd be bussing to a NW swing space (probably the same one), but DCPS relented. So nothing is set in stone. You're still a year out and there's room to maneuver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the argument against the space near RFK?

Honestly, they should postpone a year and use the NE swing space that SWS used. I believe JO Wilson is moving into it soon for their renovation, but I think they are further along in the process? That space is nice and a much easier commute across the Hill instead of through the heart of the city.

Also at Brent and from what we’ve been able to tell — there isn’t one?

It’s been confusing and it happened right before spring break, so most people I know are still seeing how it plays out. Nobody is really sure how it happened or why Norah is *so* dug in.

The only thing she’s said so far is that she wants people to swallow it so she can trade for changes she wants to the new building. A community garden is the one thing she said. But clearly this can’t be over a community garden? She warned against burning bridges with DCPS, but to us this is exactly the fight we should be having.

They also claimed, but were rightfully corrected, that there wouldn’t be busses to RFK. Which by DCPS policy just isn’t true.

I have heard that there are conversations with parents at A-B, which is also due for modernization and got a bad space. A-B has already been working with Charles Allen and there may be a way to combine for a new space at RFK.

LOL. Bussing for an hour for a community garden. That is not sound thinking! Taking on one on time sink for the privilege of being saddled with another time sink...

This swing space idea is simply unacceptable, and the parents need to be unified and unrelenting on this.

It's hard not to believe that DCPS just really wants to blow things up sometimes. Like, "Gee, that school has a nice community. It's not equitable for those people to be happy with their school!"

[Anonymous]

Ugh, another "community garden" that will be unkempt and unused.

What happened to the Emery space, why is that not available?

[Anonymous]

wow that is terrible!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the argument against the space near RFK?

Honestly, they should postpone a year and use the NE swing space that SWS used. I believe JO Wilson is moving into it soon for their renovation, but I think they are further along in the process? That space is nice and a much easier commute across the Hill instead of through the heart of the city.

Also at Brent and from what we’ve been able to tell — there isn’t one?

It’s been confusing and it happened right before spring break, so most people I know are still seeing how it plays out. Nobody is really sure how it happened or why Norah is *so* dug in.

The only thing she’s said so far is that she wants people to swallow it so she can trade for changes she wants to the new building. A community garden is the one thing she said. But clearly this can’t be over a community garden? She warned against burning bridges with DCPS, but to us this is exactly the fight we should be having.

They also claimed, but were rightfully corrected, that there wouldn’t be busses to RFK. Which by DCPS policy just isn’t true.

I have heard that there are conversations with parents at A-B, which is also due for modernization and got a bad space. A-B has already been working with Charles Allen and there may be a way to combine for a new space at RFK.

this is worth burning bridges over.