Hyde-Addison

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, my well-educated, high-earning household will likely rank Hyde-Addison higher for an OOB spot in an upper grade if it's at Meyer. And our kid is not likely to hurt your precious PARCC scores or classroom decorum. We'll be plenty involved at whatever school we get in to. But if that's what you mean by a shell of a school, bring it on.

One could be forgiven for thinking that there are those out there supporting moving H-A to Meyer because it will make the school less attractive and improve your chances of getting a lottery slot. You accuse H-A parents of dramatizing the situation, but what background knowledge do you bring to bear that enables you so much insight into how the swing will affect the quality of H-A? In the absence of that, though, apply basic logic. Unless the current school population is wholesale replaced by families local to Shaw, average engagement is practically guaranteed to drop off as both IB and OOB parents just cannot get to the school as much. This will make the school worse, but will indeed make it easier to lottery into. Maybe that makes for winning politics in this town, but it's also a formula for reproducing the mediocrity (to be generous) that has long characterized the city's school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh good Lord. Let's stop with the dramatics. Decimated. A shell of what it was. Enough. When in the hell with one H-A poster say what their plan is since Meyer IS the plan?

All of the parents I've talked to plan to chase lottery slots at other schools or, if they can, go private.

There are only what? 133 IB kids at H-A? Seems like there are a lot of kids to keep the school community together even if ALL lottery (not gonna happen) or go private (not gonna happen). You do know that privates already have full classes as do schools close to H-A. You will be fighting each other for the 1-2 spots per grade that may open up. Meyer is looking good right about now huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Meyer is looking good right about now huh?

If one covets a lottery slot at H-A, then, yes, Meyer looks great. For the school's current community, it's a major downgrade from the status quo.

[Anonymous]

Your kids' education doesn't matter...that was proved last night. Just keep them ignorant and uneducated and they'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OOB parents choose the extra commute. IB parents should have a reasonable expectation that they can attend a neighborhood school when they purchase or rent a home in that neighborhood.

If you bought a home on Capitol Hill for the school, and then DCPS told you a two year renovation would send your kids to Tenleytown every day (after assuring you for two years that children would remain on campus for the renovation), you would be upset. H-A parents have a right to be upset, and certainly have a right to challenge the decision.

Your property and income tax dollars go to DCPS, not your local IB school. And while you are guaranteed a IB slot -- which already gives you a lot of privilege, since your IB school is so highly sought after --you are not guaranteed special privileges in the overall system based on your address. Inconveniences happen in DCPS and not just to you. Not a catastrophe unless you turn it into one.

NP here: It became "highly sought after" because of where it is.

No doubt you are an OOB parent who was lucky enough to get the truly "special privilege" of attending out of bounds. Now you want the school to come closer to you without paying up for it. You, too, would be irked if you liked your IB school and it moved a 20 minutes (30 min at rush hour) away from you.

No, you are wrong. I am a native Georgetowner who attended Hyde decades ago when it was almost entirely OOB; very few local families would touch it, despite its location. My child went to Hyde decades later, when IB kids made up 20% on a good day, and the school was repeatedly faced with budget cuts and closure. Hyde, and now Hyde-Addison, is a great school because IB families like mine, and *many* dedicated OOB families, spent countless hours working with (and usually fighting) DCPS to make it that way. Newcomers "stumbled upon" a school that was built from the ground up and made excellent by all of us who came before. You may not know that Addison happened thanks to one dedicated IB parent/ANC rep. I am sorry that no local swing space seems to be feasible, but it looks like that is the case. DCPS bungled the message, but that is no surprise to me. Are you are scared of a (temporary) commute to a part of town you probably do not know and have never visited? If the swing were, say, at or near Wilson, and it took as long to get there, would you be equally concerned? The commute time is far from unreasonable. There are no boogeymen at Meyer. You will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Or not. Plenty of willing families will take those spots and happily move back to H-A in two years.

. . . to a school that is a shell of what it was before. Said school may well be better than other options, but certainly not what it could have been had DCPS handled this better,

Nope, it will be fine. If the current crop of outraged parents leave, H-A will attract many very engaged new families (OOB and IB) eager to partake of an upgraded, appealing school environment. You may find your other options not much more attractive than two years of a not unreasonable commute for a fantastic neighborhood school thereafter. You might even grow fond of Meyer in the meantime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, my well-educated, high-earning household will likely rank Hyde-Addison higher for an OOB spot in an upper grade if it's at Meyer. And our kid is not likely to hurt your precious PARCC scores or classroom decorum. We'll be plenty involved at whatever school we get in to. But if that's what you mean by a shell of a school, bring it on.

One could be forgiven for thinking that there are those out there supporting moving H-A to Meyer because it will make the school less attractive and improve your chances of getting a lottery slot. You accuse H-A parents of dramatizing the situation, but what background knowledge do you bring to bear that enables you so much insight into how the swing will affect the quality of H-A? In the absence of that, though, apply basic logic. Unless the current school population is wholesale replaced by families local to Shaw, average engagement is practically guaranteed to drop off as both IB and OOB parents just cannot get to the school as much. This will make the school worse, but will indeed make it easier to lottery into. Maybe that makes for winning politics in this town, but it's also a formula for reproducing the mediocrity (to be generous) that has long characterized the city's school system.

Fantasy speculation. Check out the competition and get back to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Meyer is looking good right about now huh?

If one covets a lottery slot at H-A, then, yes, Meyer looks great. For the school's current community, it's a major downgrade from the status quo.

Oh, please. Two years of a commute a few miles across town and you cannot cope? You do not speak for the whole community anyway, only for yourself. And BTW many, many families covet those slots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, please. Two years of a commute a few miles across town and you cannot cope?

As others have written, the problem is not Meyer per se. It's that the decision-making process and the total lack of information that has followed that decision - all amidst a DCPS that is in major upheaval - has deprived all but a hardy few in the school community of any confidence that DCPS in its current form will effectively manage the logistics of what will be a very complex swing operation. It may well not be that bad, but it could be truly awful and an extrapolation of past performance suggests a higher probability of the latter. And that will damage a great school for many years beyond the swing and all for what, a gym instead of a playground? No one in the school community "can't cope". We just can't see that the potential short- and long-term costs for the school of this swing as it is currently conceived will outweigh the benefits it offers. And we're exercising our civic right to aggregate and articulate those views.

Anonymous wrote:You do not speak for the whole community anyway, only for yourself. And BTW many, many families covet those slots.

I have yet to meet a H-A parent who supports the swing to Meyer. All who have communicated any opinion at all are disgusted by what's going on. While I indeed don't claim to speak for anyone but myself, all that I know indicates that these sentiments are representative of the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope, it will be fine. If the current crop of outraged parents leave, H-A will attract many very engaged new families (OOB and IB) eager to partake of an upgraded, appealing school environment.

So, after two years, H-A will attract new IB families that currently opt not to send their kids to H-A? These families will be attracted to the school because it will now posses a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a very well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

And this, of course, assumes that the quality of education at H-A holds throughout the swing. Given what the cross-town swings will likely do to enrollment, parental engagement, commute times, and the other myriad factors that factor into how well schools perform, that's a herculean assumption.

Anonymous wrote:You may find your other options not much more attractive than two years of a not unreasonable commute for a fantastic neighborhood school thereafter. You might even grow fond of Meyer in the meantime.

Is this DME Niles that I'm talking to? H-A will be a "fantastic neighborhood school thereafter" because - and I realize I'm not repeating myself - it will thereafter possess a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, it will be fine. If the current crop of outraged parents leave, H-A will attract many very engaged new families (OOB and IB) eager to partake of an upgraded, appealing school environment.

So, after two years, H-A will attract new IB families that currently opt not to send their kids to H-A? These families will be attracted to the school because it will now posses a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a very well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

And this, of course, assumes that the quality of education at H-A holds throughout the swing. Given what the cross-town swings will likely do to enrollment, parental engagement, commute times, and the other myriad factors that factor into how well schools perform, that's a herculean assumption.

Anonymous wrote:You may find your other options not much more attractive than two years of a not unreasonable commute for a fantastic neighborhood school thereafter. You might even grow fond of Meyer in the meantime.

Is this DME Niles that I'm talking to? H-A will be a "fantastic neighborhood school thereafter" because - and I realize I'm not repeating myself - it will thereafter possess a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

Dude, you're writing is insufferably precious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, it will be fine. If the current crop of outraged parents leave, H-A will attract many very engaged new families (OOB and IB) eager to partake of an upgraded, appealing school environment.

So, after two years, H-A will attract new IB families that currently opt not to send their kids to H-A? These families will be attracted to the school because it will now posses a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a very well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

And this, of course, assumes that the quality of education at H-A holds throughout the swing. Given what the cross-town swings will likely do to enrollment, parental engagement, commute times, and the other myriad factors that factor into how well schools perform, that's a herculean assumption.

Anonymous wrote:You may find your other options not much more attractive than two years of a not unreasonable commute for a fantastic neighborhood school thereafter. You might even grow fond of Meyer in the meantime.

Is this DME Niles that I'm talking to? H-A will be a "fantastic neighborhood school thereafter" because - and I realize I'm not repeating myself - it will thereafter possess a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

Dude, you're writing is insufferably precious.

Actually, I think the "precious" writer makes an excellent point. This is the first poster who has raised the issue of the final result. In other words: why swing? As a former Hyde-Addison parent, I've looked at the drawings, and it does seem to be that there will not be much of a schoolyard once this project
is complete. As it is, the outdoor space is not expansive, but it is well used, and outdoor space is important for young children. Seems the new building will be a bulky insertion between the two existing buildings, but I cannot get a sense of the massing.

I might be tempted to join the chorus of "You'll get through, it's only two years" if I thought children would be swinging back from Meyer into an improved
space. But I am not sure in any event that it makes sense to reduce already limited outdoor space for "a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym".
But I am a former parent of Hyde-Addison, a school I knew well and still love. I guess current parents need to step back, look at the plans, and decide what's best. Lots to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, it will be fine. If the current crop of outraged parents leave, H-A will attract many very engaged new families (OOB and IB) eager to partake of an upgraded, appealing school environment.

So, after two years, H-A will attract new IB families that currently opt not to send their kids to H-A? These families will be attracted to the school because it will now posses a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a very well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

And this, of course, assumes that the quality of education at H-A holds throughout the swing. Given what the cross-town swings will likely do to enrollment, parental engagement, commute times, and the other myriad factors that factor into how well schools perform, that's a herculean assumption.

Anonymous wrote:You may find your other options not much more attractive than two years of a not unreasonable commute for a fantastic neighborhood school thereafter. You might even grow fond of Meyer in the meantime.

Is this DME Niles that I'm talking to? H-A will be a "fantastic neighborhood school thereafter" because - and I realize I'm not repeating myself - it will thereafter possess a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

No, not Niles, I have never met her. I'm an IB parent who has probably experienced a lot more DCPS craziness than you so my experience is different. I doubt seriously you will be seeing the mass IB exodus you warn so ominously about because the alternatives just aren't very attractive/affordable/feasible (tried to enroll your kid in a private school lately?). In two years there will be new IB families in Georgetown, even if some leave due to the swing to Meyer. H-A anyway is and will remain majority OOB so DCPS is not wildly concerned about the entitlement mentality of some IB parents - and that unfortunately is what it looks like when you guys continue to kvetch about how badly you have been treated. No one said working with DCPS would be easy and I assure you it probably never will be, even when things appear to be going well. But this is the stark reality of public school in DC. At least you are getting upgrades, not cutbacks. What you see as an ugly new building represents what many families lobbied for and dreamed about for years: a real gym, a gathering and theater space, a real cafeteria. A school this size needs those things but space and funds are tight. I think you and others who are so unhappy about the Meyer swing need to make your voices heard loud and clear, and not just dwell on your unhappiness that you weren't informed, not enlightened, given no time to decide, etc. That is just petulance at this stage. Tell Miles know that you would rather keep the status quo than go forward with the project. DCPS will certainly be able to use the funds elsewhere. But if you can't pull that off, you need to make the best of it, or leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope, it will be fine. If the current crop of outraged parents leave, H-A will attract many very engaged new families (OOB and IB) eager to partake of an upgraded, appealing school environment.

So, after two years, H-A will attract new IB families that currently opt not to send their kids to H-A? These families will be attracted to the school because it will now posses a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a very well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

And this, of course, assumes that the quality of education at H-A holds throughout the swing. Given what the cross-town swings will likely do to enrollment, parental engagement, commute times, and the other myriad factors that factor into how well schools perform, that's a herculean assumption.

Anonymous wrote:You may find your other options not much more attractive than two years of a not unreasonable commute for a fantastic neighborhood school thereafter. You might even grow fond of Meyer in the meantime.

Is this DME Niles that I'm talking to? H-A will be a "fantastic neighborhood school thereafter" because - and I realize I'm not repeating myself - it will thereafter possess a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym in a space that is now occupied by a well-utilized kickball court, jungle gym, swings, and a basketball court? Surely, you can't be serious.

Dude, you're writing is insufferably precious.

Another former H-A parent here. It would be a shame to lose the outdoor space and the long kickball tradition. Too bad they could not have built an addition leaving the original playground largely intact.

Actually, I think the "precious" writer makes an excellent point. This is the first poster who has raised the issue of the final result. In other words: why swing? As a former Hyde-Addison parent, I've looked at the drawings, and it does seem to be that there will not be much of a schoolyard once this project
is complete. As it is, the outdoor space is not expansive, but it is well used, and outdoor space is important for young children. Seems the new building will be a bulky insertion between the two existing buildings, but I cannot get a sense of the massing.

I might be tempted to join the chorus of "You'll get through, it's only two years" if I thought children would be swinging back from Meyer into an improved
space. But I am not sure in any event that it makes sense to reduce already limited outdoor space for "a horrendously ugly new building and a mutant gym".
But I am a former parent of Hyde-Addison, a school I knew well and still love. I guess current parents need to step back, look at the plans, and decide what's best. Lots to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: No, not Niles, I have never met her. I'm an IB parent who has probably experienced a lot more DCPS craziness than you so my experience is different. I doubt seriously you will be seeing the mass IB exodus you warn so ominously about because the alternatives just aren't very attractive/affordable/feasible (tried to enroll your kid in a private school lately?).

This is the unknown. Many parents that I've talked to have indicated that they plan to pursue other options, such as lotterying out, moving, and/or going private. I take them at face value, but you are right that these options may prove to be unrealistic. An exodus is probably less than likely, but the risk is there, particularly if DCPS continues to keep the information flow to a minimum.

Anonymous wrote: In two years there will be new IB families in Georgetown, even if some leave due to the swing to Meyer. H-A anyway is and will remain majority OOB so DCPS is not wildly concerned about the entitlement mentality of some IB parents - and that unfortunately is what it looks like when you guys continue to kvetch about how badly you have been treated.

I'm not sure that the OOB parents will be much less likely to opt out. Those who work in the vicinity of Georgetown, are on the 30 line, and/or have kids at Hardy will experience the inconvenience every bit as much as the IB parents, if not more. Working parents that depend on before- and/or after-care (and enrichment activities) put together by the H-A PTA will presumably be completely SOL, although no one really knows because DCPS has provided no information whatsoever about how the logistics of the swings will work - all that has been said about busing to and from Meyer has been said on this site.

No one is "kvetching". We just don't have any clue why anyone in DCPS thinks that swinging to Meyer will be a net positive for the school. We'd much rather them allocate the funding to a worthier project than do lasting damage to H-A if they can't organize a proper swing.

Anonymous wrote: No one said working with DCPS would be easy and I assure you it probably never will be, even when things appear to be going well. But this is the stark reality of public school in DC. At least you are getting upgrades, not cutbacks. What you see as an ugly new building represents what many families lobbied for and dreamed about for years: a real gym, a gathering and theater space, a real cafeteria. A school this size needs those things but space and funds are tight.

And that's more or less the point. With the limitations on the space and funds, the potential benefits are somewhat limited. Add in the likelihood of delays and overruns because this is DCG and unanticipated complications because this is Georgetown and this quickly turns into a boondoggle of questionable worth. As far as I can see, this won't go before the Old Georgetown Board for permitting until later this year. From all I know about them and from what I can see of what the new building will look like, I have my doubts whether that they'd sign off on this as it now stands anyway.

Anonymous wrote: I think you and others who are so unhappy about the Meyer swing need to make your voices heard loud and clear, and not just dwell on your unhappiness that you weren't informed, not enlightened, given no time to decide, etc. That is just petulance at this stage. Tell Miles know that you would rather keep the status quo than go forward with the project. DCPS will certainly be able to use the funds elsewhere. But if you can't pull that off, you need to make the best of it, or leave.

We are try to tell them. From all appearances, they don't listen.