Surplussing the old Hardy School

[Anonymous]

This week's Northwest Current has an article on the front page that the Lab School is proposing that the old Hardy School on Foxhall Road be "surplussed" so that Lab can enter into a 25-year lease. This just seems crazy on the face of it. As far as I know, this is the only DCPS-owned building in all of Ward 3 that DCPS is not using. Every single public school in Ward 3 is over capacity, some of them dramatically. The three closest schools -- Key, Mann and Stoddert -- are all among the most crowded in the city. The latest demographic projections from the Office of Planning are for the school-age population of DC to increase by 45% in the next ten years. Giving this building away to a private school just seems the height of irresponsibility.

(Note: this is not the current Hardy Middle School on Wisconsin Avenue in Burleith. This is a building at Foxhall and Q that was the Hardy school from the mid-1930's until 1995).

[Anonymous]

MoCo resident here. Learn from us, DC, and do NOT let your schools go. Don't sell and offer only short-term leases.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it makes sense. There must be someone you can write to about this?

[Anonymous]

That building has been a private school for 18 years. In addition, this city needs quality special ed environments more desperately than it needs less crowded classrooms in Glover Park. While I strongly support keeping public space for public schools, I don't have a problem with this particular decision.

[Anonymous]

That's great 21:44. Then let lab school build a school from the ground up. Or purchase a building. Not crazy -- the other SN schools have done this, and so have certain independents that have only come into existence in the past ~50 years. Burke, field, gds, Sheridan's new iteration.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's great 21:44. Then let lab school build a school from the ground up. Or purchase a building. Not crazy -- the other SN schools have done this, and so have certain independents that have only come into existence in the past ~50 years. Burke, field, gds, Sheridan's new iteration.

The actual DCPS Hardy building is completely renovated and less than 20% in-boundary. Is Lab School leasing the property DCPS hasn't used in years or getting it for free? How much would it cost DCPS to gut the current building (no cafeteria or gym, less than 200 kids) and convert it to a viable DCPS school of 400? The DCPS website may not be 100% correct, but these are the numbers that have to be looked at in light of spending across the city and not just in ward 3 (where I live with two children). In no particular order, Key (375, 84% IB), Mann (286, 87% IB), Stoddert (368, 84% IB)schools, Hyde-Addison (332, 37% IB)

It's not that our ward 3 children don't deserve a good school close to home. However, as a (high) taxpayer, I don't see how a decent sized DCPS elementary school on Foxhall could be filled in the area without cannibalizing the other elementary schools in the immediate area. A middle school? Maybe we should discuss this when Hardy is more than 40% in-boundary.

Before we spend more public money to improve the elementary school convenience of some of us, I'd rather see our (my) revenue spent on balancing resources across the middle and high schools that could benefit all of our children in DC. Tearing down and rebuilding the Lab school Foxhall site would do little to increase the overall capacity of public schools in the face of charter school growth.

DC is not MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's not that our ward 3 children don't deserve a good school close to home. However, as a (high) taxpayer, I don't see how a decent sized DCPS elementary school on Foxhall could be filled in the area without cannibalizing the other elementary schools in the immediate area.

Cannibalizing, or relieving crowding? Every school in Ward 3 is overcrowded. What's going to happen if the projections are true and DC adds 30,000 students in the next 10 years? DC is going to need to either add an average of 250 kids to every existing school, or open about 50 new schools. The Ward 3 schools can't take any more kids, let alone 250 each.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It's not that our ward 3 children don't deserve a good school close to home. However, as a (high) taxpayer, I don't see how a decent sized DCPS elementary school on Foxhall could be filled in the area without cannibalizing the other elementary schools in the immediate area.

Cannibalizing, or relieving crowding? Every school in Ward 3 is overcrowded. What's going to happen if the projections are true and DC adds 30,000 students in the next 10 years? DC is going to need to either add an average of 250 kids to every existing school, or open about 50 new schools. The Ward 3 schools can't take any more kids, let alone 250 each.

If the projections are true, and in-bounders enroll in local schools, there will just be fewer out-of-bound slots. Current crowding is not due to excess IB children (except possibly Janney)
I don't see why the Lab School shouldn't have a chance to lease, but their rent should be appropriate for the area, not a give-away

[Anonymous]

Aren't excessed schools supposed to go to bid to charters first?

[Anonymous]

Don't excess a school in this part of town. DCPS will desperately need it within a few years (and actually, I think they need it now).

[Anonymous]

Didnt the Lab school already get a lease in 2008? Is it up for renewal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didnt the Lab school already get a lease in 2008? Is it up for renewal

According to the article they are trying to get a 25-year extension.

[Anonymous]

They can ask for the moon too. No reason to give it to them.

[Anonymous]

Anyone know where citizens can put in their two cents to say "no", a petition or something? DCPS needs more of these buildings, not less.

[Anonymous]

Is this article online? Link?