What's happening at Janney?

[Anonymous]

I see they are renovating the playground at Janney. Do they plan other improvements? I see trailers in the playground and wonder if those kids will see the indoors of a classroom anytime soon.

Does anyone know, or can anyone guess, if the construction next door to the school will be finished any time soon? It's going to be a library, right?

I am considering Janney, but the physical plant concerns me and am not enthusiastic about sending my small child to a school that is a construction site.
I would love to hear from parents of children at Janney--do you like the school, construction and all?
Thanks for your insights. Perhaps the construction is not distracting at all to the children, but just a big, real-life version of Richard Scarry's "What Do People Do All Day?" on a construction site.

[Anonymous]

Janney is undergoing a major rennovation itself which will be finished in the next year. That is in addition to the new library being constructed next door. When would you be sending your child? Remember pk-4 is by lottery only, if in bounds you are not guaranteed a spot until k.

[Anonymous]

13:37 here, click on the link for more info OP, and for a link to the new plans

http://www.marycheh.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:janney-groundbreaking-press-release&catid=37:press-release&Itemid=68

[Anonymous]

The Library will be done by December. The Janney addition should also be done by December, with the remaining construction and renovations done by the end of August 2011. If you are not sending your child there for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year, you don't have to worry about construction and will have a great new facility waiting for you.

[Anonymous]

Super. This is very reassuring. Many thanks for your prompt responses.
We plan to move in-bounds for Janney next year (to start kindergarden in September 2011). Of course, that assumes we can find some place to live that we can afford in-bounds. We'll hope to rent something, perhaps.
We're still looking--the choices of Eaton vs. Janney vs. Mann are good choices and thus difficult for us. We need to be near the Metro; we're looking for community (where do parents of small children gather? At the St. Columba's playground on Albermarle? : >; and of course small classes would be nice.
I'm very grateful for this forum!

[Anonymous]

The Cheh press release cracks me up. If she'd had her way, Janney's renovations (and the library) would still be held hostage to a plan to build an apartment building on the school's soccer field. It's great to see both projects finally moving forward despite the obstacles she put in their way.

re looking for community -- Janney or Lafayette would be your best bet -- both are neighborhood schools in a big way. With Janney, that's especially true if you live in AU Park (some neighborhoods within its bounds send more kids to privates and others are split between Murch and Janney).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Super. This is very reassuring. Many thanks for your prompt responses.
We plan to move in-bounds for Janney next year (to start kindergarden in September 2011). Of course, that assumes we can find some place to live that we can afford in-bounds. We'll hope to rent something, perhaps.
We're still looking--the choices of Eaton vs. Janney vs. Mann are good choices and thus difficult for us. We need to be near the Metro; we're looking for community (where do parents of small children gather? At the St. Columba's playground on Albermarle? : >; and of course small classes would be nice.
I'm very grateful for this forum!

For small classes and a beautiful new playground, in addition to quality education, you might consider Hearst Elementary. Hearst class sizes are small and, in the early years, are capped at 20 due to its NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) accreditation. Hearst is on 39th St. behind Sidwell Friends.

[Anonymous]

OP told us s/he needs to be by a Metro, and none of Lafayette's attendance zone is truly near a Metro. Yes, it is doable for an able-bodied adult, but it's a big time commitment 2 times a day.

re looking for community -- Janney or Lafayette would be your best bet -- both are neighborhood schools in a big way. With Janney, that's especially true if you live in AU Park (some neighborhoods within its bounds send more kids to privates and others are split between Murch and Janney).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP told us s/he needs to be by a Metro, and none of Lafayette's attendance zone is truly near a Metro. Yes, it is doable for an able-bodied adult, but it's a big time commitment 2 times a day.

re looking for community -- Janney or Lafayette would be your best bet -- both are neighborhood schools in a big way. With Janney, that's especially true if you live in AU Park (some neighborhoods within its bounds send more kids to privates and others are split between Murch and Janney).

Unless it's changed recently, Lafayette's boundary used to extend all the way to Reno which can be a very quick walk to the Friendship Heights metro (4 blocks). And since she mentioned the possibility of renting, I also thought of the Ct Ave apartment buildings (15 minute walk to FH). That said, it kinda depends on who needs the subway access -- i.e. if the same parent is walking the kid to Lafayette and then walking to the subway, I agree it's a non-starter. But if one parent heads to Lafayette and another to the Metro, it's quite do-able.

[Anonymous]

Here is link to boundary maps. Lafayette western boundary is Conn Ave on this map (dated August 2009).

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Learn+About+Schools/Tools+and+Resources/Boundary+Maps