Why is Murch accepting so many OOB students?

[Anonymous]

Are there any limits to classroom size?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

For now. Which means either bigger classes or cramming extra class rooms into other space (or trailers), right?

there will be no space on the grounds for trailers, it is next to houses and a public park. They couldn't add a third classroom to each grade.

As demonstrated by Murch and Lafayette (and counsel others, I'm sure) there is always space for trailers, if that is what has to be done. Even if it means taking up some play space (for example, the blue top at Lafayette).

They found room for trailers at Key and Stoddert after renovations. There's always room for trailers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

For now. Which means either bigger classes or cramming extra class rooms into other space (or trailers), right?

there will be no space on the grounds for trailers, it is next to houses and a public park. They couldn't add a third classroom to each grade.

As demonstrated by Murch and Lafayette (and counsel others, I'm sure) there is always space for trailers, if that is what has to be done. Even if it means taking up some play space (for example, the blue top at Lafayette).

They found room for trailers at Key and Stoddert after renovations. There's always room for trailers.

Yup, first you lose teacher parking, then playground space, then they cut down trees, then more playground space, then the outdoor classroom and garden, and so on ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

That's another well planned renovation- 2classes per grade? Here come the trailers... Just give it a year or two.

[Anonymous]

Still looking for the source of this rumor -- is everybody arguing about something that isn't really happening?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

That's another well planned renovation- 2classes per grade? Here come the trailers... Just give it a year or two.

They could put trailers all over the Hearst Rec Center soccer field, to vastly increase the number of OOB students who can get a slot at a WOTP elementary school, and a punched thru ticket to overcrowded Deal and Wilson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still looking for the source of this rumor -- is everybody arguing about something that isn't really happening?

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Learn+About+Schools/Lottery+and+Admissions:+Apply+to+Our+Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still looking for the source of this rumor -- is everybody arguing about something that isn't really happening?

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Learn+About+Schools/Lottery+and+Admissions:+Apply+to+Our+Schools

If I'm reading that right, grades K-2 accepted 10 OOB students each, and grades 3-5 accepted 5 each. So that's 45, not 60. And I've still seen no evidence that it's going to result in more classes and more trailers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

For now. Which means either bigger classes or cramming extra class rooms into other space (or trailers), right?

Right. And while semantically correct that Hearst did not expand the new building enrollment beyond the capacity of the old building and the trailers, they had added trailers as enrollment (80 plus % out of boundary students) grew.

Essentially DCPS has enlarged a school knowing that it is some distance from where the overwhelming majority of the students live. Wouldn't a smarter decision have been to modernize and improve the local schools in the neighborhoods where the kids actually live?

Hearst used to be only a primary school (K-2) and the kids moved to either Janney or Murch at 3rd grade. The renovation was to provide space for all elementary grades, previously served using trailers.

Hearst should go back to serving the purpose it was created for -- particularly with the high demand for pre-k 4 in the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

For now. Which means either bigger classes or cramming extra class rooms into other space (or trailers), right?

Right. And while semantically correct that Hearst did not expand the new building enrollment beyond the capacity of the old building and the trailers, they had added trailers as enrollment (80 plus % out of boundary students) grew.

Essentially DCPS has enlarged a school knowing that it is some distance from where the overwhelming majority of the students live. Wouldn't a smarter decision have been to modernize and improve the local schools in the neighborhoods where the kids actually live?

Hearst used to be only a primary school (K-2) and the kids moved to either Janney or Murch at 3rd grade. The renovation was to provide space for all elementary grades, previously served using trailers.

That is true (PK-3, but whatever; and several years ago). But what you are talking about doesn't really involve a net increase in kids. If Hearst stopped at 3rd grade, then Janney and Murch would have to be that much larger. Janney's growth is almost entirely IB, and despite this thread Murch's is not far behind. So those schools would be even more overcrowded. Hearst would take in at early grades the same mix of IB/OOB kids as it does now, and the same number of OOB kids would continue on through the feeder. Yes, maybe Hearst (because it wouldn't have them) and Murch (because it would have intake from Hearst) wouldn't take OOB kids at 4th and 5th grade but I doubt much of that is happening anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember two years ago when DCPS did the language push on schools? The Murch principal asked parents and the Deal principal what was most useful for the kids as a special, language or geography? Geography it was which is now in the rotation with music, art, library and gym on the specials schedule.

Murch also has an outstanding full-immersion five-day a week after school program (CLS) in three languages -- Spanish, Italian, and French. It is an ideal option for bilingual students (there are special sections for native speakers) and families interested in full immersion for fluency and comprehension.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

For now. Which means either bigger classes or cramming extra class rooms into other space (or trailers), right?

Right. And while semantically correct that Hearst did not expand the new building enrollment beyond the capacity of the old building and the trailers, they had added trailers as enrollment (80 plus % out of boundary students) grew.

Essentially DCPS has enlarged a school knowing that it is some distance from where the overwhelming majority of the students live. Wouldn't a smarter decision have been to modernize and improve the local schools in the neighborhoods where the kids actually live?

Hearst used to be only a primary school (K-2) and the kids moved to either Janney or Murch at 3rd grade. The renovation was to provide space for all elementary grades, previously served using trailers.

That is true (PK-3, but whatever; and several years ago). But what you are talking about doesn't really involve a net increase in kids. If Hearst stopped at 3rd grade, then Janney and Murch would have to be that much larger. Janney's growth is almost entirely IB, and despite this thread Murch's is not far behind. So those schools would be even more overcrowded. Hearst would take in at early grades the same mix of IB/OOB kids as it does now, and the same number of OOB kids would continue on through the feeder. Yes, maybe Hearst (because it wouldn't have them) and Murch (because it would have intake from Hearst) wouldn't take OOB kids at 4th and 5th grade but I doubt much of that is happening anyway.

The upper grades would not have to go to Murch. They coukd go to nearby Eaton, which in fact used to be the arrangement. Eaton has capacity to handle an expanded IB area, as more than 60 percent of its enrollment is out of boundary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

For now. Which means either bigger classes or cramming extra class rooms into other space (or trailers), right?

Right. And while semantically correct that Hearst did not expand the new building enrollment beyond the capacity of the old building and the trailers, they had added trailers as enrollment (80 plus % out of boundary students) grew.

Essentially DCPS has enlarged a school knowing that it is some distance from where the overwhelming majority of the students live. Wouldn't a smarter decision have been to modernize and improve the local schools in the neighborhoods where the kids actually live?

Hearst used to be only a primary school (K-2) and the kids moved to either Janney or Murch at 3rd grade. The renovation was to provide space for all elementary grades, previously served using trailers.

That is true (PK-3, but whatever; and several years ago). But what you are talking about doesn't really involve a net increase in kids. If Hearst stopped at 3rd grade, then Janney and Murch would have to be that much larger. Janney's growth is almost entirely IB, and despite this thread Murch's is not far behind. So those schools would be even more overcrowded. Hearst would take in at early grades the same mix of IB/OOB kids as it does now, and the same number of OOB kids would continue on through the feeder. Yes, maybe Hearst (because it wouldn't have them) and Murch (because it would have intake from Hearst) wouldn't take OOB kids at 4th and 5th grade but I doubt much of that is happening anyway.

Hearst has significantly fewer IB kids. You could make Hearst the pre-k to 2nd or 3rd grade alternative for Murch and Janney. Murch and Janney would then have significantly fewer grades and kids. The expectation that children should start school at 4 is increasing the pressure on schools that were already at capacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

For now. Which means either bigger classes or cramming extra class rooms into other space (or trailers), right?

Right. And while semantically correct that Hearst did not expand the new building enrollment beyond the capacity of the old building and the trailers, they had added trailers as enrollment (80 plus % out of boundary students) grew.

Essentially DCPS has enlarged a school knowing that it is some distance from where the overwhelming majority of the students live. Wouldn't a smarter decision have been to modernize and improve the local schools in the neighborhoods where the kids actually live?

Hearst used to be only a primary school (K-2) and the kids moved to either Janney or Murch at 3rd grade. The renovation was to provide space for all elementary grades, previously served using trailers.

That is true (PK-3, but whatever; and several years ago). But what you are talking about doesn't really involve a net increase in kids. If Hearst stopped at 3rd grade, then Janney and Murch would have to be that much larger. Janney's growth is almost entirely IB, and despite this thread Murch's is not far behind. So those schools would be even more overcrowded. Hearst would take in at early grades the same mix of IB/OOB kids as it does now, and the same number of OOB kids would continue on through the feeder. Yes, maybe Hearst (because it wouldn't have them) and Murch (because it would have intake from Hearst) wouldn't take OOB kids at 4th and 5th grade but I doubt much of that is happening anyway.

Hearst has significantly fewer IB kids. You could make Hearst the pre-k to 2nd or 3rd grade alternative for Murch and Janney. Murch and Janney would then have significantly fewer grades and kids. The expectation that children should start school at 4 is increasing the pressure on schools that were already at capacity.

Or more realistically you could just change the boundaries! But that didn't go over so well at either Janney or Murch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This will not happen at Hearst because there is only room for 2 classes per grade even in the new school.

For now. Which means either bigger classes or cramming extra class rooms into other space (or trailers), right?

Right. And while semantically correct that Hearst did not expand the new building enrollment beyond the capacity of the old building and the trailers, they had added trailers as enrollment (80 plus % out of boundary students) grew.

Essentially DCPS has enlarged a school knowing that it is some distance from where the overwhelming majority of the students live. Wouldn't a smarter decision have been to modernize and improve the local schools in the neighborhoods where the kids actually live?

Hearst used to be only a primary school (K-2) and the kids moved to either Janney or Murch at 3rd grade. The renovation was to provide space for all elementary grades, previously served using trailers.

That is true (PK-3, but whatever; and several years ago). But what you are talking about doesn't really involve a net increase in kids. If Hearst stopped at 3rd grade, then Janney and Murch would have to be that much larger. Janney's growth is almost entirely IB, and despite this thread Murch's is not far behind. So those schools would be even more overcrowded. Hearst would take in at early grades the same mix of IB/OOB kids as it does now, and the same number of OOB kids would continue on through the feeder. Yes, maybe Hearst (because it wouldn't have them) and Murch (because it would have intake from Hearst) wouldn't take OOB kids at 4th and 5th grade but I doubt much of that is happening anyway.

Hearst has significantly fewer IB kids. You could make Hearst the pre-k to 2nd or 3rd grade alternative for Murch and Janney. Murch and Janney would then have significantly fewer grades and kids. The expectation that children should start school at 4 is increasing the pressure on schools that were already at capacity.

Or more realistically you could just change the boundaries! But that didn't go over so well at either Janney or Murch.

My point in stating the history was simply to respond to a PP who asserted that that Hearst was being expanded to provide room for OOB students. That is not true, it was being expanded to account for a full slate of elementary grades. I apologize if I got the schools students previously transitioned into wrong.

There is a benefit to a single school from Pk-5.