Zoning Lafayette out of Deal/Wilson - is this real?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given how well Hardy is progressing, moving Eaton to Hardy seems like the right move, in retrospect. Hearst could be moved to Hardy, next, and while parents would squawk, they'd still have access to a good school.

I think it makes little sense, given logistics of the map, to move Lafayette away from Deal. Janney, LaFayette, and Murch are the most logical schools to go to Deal because of their proximity. But it makes even LESS sense for Bancroft and Shepherd to go there, as they're even farther away. Obviously, the only reasons Bancroft and Shepherd go there are for purposes of equity and politics.

The most elegant solution would be to send Hearst to Hardy and Bancroft and Shepherd to the new Hines. But that won't happen except for Hearst, so the next best solution to the Deal/Wilson overcrowding problem would be to send the expanded Hardy to a new High School, which would also take on Francis-Stevens. But where's the real estate for it?

The old Duke Ellington track on Reservoir Road. It's still owned by DCPS and the site is actually bigger than the block DESA is currently located.

Unfortunately, I think this Mayor has firmly put her foot down against any new by-right schools opening in Ward 3 and western parts of Ward 2. Her constituency won't stand for it, due to the racial optics and equity arguments. She has said in community meetings that she wants to focus on opening more all-city application schools. I think this is the only type of new school you will WoTP.

Still, your proposal is an interesting one. There would definitely be a strong cohort for Hardy to feed to a brand new high school, if they included Hearst and Francis Stevens. However, the Hardy site is very small without much room at all for expansion. It's way smaller than Deal. I believe projections show that Hardy will hit their capacity in the next 2-3 years. So including any other elementary schools would require an expansion to Hardy. They could cannibalize the tennis courts with a couple trailers, but that's about it.

-Burleith Family

Or you could convert Duke Ellington to a normal school. Problem solved.

Honestly? This suggestion is not helpful. It represents a pie-in-the-sky fantasy and an old way of thinking. My elderly neighbors mention this suggestion and city officials roll their eyes and shake their heads. The city already overspent on DESA; they are not going to spend another $20-30m to convert the school. Converting it would require major construction.

When you say something like this, you’re immediately rejected as clueless by the city. DESA is the crown jewel and won’t let you touch. WoTP families (not elderly retirees) need to get serious about a viable option to Wilson HS. Hardy will be bursting at the seams by the time my baby is ready for MS, I’m scared to see what Wilson looks like. Families need to get organized and act before DCPS/The Mayor try to sell off the DESA track to Georgetown Univ, a developer, or a charter.

-Burleith Family

That’s bullsh@t. DE enrollment is mainly students who live outside of DC. It is a joke. Under 200 students who live in DC attend the school. What a waste of resources. It shows what is wrong with DCPS. You do not need to do major construction to “convert” it to a regular school. The physical plant is fine. No need for new construction. The city officials who roll their eyes need to be removed. DE is a shining example of a white elephant that is DCPS.

Your little harebrained scheme to build a new school at the track/athletic school near Georgetown is crazy. I can see the city officials patting you on the head and telling you to sit down and let the adults talk. It would never in a million years happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given how well Hardy is progressing, moving Eaton to Hardy seems like the right move, in retrospect. Hearst could be moved to Hardy, next, and while parents would squawk, they'd still have access to a good school.

I think it makes little sense, given logistics of the map, to move Lafayette away from Deal. Janney, LaFayette, and Murch are the most logical schools to go to Deal because of their proximity. But it makes even LESS sense for Bancroft and Shepherd to go there, as they're even farther away. Obviously, the only reasons Bancroft and Shepherd go there are for purposes of equity and politics.

The most elegant solution would be to send Hearst to Hardy and Bancroft and Shepherd to the new Hines. But that won't happen except for Hearst, so the next best solution to the Deal/Wilson overcrowding problem would be to send the expanded Hardy to a new High School, which would also take on Francis-Stevens. But where's the real estate for it?

The old Duke Ellington track on Reservoir Road. It's still owned by DCPS and the site is actually bigger than the block DESA is currently located.

Unfortunately, I think this Mayor has firmly put her foot down against any new by-right schools opening in Ward 3 and western parts of Ward 2. Her constituency won't stand for it, due to the racial optics and equity arguments. She has said in community meetings that she wants to focus on opening more all-city application schools. I think this is the only type of new school you will WoTP.

Still, your proposal is an interesting one. There would definitely be a strong cohort for Hardy to feed to a brand new high school, if they included Hearst and Francis Stevens. However, the Hardy site is very small without much room at all for expansion. It's way smaller than Deal. I believe projections show that Hardy will hit their capacity in the next 2-3 years. So including any other elementary schools would require an expansion to Hardy. They could cannibalize the tennis courts with a couple trailers, but that's about it.

-Burleith Family

The Mayor has a tedancy to put her food down without thinking it through and it comes back to bite her often. She needs to learn the policital art of giving herself wiggle room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You would be right anywhere else. But this is DC. And white people with money don't have as much political power here, relatively. On Election Day, people running for Dc citywide offices are not campaigning in Ward 3. They’re in Wards 4, 7, and 8.

I don’t disagree but Lafayette is in Ward 4 (its doors literally open on Ward 3, but that’s a different story). Wards 7 and 8 have much much bigger problems and will only care if their OOB seats are removed. Ward 3 will likely stay neutral since part of Lafayette is in-bounds. Ward 5-6 couldn’t care less. So now anyone proposing redistributing has to content with a bunch of extremely well-connected, massively pissed off families who are likely to drum up some kind of anti-discrimination lawsuit. Meanwhile, DC gets whiter every year and the political leverage of the African American community is getting increasingly concentrated in 7-8, see above re: bigger problems.

By the next boundary review in 2023 there won’t be any Ward 7 or 8 kids at Deal or Wilson. The feeders are not taking anymore OOB kids. There will be no OOB seats to remove.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given how well Hardy is progressing, moving Eaton to Hardy seems like the right move, in retrospect. Hearst could be moved to Hardy, next, and while parents would squawk, they'd still have access to a good school.

I think it makes little sense, given logistics of the map, to move Lafayette away from Deal. Janney, LaFayette, and Murch are the most logical schools to go to Deal because of their proximity. But it makes even LESS sense for Bancroft and Shepherd to go there, as they're even farther away. Obviously, the only reasons Bancroft and Shepherd go there are for purposes of equity and politics.

The most elegant solution would be to send Hearst to Hardy and Bancroft and Shepherd to the new Hines. But that won't happen except for Hearst, so the next best solution to the Deal/Wilson overcrowding problem would be to send the expanded Hardy to a new High School, which would also take on Francis-Stevens. But where's the real estate for it?

The old Duke Ellington track on Reservoir Road. It's still owned by DCPS and the site is actually bigger than the block DESA is currently located.

Unfortunately, I think this Mayor has firmly put her foot down against any new by-right schools opening in Ward 3 and western parts of Ward 2. Her constituency won't stand for it, due to the racial optics and equity arguments. She has said in community meetings that she wants to focus on opening more all-city application schools. I think this is the only type of new school you will WoTP.

Still, your proposal is an interesting one. There would definitely be a strong cohort for Hardy to feed to a brand new high school, if they included Hearst and Francis Stevens. However, the Hardy site is very small without much room at all for expansion. It's way smaller than Deal. I believe projections show that Hardy will hit their capacity in the next 2-3 years. So including any other elementary schools would require an expansion to Hardy. They could cannibalize the tennis courts with a couple trailers, but that's about it.

-Burleith Family

Or you could convert Duke Ellington to a normal school. Problem solved.

Honestly? This suggestion is not helpful. It represents a pie-in-the-sky fantasy and an old way of thinking. My elderly neighbors mention this suggestion and city officials roll their eyes and shake their heads. The city already overspent on DESA; they are not going to spend another $20-30m to convert the school. Converting it would require major construction.

When you say something like this, you’re immediately rejected as clueless by the city. DESA is the crown jewel and won’t let you touch. WoTP families (not elderly retirees) need to get serious about a viable option to Wilson HS. Hardy will be bursting at the seams by the time my baby is ready for MS, I’m scared to see what Wilson looks like. Families need to get organized and act before DCPS/The Mayor try to sell off the DESA track to Georgetown Univ, a developer, or a charter.

-Burleith Family

That’s bullsh@t. DE enrollment is mainly students who live outside of DC. It is a joke. Under 200 students who live in DC attend the school. What a waste of resources. It shows what is wrong with DCPS. You do not need to do major construction to “convert” it to a regular school. The physical plant is fine. No need for new construction. The city officials who roll their eyes need to be removed. DE is a shining example of a white elephant that is DCPS.

Your little harebrained scheme to build a new school at the track/athletic school near Georgetown is crazy. I can see the city officials patting you on the head and telling you to sit down and let the adults talk. It would never in a million years happen.

Whatever you think is wrong with DCPS does not matter. The fact of the matter is that DCPS is not going to let anyone mess with DESA. I’ve been inside the campus multiple times for musicals and community meetings; it’s set up as a school for the arts. There’s lots of open spaces that would need major construction to convert into subdivided classroom space. You’d need to spend a lot of money to covert it to a normal HS.

DCPS has surplus property in Ward 2 (underused DESA track & field) and Ward 3 (Old Hardy site). Parents are better off focusing on these pieces of land for future capacity. It seems that parent outcry has already slowed down - if not practically stopped - the Old Hardy giveaway. This Mayor knows Ward 3 schools bursting at the seams, but there needs to be increased pressure from families and residents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the key to reducing overcrowding in Deal/Wilson, and creating a very good middle school in the new Wells middle right of the bat, is the cohort of students at Lafayette, Bancroft, and Shepherd. Those three schools make a very well performing cohort (in terms of academics) of students. Push them over to Wells, and you've got a compelling new school. Take them out of Deal/Wilson, and the overcrowding problem is solved. I think it's a pretty good deal, from an outsider's perspective.

Bancroft is physically closer to MacFarland and as a bilingual school, it makes more sense for it to go there with all the other immersion programs. Oyster should also feed to MacFarland--by doing so, the Adams building will be freed up for elementary students, which in turn would allow more kids to be eligible for MacFarland. DCPS could use some of the extra space to add PK3 and additional PK4 seats at Oyster.

[Anonymous]

I have a kid in Deal 6th grade and another one in early elementary and honestly I'd be thrilled to be rezoned with our elementary school peers to a smaller middle school that isn't Deal.
What is with the Deal worship? Lafayette parents--it isn't that great! It's massive and often chaotic. Teachers barely know who my kid is. There's little order in any classroom. We have to stay on top of things because assignments go missing, grades are entered incorrectly, etc.
Teachers are uneven--some are amazing. Some are horrible. I have a large number of friends with kids in the school (from our feeder elementary) and we almost universally think the same thing. Deal is fine. Nothing more.

From someone at Deal--don't cling to it like it's the end-all-be-all of schools. I'd personally welcome a chance for my kids to go to a smaller middle school and somewhat regret not trying to lottery for 7th. I personally think the folks zoned for
Hardy have it best. Seriously, if my younger kid was at Lafayette I'd be thrilled at the idea that the school might be rezoned for something smaller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in Deal 6th grade and another one in early elementary and honestly I'd be thrilled to be rezoned with our elementary school peers to a smaller middle school that isn't Deal.
What is with the Deal worship? Lafayette parents--it isn't that great! It's massive and often chaotic. Teachers barely know who my kid is. There's little order in any classroom. We have to stay on top of things because assignments go missing, grades are entered incorrectly, etc.
Teachers are uneven--some are amazing. Some are horrible. I have a large number of friends with kids in the school (from our feeder elementary) and we almost universally think the same thing. Deal is fine. Nothing more.

From someone at Deal--don't cling to it like it's the end-all-be-all of schools. I'd personally welcome a chance for my kids to go to a smaller middle school and somewhat regret not trying to lottery for 7th. I personally think the folks zoned for
Hardy have it best. Seriously, if my younger kid was at Lafayette I'd be thrilled at the idea that the school might be rezoned for something smaller.

And you would want your kids to go to Coolidge too? It’s not just Deal we’re talking about - it’s access to Wilson too.

[Anonymous]

Make Wisconsin Avenue the dividing line for Deal-Wilson. The schools on same side of Wisconsin Avenue go to Deal and Wilson. The others go to Cardozo or Roosevelt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in Deal 6th grade and another one in early elementary and honestly I'd be thrilled to be rezoned with our elementary school peers to a smaller middle school that isn't Deal.
What is with the Deal worship? Lafayette parents--it isn't that great! It's massive and often chaotic. Teachers barely know who my kid is. There's little order in any classroom. We have to stay on top of things because assignments go missing, grades are entered incorrectly, etc.
Teachers are uneven--some are amazing. Some are horrible. I have a large number of friends with kids in the school (from our feeder elementary) and we almost universally think the same thing. Deal is fine. Nothing more.

From someone at Deal--don't cling to it like it's the end-all-be-all of schools. I'd personally welcome a chance for my kids to go to a smaller middle school and somewhat regret not trying to lottery for 7th. I personally think the folks zoned for
Hardy have it best. Seriously, if my younger kid was at Lafayette I'd be thrilled at the idea that the school might be rezoned for something smaller.

Note that this IS NOT A Lafayette parent. It’s someone who’s kid is not going to go to Wells/Coolidge who thinks the school is too overcrowded for her kid!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in Deal 6th grade and another one in early elementary and honestly I'd be thrilled to be rezoned with our elementary school peers to a smaller middle school that isn't Deal.
What is with the Deal worship? Lafayette parents--it isn't that great! It's massive and often chaotic. Teachers barely know who my kid is. There's little order in any classroom. We have to stay on top of things because assignments go missing, grades are entered incorrectly, etc.
Teachers are uneven--some are amazing. Some are horrible. I have a large number of friends with kids in the school (from our feeder elementary) and we almost universally think the same thing. Deal is fine. Nothing more.

From someone at Deal--don't cling to it like it's the end-all-be-all of schools. I'd personally welcome a chance for my kids to go to a smaller middle school and somewhat regret not trying to lottery for 7th. I personally think the folks zoned for
Hardy have it best. Seriously, if my younger kid was at Lafayette I'd be thrilled at the idea that the school might be rezoned for something smaller.

Note that this IS NOT A Lafayette parent. It’s someone who’s kid is not going to go to Wells/Coolidge who thinks the school is too overcrowded for her kid!

Yes, I'm not and never said I was. Just a Deal parent bringing the on-the-ground perspective that Deal isn't that great. That perhaps having an alternative might just be an improvement! I know, go ahead and write off what I'm saying because it seems self-serving. Well, don't worry
I have zero actual influence. What I'm saying is just my opinion for the purpose of this message board. I wish my kids had a different option and and knowing what Deal is like, I wouldn't fear if they were redistricted with a peer group to Hardy or Wells.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in Deal 6th grade and another one in early elementary and honestly I'd be thrilled to be rezoned with our elementary school peers to a smaller middle school that isn't Deal.
What is with the Deal worship? Lafayette parents--it isn't that great! It's massive and often chaotic. Teachers barely know who my kid is. There's little order in any classroom. We have to stay on top of things because assignments go missing, grades are entered incorrectly, etc.
Teachers are uneven--some are amazing. Some are horrible. I have a large number of friends with kids in the school (from our feeder elementary) and we almost universally think the same thing. Deal is fine. Nothing more.

From someone at Deal--don't cling to it like it's the end-all-be-all of schools. I'd personally welcome a chance for my kids to go to a smaller middle school and somewhat regret not trying to lottery for 7th. I personally think the folks zoned for
Hardy have it best. Seriously, if my younger kid was at Lafayette I'd be thrilled at the idea that the school might be rezoned for something smaller.

Note that this IS NOT A Lafayette parent. It’s someone who’s kid is not going to go to Wells/Coolidge who thinks the school is too overcrowded for her kid!

Yes, I'm not and never said I was. Just a Deal parent bringing the on-the-ground perspective that Deal isn't that great. That perhaps having an alternative might just be an improvement! I know, go ahead and write off what I'm saying because it seems self-serving. Well, don't worry
I have zero actual influence. What I'm saying is just my opinion for the purpose of this message board. I wish my kids had a different option and and knowing what Deal is like, I wouldn't fear if they were redistricted with a peer group to Hardy or Wells.

Thank you PP. We are going to Deal in fall and had similar concerns. We tried for Hardy but were not successful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make Wisconsin Avenue the dividing line for Deal-Wilson. The schools on same side of Wisconsin Avenue go to Deal and Wilson. The others go to Cardozo or Roosevelt.

I think you mean Connecticut Avenue. You'd get less squawk that way. Divide and conquer!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in Deal 6th grade and another one in early elementary and honestly I'd be thrilled to be rezoned with our elementary school peers to a smaller middle school that isn't Deal.
What is with the Deal worship? Lafayette parents--it isn't that great! It's massive and often chaotic. Teachers barely know who my kid is. There's little order in any classroom. We have to stay on top of things because assignments go missing, grades are entered incorrectly, etc.
Teachers are uneven--some are amazing. Some are horrible. I have a large number of friends with kids in the school (from our feeder elementary) and we almost universally think the same thing. Deal is fine. Nothing more.

From someone at Deal--don't cling to it like it's the end-all-be-all of schools. I'd personally welcome a chance for my kids to go to a smaller middle school and somewhat regret not trying to lottery for 7th. I personally think the folks zoned for
Hardy have it best. Seriously, if my younger kid was at Lafayette I'd be thrilled at the idea that the school might be rezoned for something smaller.

Note that this IS NOT A Lafayette parent. It’s someone who’s kid is not going to go to Wells/Coolidge who thinks the school is too overcrowded for her kid!

Yes, I'm not and never said I was. Just a Deal parent bringing the on-the-ground perspective that Deal isn't that great. That perhaps having an alternative might just be an improvement! I know, go ahead and write off what I'm saying because it seems self-serving. Well, don't worry
I have zero actual influence. What I'm saying is just my opinion for the purpose of this message board. I wish my kids had a different option and and knowing what Deal is like, I wouldn't fear if they were redistricted with a peer group to Hardy or Wells.

Thank you PP. We are going to Deal in fall and had similar concerns. We tried for Hardy but were not successful.

DP here:
It’s pretty crazy to read that people are trying to get out of Deal so they can lottery into the smaller Hardy. The tables have turned! Just 4 years ago, your post was unimaginable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in Deal 6th grade and another one in early elementary and honestly I'd be thrilled to be rezoned with our elementary school peers to a smaller middle school that isn't Deal.
What is with the Deal worship? Lafayette parents--it isn't that great! It's massive and often chaotic. Teachers barely know who my kid is. There's little order in any classroom. We have to stay on top of things because assignments go missing, grades are entered incorrectly, etc.
Teachers are uneven--some are amazing. Some are horrible. I have a large number of friends with kids in the school (from our feeder elementary) and we almost universally think the same thing. Deal is fine. Nothing more.

From someone at Deal--don't cling to it like it's the end-all-be-all of schools. I'd personally welcome a chance for my kids to go to a smaller middle school and somewhat regret not trying to lottery for 7th. I personally think the folks zoned for
Hardy have it best. Seriously, if my younger kid was at Lafayette I'd be thrilled at the idea that the school might be rezoned for something smaller.

Note that this IS NOT A Lafayette parent. It’s someone who’s kid is not going to go to Wells/Coolidge who thinks the school is too overcrowded for her kid!

Yes, I'm not and never said I was. Just a Deal parent bringing the on-the-ground perspective that Deal isn't that great. That perhaps having an alternative might just be an improvement! I know, go ahead and write off what I'm saying because it seems self-serving. Well, don't worry
I have zero actual influence. What I'm saying is just my opinion for the purpose of this message board. I wish my kids had a different option and and knowing what Deal is like, I wouldn't fear if they were redistricted with a peer group to Hardy or Wells.

Thank you PP. We are going to Deal in fall and had similar concerns. We tried for Hardy but were not successful.

DP here:
It’s pretty crazy to read that people are trying to get out of Deal so they can lottery into the smaller Hardy. The tables have turned! Just 4 years ago, your post was unimaginable.

Hardy is where Hearst was 5 years ago. Now at Hearst there are 20 IB on the PK4 waitlist and once the 5th grade class leaves it will be 95% IB. Once a school flips parents will flock to it. And they will pick the smaller school almost every time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in Deal 6th grade and another one in early elementary and honestly I'd be thrilled to be rezoned with our elementary school peers to a smaller middle school that isn't Deal.
What is with the Deal worship? Lafayette parents--it isn't that great! It's massive and often chaotic. Teachers barely know who my kid is. There's little order in any classroom. We have to stay on top of things because assignments go missing, grades are entered incorrectly, etc.
Teachers are uneven--some are amazing. Some are horrible. I have a large number of friends with kids in the school (from our feeder elementary) and we almost universally think the same thing. Deal is fine. Nothing more.

From someone at Deal--don't cling to it like it's the end-all-be-all of schools. I'd personally welcome a chance for my kids to go to a smaller middle school and somewhat regret not trying to lottery for 7th. I personally think the folks zoned for
Hardy have it best. Seriously, if my younger kid was at Lafayette I'd be thrilled at the idea that the school might be rezoned for something smaller.

Wait a minute!! Are you asserting there are pros and cons to every school? DCUM isn’t for you. It’s an binary world here. Schools are awesome or terrible. Children are brilliant or stupid. Children are angels or thugs. Please take reality someplace else!

Wells might have feeders with lower scores but less students so more individual attention. Also we know that assessment tests aren’t good predictors of much.