Do you think Shepherd Elementary will become/is becoming more diverse?

[Anonymous]

Couldn't agree more. There is plenty of parking in the neighborhood (one of my favorite things about living here). There is a 2 hour residential max. I understand the frustration of friends on 14th, Kalmia and Jonquil. Commuters have parked in the neighborhood for access to metro (and other parts south and east when Walter Reed was open). Most of our friends are more irritated with the MD adult soccer players that come park (facing wrong way etc), but at the end of the day its a public street. We are a little entitled and sheltered and don't realize how good we have it with regards to parking. Especially when most of us have off street parking.

I didn't get the parking thing until we had a guest who parked in front of our neighbor's house (because that was the way her car was facing, when we drove up the street.) Then, when my neighbor asked me why a car with out of state plates was parked in front of her house... I realized this was a thing. For what it is worth, we don't use any of our parking options, which are many and varied. Do employees at Shepherd have permits to park in the area? My neighbors are all happy now, because they can park in front of our house. I have a guest permit that I do not use. I am and remain completely confused why this is an issue in an area with almost no retail, plentiful parking, alleys, garages, and so on. That being said, I also have a friend on the block next to the park with no parking... and for them, I sympathize--so much that I've offered them some of our parking a few blocks away.

But I don't understand, given all that, the frustration of folks on 14th, jonquil, or kalmia. Frankly, the proximity of an elementary school and a park seems like a feature that would outweigh parking crap--especially since most of these houses have garages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, the more I think about the parking thing, the more I think, "Is it me, or you?" Is it the community, for being so NIMBY they can't manage to have cars that are not their cars parked in front of their house for ten minutes in the morning? Is it the parents who drive their kids to school, who are dedicated for doing so, but can't manage to also walk an extra block, or use the car drop off line thing? Is the community outraged that employees are parking on Kalmia, even along the side of the street that extends for quite some time with no houses on it? Look, the parking thing. I really, really do not get it. It is a massive disconnect. I am not judging, but I am genuinely, genuinely completely confused.

I live in the neighborhood near the school. The older residents probably dislike others parking and have the NIMBY-thing going on. I have no issues with parking on the street. I do have an issue with parents double parking on 14th St in front of the school and parents making u-turns in the middle of 14th St. I have an issue with both these behaviors because I think it is totally unsafe and fear a child getting hit. Parents need to stop being so lazy. Park legally and WALK your child in.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, street parking would be a super-easy thing for DCPS to fix for its teachers. All teachers in DCPS & DCPS charter can apply to get a special Teacher Parking Pass (like the Visitor Passes you can get for your nanny or contractor). The pass enables them to park from 7 to 7 on residential streets, regardless of what RPP (Residential Parking Permit) area they happen to be in. I also work in development and building underground parking for a school in that low density of a neighborhood is a [/b]grossly negligent[b] misuse of funds.

Wait. Are you saying they don't have this???? This is insane. I am really, really trying here not to be like, "in New York we walk 20 miles through the snow with half your funding and we like it," but... deep breaths. In a city with crap transit, where most of its teaching population is commuting in from its exurbs.... and it has tons of residential low density neighborhoods with street parking... look. Look at silver spring. Do you see how many empty parking garages that town has? And, to give them some credit, they also manage to bus their children to school--I'm just saying.

DC parents are insanely dedicated, those that can afford it, or have the time for it--sending their kids across district lines, across zones, miles from where they are zoned to go to school. And DC can't even accomodate the teachers with parking passes? Are you kidding me?

[Anonymous]

I live in the neighborhood near the school. The older residents probably dislike others parking and have the NIMBY-thing going on. I have no issues with parking on the street. I do have an issue with parents double parking on 14th St in front of the school and parents making u-turns in the middle of 14th St. I have an issue with both these behaviors because I think it is totally unsafe and fear a child getting hit. Parents need to stop being so lazy. Park legally and WALK your child in.

I agree, and the school, to its credit, has something called "carpool" (which we in more reasonable places might think means that kids are carpooling to school....) but here means that there are employees of the school picking kids out of cars on 14th street and escorting them into school. Walking is so rare that they have a "school walking day," wherein they encourage parents to drop their children off about six blocks from the school... and walk them in from there.

I am not trying to say that these efforts are bad, I am just... genuinely... look, I still feel like outsider about them--and as one--I am like, wtf.

[Anonymous]

Walk to School day is a national event!

[Anonymous]

Why is participation in a national event considered a WTF? Also, Yu Ying, Lowell and Mundo Verde "pick" kids out of cars.

Statements such as 22:39 are the main reason you can't listen to most of the shit on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Why is participation in a national event considered a WTF? Also, Yu Ying, Lowell and Mundo Verde "pick" kids out of cars.

Yeah... and that's... great. Good job, guys. For me, it's a wtf. It's my issue, I'm sure it's my issue. The rest of the country is totally fine with driving their children to school... so they can walk a few blocks to school once a year. Good job.

[Anonymous]

I am, however, just for the sake of argument here, pointing out that you could walk another block (in the case of Shepherd)--or have your child walk another block alone (I know, right? Horrors! Even though there is a crossing guard!!!) at any time during the year, even if it is not "walk your child to school day," and your child would probably live. I'm not saying you should do this if they are 3... but all you people with 3 year olds IB could probably walk the entire way, because the neighborhood, it's not that big and you're all in bound for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am, however, just for the sake of argument here, pointing out that you could walk another block (in the case of Shepherd)--or have your child walk another block alone (I know, right? Horrors! Even though there is a crossing guard!!!) at any time during the year, even if it is not "walk your child to school day," and your child would probably live. I'm not saying you should do this if they are 3... but all you people with 3 year olds IB could probably walk the entire way, because the neighborhood, it's not that big and you're all in bound for it.

8 blocks each way is a long walk for a 3 year old. Also some of us work so adding 40 minutes to morning routine is not an option. I get where you're going with this, but why are you being so nasty about it?

[Anonymous]

I'm not trying to be nasty, but I am saying that you could park 2 blocks away (our block, for example, which has ample parking at all times) and walk a 3 year old to school. Do you think that shepherd adding underground, or aboveground parking would significantly impact your commute time?

[Anonymous]

(We also, by the way, have a 40 minute commute to work... but we walk the kid to school. Granted, it's a short walk. You are welcome to our street parking and the walk as well.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not trying to be nasty, but I am saying that you could park 2 blocks away (our block, for example, which has ample parking at all times) and walk a 3 year old to school. Do you think that shepherd adding underground, or aboveground parking would significantly impact your commute time?

Not at all, but you did say "you can walk the entire way"

We don't have issues with parking whatsover. We feel lucky that the school is pretty accessible. You're right, if you have issues, park a block away. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Why is participation in a national event considered a WTF? Also, Yu Ying, Lowell and Mundo Verde "pick" kids out of cars.

Yeah... and that's... great. Good job, guys. For me, it's a wtf. It's my issue, I'm sure it's my issue. The rest of the country is totally fine with driving their children to school... so they can walk a few blocks to school once a year. Good job.

You just got called out on your ridiculous post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:(We also, by the way, have a 40 minute commute to work... but we walk the kid to school. Granted, it's a short walk. You are welcome to our street parking and the walk as well.)

No saying adding 40 minutes of walking (20 minutes to/5 min drop off/15 min walk back home) before I even get in car to start work commute. Don't need help with parking as I have no issues walking a block if needed. When kid gets older and can walk faster, we will likely walk. Isn't Shepherd only like 30% IB anyway? Most of the people dropping off don't live in the neighborhood or are like me and live 7-8 blocks away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not 100% sure but I think the initial renovation plans called for underground parking. I'm with you; I hope they don't touch the green space if they do get that funding restored. It would be nice though, as it's often a bit chaotic in the mornings, and off-street parking for staff would free up street parking for families.

FWIW, I think families are especially pushing for the other renovations--at the last PTA meeting, the kitchen and cafeteria seemed to be a bigger focus of concern for safety and health reasons. For example, right now the kitchen is only a "heat and eat" kitchen that doesn't allow cooking/preparation of meals onsite. Also, the gym renovations were cut out, so there's a push to get that addressed as well (e.g., stage is not ADA-compliant for kids or staff w/disabilities).

Well, underground parking sounds insane. If they were building that, I'd really wonder what they're spending money for. Underground parking in a neighborhood with plentiful street parking???? Really? I'm there every day. At drop off, the blocks surrounding Shepherd are covered about halfways by cars parked with room for more cars. We are talking nominal convenience at most here, in a neighborhood that is otherwise low traffic.

I think a new kitchen and cafeteria sound nice.... but then again, when I look at the DCPS menus that Shepherd currently uses with whatever the caterer is, the choices don't look awful. This is my opinion only. I agree, more gym renovations would be nice. And I really don't know. We are new to the school. I'm not opposed to any of these renovations, but I'm also not outraged that they've been taken away.

All things are subjective... but for me, honestly, the fact that they have a music teacher from Oberlin and no musical instruments trumps parking in an area where there's plentiful street parking. Get those kids some instruments. As I said, these things are all subjective, and probably come from different funding pools... but this is where I'd focus concern.

IB PK PP quoted here. I dunno--perhaps we're not making our case strongly enough, or maybe you're just a stubborn NYer (I also have family in NYC).

If you go to the school website and click on the renovations letter template link, you'll see the rationale for the renovations push laid out in more detail. A good group of parents--many of whom are also new to the school, including myself--have been working hard on putting together a justification for the full renovations. Several people have been out asking parents to sign petitions at dropoff in the mornings, asking people to send letters and testify downtown, etc. So there is a lot going into it, and I think if you read the full rationale it will be more convincing.

I agree that the parking issue may not sound like the most compelling case on its face, but it's a safety issue--parents and staff are sometimes forced to illegally park in fire lanes, and it's pretty chaotic some mornings (although, I don't think the chaos is unique to Shepherd--our Bethesda daycare where we were last year was just as crazy, with parents continually parking the wrong way, etc.--however--and although someone will say it's apples and oranges--they also had garage use in addition to a dropoff lane).

Personally, the kitchen is the area where I most strongly want to advocate for renovations. I think a full kitchen would also open up a host of educational opportunities. The kids could more easily learn about healthy eating/nutrition in a hands-on way, and cooking classes could be incorporated into the existing curriculum. My understanding is that many if not most DCPS schools that have been renovated in recent years have had their kitchens also renovated. For example, Takoma and H.D. Cooke. More importantly, it's a health and safety issue for Shepherd (read the letters on the website for more details). Finally, there are several parents with grantwriting experience who would be happy to help apply for funding for healthy eating and farm-to-kitchen programs, which a full kitchen could more easily accommodate.

I agree the music program sounds nice, but I wasn't quite as moved by it. Personally, I think those working on that effort should provide a better rationale--e.g., more strongly making the case that music education is linked to important educational outcomes, etc. But yes, we all have to decide what efforts to support at our schools--as long as lots of us are doing what we can, whether school-wide or in our kid's class as circumstances--I'm happy.