New Ward 7 boundaries might encircle Eastern

[Anonymous]

OP here, a quick survey has revealed that it would be nice to be from under the illusion of being exclusive to the hill. One outspoken former principal said that is why he was so adamant against joining the cluster.

Yeah, the school boundaries won't change but neighborhood politcal help will be at it's premium. We all know that Eastern Health Academy was the catalyst for Wells to seek a political career. As for being in the Ward 7 circle, one thing for sure they have a stealth way of getting things done in good way. To go from one high school choice to 4 is quite a fete.

[Anonymous]

Ward 5 has Spingarn and Phelps too. If Ward 6 doesn't send their children to Eastern, wouldn't it serve better for Ward 7 to have Eastern. To the victor go the spoils e.g. Gray and Brown.

To the poster about proposing a new Van Ness High School, that would be predictable of Ward 6 resident. As I gather, it would not seem that Ward 7 encircled Eastern, it would seem that Eastern was just pushed out of the Ward 6 circle. Such as, Eastern has always prided themselves, as the pride of Capitol Hill and now for some odd reason people, are lobbying for Eastern to be absorbed in some Hill East moniker.

As an earlier poster said on another thread "the school that you don't want, just might not want you."

[Anonymous]

Phelps is another application-only school, not a geographically based school.

There's no way to line up Wards and High Schools precisely. Ward 6 has to shrink because it has too many people.

[Anonymous]

There again, Ward 5 has two comprehensive high-schools and they are Spingarn and Dunbar. Doesn't residents of Ward 5 get first dibs at Phelps and McKinley if they qualify. If not that was a bad bill-of-goods sold to the residents of Ward 5.

JMO (just my observation)

There was Tommy Wells the school board member and now the current council member of Ward 6. There's Eastern a failing high-school for at least 10 years and now experiencing the final phases of a successful transformation.

Eastern has been labeled by DCPS to have their culture changed but remember; we have DCPS/Wells and our political enclave cultivating the culture at Eastern for at least 10 years.

To have someone [Wells] at the political/educational helm for 10 years when we were at our worst and then have those claim that we still need that same person [Wells] for our future, has to convince me.

A poster said that Ward 6 is too big and that is quite accurate because Eastern is too big to be ignored.

Go ahead Gray, GRAB-IT!!!! Don't forget to put in a bag, wouldn't want Wells be upset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ward 5 has Spingarn and Phelps too. If Ward 6 doesn't send their children to Eastern, wouldn't it serve better for Ward 7 to have Eastern. To the victor go the spoils e.g. Gray and Brown.

To the poster about proposing a new Van Ness High School, that would be predictable of Ward 6 resident. As I gather, it would not seem that Ward 7 encircled Eastern, it would seem that Eastern was just pushed out of the Ward 6 circle. Such as, Eastern has always prided themselves, as the pride of Capitol Hill and now for some odd reason people, are lobbying for Eastern to be absorbed in some Hill East moniker.

As an earlier poster said on another thread "the school that you don't want, just might not want you."

I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear. I would love to have my kids attend EAstern. whenever we go by it, I say to them "someday I hope you will go to that school!" But I think I speak for many folks that would want to be able to call on their council member and get results if and when there are problems at the public school. It's not about Tommy Wells, per se, although I have had success dealing with him, it is about having a local representative to go to. It sounds like the other wards do have some sort of non-charter public high school and so should the ward 6 representative. If they don't, then I think they should. No council member should get to escape the headaches of having a public high school on their watch! Regarding "Van NEss High", I was just trying to show that perhaps we could make lemonade out of lemons if we lose Eastern. If Ward 7 deserves Eastern, then maybe it should get it (if most of the students are ward 7, then, yeah, maybe ward 6 doesn't deserve to keep it) and ward 6 could try to put back into use a school building that is vacant and unused. What does it harm you if Van NEss is put back into service, any way? You are CRAZY if you think ward 6 is trying to get rid of Eastern! Why??? It's gorgeous!

What do you expect ward 6 residents to do if they don't have high school aged kids? adopt a few high school aged kids and enroll them at Eastern to ensure that Ward 6 keeps its stake at Eastern? I doubt many teenagers would be interested in moving into the typical, tiny, overcrowded, toddler cluttered ward 6 home!

[Anonymous]

"Ward 6 has to shrink because it has too many people."

Ward 6 is not too populous. Ward 2 is too populaous and Ward 7 and 8 are lacking population. Phil Mendelson and Michael Brown know nothing about Ward 6 and find it politically convenient to screw over Ward 6 right now and do so with little empathy or compassion (or even lip service to compassion). Right now, this is very stressful for my neighbors and me in our incredibly diverse and functional neighborhood. Next time it might be you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Ward 6 has to shrink because it has too many people."

Ward 6 is not too populous. Ward 2 is too populaous and Ward 7 and 8 are lacking population. Phil Mendelson and Michael Brown know nothing about Ward 6 and find it politically convenient to screw over Ward 6 right now and do so with little empathy or compassion (or even lip service to compassion). Right now, this is very stressful for my neighbors and me in our incredibly diverse and functional neighborhood. Next time it might be you.

Huh? Mendelson is about the wonkiest guy on the council and Michael Brown is Ron Brown's son. Why would they want to screw over Ward 6?

[Anonymous]

I don't think Jack Evans Ward has a designated High School. I am basing this opinion on Rhee's statement to turn Duke Ellington into a neighborhood highschool because the Ward lacked its own school. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ward 5 has Spingarn and Phelps too. If Ward 6 doesn't send their children to Eastern, wouldn't it serve better for Ward 7 to have Eastern. To the victor go the spoils e.g. Gray and Brown.

To the poster about proposing a new Van Ness High School, that would be predictable of Ward 6 resident. As I gather, it would not seem that Ward 7 encircled Eastern, it would seem that Eastern was just pushed out of the Ward 6 circle. Such as, Eastern has always prided themselves, as the pride of Capitol Hill and now for some odd reason people, are lobbying for Eastern to be absorbed in some Hill East moniker.

As an earlier poster said on another thread "the school that you don't want, just might not want you."

Perhaps, but a double ugh. Who would willingly send their child to that school? Only someone who lacks options. Sorry, but I would fake an address first and send my child to a Maryland school first. I visited that school in regards to an assignment I had for work and I left quite depressed. My heart breaks for the children who want to do better, but are stifled by the lack of opportunities afforded to them at Spingarn.

I believe Phelps is a vocational school open to all DC students. Selection is based on application and interview.

[Anonymous]

"Huh? Mendelson is about the wonkiest guy on the council and Michael Brown is Ron Brown's son. Why would they want to screw over Ward 6?"

I don't know, but when they came to talk to us at a community meeting it was a terrible, eye-opening experience. Mendelson was condescending. He couldn't name one school in ward 6. He came across as being very out of touch - at least with our community. Their message was "We have to redistrict. Someone is going to be upset - I guess that's going to be you guys." To a certain extent I hear that; the hard part is feeling like our neighborhood and our schools have really been headed in the right direction, and here are our elected representatives and they do not care about us or our schools. They care so little (in the case of Mendelson) that they can't even fake it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think Jack Evans Ward has a designated High School. I am basing this opinion on Rhee's statement to turn Duke Ellington into a neighborhood highschool because the Ward lacked its own school. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

But at least Duke Ellington is actually in his ward, right? if ward 6 loses Eastern, ward 6 will have no DCPS high school at all (however I think there are at least 2 charter high schools). If Eastern goes to ward 7, as a ward 6 resident I will be less inclined to send my child to the school and I know my neighbors feel the same. It doesn't entirely rule it out, but it does make it a less attractive option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear. I would love to have my kids attend EAstern. whenever we go by it, I say to them "someday I hope you will go to that school!" But I think I speak for many folks that would want to be able to call on their council member and get results if and when there are problems at the public school. It's not about Tommy Wells, per se, although I have had success dealing with him, it is about having a local representative to go to. It sounds like the other wards do have some sort of non-charter public high school and so should the ward 6 representative. If they don't, then I think they should. No council member should get to escape the headaches of having a public high school on their watch! Regarding "Van NEss High", I was just trying to show that perhaps we could make lemonade out of lemons if we lose Eastern. If Ward 7 deserves Eastern, then maybe it should get it (if most of the students are ward 7, then, yeah, maybe ward 6 doesn't deserve to keep it) and ward 6 could try to put back into use a school building that is vacant and unused. What does it harm you if Van NEss is put back into service, any way? You are CRAZY if you think ward 6 is trying to get rid of Eastern! Why??? It's gorgeous!

What do you expect ward 6 residents to do if they don't have high school aged kids? adopt a few high school aged kids and enroll them at Eastern to ensure that Ward 6 keeps its stake at Eastern? I doubt many teenagers would be interested in moving into the typical, tiny, overcrowded, toddler cluttered ward 6 home!

I over-reacted as I am tired of people picking on Eastern, as we did our darndest with everything that was prescribed to us by those who we trusted. Remember, we went through the same countless principals, superintendents, stakeholders and politicians. Did we not have a city-wide principal panel for just about anyone in this city to participate? Although, we did not change our admission policy, we let everyone in this city pick our principal. Here it is, another Ward wants to encirlce Eastern and the blame is that since the Ward 6 residents of the present don't have students at Eastern....just let'em go.

Isn't that throwing the baby out with the bath-water??? The battle is clearly not yours because you just look at us as a beautiful school. Just don't tour Eastern High School take the time to come in and provide a teachable moment.

It's a shame when more people will fight for a dog park than a historic high-school. Literally, the schools have gone to the dogs. You might not be in favor of getting rid but there's no indication that you're inclined to get involved either. No you don't have to adopt a kid but adopting a school shouldn't be so far-fetched. Woof, woof!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[quote=Anonymous
You might not be in favor of getting rid but there's no indication that you're inclined to get involved either. No you don't have to adopt a kid but adopting a school shouldn't be so far-fetched. Woof, woof!!!

I'm not sure where you get the idea that I am not inclined to get involved with EAstern. I said very clearly that I am encouraging my own kids to consider it "their" high school when the time comes. I didn't say it, but I've done plenty to raise money for Eastern-- in particular the marching band. How much more is expected of someone that doesn't have teenagers to "adopt" a high school? With working full time, I barely have enough time for my kids and the demands of their elementary school. I feel I am not only inclined to get involved I am just as much involved as someone without kids at school can be without raising eyebrows! Idon't have a dog, so I don't know where you are getting the idea that I care more about dog parks than schools.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and PP, I don't understand why you feel that all the hard work you have done for Eastern has come to nothing. did ward 6 residents do something or failed to do enough for Eastern? I really thought it was living up to its promise as "the PRide of Capitol Hill"?

[Anonymous]

Plenty of ward 6 parents have been involved at Eastern - the poster who said they haven't knows nothing. Also, plenty of parents are hoping it will work for their kids.

I think the fear is that Yvette Alexander (Ward 7 Councilman) will not give these schools (Eastern and Eliot Hine) the same level of support that Tommy Wells would. I'm sure Tommy will continue to support them, but they won't be in his ward (so he will not be in the same position).