Surplussing the old Hardy School, again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 needs a new middle school. Half the ward no longer has access to Deal and few ward residents consider Hardy an option because of the significant quality gap with Deal.

I know that folks keep raising this. DC is *never* going to build a new middle school just because you don't like the perfectly good middle school that you already have. It is ridiculous to suggest it. Now overcrowding is another story. The argument for another high school is stronger. Though folks can rightfully point out that DC has lots of high schools with extra capacity, they are in parts of the city that are much farther away.

You'll get more traction by offering something that isn't already (theoretically) available in Ward 3. Like a school that offers PK3. Or, as a PP astutely suggested, an immersion charter.

[Anonymous]

By agreeing to a 50 year lease, DCPS is signalling that it is giving up on two things:

1. Ever being able to educate special-needs kids, even mildly disabled ones, in a legally acceptable way.

2. Hardy Middle School ever becoming attractive to families who are in-boundary. Right now all of the Hardy feeders are over-crowded, but they all lose significant numbers of students in 4th and 5th grades as students peel off for charters and privates. If Hardy became more attractive as a middle school those feeder schools would be unable to handle the enrollment surge.

In addition, the DME is signalling that she is giving up on the idea of a charter school addressing the crowding issues or the middle school issues WOTP.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand point #1 above. The number of private sped placements from DCPS has plummeted as has the number of lawsuits filed against DCPS seeking such placements (bc they are much harder to win now). Of the private placements that still happen, very few go to Lab school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand point #1 above. The number of private sped placements from DCPS has plummeted as has the number of lawsuits filed against DCPS seeking such placements (bc they are much harder to win now). Of the private placements that still happen, very few go to Lab school.

The proposed lease is a give-away to the Lab School. The rationale is that DC needs to subsidize private special-ed schools in order to serve the kids that DCPS can't. I'm not saying that rationale is valid -- the number of DCPS placed kids served at this location is perhaps a dozen and a half -- but by entering into a 50 year lease DCPS is signalling that it expects never to solve the special ed problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 needs a new middle school. Half the ward no longer has access to Deal and few ward residents consider Hardy an option because of the significant quality gap with Deal.

I know that folks keep raising this. DC is *never* going to build a new middle school just because you don't like the perfectly good middle school that you already have. It is ridiculous to suggest it. Now overcrowding is another story. The argument for another high school is stronger. Though folks can rightfully point out that DC has lots of high schools with extra capacity, they are in parts of the city that are much farther away.

That's the issue. Most Ward 3 parents don't consider Hardy 'perfectly good" at all, as evidenced by the fact that few IB families send their kids to Hardy. They tend to view Hardy as being clearly inferior to the middle school located in the ward, which is Deal. However, most of Hardy's existing student families presumably consider Hardy to be a perfectly good alternative to the inferior middle schools in their OOB neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Dies anyone have numbers on what percentage of lab school students are from DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 needs a new middle school. Half the ward no longer has access to Deal and few ward residents consider Hardy an option because of the significant quality gap with Deal.

I know that folks keep raising this. DC is *never* going to build a new middle school just because you don't like the perfectly good middle school that you already have. It is ridiculous to suggest it. Now overcrowding is another story. The argument for another high school is stronger. Though folks can rightfully point out that DC has lots of high schools with extra capacity, they are in parts of the city that are much farther away.

That's the issue. Most Ward 3 parents don't consider Hardy 'perfectly good" at all, as evidenced by the fact that few IB families send their kids to Hardy. They tend to view Hardy as being clearly inferior to the middle school located in the ward, which is Deal. However, most of Hardy's existing student families presumably consider Hardy to be a perfectly good alternative to the inferior middle schools in their OOB neighborhoods.

Yes, and DCPS is not going to build a school when one is available but the IB families simply won't use it. The problem is not a lack of a building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 needs a new middle school. Half the ward no longer has access to Deal and few ward residents consider Hardy an option because of the significant quality gap with Deal.

I know that folks keep raising this. DC is *never* going to build a new middle school just because you don't like the perfectly good middle school that you already have. It is ridiculous to suggest it. Now overcrowding is another story. The argument for another high school is stronger. Though folks can rightfully point out that DC has lots of high schools with extra capacity, they are in parts of the city that are much farther away.

That's the issue. Most Ward 3 parents don't consider Hardy 'perfectly good" at all, as evidenced by the fact that few IB families send their kids to Hardy. They tend to view Hardy as being clearly inferior to the middle school located in the ward, which is Deal. However, most of Hardy's existing student families presumably consider Hardy to be a perfectly good alternative to the inferior middle schools in their OOB neighborhoods.

Yes, and DCPS is not going to build a school when one is available but the IB families simply won't use it. The problem is not a lack of a building.

The problem for many Ward 3 families IB for Hardy isn't lack of a building (although the lack of a real playing field iis concerning). It's that they perceive Hardy as an inferior school, both compared to Deal and to what they expect in a middle school offering. Yet Hardy also caters to a largely OOB population which values the school because it is better than what they would otherwise be stuck with. And, if by some miracle, the IB populaton at Hardy were to increase significantly, that would squeeze out those who have come to regard access to Hardy, if not as their right them at least as their best hope for a better middle school education. So the logical solution would be to start over by opening a new middle school with the curriculum and emphases that IB families want, while preserving a middle school optim that many OOB families have come to expect. Open a 'new' Hardy at the 'old' Hardy site and keep an existing middle school at the building that still is named 'Gordon' on the front.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dies anyone have numbers on what percentage of lab school students are from DC?

In the last go-round (December 2013 not 2014 as the OP said) they claimed "almost 21%" in the supporting documents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dies anyone have numbers on what percentage of lab school students are from DC?

In the last go-round (December 2013 not 2014 as the OP said) they claimed "almost 21%" in the supporting documents.

This giveaway is criminal. Who in dcps is getting a kickback?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 needs a new middle school. Half the ward no longer has access to Deal and few ward residents consider Hardy an option because of the significant quality gap with Deal.

I know that folks keep raising this. DC is *never* going to build a new middle school just because you don't like the perfectly good middle school that you already have. It is ridiculous to suggest it. Now overcrowding is another story. The argument for another high school is stronger. Though folks can rightfully point out that DC has lots of high schools with extra capacity, they are in parts of the city that are much farther away.

That's the issue. Most Ward 3 parents don't consider Hardy 'perfectly good" at all, as evidenced by the fact that few IB families send their kids to Hardy. They tend to view Hardy as being clearly inferior to the middle school located in the ward, which is Deal. However, most of Hardy's existing student families presumably consider Hardy to be a perfectly good alternative to the inferior middle schools in their OOB neighborhoods.

Yes, and DCPS is not going to build a school when one is available but the IB families simply won't use it. The problem is not a lack of a building.

The problem for many Ward 3 families IB for Hardy isn't lack of a building (although the lack of a real playing field iis concerning). It's that they perceive Hardy as an inferior school, both compared to Deal and to what they expect in a middle school offering. Yet Hardy also caters to a largely OOB population which values the school because it is better than what they would otherwise be stuck with. And, if by some miracle, the IB populaton at Hardy were to increase significantly, that would squeeze out those who have come to regard access to Hardy, if not as their right them at least as their best hope for a better middle school education. So the logical solution would be to start over by opening a new middle school with the curriculum and emphases that IB families want, while preserving a middle school optim that many OOB families have come to expect. Open a 'new' Hardy at the 'old' Hardy site and keep an existing middle school at the building that still is named 'Gordon' on the front.

I'm sorry. That is not logical at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It should be. As someone whose child is graduating an excellent charter this year and went through the Facility Woes while dcps sold.off amazing buildings I won't stand for this..I also would accept a sweetheart deal for D.C. students with LAB- the need for high quality special needs education is so prevalent. One or the other. Who do we contact pp?

This! A petition needs to be started. I'm only in favor of a plan that provides significant benefit to DC kids. Otherwise, no way!

Petitions are for cowards and ineffective without matching testimony. Sign up, speak out and bring numbers. It can be surprisingly effective.

Anonymous posting is for cowards, which is why you flap your nasty gums so well on here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 needs a new middle school. Half the ward no longer has access to Deal and few ward residents consider Hardy an option because of the significant quality gap with Deal.

I know that folks keep raising this. DC is *never* going to build a new middle school just because you don't like the perfectly good middle school that you already have. It is ridiculous to suggest it. Now overcrowding is another story. The argument for another high school is stronger. Though folks can rightfully point out that DC has lots of high schools with extra capacity, they are in parts of the city that are much farther away.

That's the issue. Most Ward 3 parents don't consider Hardy 'perfectly good" at all, as evidenced by the fact that few IB families send their kids to Hardy. They tend to view Hardy as being clearly inferior to the middle school located in the ward, which is Deal. However, most of Hardy's existing student families presumably consider Hardy to be a perfectly good alternative to the inferior middle schools in their OOB neighborhoods.

Yes, and DCPS is not going to build a school when one is available but the IB families simply won't use it. The problem is not a lack of a building.

Ward 3 needs another elementary building. Too many schools pushing 700 students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 needs a new middle school. Half the ward no longer has access to Deal and few ward residents consider Hardy an option because of the significant quality gap with Deal.

I know that folks keep raising this. DC is *never* going to build a new middle school just because you don't like the perfectly good middle school that you already have. It is ridiculous to suggest it. Now overcrowding is another story. The argument for another high school is stronger. Though folks can rightfully point out that DC has lots of high schools with extra capacity, they are in parts of the city that are much farther away.

That's the issue. Most Ward 3 parents don't consider Hardy 'perfectly good" at all, as evidenced by the fact that few IB families send their kids to Hardy. They tend to view Hardy as being clearly inferior to the middle school located in the ward, which is Deal. However, most of Hardy's existing student families presumably consider Hardy to be a perfectly good alternative to the inferior middle schools in their OOB neighborhoods.

Yes, and DCPS is not going to build a school when one is available but the IB families simply won't use it. The problem is not a lack of a building.

The problem for many Ward 3 families IB for Hardy isn't lack of a building (although the lack of a real playing field iis concerning). It's that they perceive Hardy as an inferior school, both compared to Deal and to what they expect in a middle school offering. Yet Hardy also caters to a largely OOB population which values the school because it is better than what they would otherwise be stuck with. And, if by some miracle, the IB populaton at Hardy were to increase significantly, that would squeeze out those who have come to regard access to Hardy, if not as their right them at least as their best hope for a better middle school education. So the logical solution would be to start over by opening a new middle school with the curriculum and emphases that IB families want, while preserving a middle school optim that many OOB families have come to expect. Open a 'new' Hardy at the 'old' Hardy site and keep an existing middle school at the building that still is named 'Gordon' on the front.

I'm sorry. That is not logical at all.

Agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ward 3 needs a new middle school. Half the ward no longer has access to Deal and few ward residents consider Hardy an option because of the significant quality gap with Deal.

I know that folks keep raising this. DC is *never* going to build a new middle school just because you don't like the perfectly good middle school that you already have. It is ridiculous to suggest it. Now overcrowding is another story. The argument for another high school is stronger. Though folks can rightfully point out that DC has lots of high schools with extra capacity, they are in parts of the city that are much farther away.

That's the issue. Most Ward 3 parents don't consider Hardy 'perfectly good" at all, as evidenced by the fact that few IB families send their kids to Hardy. They tend to view Hardy as being clearly inferior to the middle school located in the ward, which is Deal. However, most of Hardy's existing student families presumably consider Hardy to be a perfectly good alternative to the inferior middle schools in their OOB neighborhoods.

Yes, and DCPS is not going to build a school when one is available but the IB families simply won't use it. The problem is not a lack of a building.

Ward 3 needs another elementary building. Too many schools pushing 700 students.

This. Bullshit to this "immersion charter" stuff. When every last dcps in ward 3 is overflowing and 3 schools are at the 700 mark ... Dcps is the entity that requires extra capacity in the zip code.