Funding for Shepherd's Renovation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did Murch get money for underground parking then?

What makes you think it did? Murch has no final design yet. Radio silence from DCPS on what is happening there. But the funding for the messed up swing space debacle is coming from the transportation budget.

Which should probably be going to Metro.

As a charter school parent whose kids are in crappy facilities I'm just over the complaining from DCPS parents about substandard gyms, cafeterias and playgrounds.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous. We need more money for school modernizations so that we're not squabbling between one high need school and another. We should be able to do it all.
Who is standing in the way of increasing the total pot of modernization money?
Is it Mendelson? Bowser? These politicians need to stop blowing money on shenanigans like the streetcars and get back on track modernizing our schools.
I'm sick of hearing "not enough money".

Mayor and council both opposed to increasing total pot of renovation dollars because the City has too much debt - approaching limit of amount of bonds we can have to maintain a good rating. In consumer terms we're too close to our credit limit and risking higher interest rates

We wouldn't want money for schools to take away from the funds available for stadiums.

I don't buy the whole "credit limit" thing as an excuse. I understand that it's a real limit tied to our credit, but I also find it hard to believe that there's no flexibility elsewhere in our budget. I don't think a contractor cares if they get paid from operating funds vs. capital funds. So let's spend less on some other garbage and instead spend it on modernizing schools.

I'm sick of our leaders giving BS excuses. Really, what they're saying with a budget like this is that everything else that's in budget is more important than your cafeteria, crumbling / moldy classrooms, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did Murch get money for underground parking then?

What makes you think it did? Murch has no final design yet. Radio silence from DCPS on what is happening there. But the funding for the messed up swing space debacle is coming from the transportation budget.

Which should probably be going to Metro.

As a charter school parent whose kids are in crappy facilities I'm just over the complaining from DCPS parents about substandard gyms, cafeterias and playgrounds.

That's really a different ball game, but thanks for your compassion. You might want to speak to your charter school leaders if you want them to change facilities. Others have figured it out.

FWIW, I'd support charter schools getting the same funding ratios if you consider the last 30-50 years of DCPS facilities spending rather than just the last 10 years when we've been spending a ton to catch up from under-spending for 30 years.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did Murch get money for underground parking then?

What makes you think it did? Murch has no final design yet. Radio silence from DCPS on what is happening there. But the funding for the messed up swing space debacle is coming from the transportation budget.

Which should probably be going to Metro.

As a charter school parent whose kids are in crappy facilities I'm just over the complaining from DCPS parents about substandard gyms, cafeterias and playgrounds.

When I studied Political Science, I had a professor of Palestinian origin who joked that Palestinians turn every issue into a discussion of Palestine. As a result, when asked to conduct studies on Polar Bears, topics such as "The Impact of Climate Change on Polar Bears" and "Rates of Polar Bear Reproduction" were joined by "Polar Bears and the Palestinian Issue". Sometimes charter school parents remind me of Palestinians and polar bears.

The need for safe and decent facilities at Shepherd has nothing to do with your charter school or your current level of tolerance for discussion of that matter. In fact, if you are not interested in the topic, I'm surprised you made the effort to click on the thread. But, in case you haven't noticed, I am just over anyone suggesting that parents should simply accept substandard and dangerous school buildings. To the contrary, everyone should be outraged that children are forced to eat surrounded by rat droppings.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did Murch get money for underground parking then?

What makes you think it did? Murch has no final design yet. Radio silence from DCPS on what is happening there. But the funding for the messed up swing space debacle is coming from the transportation budget.

Which should probably be going to Metro.

As a charter school parent whose kids are in crappy facilities I'm just over the complaining from DCPS parents about substandard gyms, cafeterias and playgrounds.

When I studied Political Science, I had a professor of Palestinian origin who joked that Palestinians turn every issue into a discussion of Palestine. As a result, when asked to conduct studies on Polar Bears, topics such as "The Impact of Climate Change on Polar Bears" and "Rates of Polar Bear Reproduction" were joined by "Polar Bears and the Palestinian Issue". Sometimes charter school parents remind me of Palestinians and polar bears.

The need for safe and decent facilities at Shepherd has nothing to do with your charter school or your current level of tolerance for discussion of that matter. In fact, if you are not interested in the topic, I'm surprised you made the effort to click on the thread. But, in case you haven't noticed, I am just over anyone suggesting that parents should simply accept substandard and dangerous school buildings. To the contrary, everyone should be outraged that children are forced to eat surrounded by rat droppings.

+1

-charter parent

[Anonymous]

This seems like an open and shut case of safety, in terms of the cafeteria. If it really isn't compliant, isn't the Fire Marshall getting involved?

[Anonymous]

I would say the real question is why Shepherd prioritized the magnificent atrium and second floor kiln OVER getting a cafeteria and auditorium, but then you'd just call me a hater.

They really do need a new cafeteria. I, who have mocked the absurd amount of money they've spent moderinizing stuff that wasn't broken, agree with that.

Going forward, and thinking positively, I hope they get one. I also hope this kind of discussion can lead to more rational renovation plans for all schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This seems like an open and shut case of safety, in terms of the cafeteria. If it really isn't compliant, isn't the Fire Marshall getting involved?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say the real question is why Shepherd prioritized the magnificent atrium and second floor kiln OVER getting a cafeteria and auditorium, but then you'd just call me a hater.

They really do need a new cafeteria. I, who have mocked the absurd amount of money they've spent moderinizing stuff that wasn't broken, agree with that.

Going forward, and thinking positively, I hope they get one. I also hope this kind of discussion can lead to more rational renovation plans for all schools.

I don't think this was up to Shepherd to decide what was prioritized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I would say the real question is why Shepherd prioritized the magnificent atrium and second floor kiln OVER getting a cafeteria and auditorium, but then you'd just call me a hater.

They really do need a new cafeteria. I, who have mocked the absurd amount of money they've spent moderinizing stuff that wasn't broken, agree with that.

Going forward, and thinking positively, I hope they get one. I also hope this kind of discussion can lead to more rational renovation plans for all schools.


I don't think this was up to Shepherd to decide what was prioritized.

Then who, precisely, was it up to? Because they should not still have a job. It is seriously one of the most debacuhed uses of public funding for a school I've ever seen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I would say the real question is why Shepherd prioritized the magnificent atrium and second floor kiln OVER getting a cafeteria and auditorium, but then you'd just call me a hater.

They really do need a new cafeteria. I, who have mocked the absurd amount of money they've spent moderinizing stuff that wasn't broken, agree with that.

Going forward, and thinking positively, I hope they get one. I also hope this kind of discussion can lead to more rational renovation plans for all schools.


I don't think this was up to Shepherd to decide what was prioritized.

Then who, precisely, was it up to? Because they should not still have a job. It is seriously one of the most debacuhed uses of public funding for a school I've ever seen.

Really? Wilson, Dunbar, Ellington?!!

[Anonymous]

What about schools where the entire building is substandard, not up to code, leaks, poor working HVAC systems where one part of the building is an oven the other a freezer and the list could go on? As a parent in a school that keeps getting pushed farther down the list in timing, but ranked higher on the list in need of renovations, it's really hard for me to have sympathy for loss of funding over a gym/cafeteria. I'm not saying the school is not worthy of the renovations and doesn't deserve them, but it is hard to stomach. I'm reading a lot of comments about "equal funding for all schools" but once your school is finished will you help speak for other school communities that are challenging DC/DCPS, have grossly inadequate facilities and don't have as loud as a voice? And whose concerns are being pushed aside and given the run around?

-a DCPS parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about schools where the entire building is substandard, not up to code, leaks, poor working HVAC systems where one part of the building is an oven the other a freezer and the list could go on? As a parent in a school that keeps getting pushed farther down the list in timing, but ranked higher on the list in need of renovations, it's really hard for me to have sympathy for loss of funding over a gym/cafeteria. I'm not saying the school is not worthy of the renovations and doesn't deserve them, but it is hard to stomach. I'm reading a lot of comments about "equal funding for all schools" but once your school is finished will you help speak for other school communities that are challenging DC/DCPS, have grossly inadequate facilities and don't have as loud as a voice? And whose concerns are being pushed aside and given the run around?

-a DCPS parent

i am not sure how you can gloss over a fire hazard?

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:What about schools where the entire building is substandard, not up to code, leaks, poor working HVAC systems where one part of the building is an oven the other a freezer and the list could go on? As a parent in a school that keeps getting pushed farther down the list in timing, but ranked higher on the list in need of renovations, it's really hard for me to have sympathy for loss of funding over a gym/cafeteria. I'm not saying the school is not worthy of the renovations and doesn't deserve them, but it is hard to stomach. I'm reading a lot of comments about "equal funding for all schools" but once your school is finished will you help speak for other school communities that are challenging DC/DCPS, have grossly inadequate facilities and don't have as loud as a voice? And whose concerns are being pushed aside and given the run around?

-a DCPS parent

The folks at Murch are probably on pins and needles right now because they are at a critical point in their renovation process. But, I suspect that they would be very open to helping you out once things calm down a bit. From my experience, the biggest critics of how renovations are handled by DCPS are those who have dealt with renovations handled by DCPS. They don't really want others to go through what they experienced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about schools where the entire building is substandard, not up to code, leaks, poor working HVAC systems where one part of the building is an oven the other a freezer and the list could go on? As a parent in a school that keeps getting pushed farther down the list in timing, but ranked higher on the list in need of renovations, it's really hard for me to have sympathy for loss of funding over a gym/cafeteria. I'm not saying the school is not worthy of the renovations and doesn't deserve them, but it is hard to stomach. I'm reading a lot of comments about "equal funding for all schools" but once your school is finished will you help speak for other school communities that are challenging DC/DCPS, have grossly inadequate facilities and don't have as loud as a voice? And whose concerns are being pushed aside and given the run around?

-a DCPS parent

Imagine that they begin your school's renovation soon. They work on it off and on (phased renovations) for three years, at great inconvenience to students and staff, and then abandon it to move onto others schools, with the rationale that your school has at least had partial renovations, while there are other schools which haven't been touched.

Imagine that at the same, there's an indication that the city would like to move away from phased renovations, which means that your school may never get the last critical renovations done.

Also imagine that funds for your school's remaining renovations are chopped up and redistributed to other named schools, thereby having the effect--intentional or otherwise--of pitting schools against each other.

Finally, imagine that your school is the only school singled out in this manner during the Council on Education's budget review.