The fate of Fillmore

[Anonymous]

Fillmore has been dying a slow death for years. Most of the original participating schools have left for various reasons. I found it to be a very mediocre program for the cost. Let's hope DCPS finally pulls the plug, so Hardy can expand.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Is this a WOTP thing?

Not exactly. Housed at Hardy middle school, Fillmore provides arts instruction to students from Key, River Terrace, Ross, Stoddert and West.

It requires bussing the kids to Hardy, and the schools that use it devote part of their school's budget to pay for it. http://fillmoreartscenter.org/about-2/

Fewer schools use it now than in the past. Marie Reed used to be a Fillmore school, but now that its renovation is complete they do arts instruction in-house.

River Terrace and West are nowhere near Fillmore! There has to be a better way. The intra-day commute makes no sense.

West parent here. Fillmore comes to West once per week. It seems like a great arrangement.

An even better arrangement would be to hire art teachers who work at West full time.

We have a fantastic art teacher full time. Fillmore brings in music. I don’t know the details, but it seems like it works better than a part time music teacher. Why do you care how we do it?

Because I'd like to see less bussing and Hardy used fully for middle schoolers.

Then of course you must also be an advocate for resolving the Fillmore schools' absence of available classroom space...no?

Fillmore needs to end. It has outlived its usefulness. The PP above has it right. Having it there allows DCPS to kick the can down the road forever.

When you say "X has outlived its usefulness," you need to follow it with, "better options now exist." That's the logical next step.

The reason that DCPS has failed to close Fillmore despite 40+ years of trying is that it has been unable to come up with better options, or even worse but still acceptable options. Last time around, it didn't come up with any options at all. (Unless you consider "deal with it" an option).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This premise thread acts like Fillmore is some kind of a problem. Where's the problem? Despite the ongoing budget cuts, Fillmore works great, and no one who uses it wants it to go away. Some kinda weirdness with the initial mindset that there's even a question here.

Fillmore is a battlefield in a 40-year war between DCPS and parents. It's a war that's gone on so long that hardly anyone knows what it was about in the first place.

In the early 1970's there were six elementary schools in the area south of Massachusetts Ave. and west of Rock Creek. They were all poorly-attended and in old, small buildings. DCPS proposed closing them all and consolidating them into one modern school. DCPS argued that the old schools didn't have libraries, gyms, or space for art and music, and that a consolidated school would be cheaper to operate. The six schools were Key, Mann, Stoddert, Hyde, Hardy (elementary, the "old Hardy" on Foxhall Road), and Fillmore (now owned by GW, next to Hardy MS).

Middle school was a consideration as well. All of the schools fed Gordon Junior High. The Burleith Citizens Association website (burleith.org) describes Gordon:

During the early and mid-1960s, Gordon was held up as a model of successful integration, with an enrollment of 800 fluctuating between 60 percent white and 60 percent black for almost ten years. In 1966 there was a proposal to make both Gordon Junior High and Western High model schools.

However, after Judge Wright's 1967 order, the character of Gordon changed. Almost all ability grouping stopped and students of third grade level ability were in the same classes as students of 12th grade level ability. Discipline became a problem. During the mid-1970s the school's stage curtains were set ablaze and were never replaced. A tear gas grenade was set off, and the cafeteria furniture was burned. When several teachers were assaulted, the teachers staged a one-day sick-out demanding tighter discipline.

The parents at Mann had tried to get their school redistricted to feed Deal, but a federal judge rejected the plan, saying that it would increase the level of segregation in the system. (And as a result DCPS has not engaged in meaningful boundary review in the 45 years since.)

The parents at those six schools came up with a plan of their own. Rather than close all six schools, they proposed repurposing Hardy and Fillmore. The students from those two schools would be spread among the remaining four, bolstering their enrollment. To address the concern that the schools lacked libraries, gyms and art and music spaces, Fillmore would be converted into an art and music center. One day a week each school would go to Georgetown, and have art and music at Fillmore, library at the Georgetown Libary, and PE at the Jelleff Boys & Girls club. Hardy would be converted into a middle school -- the original Hardy Middle School -- serving the other four schools, which would help them retain students. The kicker is that while the DCPS plan was proposed as a money-saver, the parents' plan was actually less expensive. The Council approved the parents' plan.

DCPS hated the parents' plan then, they've hated it ever since, and they've spent 40 years trying to get rid of it. All of the four schools have since been renovated and expanded, and now have gyms and libraries, so only the art and music program remains. (Although when I was on the LSAT of my Fillmore school, almost ten years ago, PE was still in the Fillmore budget and not the school budget). DCPS closed Gordon in 1978, and in 1996 they reopened the building, moved Hardy Middle School into it. and started leasing the old Hardy building to a succession of private schools. When "new" Hardy was renovated around 2005, DCPS moved it to swing space ove by Gallaudet, which effectively destroyed it as a neighborhood school.

I won't say the parents' plan was perfect. Probably the high point was in the late 1970's, when Amy Carter attended Hardy MS on Foxhall while her father was president. Fillmore has never been a great program, it has struggled to be more than adequate. But the parents' plan kept those schools open, I think we'd all agree that DCPS would be in worse shape today if they had been allowed to consolidate them down to one school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This premise thread acts like Fillmore is some kind of a problem. Where's the problem? Despite the ongoing budget cuts, Fillmore works great, and no one who uses it wants it to go away. Some kinda weirdness with the initial mindset that there's even a question here.

Fillmore is a battlefield in a 40-year war between DCPS and parents. It's a war that's gone on so long that hardly anyone knows what it was about in the first place.

In the early 1970's there were six elementary schools in the area south of Massachusetts Ave. and west of Rock Creek. They were all poorly-attended and in old, small buildings. DCPS proposed closing them all and consolidating them into one modern school. DCPS argued that the old schools didn't have libraries, gyms, or space for art and music, and that a consolidated school would be cheaper to operate. The six schools were Key, Mann, Stoddert, Hyde, Hardy (elementary, the "old Hardy" on Foxhall Road), and Fillmore (now owned by GW, next to Hardy MS).

Middle school was a consideration as well. All of the schools fed Gordon Junior High. The Burleith Citizens Association website (burleith.org) describes Gordon:

During the early and mid-1960s, Gordon was held up as a model of successful integration, with an enrollment of 800 fluctuating between 60 percent white and 60 percent black for almost ten years. In 1966 there was a proposal to make both Gordon Junior High and Western High model schools.

However, after Judge Wright's 1967 order, the character of Gordon changed. Almost all ability grouping stopped and students of third grade level ability were in the same classes as students of 12th grade level ability. Discipline became a problem. During the mid-1970s the school's stage curtains were set ablaze and were never replaced. A tear gas grenade was set off, and the cafeteria furniture was burned. When several teachers were assaulted, the teachers staged a one-day sick-out demanding tighter discipline.

The parents at Mann had tried to get their school redistricted to feed Deal, but a federal judge rejected the plan, saying that it would increase the level of segregation in the system. (And as a result DCPS has not engaged in meaningful boundary review in the 45 years since.)

The parents at those six schools came up with a plan of their own. Rather than close all six schools, they proposed repurposing Hardy and Fillmore. The students from those two schools would be spread among the remaining four, bolstering their enrollment. To address the concern that the schools lacked libraries, gyms and art and music spaces, Fillmore would be converted into an art and music center. One day a week each school would go to Georgetown, and have art and music at Fillmore, library at the Georgetown Libary, and PE at the Jelleff Boys & Girls club. Hardy would be converted into a middle school -- the original Hardy Middle School -- serving the other four schools, which would help them retain students. The kicker is that while the DCPS plan was proposed as a money-saver, the parents' plan was actually less expensive. The Council approved the parents' plan.

DCPS hated the parents' plan then, they've hated it ever since, and they've spent 40 years trying to get rid of it. All of the four schools have since been renovated and expanded, and now have gyms and libraries, so only the art and music program remains. (Although when I was on the LSAT of my Fillmore school, almost ten years ago, PE was still in the Fillmore budget and not the school budget). DCPS closed Gordon in 1978, and in 1996 they reopened the building, moved Hardy Middle School into it. and started leasing the old Hardy building to a succession of private schools. When "new" Hardy was renovated around 2005, DCPS moved it to swing space ove by Gallaudet, which effectively destroyed it as a neighborhood school.

I won't say the parents' plan was perfect. Probably the high point was in the late 1970's, when Amy Carter attended Hardy MS on Foxhall while her father was president. Fillmore has never been a great program, it has struggled to be more than adequate. But the parents' plan kept those schools open, I think we'd all agree that DCPS would be in worse shape today if they had been allowed to consolidate them down to one school.

Interesting! Thanks for the background.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was on the LSAT and my wife was PTA president at our local elementary. Like clockwork, every two years there was a Fillmore crisis. Then we would all get out our pitchforks and torches and stormed the barricades, and Fillmore got a reprieve. Talking to old-timers, it seems this has been going on since Fillmore started in the 1970's.

The last Fillmore crisis was in spring of 2016. So here are my predictions:
1. No one in a policy position at DCPS has given any thought to Fillmore since 2016.
2. Sometime in late spring or early summer someone at DCPS will propose eliminating Fillmore.
3. There will be no plan for replacing Fillmore.
4. There will be no money in the budget for replacing Fillmore.
5. There will be no plan for facilities for hosting replacement programming.
6. The parents at the affected schools will organize and press their elected officials.
7. Fillmore will be granted a "temporary" reprieve.
8. DCPS officials will complain about "whiny" parents.

Lather, rinse, and repeat.

Not true. There was a big push last year 2017 by DCPS to close

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was on the LSAT and my wife was PTA president at our local elementary. Like clockwork, every two years there was a Fillmore crisis. Then we would all get out our pitchforks and torches and stormed the barricades, and Fillmore got a reprieve. Talking to old-timers, it seems this has been going on since Fillmore started in the 1970's.

The last Fillmore crisis was in spring of 2016. So here are my predictions:
1. No one in a policy position at DCPS has given any thought to Fillmore since 2016.
2. Sometime in late spring or early summer someone at DCPS will propose eliminating Fillmore.
3. There will be no plan for replacing Fillmore.
4. There will be no money in the budget for replacing Fillmore.
5. There will be no plan for facilities for hosting replacement programming.
6. The parents at the affected schools will organize and press their elected officials.
7. Fillmore will be granted a "temporary" reprieve.
8. DCPS officials will complain about "whiny" parents.

Lather, rinse, and repeat.

Not true. There was a big push last year 2017 by DCPS to close

In 2017? I missed that, I followed the 2016 drama. What happened in 2017? I recall they did one or two schools using the program as those schools worked out on-site programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was on the LSAT and my wife was PTA president at our local elementary. Like clockwork, every two years there was a Fillmore crisis. Then we would all get out our pitchforks and torches and stormed the barricades, and Fillmore got a reprieve. Talking to old-timers, it seems this has been going on since Fillmore started in the 1970's.

The last Fillmore crisis was in spring of 2016. So here are my predictions:
1. No one in a policy position at DCPS has given any thought to Fillmore since 2016.
2. Sometime in late spring or early summer someone at DCPS will propose eliminating Fillmore.
3. There will be no plan for replacing Fillmore.
4. There will be no money in the budget for replacing Fillmore.
5. There will be no plan for facilities for hosting replacement programming.
6. The parents at the affected schools will organize and press their elected officials.
7. Fillmore will be granted a "temporary" reprieve.
8. DCPS officials will complain about "whiny" parents.

Lather, rinse, and repeat.

Not true. There was a big push last year 2017 by DCPS to close

Please point to what happened in 2017. 2016 was be Last fire drill I recall. I remember that HydeAddison was trying to weasel into the Hardy MS building for their swing space without giving any thought to Hardy and Fillmore, but I don’t recall any DCPS issue with Fillmore last year.

[Anonymous]

A few questions. Sorry if these have been addressed elsewhere.

Are there two separate issues: Fillmore as a physical space and Fillmore educators themselves?

Re: staff, River Terrace is a special education school that, like West, has Fillmore teachers go to their building in Ward 7. The kids do not go to the Fillmore space in NW.

Re: space, Ross is less than 1 mile from 3 elementary schools with onsite arts education. Couldn't the renovated Marie Reed, Garrison, or SWW Francis-Stevens accommodate Ross students without a 20 minute bus ride each way?

Key and Stoddert seem to have the most pressing space issues. What about putting 5th grade from those 2 schools in Fillmore space at Hardy? Could that free up space for PK-4th and onsite arts at Key and Stoddert?

I'm not familiar with all of the logistics. But it seems odd to connect Fillmore in the Hardy space as a support for West, Ross, and River Terrace.

(Please don't tell me the 5th graders would somehow be at risk from being in the same building as 6th-8th graders. That's ridiculous.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It would be inequitable to require schools without arts classrooms (that is, the Fillmore feeder schools) to use regular classrooms for art. The Fillmore schools are the only ones throughout DCPS to not have such dedicated space and equipment. Hence, the structural need for Fillmore Arts, as a matter of policy.

One idea would be to convert the "old Hardy school" on Foxhall to a space for K and 1st grade students. Then the Fillmore feeder schools would automatically have rooms for arts classrooms, as well as address their overcrowding problem.

A better idea is to move Fillmore to the "old Hardy school" (and not hand it over to Lab) so that Hardy MS can reclaim the Fillmore space (the school is growing and will need it). One of the biggest gripes you'll get about the Old Hardy School is concern from the hood about traffic. Well, if it's used as Fillmore, the "traffic" is buses that come and go on a schedule, not a hundred or two hundred parents arriving each morning and each afternoon to collect their 4 year olds.

Doesn't Fillmore have afterschool and summer camp onsite? Wouldn't that traffic move to Foxhall?

[Anonymous]

Fillmore has a terrific summer camp. My kid has been for several years and really enjoyed it. I sure hope they continue!

[Anonymous]

Hardy will need Fillmore for Hardy's projected growth. Arts are important, but less than having a diverse middle schools that serves all of DC and is on the RISE!

[Anonymous]

Finite is a nonprofit organization. Its teachers and administrators do not work for DCPS. If DCPS stops allowing schools to hire ten and outsource arts instruction they will need to find a new location and new sources of revenue.

I would rather DCPS spend its money on full time teachers who are paid a living wage, have good health insurance and retirement benefits as befits a full time job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A few questions. Sorry if these have been addressed elsewhere.

Are there two separate issues: Fillmore as a physical space and Fillmore educators themselves?

Re: staff, River Terrace is a special education school that, like West, has Fillmore teachers go to their building in Ward 7. The kids do not go to the Fillmore space in NW.

Re: space, Ross is less than 1 mile from 3 elementary schools with onsite arts education. Couldn't the renovated Marie Reed, Garrison, or SWW Francis-Stevens accommodate Ross students without a 20 minute bus ride each way?

Key and Stoddert seem to have the most pressing space issues. What about putting 5th grade from those 2 schools in Fillmore space at Hardy? Could that free up space for PK-4th and onsite arts at Key and Stoddert?

I'm not familiar with all of the logistics. But it seems odd to connect Fillmore in the Hardy space as a support for West, Ross, and River Terrace.

(Please don't tell me the 5th graders would somehow be at risk from being in the same building as 6th-8th graders. That's ridiculous.)

Both of Key's fifth grade classes are already in trailers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Finite is a nonprofit organization. Its teachers and administrators do not work for DCPS. If DCPS stops allowing schools to hire ten and outsource arts instruction they will need to find a new location and new sources of revenue.

I would rather DCPS spend its money on full time teachers who are paid a living wage, have good health insurance and retirement benefits as befits a full time job.

I seem to recall that a couple of years ago Fillmore switched from 1099's to full-time employees who are credentialed teachers and WTU members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few questions. Sorry if these have been addressed elsewhere.

Are there two separate issues: Fillmore as a physical space and Fillmore educators themselves?

Re: staff, River Terrace is a special education school that, like West, has Fillmore teachers go to their building in Ward 7. The kids do not go to the Fillmore space in NW.

Re: space, Ross is less than 1 mile from 3 elementary schools with onsite arts education. Couldn't the renovated Marie Reed, Garrison, or SWW Francis-Stevens accommodate Ross students without a 20 minute bus ride each way?

Key and Stoddert seem to have the most pressing space issues. What about putting 5th grade from those 2 schools in Fillmore space at Hardy? Could that free up space for PK-4th and onsite arts at Key and Stoddert?

I'm not familiar with all of the logistics. But it seems odd to connect Fillmore in the Hardy space as a support for West, Ross, and River Terrace.

(Please don't tell me the 5th graders would somehow be at risk from being in the same building as 6th-8th graders. That's ridiculous.)

Both of Key's fifth grade classes are already in trailers.

And I understand Key is adding two more trailers for next year.

But I have to give PP cedit for at least trying to think creatively, which is a lot more than we get from DCPS with their "stop whining and deal with it."