Duke Ellington to Relocate for New High School in Ward 2?

[Anonymous]

Rhee has already changed boundaries and feeder schools for Deal. Rhee and Fenty are trying to make DCPS more palatable to white affluent families in Wards 2 and 3 by dismantling successful schools like Hardy and Ellington that have a high percentage of African American students. By forcing these families out to return to their crappy neighborhood schools, they will be segregating schools again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rhee has already changed boundaries and feeder schools for Deal. Rhee and Fenty are trying to make DCPS more palatable to white affluent families in Wards 2 and 3 by dismantling successful schools like Hardy and Ellington that have a high percentage of African American students. By forcing these families out to return to their crappy neighborhood schools, they will be segregating schools again.

I think this poster is on point

[Anonymous]

what I can't get past, is tinkering with good programs, while marginal ones go nowhere...
My zoned school is Roosevelt...enough said?
Where is the concern for DC's middle class?

[Anonymous]

Well we live in Brookland. Our zoned school at one time was McKinley. With the new boundaries, we are zoned for Spingarn. Now, you can take this in any direction you want, but I would not drive through the Spingarn area in my car, do you really think I would send my son. Hell to the NO. With that said, we will not be concerning ourselves with the likes of Rhee and Fenty when the time comes for high school. Off to the burbs we go and of course the commutes from Hell. You would think that instead of tinkering with schools that work, the focus would be on tinkering with the schools in serious trouble. Why not make a Rooservelt, Spingarn or Eastern into an image resembling Bannaker, SWW or the Charter Latin School. if you build it, the people will come. If you continue to let it slowly disintegrate, those who can, will run. As for courting the affluent in this city to send their children to public, why would they, when they can afford to send their children to the high price privates and make the political and academic connections that they desire.

[Anonymous]

PP, I live in Brookland too.

My concern is for the middle class.

I won't send my kids to private schools--can't afford to.

I won't be moving to the burbs either.

That means my choices for high school are Wilson Academies, Ellington, Bannaker, SWW, and Wash Latin.

I'm not knocking Mckinley, but I just don't see the high achievement there yet.

All the schools above are in NW.

Where is our high performing highschool??? I would love to see one of the named schools above move to a more central location in the city, or to Ward 5

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well we live in Brookland. Our zoned school at one time was McKinley. With the new boundaries, we are zoned for Spingarn. Now, you can take this in any direction you want, but I would not drive through the Spingarn area in my car, do you really think I would send my son. Hell to the NO. With that said, we will not be concerning ourselves with the likes of Rhee and Fenty when the time comes for high school. Off to the burbs we go and of course the commutes from Hell. You would think that instead of tinkering with schools that work, the focus would be on tinkering with the schools in serious trouble. Why not make a Rooservelt, Spingarn or Eastern into an image resembling Bannaker, SWW or the Charter Latin School. if you build it, the people will come. If you continue to let it slowly disintegrate, those who can, will run. As for courting the affluent in this city to send their children to public, why would they, when they can afford to send their children to the high price privates and make the political and academic connections that they desire.

Because the rich and affluent are that ones who will fill Fenty's campaign coffers and at the end of the day Rhee is do what is best to meet her "master's" goals.

[Anonymous]

I think Ellington is a total treasure for DC. I can't believe they want to tinker with this school and its location. Kids manage to get their on the bus -- it they really want it -- they can get there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Ellington is a total treasure for DC. I can't believe they want to tinker with this school and its location. Kids manage to get their on the bus -- it they really want it -- they can get there!

It's not a question of wanting to go to Ellington. It's competitive selection school with no neighborhood boundary (unlike Oyster and Hardy). Is there is some crisis at Ellington, like admissions rules that are "confusing" for in-boundary schools like Hardy( ) ? If there is a crisis affecting students, then of course it should be dealt with openly. IMHO, the competitive high schools should not be included in Rhee's portfolio until the truly broken "regular" neighborhood schools are more reliable. Rhee repeatedly says high schools are what keeps her up at night. Is Ellington really at the top of that list? I'm losing confidence and saving for private. (Or hoping kids are smart or talented enough for a specialized school )

[Anonymous]

The response from Ellington's board:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcschools/2010/01/ellington_principal_we_will_no.html

These paragraphs are particularly instructive:

Those who believe that Ellington can simply be moved to any other building do not understand the needs of a comprehensive arts high school. In addition to a college preparatory academic program, Ellington offers a wide variety of performing and visual arts programs that have special space needs. Since its inception, Ellington has worked within the current building structure to reach a point where, although it is certainly not perfect, does provide many of the facilities Ellington requires. Indeed, in the last five years, Ellington - together with its partners the Kennedy Center, The George Washington University, and many individual and corporate donors - has donated approximately $700,000 in funds and in-kind contributions to create such venues as a recording studio, a television studio, a professionally equipped theater, and a gallery to accommodate visual art works and the only high school museum studies program in the country. DCPS has also invested in Ellington, as a performing arts high school, by spending substantial sums to renovate high quality dance studios and other performance venues. Such facilities cannot be found in any other high school in the city.

In stark contrast to a facility that would serve Ellington's needs is the Logan School, an elementary school built in 1935 whose sole qualification is its vacancy. Logan has none of the requirements listed above for a performing arts high school. While Logan could likely be renovated for purposes suitable to a school with only an academic program, no amount of renovation can change its location and structural deficiencies that make it unsuitable for a school with an arts and academic mission. In short, Logan is simply unacceptable. Ellington has a long history in its current location. It has successfully attracted students from all of the city's wards and, indeed, has had record applications in the past two years, including large numbers of students from outside D.C. public schools, and even the city.

[Anonymous]

I am not affluent but I pulled out of DCPS because of Rhee and she and Fenty will never, ever have my support. I am salivating at the possibility of a decent candidate emerging and defeating him in the fall. But someone better!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, I live in Brookland too.

My concern is for the middle class.

I won't send my kids to private schools--can't afford to.

I won't be moving to the burbs either.

That means my choices for high school are Wilson Academies, Ellington, Bannaker, SWW, and Wash Latin.

I'm not knocking Mckinley, but I just don't see the high achievement there yet.

All the schools above are in NW.

Where is our high performing highschool??? I would love to see one of the named schools above move to a more central location in the city, or to Ward 5

Why move the location of the schools. Why not create high performing schools outside of northwest. That was the point of my pp. Why tinker with something that works, duplicate what is working in other central locations. SWW will never move. Why would the school move. It is in a new facility. Wilson is under renovation, or soon to be. Bannaker is supported loosely by Howard University. As a light contributor to Ellington, I totally disagree with relocating the facility. If the need for a HS in Ellington's current location was truly needed, Western HS would have never shut its doors many moons ago, when the DC population was greater. It simply makes no sense. I do not see why Rhee with all her brillance cannot attempt to duplicate a Washington Latin at a Spingarn or Eastern. Afterall, it is the Charter schools that are DCPS real competition. Heck, if you cannot beat them, admire them and genrously borrow their philosophies. I repeat, if you build it and do it right, the students will come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well we live in Brookland. Our zoned school at one time was McKinley. With the new boundaries, we are zoned for Spingarn. Now, you can take this in any direction you want, but I would not drive through the Spingarn area in my car, do you really think I would send my son. Hell to the NO. With that said, we will not be concerning ourselves with the likes of Rhee and Fenty when the time comes for high school. Off to the burbs we go and of course the commutes from Hell. You would think that instead of tinkering with schools that work, the focus would be on tinkering with the schools in serious trouble. Why not make a Rooservelt, Spingarn or Eastern into an image resembling Bannaker, SWW or the Charter Latin School. if you build it, the people will come. If you continue to let it slowly disintegrate, those who can, will run. As for courting the affluent in this city to send their children to public, why would they, when they can afford to send their children to the high price privates and make the political and academic connections that they desire.

Because the rich and affluent are that ones who will fill Fenty's campaign coffers and at the end of the day Rhee is do what is best to meet her "master's" goals.

No, the rich and affluent will not send their children to DCPS under any circumstances. Well, I take that back. They will only send their children to a public school in any location, if and only if, their children receive the same education their children would be afforded at a Sidwell Friends, St. Albans, Maret, GDS, NCS, etc. I highly doubt the best public school would provide the opportunities the children in the beforementioned schools receive. Therefore, Rhee and her master, as you refer to him, are prostituting themselves in vain.

[Anonymous]

I don't see the point in creating a "neighborhood school" for Georgetown. We knew when we bought a house in the neighborhood that we'd be sending our kids to private school because the public options are not adequate. I like having Ellington there - they put on shows and performances, they're a good neighbor- and think it should stay where it is.

[Anonymous]

I know a number of rich families who go to Key, Mann, and Lafayette. Rich people don't like to spend money they don't have to (how they got or stay rich in the first place).

Because the rich and affluent are that ones who will fill Fenty's campaign coffers and at the end of the day Rhee is do what is best to meet her "master's" goals.

No, the rich and affluent will not send their children to DCPS under any circumstances. Well, I take that back. They will only send their children to a public school in any location, if and only if, their children receive the same education their children would be afforded at a Sidwell Friends, St. Albans, Maret, GDS, NCS, etc. I highly doubt the best public school would provide the opportunities the children in the beforementioned schools receive. Therefore, Rhee and her master, as you refer to him, are prostituting themselves in vain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well we live in Brookland. Our zoned school at one time was McKinley. With the new boundaries, we are zoned for Spingarn. Now, you can take this in any direction you want, but I would not drive through the Spingarn area in my car, do you really think I would send my son. Hell to the NO. With that said, we will not be concerning ourselves with the likes of Rhee and Fenty when the time comes for high school. Off to the burbs we go and of course the commutes from Hell. You would think that instead of tinkering with schools that work, the focus would be on tinkering with the schools in serious trouble. Why not make a Rooservelt, Spingarn or Eastern into an image resembling Bannaker, SWW or the Charter Latin School. if you build it, the people will come. If you continue to let it slowly disintegrate, those who can, will run. As for courting the affluent in this city to send their children to public, why would they, when they can afford to send their children to the high price privates and make the political and academic connections that they desire.

Because the rich and affluent are that ones who will fill Fenty's campaign coffers and at the end of the day Rhee is do what is best to meet her "master's" goals.

No, the rich and affluent will not send their children to DCPS under any circumstances. Well, I take that back. They will only send their children to a public school in any location, if and only if, their children receive the same education their children would be afforded at a Sidwell Friends, St. Albans, Maret, GDS, NCS, etc. I highly doubt the best public school would provide the opportunities the children in the beforementioned schools receive. Therefore, Rhee and her master, as you refer to him, are prostituting themselves in vain.

I think that we can all agree that not all "rich" people are created equally. Yes, those with old family money will likely always go private but those who got rich by working and are probably still working (and got a bit scared by the economy) would happily jump at the chance to save $30+K a year. My family lives in ward 3 so I know that whatever changes Rhee makes to the school is unlikely to have a direct negative impact on my child's education. However, I think that messing with schools that work just to appease a specific demographic is not good for the entire system. Rhee needs to focus on tinkering with the schools that are underperforming.