Bowser’s first community outreach mtg since re-election: education focused

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Banneker is a dump. They want to pull families away from Wilson and SWW (which is full to the brim and turns away kids each year who pass the test and are on the wait list).

Banneker's current space doesn't allow for much outside of academics (fields, etc); the new Shaw space theoretically would.

The new location with better facilities could help drive demand, but I noticed that that there was a short waitlist for Banneker and the school is not at capacity. So what is the urgency? Is there some cohort of high performing kids that are about to erupt out of DCPS middle schools?

They want to pull high performers out of charters, and to entice people to leave Wilson, or at least stop doing all the desperate things they are doing now to get into that feeder pattern, including cheating via rental apartments.

I think the hope is that they reduce Wilson overcrowding via carrots, rather than imposing it by moving all the boundaries eastward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

There's no way that spot would work for a new HS -- Reservoir road is already packed to the gills with Georgetown Hospital traffic. Maybe build an addition on the field behind SWW-Francis Stevens would work, imo. Basically the entire problem is caused by the geographical region for Wilson being far too big. It's not coincidental at all that Ellington occupies the same real estate as the old Western High School. When you look at the feeder map for Wilson, you can see it makes complete sense that a Western high school at Ellington's location would take up the lower half of the map that now feeds to Wilson. The region's just too big and needs to be cut in half with a new Western HS to take the students it used to take.

[Anonymous]

No, a Ward 3 high school is an old solution to a new DC. No thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, a Ward 3 high school is an old solution to a new DC. No thank you.

No, the absence of an old high school represents the original solution for the old DC, now missing. If you doubt me, please see the following history:

https://educationdc.net/2016/09/24/ellington-and-the-disappeared-western-high-school/

In any event, surely you know Ellington/Western is in Ward 2? What we're really talking about is getting our Ward 2 high school back, because the new DC needs it just like the old DC did. There's no good reason I can see that Ward 2 students should feed into Ward 3 Wilson HS. I don't even know why parts of Ward 2 are called "NorthWest" when there's nothing "North" about it. Georgetown should be deemed part of SW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a Ward 3 high school is an old solution to a new DC. No thank you.

No, the absence of an old high school represents the original solution for the old DC, now missing. If you doubt me, please see the following history:

https://educationdc.net/2016/09/24/ellington-and-the-disappeared-western-high-school/

In any event, surely you know Ellington/Western is in Ward 2? What we're really talking about is getting our Ward 2 high school back, because the new DC needs it just like the old DC did. There's no good reason I can see that Ward 2 students should feed into Ward 3 Wilson HS. I don't even know why parts of Ward 2 are called "NorthWest" when there's nothing "North" about it. Georgetown should be deemed part of SW.

check the population of Ward 2 that attends DCPS high schools and get back to me.

[Anonymous]

I checked:
https://dme.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dme/publication/attachments/SY16-17_High%20School%20Fact%20Sheet_10.06.17.pdf

Total 2016-17 DCPS high school enrollment by ward of residence: 17,757

Enrollment by residents of Ward 2: 270.

Ward 2 residents are literally 1.5% of DCPS high schoolers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I checked:
https://dme.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dme/publication/attachments/SY16-17_High%20School%20Fact%20Sheet_10.06.17.pdf

Total 2016-17 DCPS high school enrollment by ward of residence: 17,757

Enrollment by residents of Ward 2: 270.

Ward 2 residents are literally 1.5% of DCPS high schoolers.

The document says the actual number was 1,106, you misleading cherry-picker. And Ward 2 "was the only Ward that did not have a comprehensive DCPS high school." And housing inventory keeps going up in SW. Pretty clear it needs a public HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a Ward 3 high school is an old solution to a new DC. No thank you.

No, the absence of an old high school represents the original solution for the old DC, now missing. If you doubt me, please see the following history:

https://educationdc.net/2016/09/24/ellington-and-the-disappeared-western-high-school/

In any event, surely you know Ellington/Western is in Ward 2? What we're really talking about is getting our Ward 2 high school back, because the new DC needs it just like the old DC did. There's no good reason I can see that Ward 2 students should feed into Ward 3 Wilson HS. I don't even know why parts of Ward 2 are called "NorthWest" when there's nothing "North" about it. Georgetown should be deemed part of SW.

Look at the original map of DC, when parts of Virginia were part of the District, including Arlington and Alexandria. You'll clearly see why Georgetown is part of "Northwest":

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

There's no way that spot would work for a new HS -- Reservoir road is already packed to the gills with Georgetown Hospital traffic. Maybe build an addition on the field behind SWW-Francis Stevens would work, imo. Basically the entire problem is caused by the geographical region for Wilson being far too big. It's not coincidental at all that Ellington occupies the same real estate as the old Western High School. When you look at the feeder map for Wilson, you can see it makes complete sense that a Western high school at Ellington's location would take up the lower half of the map that now feeds to Wilson. The region's just too big and needs to be cut in half with a new Western HS to take the students it used to take.

I live in Burleith and would agree with that logic. However, I have no idea where there would be enough space to have another HS. The ship already sailed with Duke Ellington. The space behind SWW-FS is tiny, plus I think much of that land may be part of the Park Service.

The old Western track is a large lot - easily 30% larger than Duke Ellington's current lot. People will deal with traffic. Honestly, I can't think of another location for a Ward 2 high school that doesn't involve buying a very expensive existing building. It's already owned by DCPS and is shovel-ready.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a Ward 3 high school is an old solution to a new DC. No thank you.

No, the absence of an old high school represents the original solution for the old DC, now missing. If you doubt me, please see the following history:

https://educationdc.net/2016/09/24/ellington-and-the-disappeared-western-high-school/

In any event, surely you know Ellington/Western is in Ward 2? What we're really talking about is getting our Ward 2 high school back, because the new DC needs it just like the old DC did. There's no good reason I can see that Ward 2 students should feed into Ward 3 Wilson HS. I don't even know why parts of Ward 2 are called "NorthWest" when there's nothing "North" about it. Georgetown should be deemed part of SW.

Look at the original map of DC, when parts of Virginia were part of the District, including Arlington and Alexandria. You'll clearly see why Georgetown is part of "Northwest":



Then why is the Wharf area called "southwest" when it's always clearly been "southeast," according to you?

[Anonymous]

No, seriously, at page 3 the document has 1,106 for Ward 2 for “Enrollment of Schools Offering 9th-12th Grade, by Ward of School, SY16-17” and at page 7 it has 270 for “Number of 9th-12th Grade Public School Students, by Ward of Residence, SY16-17.” That’s 270 students living in Ward 2 who go to DC public high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

There's no way that spot would work for a new HS -- Reservoir road is already packed to the gills with Georgetown Hospital traffic. Maybe build an addition on the field behind SWW-Francis Stevens would work, imo. Basically the entire problem is caused by the geographical region for Wilson being far too big. It's not coincidental at all that Ellington occupies the same real estate as the old Western High School. When you look at the feeder map for Wilson, you can see it makes complete sense that a Western high school at Ellington's location would take up the lower half of the map that now feeds to Wilson. The region's just too big and needs to be cut in half with a new Western HS to take the students it used to take.

Actually that location was the preferred location of a new Duke Ellington as opposed to renovation of the old space, but it was rejected by neighbors in favor of the green space, which means any new Western at that location is also likely to be rejected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ALL DCPS has to do is copy successful suburban school districts is true. Unfortunately, DCPS's poor population is about 80% or more impoverished. One cannot have a successful school in areas outside of NW when the students are not at benchmark. Wilson, Banneker, Walls are just about the only schools doing well and even then those schools do not provide a well rounded high school experience. DCPS will never have a public school that offers the private prep school experience. Many of our areas best suburban public schools are run like private prep schools.

PP should get out of NW a little more. There are a lot of non-impoverished high school students living on the Hill. They are part of the reason why it is hard for NW residents to get into SWW, since so many of them go there. They also go to privates, Latin, BASIS and a few go to Duke and McKinley. Very few go to Eastern. Why?

Because there has been NO outreach to students at Stuart Hobson, DCPS elementaries and the elementary/MS privates in the area. A beautiful building that might as well have its entrance on 19th Street, since it turns its back on the Hill. No community events advertised (plays, sports games). It’s all by Eastern alum and for Easetrn alum and is too hard a nut to crack. They have used EH next door for swing space for 2 strong well enrolled elementaries for the last few years (Watkins and Maury) and none of those parents have any thought of sending their children to Eastern someday. A wasted opportunity.

DCPS should just more the tiny Eastern IB program out and lease the building to BASIS. Heck, they could swap buildings, for how undrenrolled Eastern is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

There's no way that spot would work for a new HS -- Reservoir road is already packed to the gills with Georgetown Hospital traffic. Maybe build an addition on the field behind SWW-Francis Stevens would work, imo. Basically the entire problem is caused by the geographical region for Wilson being far too big. It's not coincidental at all that Ellington occupies the same real estate as the old Western High School. When you look at the feeder map for Wilson, you can see it makes complete sense that a Western high school at Ellington's location would take up the lower half of the map that now feeds to Wilson. The region's just too big and needs to be cut in half with a new Western HS to take the students it used to take.

Actually that location was the preferred location of a new Duke Ellington as opposed to renovation of the old space, but it was rejected by neighbors in favor of the green space, which means any new Western at that location is also likely to be rejected.

I'm a Burleith resident and I think we need to stop giving neighborhood residents the veto power over major investment decisions, like building schools for an expanding student population and public transport expansion. If you give my NIMBY neighbors an inch, they will take a mile.