Eaton renovation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:55 to 60 percent of Eaton students don’t love on the boundary area.

Nope. Less than 40% OOB.

40 percent is still a lot for a neighborhood school, and means a lot of vehicle trips.

It’s less than, in 2017-2018 it was 61% IB. When my first kid started there just 4 years ago, it was barely 40% IB. I suspect, based on what I know of the lower grades that it’s closer to 66/68% IB for this school year, and growing. I just applied my next kid for PK4 and 20 spots went to IB with sibling, 18 to IB, and 22 IB on the waitlist. From experience I know that a number of parents don’t even apply for PK4, choosing instead to stay at NCRC, one of the Montessori schools or whatever for that year but show up for K. The K class holds 75 kids. I wouldn’t be surprised a bit if my second child’s class is entirely IB. But regardless, even a 20 percentage point increase in 4 years is enormous.

[Anonymous]

I'm still trying to understand why teachers in an URBAN school district should have on-site parking.

What is it about the teaching profession that makes so many of us reflexively say, sure, teachers should be able to drive to work and park steps aways from their desk — for free? I personally suspect it has everything to do with the fact that they're with our Precious, Precious Offspring all day.

The equally hard-working respiratory therapists at Georgetown or GW Hospital who saved your dad's life last year when he had pneumonia don't have free on-site parking (and they're at work so much later in the day than a teacher, and earlier, too). The administrative assistants at all the do-good nonprofits in the District don't get free garage parking, though they make less than teachers.

Then there's the tens of thousands of less "noble," higher-paid professionals working in the District M-F who don't get free on-site parking, either.

Explain in rational terms why teachers can't take public transportation (or pay to park in nearby garages, if available) like everyone else in DC?

[Anonymous]

Cleveland Park is known as the “village in the city.” But street parking is still tough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:55 to 60 percent of Eaton students don’t love on the boundary area.

Nope. Less than 40% OOB.

40 percent is still a lot for a neighborhood school, and means a lot of vehicle trips.

So let's get DCPS to "right size" the school through the renovation. They could adjust the number down, scale down the renovation (preserve the playground) and make it more of a neighborhood school. And this would help with overcrowding at Wilson down the line.
Parents would not resist.
But of course, logic is not part of the DCPS equation.

You must be new here. DCPS actually wants to expand enrollment (though not as much as they wanted at first) to maintain a lot of lottery spots at Eaton.

I'm so tired of this. Apparently, every single DCPS problem can be solved by limiting the #of OOB kids?

Can we finally shut this down?

1) You cannot yank legit OOB students out of their current school or take away their feeder rights. That's not happening. It's evil and ludicrous. I'm embarrassed that I devoted three sentences to this concept.

2) Congrats. Your OOB has been solved! WOTP schools no longer accept a statistically significant # of OOB kids. And the # is getting lower each year. IT'S NOT 2015! (screaming at screen)

It's misleading to quote the total % of OOB students. Whether it's 60% or 40% is irrelevant. People know the common lottery is only 5 years old, right? Total OOB #s reflect the initial placement of OOB students. This was before the baby boom, before the city got sooo expensive rich people were forced to send their kids to public school. A lot has changed in the last few years.

% OOB spots per year in modern times, 2018-19:

Eaton: 2.9%
Lafayette: 1.8%
Janney: 1.6%
Murch: .2%
Hearst: 4%

Next year the numbers will be lower. Is it worth an epic fight to prevent 3 OOB students from enrolling in the fall? My god.

Now, let's talk about something relevant: Should we revoke citizenship from the growing threat of millions of immigrants who gained entry to the U.S. under the War Brides Act of 1945?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm still trying to understand why teachers in an URBAN school district should have on-site parking.

What is it about the teaching profession that makes so many of us reflexively say, sure, teachers should be able to drive to work and park steps aways from their desk — for free? I personally suspect it has everything to do with the fact that they're with our Precious, Precious Offspring all day.

The equally hard-working respiratory therapists at Georgetown or GW Hospital who saved your dad's life last year when he had pneumonia don't have free on-site parking (and they're at work so much later in the day than a teacher, and earlier, too). The administrative assistants at all the do-good nonprofits in the District don't get free garage parking, though they make less than teachers.

Then there's the tens of thousands of less "noble," higher-paid professionals working in the District M-F who don't get free on-site parking, either.

Explain in rational terms why teachers can't take public transportation (or pay to park in nearby garages, if available) like everyone else in DC?

Go away, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm still trying to understand why teachers in an URBAN school district should have on-site parking.

What is it about the teaching profession that makes so many of us reflexively say, sure, teachers should be able to drive to work and park steps aways from their desk — for free? I personally suspect it has everything to do with the fact that they're with our Precious, Precious Offspring all day.

The equally hard-working respiratory therapists at Georgetown or GW Hospital who saved your dad's life last year when he had pneumonia don't have free on-site parking (and they're at work so much later in the day than a teacher, and earlier, too). The administrative assistants at all the do-good nonprofits in the District don't get free garage parking, though they make less than teachers.

Then there's the tens of thousands of less "noble," higher-paid professionals working in the District M-F who don't get free on-site parking, either.

Explain in rational terms why teachers can't take public transportation (or pay to park in nearby garages, if available) like everyone else in DC?

You mean the way that teachers at Ellington, Janney and Murch do?

[Anonymous]

Wow, so much mis information in this one thread.

Available parking is in the teacher's union contract. There are only a small number of schools that do not have any parking, and another number that do not have adequate parking. You can feel however you want about parking, but it is a union contract item.

The use of passes for Eaton teachers, donated by neighbors, is not illegal. It is the solution suggested to Eaton by Mary Cheh and DDOT. And it's not illegal. Did I mention it's not illegal?

I'm an Eaton parent of an older child. The renovation will not benefit me one iota. It would be nice, in my opinion, if parking was included in the renovation. But parking is very expensive. Eaton parents have very little pull with Cheh. The neighbors who care so much about parking might be the only ones who can influence this, but they don't seem organized enough to pull it off.

[Anonymous]

most staff members of a school do not live on a metro at all. metro does is not a great transit option in the city, it was intended to take commuters in va and md into downtown. its not a system like nyc, boston, chicago etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so much mis information in this one thread.

Available parking is in the teacher's union contract. There are only a small number of schools that do not have any parking, and another number that do not have adequate parking. You can feel however you want about parking, but it is a union contract item.

The use of passes for Eaton teachers, donated by neighbors, is not illegal. It is the solution suggested to Eaton by Mary Cheh and DDOT. And it's not illegal. Did I mention it's not illegal?

I'm an Eaton parent of an older child. The renovation will not benefit me one iota. It would be nice, in my opinion, if parking was included in the renovation. But parking is very expensive. Eaton parents have very little pull with Cheh. The neighbors who care so much about parking might be the only ones who can influence this, but they don't seem organized enough to pull it off.

But it’s not sustainable. Immediate neighbors accepted and put up with it, willing to help out Eaton for the short term with the understanding that DCPS would provide a ong term offstreet parking solution. It seems like bait and switch that DCPS now is suggesting that this will be the long term fix. And it’s not exactly fair to neighbors who can’t find parking during the day despite RPP restrictions on the surrounding residential streets. Remember that the visitor passes were never intended as permanent daily parking passes. Moreover, because they are valid for an entire ANC area the persons who are providing their passes to teachers may limit necessarily live close to the school, and therefore are not impacted by the parking scarcity on the surrounding streets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm still trying to understand why teachers in an URBAN school district should have on-site parking.

What is it about the teaching profession that makes so many of us reflexively say, sure, teachers should be able to drive to work and park steps aways from their desk — for free? I personally suspect it has everything to do with the fact that they're with our Precious, Precious Offspring all day.

The equally hard-working respiratory therapists at Georgetown or GW Hospital who saved your dad's life last year when he had pneumonia don't have free on-site parking (and they're at work so much later in the day than a teacher, and earlier, too). The administrative assistants at all the do-good nonprofits in the District don't get free garage parking, though they make less than teachers.

Then there's the tens of thousands of less "noble," higher-paid professionals working in the District M-F who don't get free on-site parking, either.

Explain in rational terms why teachers can't take public transportation (or pay to park in nearby garages, if available) like everyone else in DC?

There are NO pay garages nearby. The issue is not about free parking; it’s about any parking. Have the teachers pay something and a bunch would still want it.

GW is well-served by metro. Georgetown is rather challenging....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so much mis information in this one thread.

Available parking is in the teacher's union contract. There are only a small number of schools that do not have any parking, and another number that do not have adequate parking. You can feel however you want about parking, but it is a union contract item.

The use of passes for Eaton teachers, donated by neighbors, is not illegal. It is the solution suggested to Eaton by Mary Cheh and DDOT. And it's not illegal. Did I mention it's not illegal?

I'm an Eaton parent of an older child. The renovation will not benefit me one iota. It would be nice, in my opinion, if parking was included in the renovation. But parking is very expensive. Eaton parents have very little pull with Cheh. The neighbors who care so much about parking might be the only ones who can influence this, but they don't seem organized enough to pull it off.

But it’s not sustainable. Immediate neighbors accepted and put up with it, willing to help out Eaton for the short term with the understanding that DCPS would provide a ong term offstreet parking solution. It seems like bait and switch that DCPS now is suggesting that this will be the long term fix. And it’s not exactly fair to neighbors who can’t find parking during the day despite RPP restrictions on the surrounding residential streets. Remember that the visitor passes were never intended as permanent daily parking passes. Moreover, because they are valid for an entire ANC area the persons who are providing their passes to teachers may limit necessarily live close to the school, and therefore are not impacted by the parking scarcity on the surrounding streets.

+1. Using Visitor Parking Passes may not be “illegal,” but it is certainly not the purpose the program was designed for.

Any why should Eaton families have to trade in their access to Visitor Parking Passes so the teachers can have the parking they were promised? It makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Because the way DCPS and Mary Cheh think, castoffs and improvised solutions are always good enough for Eaton. Eaton has to swallow what other Ward 3 school communities would never put up with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm still trying to understand why teachers in an URBAN school district should have on-site parking.

What is it about the teaching profession that makes so many of us reflexively say, sure, teachers should be able to drive to work and park steps aways from their desk — for free? I personally suspect it has everything to do with the fact that they're with our Precious, Precious Offspring all day.

The equally hard-working respiratory therapists at Georgetown or GW Hospital who saved your dad's life last year when he had pneumonia don't have free on-site parking (and they're at work so much later in the day than a teacher, and earlier, too). The administrative assistants at all the do-good nonprofits in the District don't get free garage parking, though they make less than teachers.

Then there's the tens of thousands of less "noble," higher-paid professionals working in the District M-F who don't get free on-site parking, either.

Explain in rational terms why teachers can't take public transportation (or pay to park in nearby garages, if available) like everyone else in DC?

You mean the way that teachers at Ellington, Janney and Murch do?

Teacher here who used to teach at Eaton a long time ago. I bring a ton of things home. Books to read and use to grade papers, and other materials. That hill up conn Ace and Macomb is not fun in the rain. Do you want your child’s paper to be water logged when I grade it or should I spend every waking minute at school to do this? I never respond to these posts but give me a break. Some days I have four bags I bring home. If I can’t park near school, then I can’t bring these things home then they do get a quick, cursory grade because I need to pick my kids up, too. Go away. I don’t tell you how to get to work, don’t tell me how to get to work.

I’m so glad I can park near my current school. I can’t get a spot in the lot, but I can park close to school. You asked PP and there is an honest answer. It makes me a better grader and teacher. I can’t do it all at school. I know teachers who bring more than me home and who are much older than me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no valid reason to not include parking. Spending millions of dollars yet leaving the facility with obvious, significant problems is irresponsible.

Hey! Share this with the Maury PTA! They decided to have a parking lot with *8* spaces next year. They shrunk the pit to increase the playground. Good times.

[Anonymous]

Hearst parent here. I don’t know the details but there is a street right by Hearst where one side is designated for teacher parking on school days. Could that be a solution for Eaton as well? Maybe someone could call Hearst and see how they got that? I think There is a lottery or rotation each month to see which teachers park in the lot and which park on that street. Prior to that, families also shared their VPPs. Good luck.