Murch moving to lafayette

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not everyone opposes moving to Lafayette. We have to drive from Brookland every day so anything that saves us some commuting time for two years is fine by me! DS will be going to Deal by the time Murch is all done so if he's got to be in a trailer classroom it may as well be in a spot that's still Murch but located a little more centrally in DC.

Since Lafayette's trailers accommodate 70-90 more kids than Murch needs, they may effectively double their oob population during this relocation. The location really is so central.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not everyone opposes moving to Lafayette. We have to drive from Brookland every day so anything that saves us some commuting time for two years is fine by me! DS will be going to Deal by the time Murch is all done so if he's got to be in a trailer classroom it may as well be in a spot that's still Murch but located a little more centrally in DC.

Since Lafayette's trailers accommodate 70-90 more kids than Murch needs, they may effectively double their oob population during this relocation. The location really is so central.

Yes can't you see all the people scrambling to get into a school which doesn't even have a known location for the fall?

My bet is you see a drop in Murch enrollment due to the renovation. We have a 3rd grader and plenty of talk from parents about just pulling kids for private or doing the lottery to see what they can get.

[Anonymous]

Dear Patrick Donovan (from the Post article):

Please come by Murch to see how dangerous drop off time is considering Murch is located ON a commuter route. Lots of kids get to cross Reno, Nebraska and Connecticut to get to Murch which is located on a a cut through street for kids heading to Deal and Wilson. Not to mention the commuters who think the Davenport and 36th street stop sign is optional.

Your quote makes you sound a bit---well mean and uninformed. Perhaps you were misquoted because our kids would be safer at Lafayette. Not saying that is the right option but definitely a safer option then even the current situation.

[Anonymous]

Given the strength of the opinions here, the clear lack of leadership at DCPS and DGS to move effectively and make quality decisions, the turmoil this is causing in two communities, one has to wonder:

WHERE IS THE LEADERSHIP IN THIS CITY?

This is exactly the kind of problem Mayors and City Council members are elected to head off, resolve or take the bureaucracy task for the dismal job they are doing.

This is not the fault of Much parents, Lafayette parents, or failure by any citizen to support a previous policy decision, etc.

It is the absolute failure of the City government to conduct its business in a reasonable and fair way, being open and transparent, having a identified and shared criteria for decision making and keeping the public informed in a timely fashion.

DC's top officials have some explaining to do.

[Anonymous]

Leadership in this city is too busy lining their pockets with lobby and taxpayer money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given the strength of the opinions here, the clear lack of leadership at DCPS and DGS to move effectively and make quality decisions, the turmoil this is causing in two communities, one has to wonder:

WHERE IS THE LEADERSHIP IN THIS CITY?

This is exactly the kind of problem Mayors and City Council members are elected to head off, resolve or take the bureaucracy task for the dismal job they are doing.

This is not the fault of Much parents, Lafayette parents, or failure by any citizen to support a previous policy decision, etc.

It is the absolute failure of the City government to conduct its business in a reasonable and fair way, being open and transparent, having a identified and shared criteria for decision making and keeping the public informed in a timely fashion.

DC's top officials have some explaining to do.

We've all been "Bowsered."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we have to stop trying to help the PP understand Murch boundaries and head count. Nothing will help PP understand.

I think that the Murch community needs to understand if DCPS intends it to be primarily a neighborhood-oriented elementary school or a larger school to serve demand from across the city. Even while they have proposed shrinking the boundaries, DCPS has not suggested shrinking the enrollment cap (in fact, the opposite).

[Anonymous]

I just got an email from Mayor Bowsers office with the tag line "Our Vision is Zero"

What idiot came up with this Marketing campaign? One with zero vision I guess....

[Anonymous]

As a Lafayette parent, I would potentially support the co-location, if it was better for Murch kids than the alternative and if -- and this is the big problem-- DCPS can provide a thoughtful plan for how to deal with the very real and reasonable concerns people have raised. If I saw a safety plan, there were plans for busing and/ or a staggered start, and there was thought given to how everyone can access the playground, I would be satisfied.

The problem is not necessarily with the co-location-- although there are certainly issues that need to be considered-- but with DCPS's extraordinary inincompetence in thinking it through.

[Anonymous]

We've all been "Bowsered."

Yes, that is one way of phrasing it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a Lafayette parent, I would potentially support the co-location, if it was better for Murch kids than the alternative and if -- and this is the big problem-- DCPS can provide a thoughtful plan for how to deal with the very real and reasonable concerns people have raised. If I saw a safety plan, there were plans for busing and/ or a staggered start, and there was thought given to how everyone can access the playground, I would be satisfied.

The problem is not necessarily with the co-location-- although there are certainly issues that need to be considered-- but with DCPS's extraordinary inincompetence in thinking it through.

Right, if the City came to the community with a thoughtful plan that anticipated and incorporated community concerns (not so hard to figure out really--traffic, use of any shared facilities, accomdatimg other needs--reasonable people could probably find consensus.

Bringing a partially conceived plan tone deaf to everyone's concerns is a failure of leadership and makes finding a solution even more difficult.

[Anonymous]

The families from Cumberland to Albermarle should have been moved to Hearst starting last school year. That's right, the kids should have been transferred immediately. SHOCK: other schools systems like Fairfax do this. The kids will survive and see their old friends again at Deal. Believe it or not DCPS also has a responsibility to the taxpayers of DC, many of which do not have children, to keep costs under control.

SHOCK: You would get over having Murch swing into Lafayette for two years as well. You will survive and things will be normal again before you know it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear Patrick Donovan (from the Post article):

Please come by Murch to see how dangerous drop off time is considering Murch is located ON a commuter route. Lots of kids get to cross Reno, Nebraska and Connecticut to get to Murch which is located on a a cut through street for kids heading to Deal and Wilson. Not to mention the commuters who think the Davenport and 36th street stop sign is optional.

Your quote makes you sound a bit---well mean and uninformed. Perhaps you were misquoted because our kids would be safer at Lafayette. Not saying that is the right option but definitely a safer option then even the current situation.

This issue he was speaking about is that with all the traffic in the very small drop off area and the number of walkers there have been several, very clear near misses where cars have almost run over kids. Our principal is distressed about it and has sent home many notes and made robocalls. The tiny nature of the roads invites kids to scramble across and because of the tight space cars are back up, pulling 3-point turns and all sorts of unsafe behaviors. At the moment many of the teacher aids now act as crossing guards in the morning, just trying to shepherd the kids to their classes without being killed. Our issues are different than yours, in that our roads are not the fact moving traffic veins of Reno and Conn., but the situation is really bad. Adding 3x the cars to this scene is terrifying.

[Anonymous]

MURCH PARENTS!!

After tonight's meeting, can you report back to us, specifically with any concrete steps WE can take (by we, anyone who is concerned about this swing space debacle) to help you guys get relocated to safe, appropriate and accessible space?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just got an email from Mayor Bowsers office with the tag line "Our Vision is Zero"

What idiot came up with this Marketing campaign? One with zero vision I guess....

Ill give Bowser and her gang points for candor at least.