Mary Cheh, homeless shelters and Stoddert

[Anonymous]

So Mary Cheh is grilling Chancellor Henderson about the huge numbers of new homeless children who will be coming in to Stoddert. It seems the line is that they will overwhelm the school because it is an attractive place to attend.

But how many children per grade could we really be talking about here?
How many new families are being allowed to buy homes and have children in the Stoddert attendance zone?

And most interesting to me, don't we have a deal that buses military kids from JBAB deep in SE/SW to Stoddert so they can't be forced to integrate with their ghetto neighbors? Couldn't we dial back the numbers who participate in that program so that we can prioritize DC's homeless over a shameless anti-integration busing program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So Mary Cheh is grilling Chancellor Henderson about the huge numbers of new homeless children who will be coming in to Stoddert. It seems the line is that they will overwhelm the school because it is an attractive place to attend.

But how many children per grade could we really be talking about here?
How many new families are being allowed to buy homes and have children in the Stoddert attendance zone?

And most interesting to me, don't we have a deal that buses military kids from JBAB deep in SE/SW to Stoddert so they can't be forced to integrate with their ghetto neighbors? Couldn't we dial back the numbers who participate in that program so that we can prioritize DC's homeless over a shameless anti-integration busing program?

No such program happening for military anymore - they have to enter OOB lottery like anyone else.

There is a charter idea in works to serve that community which is an interesting idea.

[Anonymous]

How will homeless kids overwhelm the school system. The proposed shelter has 38 units, and not all of the units are going to have kids in them.

[Anonymous]

So nothing on Murch?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How will homeless kids overwhelm the school system. The proposed shelter has 38 units, and not all of the units are going to have kids in them.

No, we've been told that all of the rooms will have kids in them -- two bunkbeds each -- and they will predictably be of toddler and elementary school age. There's also uncertainty whether the shelter will house 38 or 50 units. Mostly single-mother families rotate in and out every 3-4 months, all of them with the right to attend the neighborhood school, and then they can stay at the school even though they might find permanent housing elsewhere in the city.

Couple that with the fact that Stoddert is already overcrowded, and you have to wonder whether DCPS has lost its "planning" chip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So Mary Cheh is grilling Chancellor Henderson about the huge numbers of new homeless children who will be coming in to Stoddert. It seems the line is that they will overwhelm the school because it is an attractive place to attend.

But how many children per grade could we really be talking about here?
How many new families are being allowed to buy homes and have children in the Stoddert attendance zone?

And most interesting to me, don't we have a deal that buses military kids from JBAB deep in SE/SW to Stoddert so they can't be forced to integrate with their ghetto neighbors? Couldn't we dial back the numbers who participate in that program so that we can prioritize DC's homeless over a shameless anti-integration busing program?

Your slur against military families is disgusting. Do you know the hardships that many military families endure while a parent is sent on multiple deployments. Why shouldn't those who put their lives on the line for our country -- so that you have the freedom to blog your ill-informed and callous scribblings to your heart's content -- at least have the peace of mind that their kids can go to an okay school, while they are sacrificing? Don't we owe our military volunteers that much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How will homeless kids overwhelm the school system. The proposed shelter has 38 units, and not all of the units are going to have kids in them.

Women can I have many children, so 38 units may be like 38 x 5 kids or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How will homeless kids overwhelm the school system. The proposed shelter has 38 units, and not all of the units are going to have kids in them.

Women can I have many children, so 38 units may be like 38 x 5 kids or something.

But even assuming this is the case, the kids would be of varying ages and some of these kids will remain at the schools they are currently enrolled in. Although I agree that there should be additional support for these schools to give the necessary assistance for these kids, I think it's a bit of an over-reaction to say that these kids will overwhelm the school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Mary Cheh is grilling Chancellor Henderson about the huge numbers of new homeless children who will be coming in to Stoddert. It seems the line is that they will overwhelm the school because it is an attractive place to attend.

But how many children per grade could we really be talking about here?
How many new families are being allowed to buy homes and have children in the Stoddert attendance zone?

And most interesting to me, don't we have a deal that buses military kids from JBAB deep in SE/SW to Stoddert so they can't be forced to integrate with their ghetto neighbors? Couldn't we dial back the numbers who participate in that program so that we can prioritize DC's homeless over a shameless anti-integration busing program?

Your slur against military families is disgusting. Do you know the hardships that many military families endure while a parent is sent on multiple deployments. Why shouldn't those who put their lives on the line for our country -- so that you have the freedom to blog your ill-informed and callous scribblings to your heart's content -- at least have the peace of mind that their kids can go to an okay school, while they are sacrificing? Don't we owe our military volunteers that much?

I agree - I actually think the kids from JBAB should get a preference (at least equal to sibling) to attend whatever school they wish.

Instead we give them the lottery (never mind that their moves / transfers probably don't align to February 1 or March 1) or these by-right options.

(from MySchool DC)

What are the right-to-attend schools for military families housed at Joint Base Anacostia Bolling AFB?

The right-to-attend schools for families residing in Joint Base Anacostia Bolling AFB are Leckie Elementary School, Hart Middle School, and Ballou High School.

[Anonymous]

shame on you, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How will homeless kids overwhelm the school system. The proposed shelter has 38 units, and not all of the units are going to have kids in them.

No, we've been told that all of the rooms will have kids in them -- two bunkbeds each -- and they will predictably be of toddler and elementary school age. There's also uncertainty whether the shelter will house 38 or 50 units. Mostly single-mother families rotate in and out every 3-4 months, all of them with the right to attend the neighborhood school, and then they can stay at the school even though they might find permanent housing elsewhere in the city.

Couple that with the fact that Stoddert is already overcrowded, and you have to wonder whether DCPS has lost its "planning" chip.

They are family shelters so yes, lots of kids. If they opt to go to Stoddert, as will be their right, in principle at-risk funding should follow them. DCPS will have to think about how to budget for that even if these kids are not there at the beginning of the year. But they will not have the right to stay after the school year is over once they have permanent housing. That cuts both ways. During the school year families can move in and out of the shelter and accrue rights for that school year. So by the end of the year, more than the number of kids in the shelter at one time could be attending. That said, these kids would not be able to stick around. Lots of churning potentially. And, Stoddert is bursting, with no clear way to add space (same issue with trying to close Filmore and add back arts space -- no where to do it). DCPS sounds like it was completely in the dark like everyone else so I don't blame them on this one. May have to share rights with other local schools, such as Eaton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How will homeless kids overwhelm the school system. The proposed shelter has 38 units, and not all of the units are going to have kids in them.

Women can I have many children, so 38 units may be like 38 x 5 kids or something.

But even assuming this is the case, the kids would be of varying ages and some of these kids will remain at the schools they are currently enrolled in. Although I agree that there should be additional support for these schools to give the necessary assistance for these kids, I think it's a bit of an over-reaction to say that these kids will overwhelm the school system.

I agree. It's unlikely that all the kids in the new shelter will come to Stoddert, and for the ones that do, well, Stoddert is as well equipped to handle these kids as any other DCPS. Homeless families need to live somewhere. Bowser's plan is for a family shelter in every ward, which seems fair to me.

[Anonymous]

Relax everyone. The spot where the shelter may be is still a patch of grass.

Your true colors are showing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Relax everyone. The spot where the shelter may be is still a patch of grass.

Your true colors are showing.

The biggest threat to a shelter being built at that location would be the crony deal that underlies it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Relax everyone. The spot where the shelter may be is still a patch of grass.

Your true colors are showing.

The biggest threat to a shelter being built at that location would be the crony deal that underlies it.

Yeah, I heard that the developer would make some outrageous amount in rent. And I also heard that the Glover Park site was identified at the last minute because Bowser needed a site in Ward 3 and the other one they were looking at (I think maybe in the Murch district) couldn't be secured quickly enough to meet the Mayor's announcement. WOuld love someone in the know to post some details of the facts.