LAMB closing its existing campuses and consolidating to one campus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, I drove from Perry Street to Kingsbury at 8am this morning in 13 minutes.

Good for you!

Some of us don't have that exact commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't we asking the LAMB administration to do BETTER this time? We really can't do better than a facility that is probably too small, in an inconvenient location far from transit?

Because this is a great space and it will be impossible to find something better? Can you name one location/building where you think that the school can be located and be convenient for ALL families? There is no such place and I for one think that Kingsbury is as close to perfect as the school can get.

Agree. I think it is a great space. Plus I think people who are asking the administration to do better are living in a dream world, where there is a wealth of school-ready buildings just waiting to be snapped up. There is a reason that the school has been looking for a permanent location since they expanded back in 2011. There isn't an abundance of space out there. And it isn't any further than public transit than the current locations.

What is the point of combining the entire school? I don't see any savings and not a single poster has addressed this.

You'd need fewer admins -- no need for a family 'coordinator' or ELD supervisor at each campus, wouldn't need as many assistant principals. Utility and cleaning costs will go down (same number of classrooms but fewer offices, one gym/auditorium), food service costs will go down a little because of delivering larger amount to one location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't we asking the LAMB administration to do BETTER this time? We really can't do better than a facility that is probably too small, in an inconvenient location far from transit?

Because this is a great space and it will be impossible to find something better? Can you name one location/building where you think that the school can be located and be convenient for ALL families? There is no such place and I for one think that Kingsbury is as close to perfect as the school can get.

This is only because you live down the street. It is at the very top of DC away from downtown.

I see no point to merge into one giant school. There is no savings since the cost of merging into one school will be paid by the families who don't live nearby. Nothing that has been said about Kingsbury is remotely placed in reality. we don't even know if the neighborhood will accept raising the occupancy by 100% (and the subsequent 600 extra cars on the road- the original Kingsbury center had kids bussed in).

We don't know what will happen with the historic board. Whether the plans will be approved. We haven't seen real blue prints. We don't know if the charter board will approve this. we don't know anything but somehow, magically, it will happen in a year.

but closer to downtown than any of the other current LAMB locations so I have no idea what this comment is supposed to mean.

SD campus is closer to downtown. Kingsbury is 45-60 min away.

We're moving the goalposts now to the closest location for downtown commuters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, I drove from Perry Street to Kingsbury at 8am this morning in 13 minutes.

Good for you!

Some of us don't have that exact commute.

Well your commute will probably be fewer than 13 minutes longer since you won't have to sit in Perry Street traffic.

[Anonymous]

The upkeep of one building, even if it's bigger, is less costly than multiple campuses. The school can feel more unified when on one campus. Having worked at a school with multiple campuses, once we combined, the school felt more unified and connected when we merged into one location. We felt more like a community, and the school was stronger overall. I hope the same for LAMB.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't we asking the LAMB administration to do BETTER this time? We really can't do better than a facility that is probably too small, in an inconvenient location far from transit?

Because this is a great space and it will be impossible to find something better? Can you name one location/building where you think that the school can be located and be convenient for ALL families? There is no such place and I for one think that Kingsbury is as close to perfect as the school can get.

Agree. I think it is a great space. Plus I think people who are asking the administration to do better are living in a dream world, where there is a wealth of school-ready buildings just waiting to be snapped up. There is a reason that the school has been looking for a permanent location since they expanded back in 2011. There isn't an abundance of space out there. And it isn't any further than public transit than the current locations.

What is the point of combining the entire school? I don't see any savings and not a single poster has addressed this.

You'd need fewer admins -- no need for a family 'coordinator' or ELD supervisor at each campus, wouldn't need as many assistant principals. Utility and cleaning costs will go down (same number of classrooms but fewer offices, one gym/auditorium), food service costs will go down a little because of delivering larger amount to one location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't we asking the LAMB administration to do BETTER this time? We really can't do better than a facility that is probably too small, in an inconvenient location far from transit?

Because this is a great space and it will be impossible to find something better? Can you name one location/building where you think that the school can be located and be convenient for ALL families? There is no such place and I for one think that Kingsbury is as close to perfect as the school can get.

Agree. I think it is a great space. Plus I think people who are asking the administration to do better are living in a dream world, where there is a wealth of school-ready buildings just waiting to be snapped up. There is a reason that the school has been looking for a permanent location since they expanded back in 2011. There isn't an abundance of space out there. And it isn't any further than public transit than the current locations.

What is the point of combining the entire school? I don't see any savings and not a single poster has addressed this.

You'd need fewer admins -- no need for a family 'coordinator' or ELD supervisor at each campus, wouldn't need as many assistant principals. Utility and cleaning costs will go down (same number of classrooms but fewer offices, one gym/auditorium), food service costs will go down a little because of delivering larger amount to one location.

Not true at all. Furthermore, any "savings" will be paid for several times over by the families who are forced to move, or spend more time in traffic, or get paid less because they can't get to work on time from Kingsbury.

[Anonymous]

I work at Metro Center. The drive to Kingsbury right now would be 21 minutes according to Google, 33 minutes if I did Metro and bus, and 40 minutes by bus. Those times are all slightly shorter than my current commute up to the MO campus.

Yes, I wish LAMB would relocate two blocks from my house, but that's not going to happen, and I know that is unrealistic. I have chosen LAMB over the school that is two blocks from me. I also know that having a campus downtown is unrealistic, and I wouldn't want my kid going to school downtown. I love the leafy Kingsbury campus. It is gated, which seems safe, and I think the building is beautiful. What a gift this would be for us!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The upkeep of one building, even if it's bigger, is less costly than multiple campuses. The school can feel more unified when on one campus. Having worked at a school with multiple campuses, once we combined, the school felt more unified and connected when we merged into one location. We felt more like a community, and the school was stronger overall. I hope the same for LAMB.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't we asking the LAMB administration to do BETTER this time? We really can't do better than a facility that is probably too small, in an inconvenient location far from transit?

Because this is a great space and it will be impossible to find something better? Can you name one location/building where you think that the school can be located and be convenient for ALL families? There is no such place and I for one think that Kingsbury is as close to perfect as the school can get.

Agree. I think it is a great space. Plus I think people who are asking the administration to do better are living in a dream world, where there is a wealth of school-ready buildings just waiting to be snapped up. There is a reason that the school has been looking for a permanent location since they expanded back in 2011. There isn't an abundance of space out there. And it isn't any further than public transit than the current locations.

What is the point of combining the entire school? I don't see any savings and not a single poster has addressed this.

You'd need fewer admins -- no need for a family 'coordinator' or ELD supervisor at each campus, wouldn't need as many assistant principals. Utility and cleaning costs will go down (same number of classrooms but fewer offices, one gym/auditorium), food service costs will go down a little because of delivering larger amount to one location.

Lamb's "community" has been destroyed forever. It is not a welcoming community, and as evidenced by the dismissive statements of the administration, any "newcomers" are not welcome. There is a reason new families were not welcome at the meetings regarding Kingsbury. That reason is that the administration does not care about you at all. Remember they were "tricked" by the rapid gentrification of DC. A unified campus will only make these things worse. Look at this thread- do you see any warmth at all? It's every man for himself at lamb. Shoving this move down the throats of parents will only make things worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't we asking the LAMB administration to do BETTER this time? We really can't do better than a facility that is probably too small, in an inconvenient location far from transit?

Because this is a great space and it will be impossible to find something better? Can you name one location/building where you think that the school can be located and be convenient for ALL families? There is no such place and I for one think that Kingsbury is as close to perfect as the school can get.

Agree. I think it is a great space. Plus I think people who are asking the administration to do better are living in a dream world, where there is a wealth of school-ready buildings just waiting to be snapped up. There is a reason that the school has been looking for a permanent location since they expanded back in 2011. There isn't an abundance of space out there. And it isn't any further than public transit than the current locations.

What is the point of combining the entire school? I don't see any savings and not a single poster has addressed this.

You'd need fewer admins -- no need for a family 'coordinator' or ELD supervisor at each campus, wouldn't need as many assistant principals. Utility and cleaning costs will go down (same number of classrooms but fewer offices, one gym/auditorium), food service costs will go down a little because of delivering larger amount to one location.

Not true at all. Furthermore, any "savings" will be paid for several times over by the families who are forced to move, or spend more time in traffic, or get paid less because they can't get to work on time from Kingsbury.

This isn't how it works. Yes there will be a cost to some families. But the school itself will likely save a bit of money if they really could consolidate.

But I am firmly in the skeptical camp for reasons posted above (neighbors who won't like traffic, expansion of footprint, the messy reality of sharing space with a PK-12th grade school for 1-6 years, yet another construction project, and a board and an administration that has lost the confidence of a number of its families and staff).

[Anonymous]

I don't think those opposed to the move get how privileged "muh commute" sounds to people who have commuted through incredible circumstances for years.

[Anonymous]

Did they say when they would put in a proposal to the PCSB to get this move approved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The upkeep of one building, even if it's bigger, is less costly than multiple campuses. The school can feel more unified when on one campus. Having worked at a school with multiple campuses, once we combined, the school felt more unified and connected when we merged into one location. We felt more like a community, and the school was stronger overall. I hope the same for LAMB.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't we asking the LAMB administration to do BETTER this time? We really can't do better than a facility that is probably too small, in an inconvenient location far from transit?

Because this is a great space and it will be impossible to find something better? Can you name one location/building where you think that the school can be located and be convenient for ALL families? There is no such place and I for one think that Kingsbury is as close to perfect as the school can get.

Agree. I think it is a great space. Plus I think people who are asking the administration to do better are living in a dream world, where there is a wealth of school-ready buildings just waiting to be snapped up. There is a reason that the school has been looking for a permanent location since they expanded back in 2011. There isn't an abundance of space out there. And it isn't any further than public transit than the current locations.

What is the point of combining the entire school? I don't see any savings and not a single poster has addressed this.

You'd need fewer admins -- no need for a family 'coordinator' or ELD supervisor at each campus, wouldn't need as many assistant principals. Utility and cleaning costs will go down (same number of classrooms but fewer offices, one gym/auditorium), food service costs will go down a little because of delivering larger amount to one location.

Lamb's "community" has been destroyed forever. It is not a welcoming community, and as evidenced by the dismissive statements of the administration, any "newcomers" are not welcome. There is a reason new families were not welcome at the meetings regarding Kingsbury. That reason is that the administration does not care about you at all. Remember they were "tricked" by the rapid gentrification of DC. A unified campus will only make these things worse. Look at this thread- do you see any warmth at all? It's every man for himself at lamb. Shoving this move down the throats of parents will only make things worse.

PP - are you pulling your child(ren)? I dont see how I could ever leave my son somewhere if I felt the level of negativity about the place that you feel about LAMB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think those opposed to the move get how privileged "muh commute" sounds to people who have commuted through incredible circumstances for years.

It is this very history that makes people skeptical about yet another move, particularly to a building that, on paper, looks to be half the size needed for the school. The fact that LAMB has moved every two years and has three campuses makes it very clear that the administration is terrible at facilities planning. Unfortunately because it's Ward 4, it seems that many parents have blinders on about the very real drawbacks to the Kingsbury property.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The upkeep of one building, even if it's bigger, is less costly than multiple campuses. The school can feel more unified when on one campus. Having worked at a school with multiple campuses, once we combined, the school felt more unified and connected when we merged into one location. We felt more like a community, and the school was stronger overall. I hope the same for LAMB.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't we asking the LAMB administration to do BETTER this time? We really can't do better than a facility that is probably too small, in an inconvenient location far from transit?

Because this is a great space and it will be impossible to find something better? Can you name one location/building where you think that the school can be located and be convenient for ALL families? There is no such place and I for one think that Kingsbury is as close to perfect as the school can get.

Agree. I think it is a great space. Plus I think people who are asking the administration to do better are living in a dream world, where there is a wealth of school-ready buildings just waiting to be snapped up. There is a reason that the school has been looking for a permanent location since they expanded back in 2011. There isn't an abundance of space out there. And it isn't any further than public transit than the current locations.

What is the point of combining the entire school? I don't see any savings and not a single poster has addressed this.

You'd need fewer admins -- no need for a family 'coordinator' or ELD supervisor at each campus, wouldn't need as many assistant principals. Utility and cleaning costs will go down (same number of classrooms but fewer offices, one gym/auditorium), food service costs will go down a little because of delivering larger amount to one location.

Lamb's "community" has been destroyed forever. It is not a welcoming community, and as evidenced by the dismissive statements of the administration, any "newcomers" are not welcome. There is a reason new families were not welcome at the meetings regarding Kingsbury. That reason is that the administration does not care about you at all. Remember they were "tricked" by the rapid gentrification of DC. A unified campus will only make these things worse. Look at this thread- do you see any warmth at all? It's every man for himself at lamb. Shoving this move down the throats of parents will only make things worse.

PP - are you pulling your child(ren)? I dont see how I could ever leave my son somewhere if I felt the level of negativity about the place that you feel about LAMB.

Well glad YOU have other options. We don't because Cristina concealed this move after we declined other choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think those opposed to the move get how privileged "muh commute" sounds to people who have commuted through incredible circumstances for years.

It is this very history that makes people skeptical about yet another move, particularly to a building that, on paper, looks to be half the size needed for the school. The fact that LAMB has moved every two years and has three campuses makes it very clear that the administration is terrible at facilities planning. Unfortunately because it's Ward 4, it seems that many parents have blinders on about the very real drawbacks to the Kingsbury property.

This