Mary Cheh, homeless shelters and Stoddert

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Maybe it's about a solution to homelessness that isn't a bandaid. I would rather subsidize a good apartment than a bunkbed, but also have a case worker and requirements of the parents.

I'm not an expert on homelessness/housing policy, but the proposed solution seems like a massive step forward from the current homeless shelter mess. We shouldn't make the perfect the enemy of the good here. I live a couple blocks from one of the other shelters being proposed, in a neighborhood every bit as expensive (or more) than Glover park and support these new shelters.

What I don't understand: these are pitched as "family" shelters yet they have only 2 bathtubs for the WHOLE facility - that's crazy. And what is up with dorm bathrooms? This really sounds no different than DC General.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Sorry, but Janney is uber-full already. Other schools would a better fit in any case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what the developer did to merit such upzoning.

Ka-Ching, Ka-Ching

Is he a Hong Kong developer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Sorry, but Janney is uber-full already. Other schools would a better fit in any case.

Very convenient. I'm sure Janney could find for room for 5 more kids spread between various grades. After all, 5 kids could come in next year from one large family moving to the neighborhood. But the question is moot because they won't be asked to. My point was just that Stoddert being overcrowded is not a sufficient reason to not build this shelter given that award 3 has other schools nearby,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Sorry, but Janney is uber-full already. Other schools would a better fit in any case.

Oh don't worry Janney. You are getting your 10%. Just like the rest of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids who stay at DC General- did they attend their old school or the one zoned for DC General?

I believe they have a right to attend either. In practice, I read somewhere (not sure where) that the number of kids from DC General attending the zoned school for DC General is small - <15?

This was discussed in another thread. Of the 100s of kids at DC General less than 30 currently attend the IB school for the shelter. I'm assuming its mostly upper grades since they don't have to guarantee spots for preschool. Someone claimed something like 40% of the children in DC General are under 2. There is not going to be a huge influx of kids into the IB schools for the new shelters. People need to settle down.

Unless a school bus to the old school is provided, the kids should attend the closest school and mom/dad should be enrolled in a class or out looking for work. What exactly is the expectation for folks in these shelters? What's the wraparound plan for them to move their lives forward?

No investment in this particular fight, but the law does require DC to provide transportation to the kid's old school (if the parents want it, of course). I am wondering if DC publicizes this though, since some of the recent WaPo articles note parents getting up at crack of dawn to make really long commutes to old schools on public transit... But that also shows the extent to which some parents will go to keep the continuity. That said, I'm not sure how practical that is from some of these sites, the one in bounds for Stoddert in particular, from a transit perspective, if DC doesn't step up to fulfill its obligation under the law.

I read the same article and that ticks me off. The mom.should be doing job training /GED or working. Not riding the bus 4 hours a day. Where is the case worker and where are the requirements for receiving food, medical, free education and shelter?

Who and why is riding the bus 4 hours a day?

The WaPo articles included profiles of some parents who rode the bus (with their kids - often the kid enrolled and a younger sibling or two) for several hours a day, to get their kids to and from DC general (I think) to get their kid to his or her old school. The kids are entitled to continue to attend their old school. DC is obligated to provide transportation (not public transit, like school bus transit) to get homeless kids to and from their old school, which would avoid the need for this. But it sounded a lot like DCPS might be dropping the ball on that (shocking right?).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Sorry, but Janney is uber-full already. Other schools would a better fit in any case.

Oh don't worry Janney. You are getting your 10%. Just like the rest of us.

And W(where)TF will the quota kids fit? The school is already over-enrolled again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Maybe it's about a solution to homelessness that isn't a bandaid. I would rather subsidize a good apartment than a bunkbed, but also have a case worker and requirements of the parents.

I'm not an expert on homelessness/housing policy, but the proposed solution seems like a massive step forward from the current homeless shelter mess. We shouldn't make the perfect the enemy of the good here. I live a couple blocks from one of the other shelters being proposed, in a neighborhood every bit as expensive (or more) than Glover park and support these new shelters.

What I don't understand: these are pitched as "family" shelters yet they have only 2 bathtubs for the WHOLE facility - that's crazy. And what is up with dorm bathrooms? This really sounds no different than DC General.

agreed. I also don;t think there is enough information about how exactly they plan to get these families back on their feet and into permanent housing in 90 days? that is just simply not going to happen.

[Anonymous]

So, in the case of the Ward 3 shelter in Glover Park, the crony developer gets a coveted upzoning for height and density and then builds a cheap, crappy, barracks-style shelter. Once the lease is over, he can raze the project and build taller upscale apartments and condos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Sorry, but Janney is uber-full already. Other schools would a better fit in any case.

Oh don't worry Janney. You are getting your 10%. Just like the rest of us.

don't schools have a capacity limit set by a fire marshall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Maybe it's about a solution to homelessness that isn't a bandaid. I would rather subsidize a good apartment than a bunkbed, but also have a case worker and requirements of the parents.

I'm not an expert on homelessness/housing policy, but the proposed solution seems like a massive step forward from the current homeless shelter mess. We shouldn't make the perfect the enemy of the good here. I live a couple blocks from one of the other shelters being proposed, in a neighborhood every bit as expensive (or more) than Glover park and support these new shelters.

What I don't understand: these are pitched as "family" shelters yet they have only 2 bathtubs for the WHOLE facility - that's crazy. And what is up with dorm bathrooms? This really sounds no different than DC General.

Really - you don't get the difference between brand new buildings throughout the city that house a few dozen families and the overcrowded, dilapidated DC General that houses hundreds of families? One thing they have in common is dorm style bathrooms (which quite a few folks fought against - did you?), and because of that one similarity you can't see any difference. Think harder. This whole issue has really brought out DC's worst side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Sorry, but Janney is uber-full already. Other schools would a better fit in any case.

Oh don't worry Janney. You are getting your 10%. Just like the rest of us.

don't schools have a capacity limit set by a fire marshall?

Boundaries will have to shift to accommodate the at-risk kids.

[Anonymous]

Is janney getting trailers or will they continue with 30+ class sizes?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...[/quote]

Sorry, but Janney is uber-full already. Other schools would a better fit in any case.[/quote]

Oh don't worry Janney. You are getting your 10%. Just like the rest of us. [/quote]

Two points. First, as a Janney parent I would be happy to have kids from the shelter come to Janney so long as it was part of a well thought out plan with appropriate supports. I agree that this is no different than having kids move into the neighborhood.

Second, the 10 percent set aside for at risk kids has always been subject to capacity constraints, so I do not expect that Janney will be getting kids through that program based on its current framework. Janney is about 10% OOB now (or it was when the DME gave nubers back when the boundary review was underway).

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...[/quote]

Sorry, but Janney is uber-full already. Other schools would a better fit in any case.[/quote]

Oh don't worry Janney. You are getting your 10%. Just like the rest of us. [/quote]

Two points. First, as a Janney parent I would be happy to have kids from the shelter come to Janney so long as it was part of a well thought out plan with appropriate supports. I agree that this is no different than having kids move into the neighborhood.

Second, the 10 percent set aside for at risk kids has always been subject to capacity constraints, so I do not expect that Janney will be getting kids through that program based on its current framework. [b]Janney is about 10% OOB now[/b] (or it was when the DME gave nubers back when the boundary review was underway). [/quote]

Less now - 6% in 14-15 http://profiles.dcps.dc.gov/Janney+Elementary+School