Bowser’s first community outreach mtg since re-election: education focused

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ALL DCPS has to do is copy successful suburban school districts is true. Unfortunately, DCPS's poor population is about 80% or more impoverished. One cannot have a successful school in areas outside of NW when the students are not at benchmark. Wilson, Banneker, Walls are just about the only schools doing well and even then those schools do not provide a well rounded high school experience. DCPS will never have a public school that offers the private prep school experience. Many of our areas best suburban public schools are run like private prep schools.

PP should get out of NW a little more. There are a lot of non-impoverished high school students living on the Hill. They are part of the reason why it is hard for NW residents to get into SWW, since so many of them go there. They also go to privates, Latin, BASIS and a few go to Duke and McKinley. Very few go to Eastern. Why?

Because there has been NO outreach to students at Stuart Hobson, DCPS elementaries and the elementary/MS privates in the area. A beautiful building that might as well have its entrance on 19th Street, since it turns its back on the Hill. No community events advertised (plays, sports games). It’s all by Eastern alum and for Easetrn alum and is too hard a nut to crack. They have used EH next door for swing space for 2 strong well enrolled elementaries for the last few years (Watkins and Maury) and none of those parents have any thought of sending their children to Eastern someday. A wasted opportunity.

DCPS should just more the tiny Eastern IB program out and lease the building to BASIS. Heck, they could swap buildings, for how undrenrolled Eastern is.

Eastern had 769 students last year. Not Wilson but not underenrolled either.

[Anonymous]

Eastern can hold a lot more than 769. DCPS failure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I checked:
https://dme.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dme/publication/attachments/SY16-17_High%20School%20Fact%20Sheet_10.06.17.pdf

Total 2016-17 DCPS high school enrollment by ward of residence: 17,757

Enrollment by residents of Ward 2: 270.

Ward 2 residents are literally 1.5% of DCPS high schoolers.

So we all agree that 270 kids in DCPS high schools from Ward 2 is not enough to warrant a Ward 2 high school? Right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

There's no way that spot would work for a new HS -- Reservoir road is already packed to the gills with Georgetown Hospital traffic. Maybe build an addition on the field behind SWW-Francis Stevens would work, imo. Basically the entire problem is caused by the geographical region for Wilson being far too big. It's not coincidental at all that Ellington occupies the same real estate as the old Western High School. When you look at the feeder map for Wilson, you can see it makes complete sense that a Western high school at Ellington's location would take up the lower half of the map that now feeds to Wilson. The region's just too big and needs to be cut in half with a new Western HS to take the students it used to take.

I live in Burleith and would agree with that logic. However, I have no idea where there would be enough space to have another HS. The ship already sailed with Duke Ellington. The space behind SWW-FS is tiny, plus I think much of that land may be part of the Park Service.

The old Western track is a large lot - easily 30% larger than Duke Ellington's current lot. People will deal with traffic. Honestly, I can't think of another location for a Ward 2 high school that doesn't involve buying a very expensive existing building. It's already owned by DCPS and is shovel-ready.

Hardly any kids from Ward 2 go to a DCPS high school, and this is the main reason the very old call to have a ward 2 high school has not gotten any traction. Jack Evans, W2 CM, has gone on about his for years to no avail. Moreover, to argue in terms of Wards is not the most strategic, because this is not how DCPS thinks or plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

There's no way that spot would work for a new HS -- Reservoir road is already packed to the gills with Georgetown Hospital traffic. Maybe build an addition on the field behind SWW-Francis Stevens would work, imo. Basically the entire problem is caused by the geographical region for Wilson being far too big. It's not coincidental at all that Ellington occupies the same real estate as the old Western High School. When you look at the feeder map for Wilson, you can see it makes complete sense that a Western high school at Ellington's location would take up the lower half of the map that now feeds to Wilson. The region's just too big and needs to be cut in half with a new Western HS to take the students it used to take.

I live in Burleith and would agree with that logic. However, I have no idea where there would be enough space to have another HS. The ship already sailed with Duke Ellington. The space behind SWW-FS is tiny, plus I think much of that land may be part of the Park Service.

The old Western track is a large lot - easily 30% larger than Duke Ellington's current lot. People will deal with traffic. Honestly, I can't think of another location for a Ward 2 high school that doesn't involve buying a very expensive existing building. It's already owned by DCPS and is shovel-ready.

Hardly any kids from Ward 2 go to a DCPS high school, and this is the main reason the very old call to have a ward 2 high school has not gotten any traction. Jack Evans, W2 CM, has gone on about his for years to no avail. Moreover, to argue in terms of Wards is not the most strategic, because this is not how DCPS thinks or plans.

Whatever you have to do to relieve overcrowding at Wilson, I don't care how you phrase the means. Cutting the current feeder pattern from EOTP schools to Wilson seems politically untenable (albeit the MOST logical way), so slicing it in half, starting at the "Ward 2" line ("Whitehaven" street, appropriately named imo) to the south, would seem to be the only other logical alternative. Call them Ward 2 students or not, you've gotta move them if you can't move the EOTP feeders. I guess plopping a charter HS WOTP would be another way to do it, but how politically untenable is that. The whole thing's a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

There's no way that spot would work for a new HS -- Reservoir road is already packed to the gills with Georgetown Hospital traffic. Maybe build an addition on the field behind SWW-Francis Stevens would work, imo. Basically the entire problem is caused by the geographical region for Wilson being far too big. It's not coincidental at all that Ellington occupies the same real estate as the old Western High School. When you look at the feeder map for Wilson, you can see it makes complete sense that a Western high school at Ellington's location would take up the lower half of the map that now feeds to Wilson. The region's just too big and needs to be cut in half with a new Western HS to take the students it used to take.

I live in Burleith and would agree with that logic. However, I have no idea where there would be enough space to have another HS. The ship already sailed with Duke Ellington. The space behind SWW-FS is tiny, plus I think much of that land may be part of the Park Service.

The old Western track is a large lot - easily 30% larger than Duke Ellington's current lot. People will deal with traffic. Honestly, I can't think of another location for a Ward 2 high school that doesn't involve buying a very expensive existing building. It's already owned by DCPS and is shovel-ready.

Hardly any kids from Ward 2 go to a DCPS high school, and this is the main reason the very old call to have a ward 2 high school has not gotten any traction. Jack Evans, W2 CM, has gone on about his for years to no avail. Moreover, to argue in terms of Wards is not the most strategic, because this is not how DCPS thinks or plans.

Whatever you have to do to relieve overcrowding at Wilson, I don't care how you phrase the means. Cutting the current feeder pattern from EOTP schools to Wilson seems politically untenable (albeit the MOST logical way), so slicing it in half, starting at the "Ward 2" line ("Whitehaven" street, appropriately named imo) to the south, would seem to be the only other logical alternative. Call them Ward 2 students or not, you've gotta move them if you can't move the EOTP feeders. I guess plopping a charter HS WOTP would be another way to do it, but how politically untenable is that. The whole thing's a mess.

See the current thread on moving Oyster Adams Middle school feed to McFarland as a part of a solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

There's no way that spot would work for a new HS -- Reservoir road is already packed to the gills with Georgetown Hospital traffic. Maybe build an addition on the field behind SWW-Francis Stevens would work, imo. Basically the entire problem is caused by the geographical region for Wilson being far too big. It's not coincidental at all that Ellington occupies the same real estate as the old Western High School. When you look at the feeder map for Wilson, you can see it makes complete sense that a Western high school at Ellington's location would take up the lower half of the map that now feeds to Wilson. The region's just too big and needs to be cut in half with a new Western HS to take the students it used to take.

I live in Burleith and would agree with that logic. However, I have no idea where there would be enough space to have another HS. The ship already sailed with Duke Ellington. The space behind SWW-FS is tiny, plus I think much of that land may be part of the Park Service.

The old Western track is a large lot - easily 30% larger than Duke Ellington's current lot. People will deal with traffic. Honestly, I can't think of another location for a Ward 2 high school that doesn't involve buying a very expensive existing building. It's already owned by DCPS and is shovel-ready.

Hardly any kids from Ward 2 go to a DCPS high school, and this is the main reason the very old call to have a ward 2 high school has not gotten any traction. Jack Evans, W2 CM, has gone on about his for years to no avail. Moreover, to argue in terms of Wards is not the most strategic, because this is not how DCPS thinks or plans.

Whatever you have to do to relieve overcrowding at Wilson, I don't care how you phrase the means. Cutting the current feeder pattern from EOTP schools to Wilson seems politically untenable (albeit the MOST logical way), so slicing it in half, starting at the "Ward 2" line ("Whitehaven" street, appropriately named imo) to the south, would seem to be the only other logical alternative. Call them Ward 2 students or not, you've gotta move them if you can't move the EOTP feeders. I guess plopping a charter HS WOTP would be another way to do it, but how politically untenable is that. The whole thing's a mess.

See the current thread on moving Oyster Adams Middle school feed to McFarland as a part of a solution.

That wouldn't make much of a difference. Wilson is overcrowded by hundreds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bowser's idea to create a new "Western" high school isn't a bad one. It would relieve the existing pressure on Wilson immediately (with room to grow), and maybe send the Hardy and SWW-FS kids to the new Western. Don't know of an existing building big enough to house it, though.

I'm the OP of this thread:
the old Western HS actually has a large athletic field just one block away that was used for Western's sports teams. Duke Ellington doesn't have any sports teams, so it's now used as a community sports fields, walking track, and Duke Ellington marching band uses it for practice. However, the sizable piece of land is still owned by DCPS. It's the size of two city blocks and way under-used: https://goo.gl/maps/cAbhLv8ktN32

There's no way that spot would work for a new HS -- Reservoir road is already packed to the gills with Georgetown Hospital traffic. Maybe build an addition on the field behind SWW-Francis Stevens would work, imo. Basically the entire problem is caused by the geographical region for Wilson being far too big. It's not coincidental at all that Ellington occupies the same real estate as the old Western High School. When you look at the feeder map for Wilson, you can see it makes complete sense that a Western high school at Ellington's location would take up the lower half of the map that now feeds to Wilson. The region's just too big and needs to be cut in half with a new Western HS to take the students it used to take.

I live in Burleith and would agree with that logic. However, I have no idea where there would be enough space to have another HS. The ship already sailed with Duke Ellington. The space behind SWW-FS is tiny, plus I think much of that land may be part of the Park Service.

The old Western track is a large lot - easily 30% larger than Duke Ellington's current lot. People will deal with traffic. Honestly, I can't think of another location for a Ward 2 high school that doesn't involve buying a very expensive existing building. It's already owned by DCPS and is shovel-ready.

Hardly any kids from Ward 2 go to a DCPS high school, and this is the main reason the very old call to have a ward 2 high school has not gotten any traction. Jack Evans, W2 CM, has gone on about his for years to no avail. Moreover, to argue in terms of Wards is not the most strategic, because this is not how DCPS thinks or plans.

Whatever you have to do to relieve overcrowding at Wilson, I don't care how you phrase the means. Cutting the current feeder pattern from EOTP schools to Wilson seems politically untenable (albeit the MOST logical way), so slicing it in half, starting at the "Ward 2" line ("Whitehaven" street, appropriately named imo) to the south, would seem to be the only other logical alternative. Call them Ward 2 students or not, you've gotta move them if you can't move the EOTP feeders. I guess plopping a charter HS WOTP would be another way to do it, but how politically untenable is that. The whole thing's a mess.

See the current thread on moving Oyster Adams Middle school feed to McFarland as a part of a solution.

That wouldn't make much of a difference. Wilson is overcrowded by hundreds.

Moving Bancroft and Oyster out of Wilson and into Roosevelt would help. The other thing that would help is ending the guarantee that OOB students at Deal and Hardy can go to Wilson. The change shouldn't be Wilson-specific, though. Just say that an OOB lottery place gets you rights to attend only through a school's terminal grade. After that, you either have to lottery for an OOB spot at the next school, or move IB.

Wilson parents should note though that if the school shrinks a lot, so will its budget.