Mary Cheh, homeless shelters and Stoddert

[Anonymous]

[quote=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[/quot

OOB is not the same as "At Risk"...

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=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[/quot

OOB is not the same as "At Risk"...[/quote]

Seriously. PP do you really think OOB equals at-risk?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

That's adorable!

[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 mom in the WP article a few weeks ago who was staying in a city provided motel spent her day riding the bus to get her child to/from school. What example does the child see? How does this cycle break?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

That's adorable!

Meaning that kids whose parents stretched to be in the Janney district may find themselves re-districted out. Don't you just love social engineering? Dude, you gonna get Bowsered!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

It clearly helps to be a "good friend" of the mayor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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 mom in the WP article a few weeks ago who was staying in a city provided motel spent her day riding the bus to get her child to/from school. What example does the child see? How does this cycle break?

She sees that her mom cares enough about education to get her to school. She's a DC resident temporarily lodged at a hotel in Maryland, so it's not like there's a DC public school closer to her that her mom should switch her to. And it doesn't make sense for her to switch anyway since hopefully her mom will get more permanent housing in DC in a few weeks or months later.

[Anonymous]

So if we are paying for a hotel why don't we go ahead and pay for a school bus to pick up these kids OR have them enroll in closest school and mom can take classes or work? Then she would actually see mom cares about education/advancement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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 mom in the WP article a few weeks ago who was staying in a city provided motel spent her day riding the bus to get her child to/from school. What example does the child see? How does this cycle break?

She sees that her mom cares enough about education to get her to school. She's a DC resident temporarily lodged at a hotel in Maryland, so it's not like there's a DC public school closer to her that her mom should switch her to. And it doesn't make sense for her to switch anyway since hopefully her mom will get more permanent housing in DC in a few weeks or months later.

The hotel is not in Maryland, it is at the intersection of NY Ave & Bladensburg Road in NE DC.

[Anonymous]

It's adorable how W3 DCUM is finding ways to oppose the Stoddert Shelter!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if we are paying for a hotel why don't we go ahead and pay for a school bus to pick up these kids OR have them enroll in closest school and mom can take classes or work? Then she would actually see mom cares about education/advancement.

I agree busing the kids would make sense in this situation. But that mom has a newborn and a toddler. Where are they supposed to go while this mom is proving to you that she cares about education / work?

[Anonymous]

I hope that courage and love will overcome the hateful opposition to the closure of DC General and the creation of smaller shelters. Everyone who opposes the plan should have to name a specific, concrete alternative plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

+1 The Murch, Lafayette, Key, Hearst, Eaton, Stoddert parents are not going to be quiet if Janney is not required to take their 10%. No more special treatment for Janney. Parents at the other schools are now better organized because of the recent renovations and can mobilize quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

+1 The Murch, Lafayette, Key, Hearst, Eaton, Stoddert parents are not going to be quiet if Janney is not required to take their 10%. No more special treatment for Janney. Parents at the other schools are now better organized because of the recent renovations and can mobilize quickly.

The reality is that only Eaton and Hearst have capacity to take the 10% because they have a substantial number of OOB slots that they can play with. Stoddert has a few OOB but is not in the same category. Janney, Murch, Key and Lafayette are well over capacity, basically with all IB (Murch may have a small OOB lever to pull.) So the only way that these schools could deal with the 10% quota students is to re-district. Where are they going to be re-districted? To MoCo?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

+1 The Murch, Lafayette, Key, Hearst, Eaton, Stoddert parents are not going to be quiet if Janney is not required to take their 10%. No more special treatment for Janney. Parents at the other schools are now better organized because of the recent renovations and can mobilize quickly.

The reality is that only Eaton and Hearst have capacity to take the 10% because they have a substantial number of OOB slots that they can play with. Stoddert has a few OOB but is not in the same category. Janney, Murch, Key and Lafayette are well over capacity, basically with all IB (Murch may have a small OOB lever to pull.) So the only way that these schools could deal with the 10% quota students is to re-district. Where are they going to be re-districted? To MoCo?!?

Nice try. Murch and Janney are overcrowded in part because their communities have refused to move their boundaries in any meaningful way. They can't have it both ways.