Reply to Zoning Lafayette out of Deal/Wilson

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Given how well Hardy is progressing, moving Eaton to Hardy seems like the right move, in retrospect.  Hearst could be moved to Hardy, next, and while parents would squawk, they'd still have access to a good school.

I think it makes little sense, given logistics of the map, to move Lafayette away from Deal.  Janney, LaFayette, and Murch are the most logical schools to go to Deal because of their proximity.  But it makes even LESS sense for Bancroft and Shepherd to go there, as they're even farther away.  Obviously, the only reasons Bancroft and Shepherd go there are for purposes of equity and politics.

The most elegant solution would be to send Hearst to Hardy and Bancroft and Shepherd to the new Hines.  But that won't happen except for Hearst, so the next best solution to the Deal/Wilson overcrowding problem would be to send the expanded Hardy to a new High School, which would also take on Francis-Stevens.  [b]But where's the real estate for it?[/b][/quote]

The old Duke Ellington track on Reservoir Road. It's still owned by DCPS and the site is actually bigger than the block DESA is currently located.

Unfortunately, I think this Mayor has firmly put her foot down against any new by-right schools opening in Ward 3 and western parts of Ward 2. Her constituency won't stand for it, due to the racial optics and equity arguments. She has said in community meetings that she wants to focus on opening more all-city application schools. I think this is the only type of new school you will WoTP.

Still, your proposal is an interesting one. There would definitely be a strong cohort for Hardy to feed to a brand new high school, if they included Hearst and Francis Stevens. However, the Hardy site is very small without much room at all for expansion. It's way smaller than Deal. I believe projections show that Hardy will hit their capacity in the next 2-3 years. So including any other elementary schools would require an expansion to Hardy. They could cannibalize the tennis courts with a couple trailers, but that's about it.

-Burleith Family[/quote]

Or you could convert Duke Ellington to a normal school. Problem solved.[/quote]

Honestly? This suggestion is not helpful. It represents a pie-in-the-sky fantasy and an old way of thinking. My elderly neighbors mention this suggestion and city officials roll their eyes and shake their heads. The city already overspent on DESA; they are not going to spend another $20-30m to convert the school. Converting it would require major construction.

When you say something like this, you’re immediately rejected as clueless by the city. DESA is the crown jewel and won’t let you touch. WoTP families (not elderly retirees) need to get serious about a viable option to Wilson HS. Hardy will be bursting at the seams by the time my baby is ready for MS, I’m scared to see what Wilson looks like. Families need to get organized and act before DCPS/The Mayor try to sell off the DESA track to Georgetown Univ, a developer, or a charter.

-Burleith Family[/quote]

That’s bullsh@t. DE enrollment is mainly students who live outside of DC. It is a joke. Under 200 students who live in DC attend the school. What a waste of resources. It shows what is wrong with DCPS. You do not need to do major construction to “convert” it to a regular school. The physical plant is fine. No need for new construction. The city officials who roll their eyes need to be removed. DE is a shining example of a white elephant that is DCPS.

Your little harebrained scheme to build a new school at the track/athletic school near Georgetown is crazy. I can see the city officials patting you on the head and telling you to sit down and let the adults talk. It would never in a million years happen. [/quote]

Whatever you think is wrong with DCPS does not matter. The fact of the matter is that DCPS is not going to let anyone mess with DESA. I’ve been inside the campus multiple times for musicals and community meetings; it’s set up as a school for the arts. There’s lots of open spaces that would need major construction to convert into subdivided classroom space. You’d need to spend a lot of money to covert it to a normal HS.

DCPS has surplus property in Ward 2 (underused DESA track & field) and Ward 3 (Old Hardy site). Parents are better off focusing on these pieces of land for future capacity. It seems that parent outcry has already slowed down - if not practically stopped - the Old Hardy giveaway. This Mayor knows Ward 3 schools bursting at the seams, but there needs to be increased pressure from families and residents. [/quote]

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