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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]NP... tongue in cheek comments aside, it really is true that GDS has handled their expansion/consolidation in a much more community friendly way than Sidwell. If you've followed the respective ANC processes, you know this is true. I think this is why so many people refer to GDS as the most authentically "Quaker" school in DC.[/quote]
I don't know if this is intended to be serious, but it's actually spot on having watched the two processes closely. It's especially the case with respect to carbon emissions, which SFS surprisingly doesn't seem to care much about.

- Non-SFS/GDS parent with no dog in this fight[/quote]

SFS has engaged with the community for years around future contsruction and had a strong neighborhood agreement before the plans changed because of the purchase of 3939 Wisconsin Ave. It is simply not true that the relationship is not community friendly.

And where carbon is concerned, the school has retrofitted the campus to be as green as the DC Government will allow, and there is no reason to believe that future construction won't be net energy and carbon.[/quote]
The "community engagement" reflects that the school sits at the edge of an ANC boundary, and is within one that has a lot of commercial space. So there aren't many active "neighbors" to engage with, and this particular ANC is pretty lenient. In any event, carbon emissions aren't a NIMBY-type issue - it's one that affects the larger community, and this particular ANC isn't in the business of holding SFS to particularly high standards. Sad but true.

As for the construction itself, SFS is fine in that regard (as it was with the middle school building), and I'm not criticizing that. However, the larger carbon issue are all the daily vehicle trips to schools, and SFS doesn't want to burden its community with having to do things like carpool.

It is what it is, but if that's where the community's mindset is at, just own it instead of patting yourselves on the back over things where you're not willing to walk the walk once it becomes burdensome. Again, no dog in this fight, but I at least respect that the GDS community was willing to step up and take on a much more restrictive plan.[/quote]

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