Anonymous wrote:Deal doesn't have a theater teacher on staff and yet has a robust theater program funded by the PTA. Walls could do the same. Harder to do with foreign language.

Deal is a much bigger school than Walls (more students in one grade at Deal than the entire school at Walls). Far easier to raise money from a larger parent population. I'd bet that a typical Deal parent is quite a bit wealthier as well.

Anonymous wrote:Deal doesn't have a theater teacher on staff and yet has a robust theater program funded by the PTA. Walls could do the same. Harder to do with foreign language.

If you are part of a PTA, you will know how exhausting it is to constantly be trying to scrounge money for DCPS many gaps. A number of PTAs already pay for such basic supplies and services that DCPS should be embarrassed.

Relying on volunteer time and money is no way to properly educate our kids.

Anonymous wrote:This is heartbreaking and an illustration of how badly DC and DCPS waste money. How the heck can the "best" application HS in OSSE not have a theater program???!!!!

Does McKinley have a theatre program? This is a serious question as that may be informative of how their program is funded.

Anonymous wrote:Will kids be eligible for theater programs at other schools (similar to how things work with sports)?

No.

Anonymous wrote:This is heartbreaking and an illustration of how badly DC and DCPS waste money. How the heck can the "best" application HS in OSSE not have a theater program???!!!!

So sad. Similar to how the public school system in the capital of the largest economy of the world does not have robust music education. At most schools barely any music education at all.

Deal doesn't have a theater teacher on staff and yet has a robust theater program funded by the PTA. Walls could do the same. Harder to do with foreign language.

Nearly all schools got cut this year, with some schools having to cut 10+ teachers. More cuts in the future are likely, given the shortfalls in commercial real estate revenue. Small schools like Walls can't absorb cuts as easily because cutting a single teacher means eliminating an entire program. Larger schools can absorb the shocks a little more easily, though obviously they suffer too. My rising 8th grader wants to attend Walls for high school, but I'm encouraging them to go to J-R instead for this reason.

Will kids be eligible for theater programs at other schools (similar to how things work with sports)?

Wow. First theater and then Mandarin. What’s next?

This is heartbreaking and an illustration of how badly DC and DCPS waste money. How the heck can the "best" application HS in OSSE not have a theater program???!!!!

The Mayor's budget cut $230K from Walls' budget which equated to two positions including their dramatic arts teacher and a language teacher. Chairman Mendelson recently proposed a counter-budget but it only restores $29K -- not nearly enough to keep the positions. The school HSA has helped coordinate a lot of outreach to the DC City Council to urge them to restore a full budget to the school. It's not too late to make your own voice heard by emailing or calling the Mayor or Mendelson, or your councilmember or any of the at-large councilmembers to ask for their help while they are in the middle of budget work right now.

While I think the HSA and parents would be willing to help fund gaps in the theatre and language program, the focus right now is getting the city government to do the right thing and pay for teachers who have been doing good work at a successful school.

If the school doesn’t support it, it will be a hard thing to keep going. That’s sad.

It has been cut. If it gets reinstated because HSA hires someone to direct a play or something who knows. But the program is cut.

As of now it is on the chopping block. Attend the HSA meeting tomorrow and see if the HSA has a plan to help fund it in the case that DCPS does not.

Will the SWW theatre program be cut? This will be a reason to enroll elsewhere for my son.