Anonymous wrote:What does not work with the above allocation is how updated these schools are and their general location.

For example Brookland badly needs updating as does Langdon. But Noyes is relatively new.

STAY OPEN
1. Langdon (75)
2. Buroughs (39)
5. Noyes (28 )
4. Browne (29)

CLOSE
3. Brookland (37)
6. Marshall (26)
7. Wheatley (20)

I can't see closing Langdon with its scores, does it make sense closing it?

What does not work with the above allocation is how updated these schools are and their general location.

For example Brookland badly needs updating as does Langdon. But Noyes is relatively new.

I don't understand the one EC part. Why keep only one? Is there one current EC that's working better or something that they want to keep? What if you didn't want the EC? Could you opt in for an elem only option elsewhere in the ward?

How would you rank the order of schools to be closed?

STAY OPEN
1. Langdon (75)
2. Buroughs (39)
3. Brookland (37)
4. Browne (29)

CLOSE
5. Noyes (28 )
6. Marshall (26)
7. Wheatley (20)

Noyes, Marshall and Wheatley would close if you ranked by math proficiency.

How would you rank the order of schools to be closed? If they kept four open, and closed three, then Langdon, Burroughs, Brookland and Browne would be part of the new Ward Five configuration.

1. Langdon (75)
2. Buroughs (39)
3. Brookland (37)
4. Browne (29)
5. Noyes (28)
6. Marshall (26)
7. Wheatley (20)

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused. Why is there a 500-seat middle school if the thresh-hold is 600 students? (I am assuming the threshold is the point where fiscally it makes sense)

Middle school # 1 - New MS - 600 students
Middle School # 2 - PS-8 campus - 300 MS students
Middle School # 3 - McKinley magnet - 100 seats Ward Five set aside

I'm confused. Why is there a 500 seater middleschool if the thresh-hold is 600 students? (I am assuming the threshhold is the point where fiscally it makes sense)

Anonymous wrote:The presentation states that all 3 MS options listed by the OP will be created (as I read it). The Stage 1 is confirming that is the goal. The next stage is to place those schools into specific buildings. The MS is slated to go into a wing of McKinley, that is the only program linked to an existing building.

There are currently 8 EC (preS to 8) in Ward 5, 1 elementary (preS to 5). The proposal is for 1 EC, 4 elementary schools, 1 standalone middle, 1 middle in a wing of McKinley.

So the current 9 school locations become 6 school locations, closing 3 buildings entirely (or adding a new building into the mix and closing more than 3 of the current).

Oh dear. The chip on the shoulder of the McKinley booster (the one who wants to kill Banneker by shovelling it in to McKinley) is about to become disfiguring.

CURRENT HS/MS/ES/PK-8
Spingarn, Dunbar, McKinley, Phelps, Buroughs, Brookland @ Bunker Hill, Browne, Langdon, Noyes, Wheatley, Marshall (to 4th)

PREFERENCES OF WARD FIVE
34% want standalone middle
25% have no preference
24% want 2-3 educational campuses
15% want 2 large EC(6-12) & 3 PK-8

MINIMUM THRESHOLDS
400 stand-alone ES
600 stand-alone MS
600 PS-8

DRAFT PROPOSAL
Total - 900 MS seats
Total - 2,148 ES seats
4 HS (Spingarn, Dunbar, Phelps, McKinley-w/new application MS)
1 (new) Arts & language MS
1 (new) International Baccalaureate EC PK-8
4 ES (closing 3 ES)

TIMELINE
Solicit feedback - Nov-Dec 2011
Options Decision Meeting - Jan 2012
Implementation SY 2013-14

Ward 5 Great Schools Initiative Proposed Grade Configuration Presentation, Nov.16 at Langdon EC

Ward 5 Great Schools Initiative Proposed Grade Configuration Presentation Wednesday, November 16 at Langdon EC, the Chancellor proposed a portfolio of Ward 5 middle grades options for SY 2013-2014. Specifically, the options are a:

Standalone MS with an arts and world language emphasis with 500 seats.
Pre-School – 8 Education Campus with an International Baccalaureate (IB) program where there will be 300 MS seats.
6th – 12th Education Campus - a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Citywide Application School with 100 seats set aside.

This proposal, at an optimal level of implementation, will allow for the strengthening of the components of an effective school to include rigorous academic offerings, a breadth of other offerings that create an environment of success, and the combination of appropriate facilities to establish a learning environment for middle grades students that is necessary for their success.

an attempt to undo the mess made when creating the preK to 8 model

My reading of the DCPS proposal is the same as 14:02's. The one question I have is whether the Arts and Language MS will be a magnet school.

The presentation states that all 3 MS options listed by the OP will be created (as I read it). The Stage 1 is confirming that is the goal. The next stage is to place those schools into specific buildings. The MS is slated to go into a wing of McKinley, that is the only program linked to an existing building.

There are currently 8 EC (preS to 8) in Ward 5, 1 elementary (preS to 5). The proposal is for 1 EC, 4 elementary schools, 1 standalone middle, 1 middle in a wing of McKinley.

So the current 9 school locations become 6 school locations, closing 3 buildings entirely (or adding a new building into the mix and closing more than 3 of the current).

The only STEM high school is in Ward 7. The only proposed comprehensive IB School is in Ward 6. I am guessing the only comprehensive arts and world language high school is in Ward 3.

So, does it make sense to have a citywide application ONLY STEM MS with the 100 million dollar built STEM focused high-school being open enrollment.

Is it just me, didn't we survive for many decades without having an application only junior-high or middle schools to support our specialty schools?

DCPS released it's draft Ward Five Middle School Plan. They offer three options:

http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/Files/downloads/Ward%205%20Proposed%20Grade%20Configuration%20Presentation.pdf

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-schools-insider/post/dcps-proposes-new-middle-schools-for-ward-5/2011/11/18/gIQAZjJNYN_blog.html

STAGE ONE - CHOOSE WARD FIVE CONFIGURATION
(1) Standalone MS with an arts and world language emphasis with 500 seats.

(2) Pre-School – 8 Education Campus with an International Baccalaureate (IB) program where there will be 300 MS seats.

(3) 6th – 12th Education Campus - a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Citywide Application School with 100 seats set aside.

After stage one (selecting configuration) wraps up January of 2012, then comes stage two (specific school changes to Ward Five elementary campuses), and finally implementation for 2013-14 school year.

Personally, I favor #3 (citywide STEM application) because I think it has the best chance to start and stay strong. I've got a second grader who might be a good candidate.