Thursday, 9 August 2012

[WardFive] Re: [ward5] Ward 5 DCPS Beautification Day - Saturday, August 25th

Good Morning,
 
How about sending in a list of expectations of this Council.  Their approach may not be the approach so if you have a particular route or solution/problem solving process that you would like deployed, please let it be known.
 
EG.  The problem that we are faced with is that (in my opinion) DCPS, DME, and all others Govt. Officials involved in the "education" of our kids are going to do what they have planned which includes bringing in Charter Schools, Closing Schools, Selling Schools, Etc.
 
How do we have that conversation with them about EXACTLY their plan and see how it fits into what We as a community want for our kids and schools.  By now, they should have a plan and an implementation process.  They owe it to us to share their plan - every aspect of it - and it shouldn't matter how many people want to ask questions, they need to take the questions.    As their plan changes or if they are thinking of changing it, immediately we need to be notified.  If they don't, then we an track deceipt if and when it occurs. I am sure that many of us would like be part of solution process.
 
Once we have that, each Ward/community has enough active intellects/interested parties who will be able to digest the plan and guide our Officials of what other possibilities exist.
 
Also, we need a breakdown of how the $$ is being spent and see how that could be re-allocated so as to be more beneficial.  Telling us "do the Math" sounds good but maybe we could have the numbers to "do the Math".  If we don't know how the $$$ is being spent, then we don't know if it is being spent where it should be.  EG.  With this many Charter schools now compared to year 2000, we should have less people working in the back offices of DCPS - unless it was tremendously understaffed to begin with. 
 
The we need to get a handle on how the Bonuses/raises are being handled - which may be already perfect - but, never the less, we should have that knowledge.
 
Like someone said at Luke C. Moore - 300+ students should have access to a full time librarian.  Less than 300 students - a part time Librarian.  That's owed to them as per their allotment per student. 
 
I am sure that many folks out there has other items.  Let's put together the list. 
 
Rob Ramson   

On Wed, Aug 8, 2012 at 10:55 PM, Eric J. Jones <ejjones.threed@gmail.com> wrote:
 

Neighbours,

It is important that we remember that our goal as a community is to ensure that our youth don't fall through the cracks. It doesn't matter if they are at the school across the street, across the neighborhood, across the ward or across town.

It matters not where the building is that they call their school as education has no walls and learning shouldn't either. With that in mind let us band together to not only support the new leadership of our Education Council but to be open to real discussion.

Eric J. Jones
- ejjones.threed@gmail.com

On Aug 8, 2012 7:26 PM, "Rob" <indianrob@gmail.com> wrote:
 

 
 
 
I believe that this is a list of the Schools recommended for closure or charterization -  by the IFF study - in all the Wards. 

Ward 1
Bruce Monroe @Parkview Elementary School
Cardozo High School

 Ward 4
Macfarland Middle
Raymond EducationalCampus
BrightwoodEducational Campus
Roosevelt High School

 Ward 5
Noyes EducationalCampus
Burroughs EducationalCampus
Browne EducationalCampus
Spingarn High School
Wheatley Ed. Campus

 Ward 7
Plummer Elementary
Beers Elementary
Randle HighlandsElementary School
Aiton ElementarySchool
Drew ElementarySchool
Kelly Miller MiddleSchool
Woodson High School
CW Harris Elementary School
Davis ElementarySchool
Nalle ElementarySchool

 
Ward 8
Orr Elementary School                                    StantonElementary School
Ballou High School                                            JohnsonMiddle School
Hart Middle School                                           MalcolmX Elementary School
Hendley ElementarySchool                          Ferebee-HopeElementary School
King ElementarySchool                                  Terrell/McGogneyElementary School
Leckie ElementarySchool                              PattersonElementary School
Anacostia High School                                     SimonElementary School
Kramer Middle School                                     GarfieldElementary School

 

http://www.iff.org/policy-and-research  (Illinois Facilities Fund website)

http://dme.dc.gov/DC/DME/About+DME/News+Room/Deputy+Mayor+for+Education+Releases+Study+Identifying+Neighborhoods (DC gov. website)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-schools-insider/post/iff-study-of-dc-schools-the-pushback-begins/2012/01/30/gIQAbXk6eQ_blog.html  (Washington Post article)

http://thewashingtonteacher.blogspot.com/2012/02/school-closings-and-displacement.html  (blog)

http://ward7.wordpress.com/tag/dcps/  (blog)

On Wed, Aug 8, 2012 at 5:30 PM, stephanie rones <stephanierones@yahoo.com> wrote:
 

Faith,
 
I will read this report. 
 
I would also appreciate it if someone can re-send the list of Ward 5 schools they are proposing to close. I saw it at one point so I know it exist.  In fact, I was struck by the large number of Ward 5 schools on the list.
 
Can you also please publish the minutes from the two school community meetings so that the broader community can be in on what was discussed and what happened?
 
Many people in Ward 5 do not have kids in DCPS.  However, many of us who are DCPS alumni, are vested and interested in this issue.
 
Thanks,





From: Faith Gibson Hubbard <fg1913@gmail.com>
To: ward5@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2012 5:05 PM

Subject: Re: [ward5] Ward 5 DCPS Beautification Day - Saturday, August 25th
 
The DME's office has some recommendations in the IFF report that was released earlier this year (http://dme.dc.gov/DC/DME/Publication%20Files/IFF_Final_Report.pdf) but I have yet to see school closure recommendations from DCPS.  There are some schools, that due to enrollment numbers, might be on their list of possible closures but I have not seen a list.
 
We are still slated for three middle schools (they are all slated for 2013-14 school year)–
Browne Education Campus will stay K-8 but have an  International Baccalaureate (IB) program – which this will take a few years for complete integration and certification
McKinley Middle School – which would be a STEM school
Brookland Middle School – which would have a focus on Arts & World Languages

Our councilmember has also been a huge part of this process.  His office, particularly Jeannette Mobley, has been working very closely with us and we are grateful for their efforts and support.  They were very instrumental in the State of the Schools event which took place on July 24th and they are a continuous part of the conversation. 
 
Faith
---
Faith Gibson Hubbard
President
Ward 5 Council on Education
On Wed, Aug 8, 2012 at 4:59 PM, KPW <WKPW3@aol.com> wrote:
 
I guess we're about to empower our councilmember to save our schools.  Michelle Rhee and Adrian Fenty didn't listen to anybody.  Councilmember Thomas was the head of Ward 5 and we lost 7 schools or was it more.  What's planned for this year?  All three of those folks are gone.

By the way, what has happened with the streetcar barn at Spingarn High School?  We may already have a glimpse of what people think about Ward 5.

Also, is Ward 5 still getting the three middle schools?  
___________________
KPW/K. A. P-W.

The KAPoW Connection
-----Original Message-----From: khenderson029 <khenderson029@aol.com>To: ward5 <ward5@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wed, Aug 8, 2012 4:52 pmSubject: Re: [ward5] Ward 5 DCPS Beautification Day - Saturday, August 25th
 
Our councilmember should be leading this fight on our behalf.
Kathy Henderson
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
From: KPW <WKPW3@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2012 16:05:02 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [ward5] Ward 5 DCPS Beautification Day - Saturday, August 25th

 
School closures will happen where people in power perceive their is the weakest link in the chain where they can get away with what they want and think no one is going to challenge them much.

___________________
KPW/K. A. P-W.

The KAPoW Connection


-----Original Message-----From: khenderson029 <khenderson029@aol.com>To: ward5 <ward5@yahoogroups.com>Sent: Wed, Aug 8, 2012 4:03 pmSubject: Re: [ward5] Ward 5 DCPS Beautification Day - Saturday, August 25th
 
Thank you Stephanie for your comments. I too have serious concerns regarding the school closure issue; the process is not wholly transparent and does not engage parents and community stake holders in a meaningful way. I want to see a real plan that clearly lays out the guidelines for closure(s) and resource utilization. Neighborhood populations fluctuate over time. We cannot simply close schools and sell the buildings when the number of children decreases. What happens when the birth rate and child population increases? We deserve complete transparency from OUR chancellor and school representatives.
Kathy Henderson
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
From: stephanie rones <stephanierones@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2012 11:38:26 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: [ward5] Ward 5 DCPS Beautification Day - Saturday, August 25th

 
Faith,
 
I know that your group has been active in this process and in dealing with other public school issues.  I have not.  My kids are thankfully, grown and gone.
 
However, as an outside observer, it is abundantly clear that DSPS is not being forthright about this issue of school closings. It appears as if DCPS is trying to run a con game and that DCPS is acting in a wholly duplicitous manner.
 
Thus, I suggest that people, parents of DCPS students especially, understand what is at stake and begin to circle the wagons. It is inherently unfair for DCPS to make decisions and then come out to the community and evade the real issues only to report that the community has had its say on school closings when the truth be told all DCPS is doing is playing hide the ball.
 
Has your group developed a strategy? Do you have a plan? Are you waiting for the first lob before you suit up?
 
IMHO, school closures are more about developer's acquisition of valuable real estate than anything pertaining to student achievement.
 
Send me your manifesto.
 
Thanks,

Stephanie Kristina Rones

Stephanie Rones
From: Faith Gibson Hubbard <fg1913@gmail.com>
To: ward5@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2012 2:18 PM
Subject: Re: [ward5] Ward 5 DCPS Beautification Day - Saturday, August 25th
 
I am happy to hear about your concern with keeping schools in our community open.  We have been involved in the conversation and the Community Conversation (July 31st) that we hosted along with the Deputy Mayor's office addressed this very topic to a degree and we WILL continue to have more conversations and take further actions around the matter as the school year kicks off and at our first meeting in September.  We have been active around this issue and I invite you to join us. I am always open to ideas, input and support and I invite you to join us at our September meeting.  I would also be more than happy to talk with you more in depth one on one as well.
 
Thanks again!  Have a blessed day!

Best,
Faith
---
Faith Gibson Hubbard
President
Ward 5 Council on Education
On Wed, Aug 8, 2012 at 1:48 PM, stephanie rones <stephanierones@yahoo.com> wrote:
 
What is your organization doing to address school closings?
 
IMHO you need as many people as possible to sign up to volunteer to keep Ward 5 schools open. Have you seen the list of proposed schools that are targeted for closure in Ward 5?  This is a frontal assault on public education.
 
How are we going to defend against this surreptitious attack?
 
From: Ward Five Council on Education <ward5coe@gmail.com>
To: ward5@yahoogroups.com; wardfive@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2012 1:26 PM
Subject: [ward5] Ward 5 DCPS Beautification Day - Saturday, August 25th
 
Dear friends,
 
We need as many people as possible to sign up to volunteer for DCPS Beautification Day on Saturday, August 25th from 8AM- 1PM.  Brookland EC, CHOICE Academy, Dunbar SHS, McKinley Tech, Mamie D. Lee, and Springarn STAY are all sites that urgently need a site manager and are located in Ward 5.  Site managers play an integral part during the event day. In addition to site manager opportunities, other special volunteers sought include photographers and mural artists.  If you have teenage children, please encourage them to sign up to help out as well.
 
 
When you go to the website, you will see a drop-down list of all the DCPS schools in DC, including their street address and how to get there using public transportation.
 
 If you have any questions, feel free to contact DCPS at dcpsbeautificationday@dc.gov or (202)724-4881.
 
If you are interested in joining the Ward Five Council on Education's listserv, click here: https://groups.google.com/group/ward5coe-members.

 
Sincerely,
 
Shelagh Bocoum
Public Relations Officer
Ward Five Council on Education
 
 




--
R. Ramson
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988

"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)




 


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--
R. Ramson
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988

"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)




 


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