While I agree with your statement here --- "While middle schoolers don't generally have "after-care," one could do some really interesting things with after school activities in combination with the rec center" -- whole-heartedly, I must say that there has to be a way to do this without infringing upon the Rec. Center or the use of the Rec. center and the new playground.
At the same time, think about this -- if an adjacent school is available for use after school hours, I would be surprised if they would be suggesting usage of the Gym and any other facility in that school if they weren't bartering for use of Turkey Thicket's facilities. Funny how when someone needs something, they are ready to share but if they didn't need, DCPS would be calling all kinds of liability, asking for detailed usage and operation -- yet we have to be satisfied with "we will work out a plan to make the CO-USE seamless when it isnt so at the other locations -- according to the operators of the rec. center.
Personally, I still think that they are not going after Backus because there are other plans -- other than UDC and they have plans for hamilton ( which is close enough to NY Ave Metro. By the way, as to the truancy issue - kids travelling on a metro period is not helpful at all -- and how dangeroys is it for our girls to be using the metro at that age - part of the reason they are ending up pregnant. So please stop this metro nonsense. What did we do before now -- Bunker Hill is not near a metro and Langdon is not near a metro and last I checked, kids get to school at those locations.
Also, remember that kids from different neighborhoods being at a central Rec. Center may come with some added issues that would be easier controlled in a school setting but not open air recs. -- not that it couldn't be worked out. My opinion -- it would be better to send the kids home or to the rec. centers closer to home. 6 in one hand, 1/2 dozen in the other - exceptbone might have some bodies and get innocent people hurt.
Just some thoughts of 1 / 75,000 so we have all the points in the open before we make a $50 Mil. decision. So everyone understands -- anything over there will look better and create a better use overall. Whether it is optimum is a different story.
Rob Ramson
One of the components at last night's meeting was to discuss the
location and why this location was picked. Apparently, that particular
discussion has been going on for some time. They wanted to place the
school in a centrally located area around the ward. They showed a map
and it does appear that this is the case with respect to the other
middle schools in the ward. Also, it really helps that it is located
close to Metro. I am not wedded to the location although I like the
idea of it being near a rec center. While middle schoolers don't
generally have "after-care," one could do some really interesting things
with after school activities in combination with the rec center.
Personally, I don't like the location of Langdon because it is not near
Metro. I don't recall if that particular location was discussed. We
already have a truancy problem and having middle schoolers have to
transfer to a bus etc is really difficult. My neighbor goes to Wilson
and I often take her to Metro so she doesn't have to walk. As an
example, she walks 1 mile to Metro, catches a train and then a bus.
Total commute is well over an hour. She did the same thing for middle
school except it was a little more difficult. Has anyone ever been on
Metro when there are bunch of school kids on it? This is an experience
in an of itself.
While this may be an accurate description of your neighborhood, it is
not an accurate description of the Ward.
I disagree with the way the DCPS/DGS has done this as a process, our
kids are in definite need of a middle school and they deserve the best
we can offer.
--- In ward5@yahoogroups.com, "K" <cooperator@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the summary. I attended the Feb. 23 community meeting at
Turkey Thicket but was unable to attend the meeting last night.
>
> I've posted a couple questions to the Brookland Yahoogroup that
haven't gotten any real answers, so I'm wondering if anyone on this list
has more information...?
>
> (I live half a block from the north end of Turkey Thicket and am
opposed to the middle school's co-location there -- as are all of my
neighbors whom I've heard voice an opinion. No one among Turkey
Thicket's immediate residential neighbors -- not even the ANC SMD -- was
consulted about this co-location proposal before the city hired an
architect, set a completion timetable and announced this plan to us at a
meeting on Feb. 23.)
>
> 1. Is there a good reason that Langdon Park hasn't been considered as
the co-location site for the new Ward 5 middle school? Langdon -- which
has lots of space, needs improved recreational facilities, essentially
borders a regional library and is a short bus ride from the Rhode Island
Avenue Metro -- seems to me to be the PERFECT spot to locate this middle
school. Langdon also allows drop-off and pick-up locations for students
that would not detrimentally affect current traffic patterns or Metrobus
routes, as the proposed Turkey Thicket co-location would.
>
> 2. Can someone provide the data being used that explains the urgency
for completing this new middle school by the 2014-2015 school year? I
see a lot of toddlers and babies in my part of the woods, not kids who
will be ready for 6th grade in 2014. City officials keep insisting that
the current timetable MUST BE MET, but they are not telling the public
WHAT JUSTIFIES THIS URGENCY.
>
> --Kathy Sinzinger
>> --- In ward5@yahoogroups.com, KPW WKPW3@ wrote:
> >
> > Ward 5 turned out Thursday, March 14th to discuss the proposed
middle school to replace the closed Brookland School that is located
next to Turkey Thicket Recreation Center. Too bad the Mayor's School
Budget Hearing was held Tuesday before the this meeting. There was
plenty for the mayor to hear about the concerns with the school.
> >
> >
> > There is excitement about getting a new middle school in Ward 5. In
the Upper Northeast Ward 5 area, Backus and Taft traditional schools
have been closed leaving the area without a traditional middle school.
Many students leave the ward or public schools after elementary to
attend a middle school. When former Chancellor Rhee was in charge in the
Fenty administration, she closed Ward 5 schools like there was no
tomorrow. The Brookland Elementary School was closed supposedly for a
year to be rebuilt. The Ward 5 Council on Education and others lobbied
to get a middle school in Ward 5 and the decision was made to host it at
Brookland. However, now the architects designing the school have
proposed connecting the school with the recreation center.
> >
> >
> > The community has many concerns with the school connecting with the
recreation center. Councilmember McDuffie attended the meeting as it
drew to a close and insisted that plans be discussed about a school that
is not connected to the recreation center. The architects barely
mentioned a standalone school even though this was clearly the preferred
design for the meeting participants and others that attended the
previous meeting. Councilmember McDuffie called for a Saturday meeting
so that people that cannot make an evening meeting can attend and so
that there will be more time for the lengthy discussion. The recreation
center closes at 9:00. McDuffie will make sure that more members of the
Ward 5 community are notified and engaged.
> >
> >
> > Without a middle school in the area, the middle school is expected
to serve at least these communities:
> >
> > Brookland
> > North Michigan Park
> > Michigan Park
> > Riggs Park
> > Ft. Totten
> > Queens Chapel
> > Woodridge
> > and more
> >
> > Though there may be some schools that are kindergarten to eighth
grade, some parents prefer to send their kids to a middle school after
elementary. Former Chancellor Rhee wanted to end the practice of
middle/junior high schools. Former Superintendent Frank Smith had moved
D.C. from the junior high school concept to the middle school concept.
> >
> >
> > The closed Brown Middle School is supposed to reopen at some point.
There will be a middle school at McKinley Science and Technology High
School in the fall. Chancellor Kaya Henderson attended the meeting
briefly and informed the group of the status with the McKinley middle
school.
> >
> >
> > Stay tuned for more discussion on the middle school and the issue
with connecting to the Turkey Thicket Recreation Center. There are many
new homes/apartments planned for and in progress in the Upper Northeast
area. Surely there will be an increase in the school population as well
as people attending the multi-generational recreation center. Community
stakeholders beyond Brookland are encouraged to attend meetings as well
to provide their input and support.
> >
> >
> > A future meeting is expected to reach out to more of the Advisory
Neighborhood Commissioners, civic associations, Community Development
Corporations, business associations, Parent Teacher Associations, and
area community stakeholders.
> >
> >
> > --KPW
> >
>
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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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