Upcoming meetings to address proposed Scott Montgomery ES Closure
October MVSNA Meeting
Tuesday, October 20 (tomorrow), 7:30pm,
Yale Steam Laundry, 437 NY Ave NW
Agenda includes Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, the Scott Montgomery merger with Walker Jones, public safety, and other items.
DCPS Open Community Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 6:00 pm
Walker-Jones Education Campus, 1125 New Jersey Ave NW
Agenda includes a presenation of the plan to consolidate Walker-Jones Educational Campus and Scott Montgomery Elementary School at the new Walker-Jones site beginning in fall 2010 and opportunities for community feedback.
CCCA October Meeting
Tuesday, October 27, 7 pm
Kennedy Recreation Center, 1401 7th Street NW
Agenda will feature Scott Montgomery Principal Melissa Martin and staff. The November 24 CCCA meeting will also feature Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans. This will be one of the last community meetings to address this issue before Mayor Fenty makes his official decision on this matter after receiving DCPS School Chancellor Michelle Rhee's recommendations.
ANC2C November Meeting
Wednesday, November 4, 6:30 pm
Kennedy Recreation Center, 1401 7th Street NW
Agenda representatives from DCPS and DDOT. Residents and parents are advised to keep contact DDOT to encourage pedestrian safety improvements on New York Ave and NJ Ave. The letters sent on the matter were well received and the community should hopefully see some improvements soon.
Residents are also advised to contact these officials to note their concerns:
Office of DCPS School Chancellor Michelle Rhee:
Margery Yeager, Margery.Yeager@dc.gov
Executive Office of the Mayor, MOCRS Ward 2 Representatives
Francisco Fimbres, Francisco.Fimbres@dc.gov
Andrew Huff, Andrew.Huff@dc.gov
Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans
JackEvans@dccouncil.us
http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/jackevans
ANC2C02 Commissioner Kevin Chapple
Kevin Chapple, ChappleANC@aol.com, (202) 449-5072
Response from local community in regard to school meger:
Parents of Scott Montgomery students and school staff are actively opposing the closure of Scott Montgomery and merger with Walker-Jones. A near completed (85% family response) parent survey indicates that 89% of parents will not send their children to WJ, 7% are undecided, and 4% will enroll at WJ.
Reasons of opposition cited on the survey forms indicate that the community is very concerned about the travel distance, the traffic on New York Avenue (which children will have to cross), issues of political representation as this entails a ward change from Ward 2 to Ward 6, and the lack of consideration of community identity as the survey also indicates that just over half of SMES students are not the first generation of their family to attend school there.
Parents and staff are asking DCPS to clearly state enrollment goals for the school, allow them to offer fifth grade again, and grant them an additional year to meet those established goals.
SMES is currently at this year’s projected enrollment of 203, and new preschool program has four fully matriculated classes so future growth is evident. The school just opened a brand new wing in August with four additional classrooms and a gym, and the mayor personally approved the construction of two new playgrounds costing over $200,000. Those opposing the closure were very surprised at the proposal given these factors of growth and development. Many indicated on the survey forms that the needs of SMES students and community are being ignored because the city needs to fill the new under-utilized facility at WJ. What is being billed by DCPS as an “opportunity” to enjoy a state of the art facility is actually a removal of choice for parents in an attempt to force matriculation. This choice or opportunity is something the parents already have, and they have passed on it.
Regarding pedestrian safety along NY and NJ Avenues, DDOT Director Gabe Klein responded last week:
"I visited the area myself on Friday [ Oct. 9 ]. We will prioritize this particular area of NY Avenue for safety improvements month and will be back to you by the end of this month with a plan of action (I believe we already have some plans). In addition, I note your support for speed cameras and that prior conversations have been had with MPD. We will pick those conversations up as well."
— Gabe Klein, Director
District Department of Transportation | www.ddot.dc.gov
Comments
Ward 2 Councilmember Evans at 10/20 MVSNA meeting
At the Mt Vernon Sq Neigbhorhood Association meeting, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans suggested that he got the impression from DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee that the Scott Mongtomery merger/closure/transfer to the Walker Jones facility was a good the best plan. He also noted that he was informed that the KIPP Will Academy plan (which was not publicized) to completely take over the Scott Montgomery campus was also a good idea.
There is significant opposition to both plans from the community, parents and school staff.
It will be important for the community to make their case clear and consistently in as many public forums as possible and directly to the Councilmember Jack Evans since Scott Montgomery and KIPP Will Academy both sit within his ward (and the single member district of ANC Commissioner Kevin Chapple); and many of his constituents are parents of SME and KIPP students.
Years ago, Chancellor Rhee was adamant that no portion of the Shaw Jr HS campus would be used as a temporary dog+people park. Counciilmember Evans responded to his constituents desire and need for a dog+people park and his recommendation to Mayor Fenty over ruled the Chancellor's decision. The word on the street now is that the community will make the temporary dog+people park into a permanent dog+people park — again going against the Chancellor's plans. It will be interesting to see if local residents will make their case on behalf of their own and neighborhood students, better than dog+people park advocates, and whether Mr Evans, Mr Fenty and Ms Rhee will be equally responsive to the concerns of a community for its students as they were for residents and their four-legged family members.
Mr Evans also mention tonight that this is election season. Perhaps Mr Fenty will find time to reprise his walking campaign through the District and include a walk, in real time, from Scott Montgomery to Walker Jones via New Jersey Avenue AND BACK. Many parents don't have private cars to drop off children and the bus doesn't go all the way to Walker Jones.
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