The Growler has been giving some additional thought to Monday's community meeting about a new Jefferson-Houston School. And there's lots to continue to question.Readers may recall the 2007 ACPS white paper on what to do with the Jefferson-Houston facility. This official document discussed different supplemental uses (such as a City-wide pre-kindergarten program) and weighed new construction against remodeling. The cost estimates associated with these options ranged from $9 million to $21 million.
Now we are being told that the remodeling option is just about as expensive as new construction, and projected costs for either choice have skyrocketed to the mid-$30 million range.
There's just one factor that can account for this: ACPS's drive to turn Jefferson-Houston into a combo elementary-middle school.
And guess what readers: apparently no other school district is bent on doing something like this. Note carefully architect Lee Quill's quote in yesterday's alexandrianews.org article: "In Virginia, there are no pre-K-8 models for ACPS to look at, although I am certain that there are schools of this type somewhere in the country.”
Whoa! Is this an anomaly or is Alexandria's school system shooting some Vegas craps?
More and more it appears that the School Board wants the Mayor and Council to gamble with taxpayers' money on a gigantic scale.
"Commit to $35 million immediately in the joint City-ACPS capital budget," school leaders seem to be saying, "because there's an enrollment crisis in Alexandria." Of course, a new Jefferson-Houston won't help alleviate enrollment pressures across the City as long as academic performance lags. Only when it makes AYP two years in a row will neighborhood parents be pushed out of George Mason and other successful schools. But hey, we'll make AYP at Jefferson-Houston. Someday. Maybe.
"We want this new model of a school that merges elementary grades with middle school," they cry. No one else in the state apparently has pre-K through 8, but the City should go ahead and make the cash commitment. It's incredibly hip for ACPS to be perceived as a leader of some sort, even if schools like Jefferson-Houston are near the bottom of the Commonwealth of Virginia's ratings. As long as Arne Duncan is listening, we're cool.
"Redistricting is on the table; we just don't know what it will look like," said School Superintendent Morton Sherman on Monday night. Of course we don't have any plans we can show anyone even though we've done the demographic projections for Alexandria's school for the next decade. Just trust us. Give us the school now and we'll make boundary adjustments happen ... later.
"We did our share," ACPS seems to be saying, "so now do your part. We authorized a new curriculum for Jefferson-Houston, so we deserve a new building." Well, yes, IB-PYP is not yet fully implemented at Jefferson-Houston. It hasn't been proven to be a sure-fire means of turning around around a troubled urban school (which JH essentially is). But it's something Mort knows from Jersey, and dang it, we've got to put some bricks and mortar down fast and anchor the school "for the next 40 years" so these pesky neighbors will stop demanding a Potomac Yard school.
And so it goes.
Since the pressure to quickly renovate or rebuild Jefferson-Houston seems to have now dwindled, the Growler asks why the City Council can't wait and see if Morton Sherman and the School Board can deliver on their promises to turn Jefferson-Houston around academically and make pre-K through 8 work.
It's a $35 million gamble and the answer depends on whether the Mayor and Council like the odds.
23 comments:
Wrong topic but from alexandrianews.org
Streetcars for Potomac Yard
Arlington County is moving forward to study the feasibility of a dedicated lane on Route 1 for streetcars. The Board of Supervisors has invited Alexandria to participate in that study at a cost of $1 million, which could be moved from already budgeted transportation funds. “I don’t see that we have a choice,” said Councilman Paul Smedberg. “We are going to have bus rapid transit or a streetcar or some other mode of transportation along Route 1, whether we have a Metro station at Potomac Yard or not. Arlington is light years ahead of us, and we can’t wait any longer or get any further behind.”
Fannon disagreed. “I don’t see why we are going to spend $1 million on a study and perhaps another $140 million for this streetcar project without some public input. I think we should hold a public hearing before we spend this kind of money,” he said.
Councilwoman Alicia Hughes was the only one who agreed with him. Council agreed to participate in the study and spend the $1 million on a vote of 5-2.
Ah, finally the Growler awakes. There is nothing typical about Jefferson Houston. Not the 1999 redistricting a resegregation not the IB application not the in-state academic model preK-8. The education plan is the bottom line not the building cost. A new building can wait until Mort and his minions prove their academic worth. Another question. Growler, how many schools statewide have their headquarters on the top floor of an existing school? I'm betting none! Halloween's coming don't get caught in the web.
"Note carefully architect Lee Quill's quote in yesterday's alexandrianews.org article: "In Virginia, there are no pre-K-8 models for ACPS to look at, although I am certain that there are schools of this type somewhere in the country.”
Let's at least give Quill points for honesty. Now that he's getting paid he has to elevate the discussion to a professional level. JH is a bottom feeding school little more than an egotistical superintendent's socio-educational experiment. All should be repeatedly taken to the woodshed until measurable change, sustained change is achieved. Sherman excuses AYP scores but what about the state's assessment? Education first, a new building later. Much later.
The way I see it, the J-H mess is not the entirely the fault of the School Board and ACPS. Rather, the City Council basically started this mess by segregating its public housing in one small area of the City.
Essentially, the School Board just followed Council's lead and resegregated the schools to the extent they could in 1999, dumping all the public housing kids in J-H.
The ball-less City council could have begun to change this mess with Bland, but instead they voted to redeposit over a 100 public housing units back into an area already saturated with public housing.
The neighborhood really needs to pressure BOTH the Council and ACPS on this issue. Don't let Euille, Krupicka, Smedberg, Pepper et al escape the blame they so richly deserve.
"Sherman excuses AYP scores but what about the state's assessment"
Forget AYP or the states assessment.
Look what JH's failure is producing for the community. Why is it so hard to see the gradual academic disintegration occurring from JH to GW to TC?
Under any measure, poor academic achievement is contributing to overconcentration of poverty and lack of economic opportunities in this area (and vice versa). Where are the City's solutions to this?
Ghent School in the Norfolk City Schools system is K-8 and there are 5 private schools in Alexandria that follow that model.
There might be more public schools in Virginia that are K-8 but I did not want to spend more than 5 minutes looking.
Mr. Quill said pre-K through 8.
Ghent is K-8.
"Ghent School in the Norfolk City Schools system is K-8 and there are 5 private schools in Alexandria that follow that model."
Your snotty answer left me curious so I googled. If PK-8 is synonomous with preK-8 then I did find a couple of private Alexandria schools that "follow that model." However when I investigated further did demographic and enrollment comparisons the similarity stopped. Would you like to explain how the private school model applies to JH?
"Would you like to explain how the private school model applies to JH?"
That's a great question. You should ask Superintendent Sherman and Mr. Quill about it at the November 22 community meeting.
The answer was not meant to be snotty. I was only trying to show that it is not too unusual to have a school that has age ranges from 5 to 14. Obviously some schools/areas think that the idea has merit regardless of whether or not it starts at kindergarten or pre-k.
As for how a private school model applies to J-H I have no idea other than they are presumably both schools. In my mind they should both be doing similar things with the same goal in mind. There may not be as many bells and whistles at the public school, i.e. fancy labs and junior lacrosse teams, but ultimately graduates from the public schools should be just as prepared as the graduates from the private schools, either for college if they desire or to be able to enter the work force with some marketable skills. The ratios of the two end sets may be different among public and private schools but the levels of preparedness should not be.
Right now the discussion, in my mind, is whether or not J-H can live up to this goal in its current structure. I will admit that I do not have enough information to make a decision one way or the other as of yet. About the only thing I can be certain of is that the current building is not adding anything to the educational experience. It may also not be subtracting anything so that is what makes the decision difficult.
Sorry for anyone that took offense at the original comment, that was not the intent.
I attended a 1-8 grade school for a few years but it was a small Catholic private school. While I am not an education policy expert and it may work, I would have concerns about sending my 6 yr old to a school with 8th graders. Most private schools keep the grades separate, are quite small and clearly have the option of booting anyone who misbehaves. They do not tolerate poor behavior and can since private schools are not required to serve any student.
There is a significant size difference and maturity level between k-3/4 and 5-8.
For those children in the higher grades, would they miss out on opportunities afforded to students at GW?
I applaud efforts to make improvements to JH but do not think ACPS is headed in the right direction at the moment. The goal should be to get to a point where most neighborhood residents want to send their children there. We aren't there yet.
As always, thanks Growler for keeping us updated.
Just go see "Waiting For Superman" if you want to know more about what is holding students back at JH. And for that matter the effect a failing school has on a community.
(hint: the shape of the classroom or the age of the roof is not the problem)
I am the parent of a 14 mo. old son who would go to JH should he go to public school. Why on earth would I allow him to go to that school when I know there are 14-15 year old kids from the projects who could terrorize him "just because". Last weekend 5 kids in that age group threw rocks at my car... why... probably because they did not like the look of me and my family (with the same 14 mo old in the back seat). What are they going to do to assure me that this will not be an issue protecting the younger kids from the older ones? There are potential problems in the students that a new building would not fix. Now, if they incorporated the new building with a true redistricting of the school, I would consider going, but there is no way under the current circumstances would I consider sending my son there as it currently stands. So who gives a crap how nice this new place is... if they wont consider re-districting no self respecting parent of a young child should send their kids there. Look. I play with kids from the project all of the time at the park on queen and fayette. They are usually really great. The older kids, though, along with their parents, have a different set of issues
"Since the pressure to quickly renovate or rebuild Jefferson-Houston seems to have now dwindled,"
Growler, how did you come to this conclusion? Trey and Helen seem as determined as ever. PTA types are privately involved in school design.
The October 25 presentation has finally been posted on the ACPS website: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/board/jh-project/presentation-20101025.pdf
"It seems the only part of Alexandria's economy that is not hurting is the consulting industry. When I read the Gazette Packet's "Partisan Streetcars" piece last Thursday I saw that our City Council is planning to spend no less than $1 million for a consultant to determine the environmental impact of a streetcar system."
Growler I know that you are now preoccupied with Morton Sherman's consultant choices but Patrick and Henry Streets residents need to monitor this study closely.
"but Patrick and Henry Streets residents need to monitor this study closely."
Agreed! WOTCA needs to make sure the researchers deal with the truck issue correctly making sure the smoke stacks remain in the upright position.
I can't believe that Alexandria's leaders are getting ready to run something else up Patrick and Henry Streets. Isn't having a major highway run almost up to homeowners' front doors enough? That was a move that was unfair and just doesn't seem to happen in other neighborhoods in Alexandria. This coupled with the redistricting of schools that left Jefferson Houston almost resegregated should be seen as unfair and unjust.
"Growler I know that you are now preoccupied with Morton Sherman's consultant choices but Patrick and Henry Streets residents need to monitor this study closely."
The sell in whatever form has begun. From the city's website:
Mayor Euille Today
Transportation Improvement & Declining Crime Trends 1287385200
Oct 18, 2010 00h 28m
Watch Now Download Video Download Audio
"I can't believe that Alexandria's leaders are getting ready to run something else up Patrick and Henry Streets."
Strangely enough I am not at all surprised that the city government is trying to screw us again.
""I don’t see that we have a choice,” said Councilman Paul Smedberg. “We are going to have bus rapid transit or a streetcar or some other mode of transportation along Route 1, whether we have a Metro station at Potomac Yard or not."
At least we can thank Smedberg for making clear his position that he wants this to be a fait accompli in his mind, despite failing to seek and obtain necessary input from affected citizens and businesses.
It’s already clear that he and others are going to act like either streetcars or dedicated bus lanes are the only options, though “none of the above” is the most practical option for our quality of life.
Arlington’s board has shown us how viable “none of the above” is as an option at I-66, putting quality of life considerations above regional perspectives which would’ve had the lanes expanded within Arlington’s borders along with rail service running down the middle into DC.
The city council’s vote and the quotes surrounding it shows that we need to get organized now rather than wait for a proposal cooked up with the help of the latest million dollar study.
Since Smedberg and others “don’t “see that we have a choice,” it’s going to be up to us to show him that we do, in no uncertain terms.
"Since Smedberg and others “don’t “see that we have a choice,” it’s going to be up to us to show him that we do, in no uncertain terms."
Seriously doubt Smedberg thinks independently of Hertel. Both got their protectionist start in the Northeast Civic Association. Heard they both now serve on the same transportation commission and that may be bad news for us.
Just read in the Gazette that Morton Sherman is, on the taxpayers' dime, taking himself and his consultant friends out for meals at the City's fanciest restaurants, including Chart House and Morrison House.
I certainly do not appreciate this. There is NO excuse for this. We already overpay the man and are apparently giving him another raise this year. I certainly don't want to buy $40 breakfasts for him, too. Outrageous that this is allowed.
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