Ward 5 has the most proposed closures, with nine. That section of the city has experienced a recent influx of young families moving into such neighborhoods as Brookland and LeDroit Park, but many of them are choosing charter schools or going out of boundary rather than enrolling at neighborhood schools, which have been plagued by declining enrollment and poor test scores. Ward 3 is the only one with no schools on the list.
The document says those schools on the closure list would be taken "off the list for modernization, targeted repair, or blitz work (excluding things that are necessary for basic quality of life)."
The document also raises questions about the pace of repair work needed to upgrade schools that would take students from closed facilities. According to the list, Brookland Elementary in Northeast would close next year and the students would be sent to nearby Bunker Hill Elementary. Bunker Hill, however, would close two years later.
But the document also says there are plans to "rebuild a new [pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school] on the Brookland site. This is a high priority to move up. Can we get a design team up in early '08 and complete construction by '10?"
In Ward 5:
Bertie Backus Middle - Fort Totten
Brookland Elementary - Brookland/Michigan Park
Bunker Hill Elementary (summer 2010)- Brookland/Michigan Park
Burroughs Elementary - Woodridge
Gage-Eckington Elementary - Ledroit Park/Bloomingdale
J.F. Cook Elementary - Eckington
Mamie D. Lee (summer 2009) - Fort Totten
M. M. Washington Career High - Eckington
Slowe Elementary - Brookland
check out the map i've made here
ReplyDeleteClosing all those schools due to declining enrollment despite an increase in potential students - shocker! If the City had made the tough decisions and commitments to new facilities years ago instead of taking the quick band-aid charter school approach, much of this wouldn't be necessary. Of course Charter schools are sucking out students (and taking money) away from the upkeep of a fixed number of buildings thereby further straining the budget. This result shouldn't be a shock to anyone.
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