From: Cathy Reilly [dc.s.h.a.p.p.e@gmail.

com] Sent: Friday, December 21, 2012 11:25 AM To: Anderson, Kamili (OSSE); Bowser, Muriel (COUNCIL); swells@dccouncil.us; Ron Hampton; DeGuzman, Anthony D. (DCPS); Mary Filardo; Anderson, Thomas (DCPS) Subject: Alternate Plan for Ward 4 schools

Dear All, I realize that the meeting last night concentrated on the current status of the educational specification for Roosevelt and the possible consolidation of MacFarland into Roosevelt as a 612 school with one administration but some building separation of the middle and high school students. I felt it was important to at least put in writing a fuller description of a proposal that has been circulating verbally before the final decision is made by DCPS. It is an expansion of the proposal put forward by MacFarland and based on the agreed upon document that came from the Ward 4 convening before the Dec. 4th meeting. This is a description to be followed by a detailed plan with exact enrollments, timing and budget information included. It seems worth taking a look at all the capital funds allocated for this feeder pattern as well as the projections. It also takes into consideration the values expressed both in the community conversations of the DME, the ward 4 state of the schools and the meeting this month at Brightwood. Given the short timeline on everything and the holiday, I hope this draft can be vetted in these communities and by DCPS at the same time. Emma Brown of the Post is doing a story on the proposals, I have also sent it to her.

Ward 4
Proposal on the DCPS Ward 4 Closing and Consolidation This proposal grew out of the document presented from the Ward 4 group convened prior to the meeting at Brightwood and the current MacFarland proposal. It is in the process of being more fully vetted. Because of the short time line and the coming holiday it is submitted as a draft with a detailed plan to follow quickly. Cathy Reilly Current Ward 4 Proposal Consolidate the Mac Farland Middle School into the Roosevelt HS to create single 6th through 12th grade school with one principal and administration. Middle school students would be in a separate part of the building. The STAY program would remain at Roosevelt. There is no proposal for the MacFarland building beyond a swing space possibility. Both populations are currently small- with a combined total of between 650 and 700 students. This plan attempts to address the very low enrollment at Mac Farland and Roosevelt and increase the utilization of Roosevelt in anticipation of the modernization.

Sharpe Health is to be consolidated with Mamie D Lee and re-located to River Terrace. River Terrace will be fully modernized with funds from a special education budget. The move will not take place till the fall of 2014. Alternate Proposal: Justification DC is experiencing strong population growth as noted in yesterdays report. This is especially true in ward 4. It can be seen in the rising enrollment at Truesdell, Barnard and Powell in particular. There is increased demand for slots in the early childhood programs at these and other Ward 4 elementary schools. A strong middle school is essential to the viability of the southern ward 4 feeder school program. The current and projected DCPS population of this neighborhood can support a 600 student middle school and 800 student high school. MacFarland is beautifully located and positioned to be as high quality a middle school as Deal. The separate middle school building provides a nurturing and appropriate environment for the growing middle school age students who reside in these neighborhoods and are currently in DCPS elementary schools. You have all the advantages of a 6 -12 secondary campus in two buildings, nothing prevents greater collaboration and alignment. The secondary schools serving the Powell, Barnard, West and Truesdell communities should be providing an academic program that is high quality, multi lingual and serves a multiracial population well. Without a strong and expanded DCPS middle school option, there will never be adequate enrollment for Roosevelt to be the comprehensive high school that can offer the rich programming this community demands and is seeking elsewhere. Proposal This is an expansion of the current MacFarland proposal to consolidate the 6th through 8th graders from Truesdell and Raymond into MacFarland in order to provide richer programming and a more fully enrolled middle school. Over a three year period in order to accommodate the growth at the elementary level and to provide a strong DCPS middle and high school option for ward 4 families both Roosevelt and MacFarland will be modernized. MacFarland and Roosevelt will co-locate during the 2 to 3 year period of modernization. The elementary feeder schools are growing with demountables already placed at Powell and Barnard. The feeder school communities (Barnard, Powell, Truesdell and West) will work closely with MacFarland and Roosevelt on the vision, program and design of the modernized buildings. The strong academic programs initiated and currently drawing students at the elementary level will be continued into the secondary program. This includes a dual language option. It can also include a language hub housed in either building of the campus providing

foreign language instruction options open to all students. Successful programs and partnerships currently operating at both Roosevelt and MacFarland will be supported through the transition. Concurrent with the Roosevelt- MacFarland modernization West and Truesdell will expand the early childhood through 5th grade seats to prepare for the transition of the 6th through 8th graders into the modernized MacFarland in the fall of 2015 or 2016. Projections support a rising 6th grade from these 4 feeder schools of 200 (average of 50 students from each school) in this decade and into the 2020s. This will support a MacFarland Middle School of 600 and a Roosevelt High School in the planned 800 student range. The full utilization of the building is further enhanced by the continued presence of the Roosevelt STAY program. SHARPE Health Proposal This building is currently designed to serve this student population. It has the added asset of a swimming pool for therapeutic use and a bathroom in every room. It is in the middle of a large campus of schools including charter and DCPS schools, and a public library. It should remain as a special needs site for DCPS at this location in the western half of the city. With the high number of students still in private placement it is important for DCPS to maintain this location.