July 21, 2008
Dear Mayor Fenty,
The Janney School Improvement Team (SIT) met on July 15, 2008 to discuss the recently announced selection of LCOR as a negotiating partner to explore a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the city. The Janney SIT has previously agreed, after some debate, to consider development proposals that would require the Janney School to give up part of its campus to the proposed development.
The overriding reason Janney is willing to cede part of its campus is because Janney urgently needs modernization and expansion. A Blue Ribbon School with a history of excellent academic achievement, The Janney School is also the most overcrowded school in the DCPS system, and in great need of modernization (built in 1925). The building’s capacity is 364 and the expected population for the 2008-2009 year is over 500 students. There is one restroom for all those students on the first floor. There are five classrooms combined into three demountables (trailers) clogging Janney’s playground.
The average class size in the primary grades regularly exceeds 25 children and approaches 30 per class. Janney turns away 3 out of 4 applicants for Pre-Kindergarten, and has not accepted any out of bounds students in the primary grades in years, despite a long waiting list. There is one room for school-wide meetings that is also our lunch room and gym. Because of a lack of space, some counselors meet in converted closets, and meetings happen in the hallways. Despite all of that, wonderful things happen here.
In light of these space and condition issues, the SIT would like to reiterate its conditional support for a PPP under the following terms:
1. An addition to the school that meets the latest specifications from DCPS. This would mean adding approximately 39,000 square feet to the existing structure to accommodate an expected student body of 550, as currently foreseen in the DCPS Capital Improvement Plan;
2. Modernization of the existing Janney school building, bringing it up to current building codes and improving its electrical system, heating and cooling systems, bringing it into compliance with the ADA, and increasing the number of student restrooms;
3. An earlier time schedule for these repairs and modernizations, with construction plans in place by 2009 and construction scheduled to be completed in 2012;
4. Moving Janney’s current surface parking lot underground, thereby allowing the school to replace the play area that it would lose to an expanded library or residential building with an equal amount of green space (no net loss of green space);
5. Ensuring that the students remain on the Janney campus during the construction phase of the expansion and modernization (swing in space); and
6. Meaningful opportunities for Janney community involvement and input on plans and processes relating to and affecting the Janney School.
Our support for the project is conditioned on the above principles being formalized in writing as either a Directive from the Office of the Mayor to the responsible agencies or a Memorandum of Understanding between DCPS and the Office of Economic Development.
The Janney School Improvement Team is supportive of moving forward on the modernization of Janney with the above principles, whether the PPP goes forward or not. This letter is not intended as an indication that the Janney School community is unanimous in support of the PPP. The Janney community is diverse with varying opinions on most all subjects. However, there is near unanimity that Janney School, as the most crowded school in DCPS, is in need of an addition and quick modernization. We look forward to continuing these talks and to participating in what we envision as a positive result for the community.
Sincerely,
The Janney School Improvement Team
Kirk Rankin, SIT chair
Tawana Franklin, Staff rep.
Laure Hunter, Teacher
Shellie Wood, Teacher
Andrew Smiles, Parent
Karen Martin, Parent
Allison Feeney, Parent
Karen Langford, Teacher
Mary Osterman, Teacher
Malin Kerwin, Teacher
Karen Kalat, PTA rep.
Sczerina Perot, PTA rep.
Marijke Gero, Teacher
Jane Malhotra, Parent
Cheryl Ohlson, Parent
Brenda Petteway, Acting Principal
