District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) proposed a plan to consolidate Walker-Jones Educational Campus (EC) and Scott Montgomery Elementary School (ES) at the brand new Walker Jones site, beginning in fall of 2010. The goal of the proposal is to provide more students with access to the state-of-the-art facility and a more robust academic program, through increased student enrollment.
Read the rest of the release here.
If this is better for the kids then so be it. I don’t know what happens to Kipp in this scheme, but I do know that the kids that come out of the school are polite, friendly, engaging and I’ve seen them on various occasions picking up trash in planned clean ups and just randomly when they saw trash on the sidewalk. I will be very sad to see them go.
Bates Area Civic Association 
I hope Montgomery does not stay vacant for long. That stretch of block will now have NOTHING on it but lots and vacant building with about 6 houses
the cynic in me suspects that social service agencies looking for new digs are on the phone to the mayor’s office right now ….
I didn’t see any mention of closing the Scott Montgomery facility. It’s possible that KIPP could take over that facility while Montgomery students and faculty move over to Walker-Jones. Since we know KIPP is actively seeking more classroom space in the neighborhood, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that happen. So I’d rather we didn’t start boo-hooing until we know more of the story.
Good point Derek. I will remain positive!!
If the DCPS has a chance to screw something up, I’m sure they’ll move forward quickly with it. Unreal.
At the Nov. ANC2C meeting several people, including the KIPP Principal, noted that building the Walker Jones facility was a mistake, that preceded Chancellor Rhee’s appointment. Now she is left with filling a school designed for 800 students, but which, even after merging two schools has a student body of only about 300. SME students, who are doing well at their current campus, should suffer the mistakes of bad gov’t planning.
ANC2C Sec’y Sule prematurely moved that ANC support KIPP’s expansion (the Commission voted to approve), but even Chancellor Rhee stated recently that this plan is not yet a done deal by any means.