Cuts to Stoddert Pre-K Made with 'A Lot of Thought'
Principal Patricia Pride cut a pre-K class for next year in favor of adding a fourth kindergarten class to meet demand at Glover Park's Stoddert Elementary.
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Cutting a pre-K class to add a fourth kindergarten class at Glover Park's Stoddert Elementary was both a long time coming and a too-late-for-some decision, according to school Principal Patricia Pride.
Many future Stoddert Elementary parents were left in the lurch after the pre-K lottery results came in last Friday and dozens of local children were unable to get a slot in their local school in part because there will be one, instead of two, pre-K classes this fall.
Pride said the kindergarten classes have been over-enrolled for several years and even though the school added a third kindergarten class a few years ago, this year all three were over the ideal ratio of 20 students per class. DCPS is required to find space for all in-boundary children starting in kindergarten.
"There was a lot of thought and input into making this decision. It was one that needed to happen to make sure the learning environment of the Kindergarten classes was optimal," Pride said.
She approached the school's superintendant about strategies to lesson the classroom numbers and then on Feb. 20 officiall proposed the change. But for it to go into effect she had to wait for approval from District Facilities and input from the PTA Executive Board at its February meet.
By the time she received the green light, it was the first week of March and the lottery, which opened in January, had already closed.
Though there is always a possibility that in-boundary families will not get the children into the school for pre-K, said Pride, "We truly thought we would have enough space in one Pre-K from the data to take care of our families with siblings."
There were 7 children who live in boundary and have older siblings already enrolled at Stoddert, who were placed on the waitlist—along with 53 other in-boundary children.
Pride said she stands by her decision and thinks there needs to be a "strong discussion" about creating pre-school and pre-K campuses citywide.
"If there is anything the lottery has shown us is that city wide our community agrees with Mayor Gray and his position on early education," she said.
Patch will continue to follow this story and plans to contact DCPS about the timing for making these decisions and informing parents who enter into the lottery.
What do you think about the decision? What should DCPS do about demand in some areas of the city for early childhood education? Tell us in the comments.
Read more on the pre-K crunch at local schools:
Kate
7:50 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Wow, so the in-boundary PreK tally is 79 four-year-olds! That means another four Kindergartens in 2014-2015. And the new fourth Kindergarten will move on to first grade that same year. Glover Park is becoming the destination for families with school-age kids. But how will Stoddert house this many classrooms?
Mark Collins
9:49 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
A great question. Now, I wonder what data they used a few years back when they remodeled and expanded the school? It appears to be another DCPS snafu. A record I thought Rhee and her crew was going to break back in 07. It appears that that hasn't happened, nor will it. Again, the kids suffer and DCPS continues an unblemished record of screw-ups for the 40+ years I've been around. Congrats guys! I'm hoping that one day you'll be able to cure the problem. Of course, if you don't kill public Ed and the system. Outsiders. Harrumph!
Patricia Pride
10:03 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
@Kate: HI! We are literally utilizing every space available for next year. It is a wonderful school and on the realtors hot list for young families. I give tours to many families before they even sign a lease or purchase.
@Mark: When my son attended Stoddert in 1999 they were so under enrolled they were ready to close the building. Demographics shift and sometimes its a hit and sometimes its a miss. No one I think would have predicted the economic turns that moved people with young families back to the city. I will continue to see it as a wonderful opportunity to lead a great school of teachers, students, and families. Have a great day. : )
Mark Collins
10:27 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
I sent you an email a while ago and I'll resend it. After reviewing what I wrote- I had second thoughts about the phrasing. Since I've met you I can attest to what a great person you are. My beef is with DCPS and not you and if I implied that- my apologies. Unless they fired their demographer, they could have predicted an overall growth pattern when they made the plans to renovate Stoddert a few years ago. It was my school from 1965-1972. It has always had great students, parents, teachers, and leaders. I have no doubt that you'll continue along that path and I wish you success I just have a problem with some of the sanctimonious change/decision making agents residing on 1st St. N.E. When you mess up a school, you mess up the neighborhood.