By Theola Labbé
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006
Terri Anomnachi is the mother of four and president of the PTA at Lucy Diggs Slowe Elementary School in Northeast Washington, where her two youngest children are enrolled. Her two oldest children also went there, but when they approached middle school age, Anomnachi decided to send them to a charter school, rather than Bertie Backus Middle School.
Although she hasn't given up on the traditional schools -- "I want them to go to McKinley," said Anomnachi, referring to the state-of-the-art career and technology high school in Eckington -- she's frustrated with a school system that has few high-performing middle schools in Ward 5. She's also upset that Slowe, once a highly rated school, has suffered from budget cuts and declining enrollment and is slated to close in 2008.
"I really feel like the school board, they just cut the school off and weren't involved," Anomnachi said.
The candidate who emerges from a pack of five looking to become the next school board member from District 3, which represents Wards 5 and 6, will face these parental frustrations and more. The victor must look for ways to address those concerns and other pressing issues of student achievement, the condition of school buildings and the future of charter schools in the District.
There are almost 50 schools in economically and racially diverse District 3, in neighborhoods that include Capitol Hill, Rosedale, Riggs Park and Old City. Buildings such as Paul L. Dunbar High School and Eastern Senior High School have fallen into disrepair, and such schools as Brookland Elementary have been targeted for closure because of declining enrollment and the condition of the facilities.
There are bright spots. Parents recently celebrated the opening of new libraries at Stuart Hobson Middle School and Robert Brent and Ludlow-Taylor Elementary schools, part of an eight-school library renovation project in which the school system partnered with a private foundation to fix eight Capitol Hill school libraries.
Tommy Wells, who has represented the District for six years, won the Democratic primary last month for the Ward 6 D.C. Council seat. He said whoever replaces him on the school board must move quickly to be responsive to community concerns.
"They have so many schools, each with their own challenges," Wells said.
Three advisory neighborhood commissioners, an education consultant and a former charter school administrator are crisscrossing Wards 5 and 6 searching for votes. At community forums and in interviews, they outlined different prescriptions for fixing city schools.
Robert Brannum, an ANC commissioner in Ward 5's Bloomingdale neighborhood and substitute teacher, said he has a passion for "those without a voice," and his classroom teaching experience has given him an insight into the issues facing students and teachers.
"I have shown an ability to work for all people of all colors and sexes," Brannum said. "I have been out there working on behalf of children for a lifetime."
A native Washingtonian, Brannum, 53, said curtailing special education costs would be his top priority. He did not offer a specific proposal, saying he supported the plans outlined by D.C. School Superintendent Clifford B. Janey. Under Janey's master facilities plan, special education students in private placements would return to city classrooms after space is made available through the renovation of aging buildings and the addition of education centers.
Lisa Raymond, the former chief operating officer at Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy, also has not articulated specific reform proposals as part of her campaign but is positioning herself as a finance expert who will contribute that background to the policymaking board.
"I think what this board needs is people who have a record of getting things done and can push through significant changes that have to happen in this system," said Raymond, a mother of twins who would work full time in the job if elected. She said she supports less spending on overhead and more funding for schools and would improve early intervention programs for special education students.
Marc Borbely, 33, a former Eastern Senior High School teacher, led a grass-roots effort that resulted in a $2.3 billion D.C. Council measure to modernize schools. In candidate forums, Borbely, an ANC commissioner, mentions specific schools by name and the facilities problems there, knowledge gained from his effort to get city officials to set aside money to fix the schools.
He has proposed a mentorship program pairing veteran and new teachers and a preventative maintenance plan for school buildings, whose average age is 73. After fighting for new school buildings, Borbely said, he will now push to improve "what goes on inside those buildings."
Stephane Baldi, 37, a principal research scientist with the American Institute for Research, is promoting his decade of experience in working on education reform across the country. He said he would increase the number of staff development days so teachers and principals have more time to plan, create an incentive system for teachers and principals whose schools show improvement, and push for regular financial audits of the school system to eliminate waste.
"I understand the issues that the District is facing right now," Baldi said.
Mary Baird Currie, an ANC commissioner and former school counselor, did not attend two recent forums at which candidates outlined their positions.
Like many voters, Franklyn Malone, a parent of twins who lives in Woodridge, hasn't decided whom to support. His children used to go to Anthony Hyde Elementary in Georgetown but now attend the Friendship-Woodridge Elementary and Middle School, one of the few public schools this year in the District to make "adequate yearly progress" on a new standardized test.
Malone said he was struck by the inequities between schools once his children transferred. He said he was very satisfied with Hyde but changed so his children could have more male role models. He said his children have access to more enrichment programs at their new school.
"I'm not looking for someone who has grand plans for the future," he said. "We need something immediate that works."
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