WASHINGTON — UPDATE JUNE 17, 2024:
After WUSA9's report on parents whose children attend Nalle Elementary School in Ward 7 aired last week, on Monday, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson is reacting.
He sent a letter DCPS Chancellor calling for answers and a pause on the project and construction.
Nalle parents say if the project moves forward, students from Drew Elementary will be housed in trailers that will take away the field, playground and garden space of Nalle students.
They would move into those trailers, two years later followed by students from Anne Beers Elementary when their school is slated for renovation.
We reached out to the Chancellor's office for comment. We are still waiting, and will inform you as soon as we hear back.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Parents are pushing to save space for outdoor sports at a D.C. elementary school. D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) has plans to establish a "swing space" for Drew Elementary School during planned renovations. A swing space is a series of trailers meant to house the entire school while construction takes place.
In a letter to parents, DCPS Chief of Operations Lisa Putman said Nalle Elementary will be used for the modular trailers while the school is being modernized. School officials estimate the construction of the modular campus will take an entire school year, with construction of trailers scheduled to begin in August. After the trailers are built, Drew Elementary students will have classes there in 2025 and 2026. Nalle Elementary will then use the swing space while its building is upgraded in 2027 and 2028.
DCPS held a community meeting Tuesday at Nalle to share timelines for the project, community impacts, and to talk with families. Many parents and students showed up to the meeting with signs that said "Save our field."
Parents say they were blindsided by the plan to utilize the field and playground during renovation at Drew Elementary and other elementary schools in the area.
"We're truly outraged," said William Smith.
"They failed to meet with the stakeholders, the teachers, the parents, the students, even the community members to share their plain," Janice Parker added. "The space will be consumed for at least seven years. That means that a child who comes to this school at 3 or 4 or even 5, they will be here all of those years and not have a field, a playground or anything to get any exercise or to participate in any kind of outdoor sports because that will be consumed with modular trailers."
Parker said she was frustrated following the meeting, and that school officials failed to take the community's concerns seriously.
"It's unacceptable and it's disrespectful to the people in this community," Parker said.
DCPS plans to have another meeting with the Nalle community in July, but for Parker and other parents who spoke up Tuesday, it's too little, too late.
"The children in this community are entitled to healthy areas and spaces to play, to run, compete," Parker said. "Their plan is to take that all away,."
Parker said she plans to keep protesting the decision in hopes that the school district will choose a different space for the modular campus.
This is not the first time DCPS has used space on another school's campus during school renovations. In 2018 and 2019, a swing space was established for Maury Elementary at Eliot Hine Middle School.
"So, this is why we're protesting because Black people, poor people, underserved communities, like Marshall Heights, always get infantilized," Tina Elie said. "We don't get to ask for opinion. We just get told things are going to happen. Parents should have been engaged months ago. But, you know, Mayor Bowser will cater to whoever donates. She can take this community's votes for granted, but white folks she can't. So. I'm sure if it was Lafayette, she would have engaged the community earlier."
Do you have a news tip on this story or any other story? We want to hear from you. Tell us about it by emailing newstips@wusa9.com.
MORE WAYS TO GET WUSA9
DOWNLOAD THE WUSA9 APP
Apple App Store: WUSA9 News on Apple
Google Play Store: WUSA9 News on Android
HOW TO ADD THE FREE WUSA9+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WUSA9.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "WUSA9" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE WUSA9 NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to our daily WUSA9 Newsletter for top stories from WUSA9 curated daily just for you. Get content and information right now for can’t-miss stories, Commanders content, weather, and more delivered right to your inbox.