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 One comment - (Comments are closed)  Labor  construction jobs, Skyland Workforce Center, Ward 7, Ward 8 
Still not sure who to vote for tomorrow’s Ward 8 City Council Special Election? Here’s a voter guide provided by WUSA-9. I have rearranged them so that they are in alphabetical order. Stuart Anderson (Democratic) He is a native Washingtonian and founding director of Family and Friends of Incarcerated People. He is also self employed in the property managment and home repair field. Website: http://www.ffoip.org/ Sheila Bunn (Democratic) A native Washingtonian, she was Deputy Chief of Staff to former Mayor Vincent Gay and Chief of Staff to DC Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton. Website: http://www.bunnforward8.com/about Marion C. Barry (Democratic) Known to most Washingtonians by his middle name, Christopher, he is the son of former council member and mayor, Marion Barry. This is his first run for political office and says he wants to carry on his father’s work. In a tweet about his run he wrote, “The legacy continues.” He told WUSA9’s Bruce Johnson hsi father encouraged him to run for the seat. Barry runs a small construction business. Website: http://marioncbarry.com/ Greta Fuller (Democratic) She has been an ANC Commissioner (8Ao6) for eight years. She was appointed member of the 11th Street Bridge Project Community Communications Committee; Member of the Historic Anacostia Preservation Society, Historic Anacostia Block Association, and Fairlawn Civic Association. Website: http://www.greta4ward8.com Eugene D. Kinlow (Democratic) He is a native Washingtonian who lives in the Bellevue section of Ward 8. He is a senior Strategist at Dragon/Unicorn Strategies and Solution where he works on community engagement strategies for businesses and non-profits. Previously he was the Public Affaird Director for DC Vote. He is also the producer and host of the DC Politics Show on WPFW. He is past President of Ward 8 Democrats. Website: http://www.kinlowward8strong.com/ LaRuby May (Democratic) She has lived in DC for the past 17 years and has worked and lived in Ward 8 for 13 years. She currently serves as the Executive Directof of Vision of Victory Community Development Corporation, “an organization that focuses on real estate development and human capital development.” In 2005 and 2006, LaRuby served in Marion Barry’s Ward 8 council office as a Legislative Intern and Director of Constituent Services. In 2008, LaRuby was appointed to lead the DC Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Website: http://may4ward8.com/meet-laruby/ “S.S.” Sandra Seegars (Democratic) She has lived in the ward since 1969 and calls Congress Heights home. She has been an accountant with the federal and District governments as well as a paralegal and ANC Commissioner. She also served on the DC Taxicab Commission. Website: https://sssandraseegars.wordpress.com/about-s-s-sandra-seegars/ Keita Vanterpool (Independent) She has lived and worked in Ward 8 for the past 10 years. She is a chiropractor and Chair of the DC Board of Chiropractic. Website: http://www.drkfcward8.com/tags/city_council_dc Leonard Watson, Sr. (Democratic) As a councilmember he says “I will ensure improved relationships between the Ward 8 community and the police officers who work in the area. The installation of better street lights, more police walking or bike riding therough the Ward 8 neighborhoods.” Website: http://www.leonardwatsonsr.com/ Natalie Williams (Democratic) She is an ANC Commissioner (8A) which covers the Hillsdale, Fairlawn and Historic Anacostia communities. She was Vice President of United Medical Center, formerly Greater Southeast Hospital and was once communications/press director and advisor for then Councilmember Marion Barry. She also owns her own public relations firm, BlitzAssociates Inc. She is also a former WUSA9 news producer. Website: http://www.nataliewilliamsonline.com/home.html Take a spin through candidate forums still available online. The Anacostia Coordinating Council, in collaboration with Ballou High School PTSA, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8C, and other local sponsoring organizations, hosted a Ward 8 City Council Collaborative Candidates Forum on Wednesday, April 1, 2015, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Ballou High School in Washington, DC. It featured all 13 candidates who planned to be on the ballot for the April 28 special election for the Ward 8 DC Council seat.
Ward 8 City Council Candidate Forum held at We Act Radio on March 20, 2015. Live streaming was provided by NMG Live. By Erich Martel Retired DCPS Social Studies Teacher At the July 31st meeting of the DC State Board of Education, Ward 8 Member, Mr. Trayon White, said that he had attended the 2013 graduation of Thurgood Marshall Charter HS and wondered why there were so few graduates when four years earlier, as a 9th grade, the class was much larger. No one replied. It’s time that our public officials conducted an independent investigation of this scandal. Quick Facts about Thurgood Marshall Public Charter School Between 2007 and 2013, only 45% of starting 9th graders graduated four years later. Between 2007 and 2011, only 32% of the tested 10th graders are African-American males. Over the past seven years, 2007-2013, Thurgood Marshall graduated 394 of the original 872 9th grade students enrolled. That’s a completion rate of 45.2%. What happened to the other 478 starting 9th graders counted by OSSE? 336 or 38.5% were transferred before the 10th grade DC CAS testing roster was set. 142 or 16.3% were transferred after the 10th grade test, but before graduation. Thurgood Marshall has trouble keeping African-American male students. According to gender data reported on OSSE’s DC CAS website, of the 462 10th graders tested in the 5 years from 2007 to 2011: – 314 or 67.97% were female. – 148 or 32.03% were male. In no year, did the % of male students exceed 33%. Of the 88 Thurgood Marshall students tested in 2011, 62 (70.5%) were female, only 26 (29.5%) were male. At each of Councilmember Catania’s recent ward education “conversations” and at most of the Council’s Education Committee hearings, Councilmember Catania and/or Councilmember Grosso contrasted Thurgood Marshall as an example of charter school success against DCPS failure. According to the numbers, Thurgood Marshall does not live up to that distinction. Mayor Gray chose Thurgood Marshall Charter HS as the symbolic site to announce his proposed legislation to give the chancellor chartering authority. The public has a right to know – and the Mayor, Council and State Board of Education Members should demand to know: The reasons why these students were transferred; Their receiving schools; Their practice scores (DC BAS) were before transfer; Their official DC CAS scores after transfer; Whether they graduated with their class or cohort; Whether any of them dropped out; And many other questions that public officials holding positions of public trust should feel obligated to answer and not cover up as they make public education policy. Comments are closed Education, School "Reform" David Catania, David Grosso, DCPS, OSSE, School Reform, Thurgood Marshall Public Charter School, Trayon Martin, Vince Gray, Ward 8 
Cross-Posted from The Washington Informer Written by Dorothy Rowley A cadre of parents, teachers and community leaders recently gathered on the grounds of a Southeast elementary school to protest a controversial proposal by D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson to shutter several neighborhood schools. During a Dec. 13 rally at Malcolm X Elementary School in Anacostia, the fired-up group of more than 100 Ward 8 residents who vehemently oppose the 20 school closings – the majority of which are located in their neighborhoods – loudly proclaimed along with newly-elected D.C. Ward 8 School Board representative Trayon White, that “enough is enough.” Cynthia McFarland, 48, said that Henderson has lost touch with the needs of her community. “My grandchildren live in Ward 8,” the Alabama Avenue resident said. “They go to school at Hart [Middle] and Malcolm X. I was raised in the public school system and walked to school. So did my children. Ms. Henderson needs to stop playing games and do what’s not only right but necessary.” McFarland also stressed that given the large number of children who live in Ward 8, it’s essential that all of the area’s neighborhood school doors remain open. According to a statement issued prior to the rally by organizers, many of those in opposition represent Ferebee Hope and M.C. Terrell/McGogney Elementary and Johnson Middle schools. “Parental, school and student choice are no longer a part of the equation in accordance with decisions regarding neighborhood school closings,” a portion of the statement read. Four years ago, at the behest of Henderson’s predecessor, two dozen schools were closed throughout the District in an attempt at school reform. But Henderson, 42, admitted recently that those closings only proved costly and ineffective: while student test scores remained stagnant, DCPS enrollment figures dipped from 47,000 students to less than 45,000, and paved the way for public charter schools to gain leverage as the preferred education model. White, who helped organize the Malcolm X rally, said it doesn’t make sense to close any of the community’s schools. “We don’t need less educational resources, but more educational resources,” the outspoken 28-year-old protégé of Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry, said. “A lot of factors have to weigh in on the closings, and so far, the chancellor hasn’t [stepped up to the plate] with an adequate explanation. Dropout and truancy rates are already high in the area, and if she closes our schools, those rates will only increase.” White added that a major concern of parents has been plans to merge low-performing DCPS buildings with high-performing charter schools. White said that in talks with Barry, he expressed that there’s no guarantee DCPS will be more successful in its attempt at school reform. “History has proven, especially since 2008, that if we continue to go down this road, we will be right back here again discussing another round of school closures,” White said. Henderson’s plan – currently being studied by members of her administration – calls largely for the closings of under-enrolled and under-performing schools. After her staff makes adjustments to the proposal, Henderson will confer with Mayor Vincent Gray, 70, and together in January, they will announce their final decision about which of the 20 schools will be closed. Kim Harrison, 49, who works with Concerned Parents for Action Coalition, a citywide organization that advocates on behalf of public schools, drummed up support for the for the rally. She said word of the closings have been exacerbated in the aftermath of a series of public meetings where Henderson shared reasons behind her proposal. “We can’t be quiet, as this is a bigger issue than we think,” said Harrison, who lives in Southeast. “It’s just awful, all this talk about closing our schools. Our children need a school that’s in walkable distance – and they clearly need to be D.C. schools, and not charter schools,” she said. “In order for reforms to work, they’re supposed to engage community stakeholders, parents, teachers and students, and Henderson’s proposal has failed to include [that kind of input].” Comments are closed DC School Closures, Education Concerned Parents For Action Coalition, Cynthia McFarland, DC Public Schools, DCPS, Dorothy Rowley, Hart Middle School, Kaya Henderson, Kim Harrison, M.C. Terrell/McGogney Elementary, Malcolm X Elementary School, school closings, school closures, Trayon White, Ward 8, Washington Informer 
As DC public school advocates predicted, the school closings of 2008 didn’t improve test scores or student achievement and have negatively impacted community after community throughout the city. So here we are at the end of 2012, poised to take another dive off the school closings precipice, this time at the behest of Mayor Gray and Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson. I’m betting that you have had enough. I know I have. No one who cares about children wants to hear any more stories like the one Empower DC member Marybeth Tinker recorded in the video below. In it two young students from Thurgood Marshall Elementary tell us why the proposal to close their school is just plain WRONG! No one who cares about DC’s children and DC’s communities wants to hear any more stories like the one you’ll hear in the podcast below produced by La Palabra. Break It Down: School Closures in Washington DC Michelle Powell walks her granddaughter to Ferebee-Hope Elementary every day. Her family has already dealt with 3 school closures in Ward 8 and is now faced with a fourth school being closed (Ferebee-Hope). Listen to Mrs. Powell’s story and understand why school closures hurt our communities and our children. To hear her story, follow this link – http://lapalabradc.tumblr.com/post/37667510236/break-it-down-school-closures-in-washington Which is why you’ve decided to join the fight to stop school closings in the District of Columbia. You’ve been looking for a chance to take a stand. Here it is: JOIN DC PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FROM WARD 8 @ THE SAVE OUR SCHOOLS RALLY & MARCH Thursday, December 13, 2012 – 4:30 PM RALLY at Malcolm X Elementary School 1351 Alabama Avenue SE (Near Congress Heights Metro on the Green Line) then MARCH to the home of MAYOR VINCENT GRAY Branch Avenue SE Ward 8’s Malcolm X Elementary, Ferebee Hope Elementary, MC Terrell Elementary and Johnson Middle School are all on the list of schools to be closed. Your school may not be on the list this year, but it might be next. It’s time to take a STAND! For more information, contact Trayon White, Ward 8 Representative to the State Board of Education at 202-316-7593. |
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