Orr Parents Tell Councilmember Catania: Our Children Deserve Classrooms

By Candi Peterson

 I've covered the story about Orr elementary school  in SE Washington, DC since I visited and learned of special needs students being taught in a vault and a music classroom with 42 students, much to my horror back in January 2014. I attempted to no avail to get the mainstream media including Bruce Johnson to cover this story. I even posted photos of the Vault classroom but Chancellor Henderson told Bruce Johnson there was absolutely no validity to my claims despite photos and my actual live reporting that I stood inside the vault classroom. Certainly there's no denying that I am a newsworthy credible source dating back to the Michelle Rhee days. Afterall I my blog received note worthy mention in Michelle Rhee's book, The Bee Eater: Michelle Rhee Takes on The Nations Worst District.

Here's an update on a recent meeting parents held with Councilmember David Catania, and also chairman of the Education Committee and mayoral hopeful. Allyson Criner Brown, Associate Director of Teaching for Change who works with the parents of Orr in a partnership and advocates for modernization of the school wrote me the following email about the meeting with Mr. Catania: " Hi Candi, We had a very good meeting with David Catania. Parents took him on a tour of the building and I asked the teacher of the vault classroom to leave the Masterlock key so we could take him into the vault. He and his staff were stunned. We had about 30 parents that evening, plus kids and staff. Maybe 80 people or so in all. His staff said they'd never seen turnout like that in Ward 8. The principal welcomed Catania before leaving. We alerted his staff about our concerns with the principal but we didn't address them that night. Parents noticed Principal Wilson didn't make arrangements so she could stay for the meeting. Have a great weekend, I'll be in touch.-Allyson"

Too Bad Principal Niyeka Wilson couldn't stay for the meeting. Shame on her.

Cross posted from Teaching for Change:

 Orr (DCPS) parents invited David Catania, Councilmember and chair of the Education Committee, to hear their stories and tour the building which badly needs modernization. Nearly 30 parents attended with their children, along with teachers and members of the local community. Parents expressed their concerns about the safety of the playground; stagnant air and poor natural lighting; places where the building is crumbling; and, most significantly, the open floor plan (in which there are no walls separating classrooms or hallways). The modernization was slated to begin eight years ago but has been delayed every year since.

Teaching for Change, a partner with the Orr Parent Center, helped plan and facilitate the event which featured parent leaders. A father talked about how his three-year old daughter wandered off from her classroom in her first week of school and could not be found for nearly an hour. “Where could she have gone if her classroom had walls and a door?” he asked the Councilmember. A teacher discussed how the open-space classrooms presents enormous challenges for himself and others, particularly where classrooms are separated only by a rolling chalkboard or less. A mother shared that her daughter’s asthma flares up so badly that she and the school have a plan for her daughter to be moved from the third floor to the first floor when she has episodes. Another mother shared how the school had not only wrapped itself around her son in Kindergarten, but also supported her; she recently earned her GED after getting information and support from Orr’s well-known Parent Center.

The consistent theme among parents and teachers was their love for the school and the staff, but yet the urgent need for the school to be modernized. Councilmember Catania thanked the parents for sharing their stories and pledged to be a champion for Orr’s modernization.

Read more about this story here “No Place to Hide: Orr Elementary Needs Modernization Now!”
More photos.

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Teaching for Change has been a community partner of Orr Elementary since 2010. Our work with parents at Orr is funded through generous grants from The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, and an anonymous foundation.

Orr Elementary School: DCPS Dirty Little Secret East of the River

Orr Vault classroom 2/7/14

Overcrowded music classroom at Orr 1/29/14



Orr Vault classroom 2/7/14

Orr vault class 2/7/14

Orr Elementary Vault classroom 2/7/14

By 
Candi Peterson

In a February 6 post on The Washington Teacher education blog, I wrote about the Inhumane Teaching and Learning Conditions at DC's Orr elementary school. Benjamin Orr elementary school is located at 2200 Minnesota Avenue SE Washington, DC 20020, 202/671-6240. Niyeka Wilson is the schools principal. Principal Wilson is no stranger to controversy as parents from the Parent Action Consort (known as PAC) recently wrote DC City Council members alleging that Wilson had written malicious comments on her Face book page disparaging an Orr parent and student with physical health challenges. Members of PAC called for the disciplinary action of Wilson. Reportedly, Wilson is now under investigation by DCPS. The results have yet to be reported.

My January 2014 visit to Orr revealed some horrific learning conditions for students at this once esteemed school. I witnessed conditions with my own eyes. While in the vault classroom, I observed evidence of a classroom with teacher's objectives, behavior chart, touch math chart, foundations sound chart and call and response posted in the room. It is reported by staff that special needs students receive pull out instruction in a vault, not intended for human habitation. In another space in the school, 42 students (which is well above the student-teacher ratio) cram into a fabricated music room like sardines with little room for both students and instrumental music equipment. One has to walk sideways around  furniture in the music room just to move about. It has been reported that students complain of soaring heat which reaches temperatures  as high as 93 degrees even on the coldest of days in this makeshift room without windows. Heat overcame me even for the short duration I stood inside.

News of my story found its way to DCPS Office of the Chancellor Press Secretary, Melissa Salmanowitz. On Feb 7, 2014,  Ms Salmanowitz wrote : "Ms. Peterson – I read your recent blog post about Orr Elementary School. I found several inaccuracies and I hope you can take a few minutes to correct them. The space you mention is not a classroom and no students are in that space. There are some other inaccuracies we would like you to correct. Specifically, There are no special education classrooms at Orr and certainly no classrooms in the way you inaccurately described them. Orr uses a push-in model where the special education teacher works collaboratively with the general education teacher in the classrooms. The space referenced in the blog is used as an office space and at no time are any special education classes being held in the space. The music classroom has 30 students, never more. While we agree Orr is in need of a modernization, we work closely to address any needs that come up in advance of their modernization. There is no way to lock the door from the inside as it has to be locked from the outside. We do need to replace the doors and the order has been approved and the school is awaiting the delivery and installation of the doors, which we expect very soon.  Students at Orr are safe. They are never in any harm, as your blog would suggest. What is actually happening at Orr is great teaching and strong leadership. Your post ignores all the wonderful things happening in the classrooms every day at Orr. Instead, this post is rife with falsehoods and we would appreciate corrections. Thank you, Melissa."

I'm not a bit surprised at the DCPS response, albeit dating back to the Rhee era; the DCPS strategy is to cover up the ugly truth and manipulate coverage of what's really happening in our schools. When backed into a corner- they (DCPS) hate to admit wrongdoing, falsify information to promote their own agenda and gloss over the problems and only cite the wonderful things they claim are happening.

An Orr insider emailed me to share that on Friday, February 7- central office staff visited Orr to take a look see at the vault. Seems some student tables were moved out of the classroom vault before their arrival. Sounds like a cover up to me. Allegedly Principal Wilson didn't open the door claiming she didn't have a key to the padlock. Hmmmmm.

A DCPS teacher at Orr who requested anonymity stated; " Not only is Principal Wilson failing to provide positive leadership but she is proving to be completely dishonest. How can we trust her to be the role model our school needs when she fails to admit wrong doing and tries to cover up her mistake? I truly hope DCPS is smart enough to realize what she's doing and doesn't become complicit in this cover up. This would be shameful."

Luckily for Orr, I've got pictures to prove what I reported. The picture of Orr's classroom vault shows students working on a laptop, posing in front of a number line and students enjoying a bite to eat. Featured in the picture is the vaults' rear back door as well as yellow covering of storage shelves and a yellow and green table (prior to removal ?)

 My camera lens wasn't wide enough to capture all 42 music seats but you get the picture because you can count in excess of 30 student chairs inside the music room, not 30 as Salmanowitz reports. Liar Liar, pants on fire!

Inhumane Learning Conditions at DC's Orr Elementary School: Learning in a Vault

Orr Elementary Vault classroom

By Candi Peterson

vault. a room or compartment, often built of or lined with steel, reserved for the storage and safekeeping of valuables, especially such a place in a bank.

At Benjamin Orr elementary school located at 2200 Minnesota Avenue SE Washington, DC 20020, 202/671-6240 some special needs students are subjected to inhumane learning conditions in a tomb-like vault. The school's principal is Niyeka Wilson.

Yes you heard right; special needs students at this East of the river school are being taught in a vault. Not intended for human habitation. An outside vault door, which if closed could lock and trap those within poses a scary proposition for some of Orr's elementary school students. If not for an exterior door, and the ingenuity of staff whom work there, who dismantled a side vent to allow for some ventilation and a teacher purchased fan, the heat soars even on the coldest of days.

At this same school, a visit revealed that a music teacher's classroom lacked adequate space for her musical equipment and 42 students who sit side-by-side like sardines squished in this cramped space. This certainly cant be conducive for inspiring students to learn instrumental music. Heat in this fabricated space (with no windows) soars as high as 93 degrees in the wintertime and causes some young minds to focus more on the sweat on their foreheads than their lessons.

With all the fancy DC Public Schools renovations that have been completed and still are underway, there remain conditions like these in our schools where students are forced to suffer due to an adequate lack of resources, in addition to poor judgment on the part of some school administrators who subject our must vulnerable students to inhumane conditions.

Despite the DC Municipal rule making- Title 5, A81 which states- " A school shall provide and maintain a physical plant with living and study conditions appropriate for programs of study offered and for the size of the faculty and student body. The physical plant shall provide a safe and secure environment for the school's students, faculty and staff, " these types of scenes still occur within our schools.

When parents send their children to school, they expect their children to have optimum conditions for learning. It's no reason schools like Orr, even if short on space couldn't provide better learning and teaching conditions. We all know that these types of conditions are not only harmful but unproductive as well.

If we are to be successful in raising the growing achievement gap in  DC's lowest performing public schools located East of the river, then we must do better than teaching our students in a vault or in make-shift classrooms with sweltering temperatures that lack adequate personal space. As parents and educators we can't allow this inhumanity.

Allegations that Orr Principal Berates Pregnant Parent and Student After Flotus Visit

Flotus visit to Orr Elementary

By Candi Peterson

An elementary school principal, Niyeka Wilson of Benjamin Orr elementary school located at 2200 Minnesota Avenue SE Washington, DC 20020 202/671-6240 may be in hot water and under investigation for disparaging comments she made on Facebook about a pregnant parent and student with respiratory problems at the school.

Here's what the DC Parent Action Consort (known as PAC) reported that Orr's principal posted on her personal Facebook wall:

"Soooo.... 1 ambulance + 3 EMT guys + 1 hyperventilating can't breathe kiddo + 4 Metro Police Officers + 1 pregnant mentally disturbed parent screaming + 2 suspensions + 1 allegation of assault by me (FML) = a DYNAMIC DUO that conquers that and continues an in progress meeting @ the same doggone time !!! Adventures of Principal Willie and Omplare S. Magass."

The Facebook post was subsequently deleted, after complaints were filed by parents.

Under the alias of DC parent Action Consort, presumably to protect the identity of Orr parents, several emails were forwarded to DC City Council members Alexander, Barry, Bonds, Cheh ,Graham, Grosso, McDuffie, Orange and Wells in an appeal seeking disciplinary action of Wilson for her misdeeds.

A December 1 email titled; Principal Berates Pregnant Parent and Student After Flotus visit.
The email reads as follows:

"Weeks after the FLOTUS fanfare at Benjamin Orr in Southeast DC, Niyeka Wilson, first year DC Public Schools (DCPS) principal at Orr, posted disparaging comments on her Facebook page toward a pregnant mother of several Orr pupils and a student that experienced severe respiratory complications.

The at-large community is outraged! Facebook is no place for knowingly, with reckless disregard, and despicable personal feelings of expressed malice, towards those Principal Wilson is employed to cultivate. It is irresponsible to state on Facebook that a "can't breathe" student and a "pregnant mentally disturbed parent screaming" as the "Adventures of Principal Willie." This has a negative impact on her ability to successfully lead reform at Orr and collaborate with parents, a mainstay of her professional duties.

Orr Elementary has a large at-risk student population, and currently in "turnaround" status. According to greatschools.org, Orr is ranked below average. How can a turnaround plan produce expected results if parents feel they have been ostracized by the principal? Consequently, good leadership and parental engagement is critical toward the successful transformation of this historical Anacostia neighborhood school.

Principal Wilson's comment is indicative of a bad leader who has failed at the primary responsibilities of leadership in service to students and parents: shaping, and fostering a vision of success, creating a hospitable school climate, and strengthening family engagement to directly enhance learning outcomes. This is not only a leadership flaw but a character flaw, too. Mrs. Wilson owes Orr parents' and community an apology.

We expect Kaya Henderson, Chancellor DCPS and Jesus Aguirre, Director of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) give serious consideration for disciplinary action for such a gross act of wanton negligence.

We ask that you impress upon Chancellor Henderson and Mr. Aguirre to act immediately."

Thank you,

DC Parent Action Consort

In a response January 15 email from DC Council member Yvette Alexander writes "If these allegations are true, I am deeply concerned with the lack of sensitivity and unprofessionalism characterized by this principal and would question their continued tenure at Orr."

Chancellor Kaya Henderson responded on January 27 to the Consort's emails apologizing for the lack of responsiveness to the complaints indicating that she and Instructional Superintendent John Davis had not been made aware of the complaints previously. Henderson writes; "If you reported this to anyone at DCPS, can you please share to whom, so we can figure out where the breakdown in communication has occurred? It would also be helpful to have any additional information that might be helpful as we investigate this situation....."

I am glad to know that there will be an investigation into this matter by the school district. I agree wholeheartedly with Council member Yvette Alexander. Assuming these allegations are confirmed, Wilson should be giving her walking papers. Anything less would be criminal and sends the wrong message that children in schools East of the River don't MATTER. We all know if this occurred at a West of the park school, heads would roll. Stay tuned for updates on Principal Wilson.