Chair Amber Gove (6A04) convened the January 14, 2020 meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6A via WebEx by welcoming the newest members of the Commission. Commissioners Keya Chatterjee (6A01), Commissioners Phil Toomajian (6A02), Mike Soderman (6A03), Laura Gentile (6A05), Robb Dooling (6A06), Sondra Phillips-Gilbert (6A07) and Brian Alcorn (6A08) were all in attendance.
Eastern High School Plan for In-Person Learning
Eastern High School Principal Brown spoke to ANC6A about Eastern High School’s in-person learning plan for the remainder of the school year. DC Public Schools (DCPS) gave autonomy to schools to select what a return to in-person instruction would look like so an advisory group was established and a survey of staff, parents and students was conducted to get an idea of how many wanted to return versus stay with virtual learning. Approximately 31% of those surveyed said they want to return to in-person learning but per DC government guidance, Eastern will invite 25%, or 196, students back into the building. To maintain DCPS’s Capital Commitment goal of graduating 85% of students in four years, students identified as struggling most with virtual and those at risk of not graduating within four years will the first to be invited back into the building; specifically, seniors falling off track to graduate this school year and ninth graders who may not be promoted into tenth grade next year.
However, not all 196 students will be back in the building at once, but will be attend in-person lessons on a rotating weekly schedule to minimize interactions between students and staff. Virtual learning will still exist for any students that choose it. More details about this plan and other school related information can be found by visiting easternhighschooldcps.org.
Extracurricular Program Opportunities At Eastern HS
Elizabeth Braganza, the Coordinator of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program started at Eastern High School back in 2013, spoke about the newly started pre-IB program designed to challenge students and prepare them for college level work in grades 11 and 12. This program includes weekly guest speakers from a variety of fields as well as virtual field trips through workplaces and partnerships with non-profits to provide hands-on experiences for participating students learning at home.
Regina McClure, the NAF Director for Eastern High Schools Academy of Health Services spoke about the opportunities afforded students participating in the Academy. These include additional honors medical classes, professional development such as interview training and resume building as well as paid internships with area hospitals and, as the Academy’s EMT program is accredited with the health department, once completed, students can sit for licensure with the national registry of EMT’s.
Motions and Recommendations:
Transportation and Public Space Committee
- The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to send a letter of support for Public Space Permit Application regarding the Modernization of Goding Elementary School subject to the following conditions:
- The design team meet with the FoodPrints lead to discuss the public space plans in detail
- The design team strongly consider eliminating the proposed traffic circle in favor of expanding the FoodPrints garden space and/or the natural space available on the site.
- The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to send a letter of support to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to accompany the Traffic Safety Assessment Request for the 1300 block of North Carolina NE and 1300 block of A Street NE, including the possible consideration of speed humps as a traffic calming option.
The Transportation and Public Space Committee meets at 7:00 pm on the third Monday of each month.
Economic Development and Zoning Committee
- The Commissioners voted, unanimously to table sending a letter of support to the Board of Zoning Adjustment for a special exception from the minimum vehicle parking requirements of Subtitle C § 701.5 to convert an existing, detached, two-story, carriage house to a principal dwelling unit at 1608 East Capitol Street, NE (BZA Case #20393)
- The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to send a letter of support to the Historic Preservation Office for historic review of a new two-story accessory structure/garage with a green roof at 229 8th Street, NE (HPA 21-091), with the caveats that the owner make best efforts to get letters of support from the immediate neighbors, and that the project be revised to remove the parapet wall.
The Economic Development and Zoning Committee meets at 7:00 pm on the third Wednesday of each month.
Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee
- The Commissioners voted to table several recommendations from the Alcohol Beverage Licensing Committee to revise language in the ANC’s template settlement agreement allowing more time for the Commissioners and greater public to weigh in on the proposed changes.
The Alcohol and Beverage Licensing Committee meets at 7:00 pm on the third Tuesday of each month.
New Business
- The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to send a letter of support to Mr. Clifford Dixon, Permit Expeditor regarding permits for excavation, foundation and building that would allow work by the Eliot-Hine Middle School construction team from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm on the following holidays in 2021 to ensure the ability to meet the construction schedule:
- Jan 18, 2021: MLK Day
- Feb 15, 2021: Presidents’ Day
- Apr 16, 2021: DC Emancipation Day
- The Commissioners voted, unanimously, to approve the establishment of the ANC 6A Ad Hoc By Laws Review Committee and the appointment of Laura Gentile, Chair; Members: Marie Claire Brown (SMD01), Kris Sekerci (SMD01), Mike Soderman (ANC03), David Holmes (SMD03), Nick Alberti (SMD04), Kathryn Griffith (SMD05), Madeline Gitomer (SMD06), Marc Friend (SMD07), Mark Samburg (SMD07) and Veronica Hollmon (SMD08) to the Committee.
- The Commissioners voted to send a letter to Mayor Bowser encouraging an appointee to the Public Service Commission who supports consumer protection, solar energy and climate action. The vote was 7-0-1 with Commissioner Sondra Phillips-Gilbert abstaining.
Visit www.anc6a.org for a calendar of meeting times, meeting agendas and other information.
