GIP - Holistic vision (grounds + building)

Garrison will be a school that draws its students, prospective parents and the community in. Garrison will be a school that encourages looking/seeing/thinking out of the box (of a school building, literally). Garrison will be a school where our relationship with nature is a key to learning and where the nature surrounding it will be a nurturing environment in which to learn.

Garrisons schoolyard will also be an urban park, a neighborhood park, meeting the needs of the school during school hours and the needs of the community outside school hours - Garrisons schoolyard has the space to fulfill this potential, unlike other schools in downtown DC.
By renovating the building to link with the re-visioned schoolyard, the entire school (building and grounds) become a more purposefully conceived community resource.

GIP - Beneficiaries
Current students and their families - enhanced learning environment and pride in innovative school Prospective students and their families - no need to trek to distant schools or move to different neighborhoods Community - gathering spaces and a strong school will help create a more anchored community that goes beyond the transient community attracted to the area by the current urban planning Sports enthusiasts - access to top notch facilities (outside of school hours)

Everyones health - urban park, orchards, community gardens, farmers markets lead to better air quality and help form better eating habits
District finances - better schools increase property values and therefore property taxes DCs image - Garrison is key to Mayors Sustainable DC policy

GIP - Timing
Garrison is up for 2014 scheduled phase one modernization and for 2018 scheduled phase two modernization. For a renovation project like GIP, separation between phase one an phase two is unpractical and wasteful - both phase one and phase two need to happen in 2014. PTA led community wishes to avoid having designs rushed when money is made available (which in the past has led to poor designs and waste of resources)

PTA led community wants to be in a position to start breaking ground as soon as that money is made available.
Therefore design and build ready designs (to tie in with DGS' modus operandi) need to be RFPd now, in readiness for October 2013 construction RFP.

GIP - Funding
For a school of Garrisons physical size, and extent of the work to be done (substantial changes to the front and the middle section of the building, community areas, portals, etc.), a design package for phase one, phase two and grounds would cost approximately $500k Money that DGS/DCPS would need to spend in any event. We are asking this amount be front-moneyed from one of DGS/DCPS contingency funds Latest budget shows $4 million in 2015 (phase one) and $5.5 in 2018 (phase two). These two phases need to be moved forward. Field subsoil issue needs to be addressed with contingency/emergency funds, not with funds earmarked for Garrison Capital budget aligned to provide funding from planning through implementation of GIP

GIP - Funding comparison for field only

Athletic fields built mostly for adult use; co-located at schools which enjoy priority school-day use Stanton Elementary, Ward 8, 2008: $2,600,000 Watkins Elementary, Ward 6, 2011: (not available) Tubman Elementary, Ward 1, 2009-10: $600,000 (checking) Athletic fields that are integral to school grounds; used primarily by students Bancroft Elementary, Ward 1, 2009-10: $1,688,000 Eaton Elementary, Ward 3, 2009: $1,167,300 Mann Elementary, Ward 3, 2009: $809,000 Murch Elementary, Ward 3, 2009: $1,100,000

GIP - Funding comparison for phase one and two

GIP - PTA-led community as partner

PTA led community will work together with District agencies throughout the implementation to: maintain continuous community representation throughout improvement process, to ensure implementation of communitys programmatic priorities and design vision help ensure efficient use of resources coordinate between District agencies throughout the process (including concerning public approvals) ensure regular communication with community at large partner with institutions and individuals for project-related pro bono/in kind sponsorships (Casey Trees, Kaboom, etc.)

GIP - What we need from you

Garrison's modernization deserves to be pushed forward (both phase one and two in 2014) as highly organized PTA-led Community participatory process has been conducted to prioritize needs and use of space baby boom in the neighborhood - those babies will go to Garrison if it is modernized its location and size mean it can become a community centerpiece therefore giving Garrison an advantage over PCS in the area which are disconnected from their neighborhood growing, thriving, young neighborhood needs this resource

Garrison needs money for phase one and two design package to be front-moneyed now to avoid the pitfalls of designs being done in haste when modernization money becomes available Garrison needs thoughtful, community-led designs, with educational appropriateness, sustainability, and community use at the forefront.