Queen Anne Group Created to Support All Schools in their Community

In reaction to the less-than-kind, less-than-welcoming actions of others in Queen Anne, a group has been formed to explore how to make the placement of Interagency, across from John Hay Elementary, a win for all. 

As you may or may not be aware there has been an incredibly misleading campaign against the placement of Interagency Recovery School program at the site of the Old QA High School Gym across from John Hay Elementary. 

I, amongst many many others, strongly support the implementation of this clean and sober academic wrap-around program at this site. The program is unique and small, and will begin with less than ten students and will eventually grow to a maximum of 80 students. It fills a critical need for students whose success is so vital. The program supports students who have addressed and made the commitment to facing their addictions and remaining clean and sober. For many of these students this is their stepping stone to also returning onto a path towards achieving academic successes and graduating -- some may graduate high school through this Interagency program, while others may mainstream back into traditional high schools when they are ready. 

 These students are not "criminals" nor are they "safety threats", these are children, vulnerable, young and emerging adults (and please know that two of the first registered students are QA residents) whose resilience in addressing and maintaining sobriety should be supported by communities and neighbours not turned away, shunned or feared. Interagency's zero-tolerance policy and drug testing, assures that this unique and critical program is, from my perspective, the cleanest and most assuredly drug-free of all our middle and high-schools. 

I personally look forward to opportunities to support, volunteer, work with and celebrate the continued success of Interagency, this program and its students.

I urge you to sign and share this petition and continue this momentum of community support for a vital and critical program that is of benefit to all now and in the future. Let us achieve and exceed the goal of having more than 500 signatures by the December 10th Community Meeting at John Hay Elementary.

Thanks for your time and consideration... and continuing to spread the word!


Lisa Reibin Evans


Petition in support

Comments

mirmac1 said…
After last night's board meeting, I'm all too happy to sign this petition. What a sh*t show!
Anonymous said…
Thank you, thank you petition creators and thank you to this blog for getting the word out. Queen Anne is so much more than a bunch of loud-mouthed NIMBYs.

I urge everyone reading this to sign the PRO Interagency petition as well.

QA Resident
Anonymous said…
Signed! Thanks so much for starting this petition in response to the other.

HP
Jamie. said…
This makes me very happy. Thank you Lisa for starting this.
Anonymous said…
Thank you Lisa and everyone else who has signed this petition.
Carol Simmons said…
sorry, I did not sign my name.....but this gives me another opportunity to thank Lisa and everyone else who has signed the petition.
Anonymous said…
Lisa, Thank you. Signed. I don't live in QA but if you need support from a parent of an Interagency grad, please let me know.

Our district does a lot of things wrong. This is one thing they're doing that shouldn't change. I know parents who have sued to force a school to honor an IEP. I don't understand suing to exclude students from your neighborhood. I want to know what they're telling their kids about why they're doing this.

For all this talk of community, to the point where the very word makes me cringe, neighborhoods don't OWN our schools. This is why the people at the top are so important. I never met Kaaren Andrews. Her reputation is well known. I just remember the teachers and counselors at two Interagency schools and how they helped my daughter. How dare a group of PARENTS try to stand in the way of a student who wants to graduate. The needs of your children equal the needs of mine.

Westside
Anonymous said…
Please share the petition widely and encourage people to sign it. We need to show Interagency that they are welcome and, more importantly, we need to show SPS that we are supportive and will collaborate with them while we work together as a community.
Rufus X said…
Notable signatures on the support petition:
**Lyon Terry, WA Teacher of the Year
**Sarah Morningstar, TOPS Asst. Principal & widow of the late Cheryl Chow
**Susan Vaughn, regional chief of operations for Catholic Community Services King County

as well as other local teachers, counselors, and parents of current or recent IA students. This is wonderful to see!

QA_Lifer said…
Kaaren deserves this support, woot! The pro-IA petition is almost at 500 signatures after just 3 days. Pretty amazing. Let's keep spreading the word. I live a few blocks from Hay and I want this school here.

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