tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post5985859923086107583..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: BEX V List Getting Closer (Along with a Huge Price Tag)Melissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50701680833076683382018-10-09T09:15:34.761-07:002018-10-09T09:15:34.761-07:00@ Anon 10/8 at 4:52, my understanding is that the ...@ Anon 10/8 at 4:52, my understanding is that the district can cut some projects to account for unanticipated costs on others. My understanding is that they can also cut projects for no reason at all. Or swap projects. Or rejigger the whole list. As I understand it--and someone please correct me if I'm wrong--the BEX list provided for the vote is kind of a cross between a wish list (what they want to do) and a PR campaign (what they think people across the city will support). They are not saying they WILL do those exact things, and they are not legally required to. But it does seem like the work that goes into generating the list serves as a good indication of some of the most immediate priorities, and my impression (for what it's worth) is that most of the things on the list get done to some extent--especially things higher up on the list. The lists may be a little overly optimistic--or the management of projects/budgets a little underly sufficient--so things lower on the list may need to be cut in the end. At least that's my impression.<br /><br />HFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37615855587678915452018-10-08T16:52:19.002-07:002018-10-08T16:52:19.002-07:00I would like to know what happens when a BEX schoo...I would like to know what happens when a BEX school goes way over the budget we voted for in the BEX levy. This happened with Loyal Heights Elementary. It went over budget by around $20 million dollars. My question is do other projects get cut when one goes over? Or is there fine print in the levy wording that makes it legal to go overbudget by large amounts?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-76076453239188583372018-10-08T11:38:26.093-07:002018-10-08T11:38:26.093-07:00I am glad that Director Harris is pushing back on ...I am glad that Director Harris is pushing back on the addition to West Seattle Elementary. I have enormous respect for WS Elementary, but in terms of the needs in the SW region an addition to WS Elementary is a low priority. WS Elementary has capacity for 397 students. Its current enrollment is 416, down from 444 in in 2015. Like all other Title I schools in the SW region, its enrollment is trending down. It makes no sense to increase its capacity, unless I see some projections that show it is actually going to have a big increase in enrollment. By the way, all of the old projections predicted that WS Elementary was going to have a big increase in enrollment, but they were all wrong. So, I would not only need to see some new projections to be convinced, but some new projections that correct for all of the mistakes made in the old projections.<br /><br />If the Board wants to do something equitable in the SW region, it could turn its attention to Sanislo. Sanislo only has 209 kids, down from 281 in 2015. It has an open concept environment. Maybe we could give the Sanislo kids some walls? Even better, why aren't some of the WS Elementary kids going to the lovely knew Roxhill at E.C. Hughes? It only has 250 kids. Roxhill had 369 kids has recently as 2014. E.C. Hughes has capacity. Unfortunately, I can't tell how much capacity, because the Facilities Master Plan uses the old Roxhill facility in its capacity numbers. I also can't find the capacity numbers for Roxhill at E.C. Hughes listed on the Seattle Public Schools website. GRRRRRRRR!<br /><br />Or maybe the Board could help the Boren Stem school, which reportedly has ceiling tiles fall from the library. It is not technically a Title I school, but it serves a diverse population with approximately 25% of kids qualifying for FRL. That school has a ton of need, with the PTA holding the building together with bubble gum and duct tape.<br /><br />Finally, Alki and Lafayette have huge needs. Both could use added capacity, and both are in very rough shape. I understand that these schools have a low % of FRL qualifying students. But both schools should be rebuilt.<br /><br />WS ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-64570527975793463192018-10-07T12:28:01.737-07:002018-10-07T12:28:01.737-07:00Tapped Out, don't know those figures yet. I th...Tapped Out, don't know those figures yet. I think it folly - despite the need - to ask for $1B+. I don't think they should ask for more for Operations but they probably will.<br /><br />"Flip is the guy who mishandled the building of the Schmitz Park replacement building: it had to be redrawn and re-engineered for the cost of millions."<br /><br />Tell me about this because I had heard nothing about it.<br /><br />"Flip is the guy who pushed for contracts to external managers, costing the district tens of millions, but delivering no extra value or building for kids and teachers."<br /><br />I do know about this and I had wondered who it really benefited.<br /><br /> "Flip is also the guy who chased out 2 of the best capital employees from the district."<br /><br />Which ones? You can off-line this to me if you want - sss.westbrook@gmail.com<br /><br />Former Souper, you've made that statement several times. Move on.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48691056887255088202018-10-07T10:35:37.449-07:002018-10-07T10:35:37.449-07:00The district's latest teacher increase is not ...The district's latest teacher increase is not sustainable. SEA will be back for more next year.<br /><br />Good luck.<br />Former Soupernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68686278422257323212018-10-07T10:15:24.140-07:002018-10-07T10:15:24.140-07:00I'm sorry, but my taxes have gone up so much i...I'm sorry, but my taxes have gone up so much in the past three years - and I hear so much about how they need to go up so much more - I just can't support any more tax increases. <br /><br />I see in today's paper that Sound Transit wants the tunnel routes to Ballard and West Seattle. They estimate additional costs of $300 million for this. Teachers getting 15 and 20% pay raises. $12 million for a mile of bike lane. The city about to ask for nearly a billion, the bulk of which would go to ramp up pre k for 2500 students ?! The district is going to seek a billion for operations next February. <br /><br />And yet there is a movement to lift the levy lid, add a capital gains tax and, I am sure, many dream of an income tax. <br /><br />I am sure that many electected officials have come to rely so heavily on the Seattle piggy bank that they believe they merely need to mouth the words "it's for the kids" or it will "protect the environment" will ensure the passage of their tax of the day. <br /><br />How will these increases in property taxes impact the elderly? Those at or nearing retirement?<br /><br />I'm a no vote going forward. I believe the day is close at hand when one of the "essential" tax proposals fail. <br /><br />Need new leadership.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-59197668446100128922018-10-07T10:07:49.537-07:002018-10-07T10:07:49.537-07:00I found this list of seismic improvements online. ...I found this list of seismic improvements online. Washington Middle has not had a seismic upgrade since 1979! <br />https://www.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_543/File/District/Departments/Capital%20Projects%20and%20Planning/facilities_master_plan/Seismic/Earthquake%20Safety-Seismic%20Improvements-update%20Sep-2018.pdf<br /><br />Safety FirstAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50072522678635635482018-10-07T09:40:40.400-07:002018-10-07T09:40:40.400-07:00So much wrong with this BEX list.
This is Flip&...So much wrong with this BEX list. <br /><br />This is Flip's list. It will take a NO levy vote to stop this incompetence.<br /><br />Flip has not made his case at all for any of this, aside from Rainier Beach. And, RB is not a needed building program, they have space that has had some updates. The building is perpetually, woefully, underutilized, and that it has nothing to do with the building condition. Tolley was the ED for that school - he is part of why it remains mostly empty, despite assigning it a ridiculously large catchment area.<br /><br />But, for equity, build RB new.<br /><br />BUT, the rest of this BEX list? PROVE it: It has to be a list of have-to-haves, not nice-to-haves. <br /><br />Flip is the guy who ignored FACMAC when they said build the new high school at Wilson Pacific (instead of an elementary and middle school there). Instead, Lincoln will open as a high school with no football/soccor/ultimate field and no track. Flip is the guy who refused to give the Wilson Pacific campus an auditorium, despite having 1800 students, and the fact that Eckstein, Whitman, & Jane Addams all have one. Flip is the guy who gave away the Boren site to a k8. How did that help out Denny/Stealth? Flip is the guy who mishandled the building of the Schmitz Park replacement building: it had to be redrawn and re-engineered for the cost of millions. Flip is the guy who pushed for contracts to external managers, costing the district tens of millions, but delivering no extra value or building for kids and teachers. Flip is the guy who pushed a split of Cascadia, giving them two buildings, when they could have fit into one. Flip is the guy who pulled too many K5 schools off of Whitman, despite being told by insiders that would create multiple problems that would have to get fixed and create instability. Flip is also the guy who chased out 2 of the best capital employees from the district.<br /><br />Do you really trust this guy's plan? He doesn't know where the enrollment/building capacity are the most mismatched now or in 5 years time. <br /><br />The committee was a rubber stamp exercise. They weren't given meaty data to analyze nor time to walk through optimum scenarios or create a real concluding report. The talent on the committee was wasted, mostly battling back the downtown lobby that was at it again demanding an amenity for their real estate portfolio. Compared to last BEX, when a committee met for 2 years with data rich information supplied by knowledgeable staffers like Tracy Libros and Joe Wolf and then came up with the list of suggested BEX capital projects, this 2 month committee was just to give cover to Flip so he could go to that board and say that he checked that box of community consultation.<br /><br />Cedar Park was opened with permanent portables that have no water. Because it was landmarked, SPS couldn't touch the building, so enlarging capacity was creating through a portable village (how is that equitable, especially given the fact that zip code tracks to poverty?). Cedar Park was landmarked not because it was so gorgeous or unique or old, but because of its famous architect, Paul Thiry, who did only a few examples of institutional architecture: Cedar Park, and, wait for it...Northgate! If this district attempts Northgate, the building WILL be nominated for the landmarks preservation committee and more than likely will be voted to be preserved, thus, essentially untouchable. There are those in the district who know this, but they can't tell Flip.<br /><br />Which are the worst portabled buildings? Which areas have most intense residential growth that will generate students? What do the birth rates suggest? Migration rates? Do any buildings have unreinforced masonry that could kill children in the event of an earthquake? Safety, perpetual overcrowding, multiple portables, worst condition, these would be a logical priority list. What we got was not that list.<br /><br />They need to reboot the list. But, they won't & generous Seattle will pass the levy regardless.<br /><br /><br />Scared and ScarredAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-90549519105962816482018-10-06T23:14:47.164-07:002018-10-06T23:14:47.164-07:00What are the additional costs per household?
Not ...What are the additional costs per household?<br /><br />Not sure how the district's operation budget has increased between .2 Billion-.3Billion over the last several years.<br /><br />The city wants to increase the Family and Education budget by 60%, and there is the fact that the district will need to figure out how to pay for a non=sustainable teacher contract.<br /><br />The district will be asking for funding that exceeds the existing property tax cap.<br /><br /><br />Tapped Outnoreply@blogger.com