Threatened Childcare Sites - Think About Uniting
I know from the Soup for Teachers group that a couple of childcare groups are involved in the fight over the possible closure of up to 19 sites located at SPS sites. But I have also heard from many concern parents especially around how late they are hearing about this issue, for both themselves and their childcare provider (the former to find childcare and the latter to relocate.)
I also know that there has been some outreach to members of the City Council. Naturally, parents can reach out to whoever they feel might be able to help but the lines of governance and oversight are fairly clear here. The City has nothing to do with this issue except, of course, that they, too, want SPS space. Not exactly neutral parties.
My suggestions are to:
1) Go to one of this week's district meetings (see Seattle Schools This Week thread) and hand Dr. Nyland a letter with your concerns.
2) Find like-minded parents at your school and get as many signatures on any letter to Dr. Nyland or the Board as possible.
3) It's hard because no one knows for certain which schools are being targeted but reach out to other schools in your region and create a coalition to advocate. There is strength in numbers so use it.
4) Go to the directors' community meetings and ask how you can be part of any parent advisory board.
Anytime you write to anyone, be sure to cc Flip Herndon, Facilities, and the entire board, spsdirectors@seattleschools.org.
I also know that there has been some outreach to members of the City Council. Naturally, parents can reach out to whoever they feel might be able to help but the lines of governance and oversight are fairly clear here. The City has nothing to do with this issue except, of course, that they, too, want SPS space. Not exactly neutral parties.
My suggestions are to:
1) Go to one of this week's district meetings (see Seattle Schools This Week thread) and hand Dr. Nyland a letter with your concerns.
2) Find like-minded parents at your school and get as many signatures on any letter to Dr. Nyland or the Board as possible.
3) It's hard because no one knows for certain which schools are being targeted but reach out to other schools in your region and create a coalition to advocate. There is strength in numbers so use it.
4) Go to the directors' community meetings and ask how you can be part of any parent advisory board.
Anytime you write to anyone, be sure to cc Flip Herndon, Facilities, and the entire board, spsdirectors@seattleschools.org.
Comments
I think they don't want to cause upset but really, they are doing it anyway by being silent.
I also think they may be doing the time-honored district thing of trying to wait as late as possible to try to push the Board into something on "we have to make these decisions now."
-sleeper
My bet is that the northend, where there is extreme overcrowding, will be hit hard.
I would look at schools that have Boys & Girls Club in a dedicated space.
BF Day
Northgate
Salmon Bay
Lawton
Sacajawea
Furious
Charles Wright's plan had been to move city preschool classrooms into Schmitz Park and since the board didn't approve that as far as I can tell the building's future use has not been considered. The Decatur building is in the same position.
My thought is that they could refresh Schmitz Park over the summer, remove the portable village and keep the kindergarten and first grade classrooms in the old building. That would leave room on site for a special education preschool classroom or two and before and after school care. The new Schmitz Park building would then not be overcrowded when it opens and would also have room for before and after school care. The schools could share a principal and place a vice principal in the old building.
Decatur could be used in the same way to relieve pressure at one of the many overcrowded schools in the NE.
Oh - and what's going on with EC Hughes? I still think STEM will have to move there because we're going to need Boren for middle school.
Question“When will we know the specific schools and what spaces will be occupied at those schools?”
Response
Enrollment Planning has provided a preliminary projection at our elementary and K
-8 schools to allow Capital Projects and Planning staff to begin their work efforts, hire architects/engineers to begin the design process and assess the loads on existing building systems. The Enrollment Planning Department will refine their enrollment projections in late January 2016 and finalize their enrollment projections for the 2016-2017 school year after the Open Enrollment period closes early March 2016. Capital Projects and Planning Department will utilize this new data to produce school-specific recommendations and notify the Board of Directors and building principals as to added classrooms required to meet enrollment growth and added classrooms to meet class size reduction goals. Capital Projects and Planning Department personnel will follow the Board of Directors’priorities when meeting with the building principals, then work with our Community Relations department
to communicate these impacts to the broader community
Link to Memo
reader47
Tim Burgess, in a letter to voters, told citizens that the city didn't need prek space.
Tim Burgess had the opportunity to support safe child care and prek. However, he pitted a child care initiative against the city's prek initiative. He is a disgrace.
"Demographic Research Information Session, Friday, January 29:
Enrollment Planning is pleased to host our second Demographic Research Information Session on Friday, January 29, from 12-1 pm, at the John Stanford Center in room 2700. Our demographer, Dr. Natasha Rivers, will discuss the recent housing study with Integrated Economics that explores the relationship between housing and enrollment. Dr. Rivers will also briefly discuss a set of topics ranging from the Seattle Let’s Move transportation levy to the challenges of addressing inequality in a growing city with economic opportunity and increased homelessness. The presentation, followed by a question and answer session, highlights how these topics currently and may potentially impact enrollment in the district. SPS staff and public are welcome to attend. Comments and questions may be emailed to nmrivers@seattleschools.org."
When Fairmont park opened Gatewood enrollment dropped and they lost teachers. The opening of Fairmont park was supposed to take pressure off Gatewood and restore their music space, preserve their library, storage, and daycare space. Has the South end of west Seattle really grown by hundreds of kids in 2 years or is something fishy going on?
Hope
I know the principal at TC had been talking about trying to get Decatur as an enrichment center/childcare center for the NE. I think we need the classrooms too badly. Even if gyms and cafeterias are currently in use in schools with classrooms dedicated to childcare- the uses could be swapped, and those after school programs can take place in classrooms after school. It is nice for the childcare programs that they get to store stuff on site in classrooms sized rooms not used for any other purpose, but it is not necessary for quality childcare for kids. If we had gotten ahead of the capacity crisis it would not have needed to come to this, but we have not, and so now here we are.
-sleeper
Is the district even willing to provide bus transportation to more off-site childcare facilities since they are saying the in school providers must find space elsewhere?
Helen
BUT, regardless, they are going to select 19 programs to close, and there has been no community input into that process, and no criteria by which the 19 will be selected. That process should be utterly transparent.
And @Sleeper, my kid's school is not over-crowded. Our enrollment was as high as 500 two years ago, and now it's at 430. And, we have a high quality affordable pre-school program open from 7a - 6p in the two child care classrooms during the day. The program is FULL, with a waiting list, and in use all day long. WHY would we close that down? It's part of our overall school community, and part of what enables me, as a working mother, to go to work. I know my kid is in a good program when I go to work, and that program will now be running from 2 pm until 6 pm, thanks to the bell time changes, and they can't just operate in a cafeteria with no office, storage space or kitchen. It's not that simple to keep kids entertained for four hours a day.
And, finally, we need a comprehensive, long-term plan to capacity management. We can't do this one year at a time, in crisis mode. It's not good planning or policy.
I don't know.
I will say that capacity needs ARE great at some schools and principals are having a hard time rearranging to satisfy everyone.
But, oh this district and how they roll things out. Terrible.
It is the job of the school district to put teaching & learning first. It is the job of the city to provide access to childcare for working families with school age children. Agree, that is very nice to have on campus, and it does wonderful things for community, but it's not critical to the school district's mission.
I also agree 100% that we need transparency. But I actually think the district is doing the right thing taking over classroom space for learning. And frankly these decisions should be based on numbers and not emotions.
We need more seats in the buildings, it's as simple as that. If your school is not at capacity, it's because its borders could probably use some adjusting. There are spots in the city that are absolutely bursting. In this current climate, full-day private preschool housed in a public school building is a luxury for sure.
These programs don't have to close. They'll have to adjust. As will the city and the district. There are some good ideas out there and in this discussion:
1. These programs can store their supplies off-campus and use classrooms, cafeterias, gyms, libraries, etc after hours. In many cases they would be able to share storeroom space on campus.
2. These programs can splinter their offerings into smaller enrichment-type classes, with mobile instructors who bring their own supplies and curricula. Several larger schools are already running their after school enrichment programs this way.
3. The city can increase childcare options at community centers.
4. Places like YMCA and Boys & Girls Club can increase offerings & enrollment.
5. SPS can provide transportation to off-site care centers (I believe they already do in many cases but they can make this policy and more widely known).
Adjusting
Adjusting
Ridiculous
"HELP"
Ridiculous - These programs can go on using the "empty" school afterschool. They just may have to lose their dedicated space. I personally find it more infuriating to know there are school spaces sitting empty during the school day, reserved for these businesses, while kids are having to overcrowd into other rooms or lose playground space to portables.
-Priorities
"HELP"
I guess the only solution that makes any sense is to hire a fleet of busses and bus the kids to the puyallup fair grounds. Working together to make it feasible for children to use their neighborhood school with its cafeteria , restrooms and playgrounds would just be unreasonable and far too complicated. Best if we close these buildings down and lock the doors at 2pm. It just makes sense.
Ridiculous
A
Ridiculous - you can say the sky is falling all you want but that doesn't make your hysteria true. I agree, use the space after school. Just get the gear out of a closet or storage unit instead of keeping a class room quarantined from school kids durine the scool day. But feel free to bus your kid to Puyallup instead. That is your perogative.
Priorities
I know that in some schools, janitor space has been reconfigured. That's getting to a near-crisis issue.
A private program should not displace classrooms in an overcrowded public school.
In situations where capacity is at a premium, SPS should take over the space. If they take over the space they should work with the city and school administrators to work out reasonable alternatives to the existing childcare. No one is talking about busing to Puyallup for goodness sake.
Melissa, how is a Kidsco type place different from an after school enrichment class that uses a classroom or library? My kids have had after school enrichment classes held in classrooms, cafeterias, gyms and libraries in four different school buildings. Maybe it's the instructional focus vs a childcare focus?
Adjusting
- only one day a week for an hour or so versus every school day for several hours
- use a specific space rather than multiple space (i.e. gym and playground)
- may be more academic (math club or tutoring)
I am not against childcare; no one is. I have told at least one director that it is absolutely imperative that for every single space that makes the list, it is proven that the school is overcrowded and the space is needed for academic reasons.
I started this thread hoping to see that people were organizing themselves to advocate for more transparency and oversight, not to pit people against each other.
And adjusting, that is my feeling too...if enrichment programs can use those spaces and they do everyday , then kids co should be able to as well. To be fair all use should be eliminated if that is the issue. Then perhaps more parents will get outraged by the waste of
Available safe space for our kids.
Ridiculous
Enrichment classes cannot be counted on to provide regular child care to allow parents to work. At our school they don't start meeting until October, there is a break between sessions (no classes this month) and each class meets only one day per week.
Also, if programs need to relocate off-site, how in the world can they afford to rent a big space in Seattle right now? Give a time line! Let them try to plan. There is an empty parking lot in my neighborhood for sale for 2.8 million!!! EMPTY PARKING lot!
Ridiculous
Actually find the blocking points and appeal for changes to allow common sense solutions to be put in place. Enough helplessness and BS!
r
"David Lange: Joe Wolf what are the possibilities of schools taking over a floor inside a tower of density? Do schools have to be in separate spaces or is there a future being just downstairs from some families? Innocent question from a newbie.
Joe Wolf David - my Associate Superintendent, Dr. Herndon is in discussion with developers regarding that possibility. SPS wants to own the space it occupies so that's how the conversation is being framed."
Wolf then goes on to explain about space, indoor and outdoor, for a K-5 school.
That says to me that the district is still trying to site a downtown school. Is that where we really need space at this point? I don't think so and I am quite surprised that they want to buy it downtown given the costs. The district doesn't seem to be concerned with the decades of leasing space for The Center School so I'm surprised they want to buy anything downtown.
I guess our politicians have taken a liking to the newly legal weed. They're obviously smoking something if they don't see the correlation between development and need for more schools!
Ridiculous
And Ridiculous, I agree. Some creative problem solving is definitely in order! It makes sense for SPS to shift some of the burden onto the other players in order to address their capacity issues. Every player should take some responsibility here, and no single one of these is the be-all end-all solution:
SPS can provide access to alternative spaces on-site;
SPS can provide transportation to alternative spaces off-site;
Independently owned programs can take on the burden of getting those spaces licensed;
Independently owned programs can transition to a recreational care focus that does not require licensing;
The city can subsidize rents/relocating costs and offer up alternative programs;
Families can ride out the changes and advocate for fairness and equity.
We all want to make childcare work in this city and we all want adequate learning space for our kids. We need transparency to see the bigger picture. And I agree with others on this thread who have said this is a not the way to manage capacity, piecemeal, one crisis at a time. SPS needs a real plan.
Adjusting
My kid's elementary school is hardly an "empty" building after school. Between teachers working late in their classrooms and the after school enrichment activities that go on in the gym, the lunchroom, the library...I don't know where a childcare program would meet that isn't already in use.
My 3-year old daughter is starting preschool next week because she needs special education/speech and language services. The preschool was RECOMMENDED by the school district because it is located in a Seattle public school building at Gatewood Elementary in West Seattle. The school district told me that even though they are required to provide special ed services to children age 3+, they wouldn't provide my child any services unless she was located at a Seattle public school building.
Guess what - they also provide before- and after-care. And, this week I learned that they are on the list of 19 programs that could be closed in September. So, my child can't receive these special ed services until she goes to kindergarten? Or, only if she goes to an preschool run by the city far from where I live? This is ridiculous. And, it doesn't only affect my child - there are 170 kids in this program - both preschool and school-age children.
Our preschool program also provided a copy of a letter from another program slated for closing in Queen Anne. It has been in its location for 28 years, serves a lot of special needs children, and just spent a $250k grant on facility renovations. The program believes the district knew about the renovations, but didn't tell the program about the closure until the renovations were over. http://nwcenterkids.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Form_Letter_For_Parents_V1.pdf
Many of these preschool and before- and after-care programs do not receive FREE space. They have leases and pay rent to the school district.
The program on Queen Anne closed prior to this year. (I believe in the middle of the 2014-15 school year.) It was leasing an unused building - which is now housing a district K-8 school.
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