Seattle Schools' Boundary Changes
I wanted to put up the thread in response to this query:
Thanks Melissa and Green Lake parent. I just don't even know what to advocate for at this point. Is it worthwhile sending a note saying 800+ kids shouldn't be moved around just to enact a plan created years ago? Is it insane to think they could redraw all these boundaries at this point? Really, that's what should be done. Or, not change them at all. I don't know what's possible. The biggest impact on my family will be middle schools in a year since our elementary is not changing. However, I do realize the huge ripple effects.
- Readers, you do not have to write amendments yourself. But you can express concern over large issues like:
- - moving 800 kids around in one region
- - lack of feeder patterns from elementary to middle to high school, especially in the north end with a new middle and a new high school coming on-line
- - creating Cedar Park to be a majority F/RL and ELL population, creating inequities from the start, especially when the schools who would lose those students - John Rogers, Sacajwea, Olympic Hills and Olympic View - DON'T want to lose those students.
- If you are map-savvy, by all means, do help the Board out with how these impacts could play out and/or what your ideas are.
- But as Kellie LaRue said elsewhere, the amendments are likely to come online on Friday. It might not be until Monday for some. Flip Herndon expressly asked that staff see amendments as soon as they can so that amendments can be vetted.
- Sign-ups for public testimony for the Board meeting next Wednesday, Nov. 3rd, start at 8 am at either; 206-252-0040 or
I'm mainly curious if anyone is suggesting to eliminate some of the geo-splits since they move so many kids from one packed house to another. I am also curious if any feeder patterns are changing for north-end middle schools.
My advice is to:
- e-mail them again and get friends/parents from your school to do so
- or, start a petition and get it to them
- I do not believe the amendments will be public until next Monday, the 31st. Staff asked for the Board to get them to staff for vetting ASAP but wordsmithing can take time.
-go to the Work Session on Wednesday (it starts at 4:30 pm). Get there at 4pm and buttonhole as many directors as you can.
- go to Director Burke's meeting on Saturday at the Fremont Library from 11am - 1 pm. I suspect it will be a very crowded meeting.
I was at Director Geary's community meeting yesterday. The Board Directors are working on developing amendments this week. Based on what was said at the meeting, I would recommend emailing them again this week (and/or taking the other actions Melissa suggested). There are so many issues going on and they need to keep hearing from parents. Director Geary confirmed they are reading their email, even if they don't have time to reply.
- Green Lake Parent