Last week, we wrote about the Seattle School District’s proposal within their Preliminary Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the BEX IV Capital Levy to build a new K-8 school generally located of the ball fields at the Thornton Creek Elementary site. Based on the comments, the proposal has understandably stirred the emotions of many folks in the community. Some have even commented on their disappointment with us for not taking a position on this issue. Since that time, the public comment period ended for the Preliminary EIS for the BEX IV Capital Levy last Friday. Today, the District has announced it will be hosting 3 community meetings on the BEX IV levy in September. These community meetings appear to be the last 3 meetings that the District will hold before sending the levy to Seattle voters in February 2013.
Here is the District’s full announcement:
Seattle Public Schools will host three community meetings on Sept. 20, 24 and 27 to share information and ask for comments about building construction projects to be included in the Building Excellence IV (BEX IV) Capital Levy package.
Once approved by the School Board, the BEX IV Capital Levy resolution will be submitted to Seattle voters in February 2013.
The community meeting dates are:
• 6:30-8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 20 at Whitman Middle School
• 6:30-8 p.m., Monday, Sept. 24 at Madison Middle School
• 6:30-8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 27 at McClure Middle SchoolFor more information on BEX IV, please visit: www.bit.ly/SPSBEX
Why not a meeting at Eckstein Middle School? The closest of these meetings is at Whitman Middle School over near Swanson’s Nursery–a 25 min. drive from Wedgwood.
Can you, WCC, urge the School District to hold a fourth meeting in our neighborhood? Or at a minimum, can WCC council members concerned about this commit to represent Wedgwood forcefully at these meetings? This all seems to be happening too fast and without really consulting us. Thanks.
Polly Aird makes a good point. Why is the closest meeting a 25 minute drive away?
I’m very disheartened by the prospect of the expansion on the site of the Thornton Creek School. I know that we need more classroom space in Northeast Seattle. I support schools,and I’ve always voted for school levies. Thornton Creek School is a good neighbor, but creating a 1,000 student population in a quiet corner of Wedgwood seems like a bad idea.
Although 40th Ave NE is nominally an arterial, it is entirely residential in its Wedgwood extension. How many of my fellow Wedgwoodians would want to live next to a project that would triple traffic and lead to greatly increased noise and air pollution? Would you worry about a loss of light and sun? How many of you would be concerned about property values already depressed by the economic crisis?
The Thornton Creek playing field is an attractive and invaluable asset, heavily used by sports teams during three seasons. Young children come to play in the playground. People play catch, practice batting, fly kites and model airplanes On the occasional snowy winter day, you might find cross country skiers breaking trail.
Isn’t there a friendlier and smarter way to increase classroom space without destroying the character of the place we live?
Your postcard, “What’s Happening in Your Neighborhood?” arrived at our home today, August 2, 2012. We were stunned to see that the WCC has scheduled an important community event, the EMERGENCY PREP SESSION, at the exact same time, Thursday, September 20, 6:30-9:00 PM, as the Thornton Creek School community’s opportunity to comment regarding the new 650-seat school proposed for the TC site at the Seattle School District’s public meeting at Whitman Middle School.
Your oversight of this critically important issue of the overwhelming burden and negative impact of the school district’s proposal that is facing a segment of the community you represent is distressing.
Since your card also points out as one of this years accomplishments: “Fostering dialogue between community & Seattle Public Schools over proposed school,” my husband and I urge you to reschedule the Emergency Prep Session, and to write an article encouraging people to attend the school district’s public comment meeting to be held September 20, 6:30-8:30 PM, at Whitman Middle School, 9201 15th Ave NW, 98117.
Thank you for this opportunity to comment.
Carole and Randy Martens
Carole,
Glad you got the postcard and saw what’s going on! That means they worked! So, thanks for that feedback.
In regards to the scheduling, I’m sorry the Emergency Prep Session conflicts with the School District’s community meeting. However, while we have the Emergency Prep Session identified on the postcard, it’s not a WCC event. It’s put on by members of the NE Seattle Prepares group, which the WCC is only a member of. This meeting has been scheduled for some time although we have shared yours (and others) concerns about the scheduling with the organizers. Unfortunately, there are too many wheels in motion for them to change the date/time of that meeting.
Furthermore, the School District has 3 community meetings for voicing your concerns about the BEX IV levy and the potential school at Thornton Creek Elementary, not just the one meeting you mentioned on the night of 9/20. For a full schedule, please see here (http://wedgwoodcc.org/school-district-to-host-3-community-meetings-on-proposed-bex-iv-levy).
Lastly, as I’ve written before and as we included on the postcard, we are “fostering dialogue between community and Seattle Public Schools.” Part of why we’re doing this is to objectively educate the community as best as we can. To this end, while we cannot formally announce anything at this time, we are working on a community meeting with the School District, in part, to discuss the BEX IV levy and the proposed school. This meeting will likely be in early October. I hope you and your husband can make that meeting too!
Thanks again for the comment!