Help Nathan Hale’s Highly Regarded Radio Station!
North Seattle KOMO has a story that Nathan Hale’s amazing radio station, C-89.5, is in the midst of a fundraiser to sustain the station. They’re hoping to raise $140,000 and YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE too!
Wedgwood Area Schools Are Still Amazing!
As we’ve report in 2010 and 2011, the public schools in our neck of the woods are pretty amazing. Last week, the Seattle School District’s new superintendent, José Banda released their Annual School Reports and State of the District. Schools are scored 1-5 (5 being the highest score) based on a variety of metrics.
In 2010, the first year that all public schools were scored, there were 12 schools that scored a 5, including Wedgwood, Thornton Creek, and View Ridge Elementary schools while Bryant Elementary, Eckstein Middle School, and Roosevelt High scored a 4 and Nathan Hale High received a score of 3.
Last year, while most school scores remained the same, View Ridge Elementary dropped from a 5 to 4, Bryant Elementary rose from a 4 to 5, and Nathan Hale rose from a 3 to 4.
This year, Wedgwood-area schools continue to score well with Nathan Hale the rising star of the year!
- Bryant Elementary scored a 5
- Eckstein Middle School scored a 4
- Nathan Hale High School rose from a 4 to 5!
- Roosevelt High School scored a 4
- Thornton Creek Elementary School scored a 5
- Wedgwood Elementary School scored a 5
- View Ridge Elementary scored a 5
Great work to our local schools, including the phenomenal educators, staff, PTAs, and students that make our schools so successful!
Building Excellence IV Levy – UPDATE
As you may be aware, the Seattle School District has proposed, within a draft list of a projects for their upcoming Building Excellence IV (BEX IV) levy, to construct a new elementary school generally located on the Thornton Creek Elementary School playfields. Their list of projects has gone through several iterations although the new “North Seattle Elementary School” has largely remained unchanged despite vocal opposition by some neighbors. On Wednesday, November 7th, the school board intends to vote on a final list of projects for the BEX IV levy that will go out to voters on February 12, 2013.
At this Wednesday’s school board meeting, the board will vote on Building Excellence (BEX) IV Capital Improvement Program and Authorizing Resolution 2012/13-4. Based on the new version of this resolution, the following language has been added relative to the new North Seattle Elementary School.
“At Thornton Creek, the project list allows for the possibility that any needed additional seating capacity may be built at an alternative location.”
Furthermore, within Exhibit “A” – List of BEX IV projects, which the board will be provided, has the following language.
“North East Elementary @ Thornton Creek or equivalent additional seating capacity at another location – Opens 2016”
We currently are trying to get more information on what this revised language really means, although it appears that the District is providing themselves some ‘wiggle’ room to continue the school siting process while maintaining the necessary timeline for BEX IV to get on the ballot in February.
The upcoming School Board meeting will be on Wednesday, November 7th, starting at 4:15PM at the John Stafford Center at 2445 3rd Ave South. Public testimony is supposed to start at 5PM (see rules if you’d like to testify).
Per:
Thank you for posting the update about the final BEX IV CIP project list to be voted on by the Seattle School Board on Wednesday, November 7. Also, thank you for looking into what the change in wording really means. Will you post any new information you learn?
The Wedgwood Open Space Neighborhood Coalition would welcome your support at the meeting. It will be at the John Stanford Center at 3rd and Lander. If you can attend, wear green (symbolizes nature and open space) and please introduce yourself to us. You will recognize me in a green Wedgwood T-shirt.
If we are able to sign up to speak, we will be asking the Board to form a committee to work with our coalition to help flesh out possible alternative locations for a new school to help alleviate the NE area schools’ overcrowding.
The lag time between the passage of the Levy in February, 2013, and the availability of funds to begin construction would be one year or more. That period of time would present an opportunity to work cooperatively with the SPS to explore potential alternate sites.
Your input is invited and welcome.
It’s a pleasure, Carole. I will not be at the meeting or “supporting” your coalition unfortunately because, as you know, the WCC has voted to remain neutral on this issue. However, best of luck with your efforts and any updates I come across will be added to this post.
Wedgwood Community Council Members:
I am writing to apologize for addressing my previous comment to Per Johnson alone. I used “Per” in the salutation because he wrote the article and my intention was to thank him for the information.
In inviting support and participation at the school board meeting, I meant the collective “you.” I did not intend to be insensitive to Per or the WCC official position on the Thornton Creek School issue. Our Coalition has been aware of that stand from June forward.
My thought was that some individual members may be supportive and wish to participate.
Thank you, again, for the update and for the news about our excellent NE area school scores.
I dont know if this perspective will help at the school board meeting tomorrow but, just in case…
Our family will be moving to Seattle in the next few months. We are very interested in enrolling our kids in Thorton Creek school because of it’s alternative style seems to fit our values better. We want to buy a home within walking distance to the school. When I read the proposal to add a new building and more students to the site I was concerned and disturbed. We want a peaceful, small school for our kids and hope to keep them in public school, but the proposed change makes us lean toward private school.
Thanks for the feedback, Jess. As I understand it, the School District voted to approve the updated list of projects with the revised language which includes wiggle room. Regardless of what happens, we’d love to have you move to Wedgwood!