West Seattle, Washington

01 Sunday

47℉

School Board forum reveals new idea for reopening closed West Seattle schools

October 18, 2011 10:53 pm
|      45 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

From tonight’s PTA/PTSAs-sponsored School Board candidates’ forum at Madison Middle School: Beyond how the candidates and challengers handled questions – coverage of that, with video, to come – a new proposal for addressing West Seattle’s school-overcrowding challenges emerged.

When what the district terms “capacity management” came up, board president (and WS rep) Steve Sundquist revealed his new idea: Reopen the former Boren Junior High School in Delridge next fall for two elementary schools – one drawing from the north (where Lafayette and Schmitz Park are both overflowing) and one from the south. Reopening Boren is widely expected to be an all-but-done deal for next fall, but the rest of Sundquist’s idea is new: Work would begin on figuring out how to redevelop or renovate the closed Genesee Hill Elementary site as a new, permanent north-end school, and do the same for the leased E.C. Hughes Elementary site for the south end, with the goal of opening both in fall 2015, at which time Boren would go back to being an emergency backup site (its current designation).

We followed up with Sundquist after the forum, and he stressed that this is not a formal proposal yet – he has asked district staff to look into what it would take. He also noted that this idea would allow independent Westside School (WSB sponsor), which leased and renovated Hughes, to stay there through its five-year lease period. (We talked with Westside two weeks ago when the possibility of the campus being taken back by SPS first came up, and will follow up with them tomorrow.) The district is currently drafting a proposal to address “capacity management” for next year, following a whirlwind round of public meetings including this one in West Seattle, and a board vote is expected in mid-November.

Video from the forum – which spanned a wide range of topics, including some ongoing controversies – to be added here later! (Wednesday note: Overnight breaking news has delayed this; when we finish uploading the forum video, it will be in a separate story, but we’ll link it here.)

Share This

45 Replies to "School Board forum reveals new idea for reopening closed West Seattle schools"

  • Neighborly October 19, 2011 (12:04 am)

    This makes a lot of sense. Genesee Hill school is such a lovely setting for an elementary school. I hope they can find a way to rebuild or refurbish it. It’ll draw a lot of walkers.

  • Curious October 19, 2011 (6:59 am)

    Why doesn’t Fairmount Park come up as a possible school to reopen? Did I miss something about this in an earlier story?

  • Hat momma October 19, 2011 (7:40 am)

    Curious- The school district said it would take $11 million dollars in refurbishing costs to get Fairmount Park re-opened because it’s been closed for so long and in such bad shape. I’ve not seen a breakdown of those costs so not sure how they got such an enormous number.

  • Bonnie October 19, 2011 (7:42 am)

    And are they going to redraw all the lines again?

  • Parent of two dughters October 19, 2011 (8:27 am)

    Westside School has a 10-year lease on EC Hughes. I am not sure where Mr. Sundquist is getting his 5-year lease information but it sounds like there isn’t a lot of communication going within the school board itself.

  • RC October 19, 2011 (8:52 am)

    Yes, The Westside School has a 10-year lease, not a 5-year. This is a sad, sad thing for those Westside school employees, families and students who worked so hard to renovate the EC Hughes building. This is a building which has been abandoned or unused by the public schools for close to 20 YEARS!!! Unbelievable! They just moved in a year ago, and now the rug is getting pulled out from under them. Egregious!

    • WSB October 19, 2011 (8:57 am)

      I don’t know if the five-year figure that Steve Sundquist mentioned is a clause or is something the district and Westside have been speaking about, but as noted, I will be following up today – TR

  • madashell October 19, 2011 (8:56 am)

    So are we to expect Pathfinder back in the gussied up Genessee Hil building? Cooper is a lovely setting for an elementary…in north Delridge area!

  • Melissa October 19, 2011 (8:59 am)

    I truly don’t understand this. Why would he not suggest opening Fairmont Park instead of taking back EC Hughes? One is vacant; the other it occupied by a school which has leased and improved it in a way the district couldn’t/wouldn’t. It looks like craven opportunism. What’s his explanation? If anyone knows, I’d like to hear it, please.

  • JS October 19, 2011 (9:09 am)

    to Curious- I believe the bigger issue with Fairmont Park is the small size of the school.

  • Nulu October 19, 2011 (9:12 am)

    RC, the Hughes site has not been abandoned or unused for 20 years.
    –
    Hughes was used just a couple of years before Westside leased it.

  • nulu October 19, 2011 (9:24 am)

    Fairmont = Small size and high cost to re-open.

  • Kinderparent October 19, 2011 (9:41 am)

    As a neighbor of Fairmount Park I would like to know exactly what their plan is for that site. Are they just going to keep it around as an eyesore? If it is unusable then sell the land!!!! Same with Genesee Hill. I am outraged that they are still talking about taking back EC Hughes and I am a public school parent!

  • Melissa October 19, 2011 (9:47 am)

    Nulu, do you know the capacity #s of Fairmont versus EC Hughes? Thanks for any info you have.

  • DW October 19, 2011 (9:52 am)

    Westside school is getting the short end here

  • madashell October 19, 2011 (9:52 am)

    Here’s is the lease document:

    http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/area/board/09-10agendas/042110agenda/closedbuildinghughes.pdf

    The lease is for ten years, with the 15 mos. advance cancellation provision.

    The timing of Sundquist’s craven trial balloon is that, if cancelled before three years, Landlord has to reimburse for improvements to the building. So looks like he’s waiting until SPS gets past that point before giving Westside the shaft.

    “Despite anything to the contrary in Section 3 above, Landlord shall reimburse Tenant for major improvements if the improvements are pre-approved by Landlord and a pre-determined amount of reimbursement is agreed on by both parties in writing, only if Landlord cancels this Lease within 3 years from the start of this Lease term. Landlord reserves the right not to agree to any such improvements, in its sole and absolute discretion. Tenant acknowledges and agrees that Landlord has no plans to agree to pay for any system improvements to the property.”

  • TFP October 19, 2011 (9:59 am)

    The growth in student population in West Seattle seems like an excellent opportunity for the Seattle public schools. Offering an attractive option, such as the popular language-immersion schools in the North-end, seems like a investment in keeping and attracting new families into the district.

    I don’t know if the district is is interested in parents opinions on this, but I have talked with a number of families that, like mine, are enthusiastic about a language immersion program.

  • socamr October 19, 2011 (10:37 am)

    Wow, this is a sign of TERRIBLE management. For years and years the district refused to do anything to improve the Genesee Hill site for a program that was using the building. But now that they have disrupted education across West Seattle – especially the students at the former Cooper School – they want to reopen it for a new school? Disrupting a new cohort of kids who by then will have settled into their schools?
    And all of this on top of screwing over Westside?

    Seems like Sundquist is actively trying to lose the election . . .

  • RRR October 19, 2011 (10:57 am)

    E.C. Hughes has not been vacant for 20 years. It has been used in recent years as an interim school when other schools were updated. However, SPS treated the property as if it was vacant. I have lived in the neighborhood for 10 years and the building and the property were not maintained until Westside moved in. The windows were covered, the grounds unkept and there was a rat problem. It is not clear in this article if SPS intends to use Hughes long term or just as an interim school while they try to get funding for and build a school at the old Denny site. That is how they presented it in the meeting a couple weeks ago. They indicate here that they plan to occupy Genesee and Hughes in 2015… interesting that they really think they can predict enrollment that far out – they have proven they can’t predict enrollment by closing schools in the first place. School Board elections are coming – VOTE.

  • D-mom October 19, 2011 (11:32 am)

    As a new Westside parent I am furious about this. I want good decisions to be made for all West Seattle children, but this doesn’t seem to help any of them, other than the idea of reopening Gennessee. What I don’t understand is why did they just close schools 2 years ago if they have a capacity issue. Mismanagement of the Seattle schools is one of the reasons why I went to private school. I won’t be voting for anyone who supports this move and encourage everyone else to do the same. The way we fixed up Westside is using parent involvement. Why don’t they do the same to fix up the closed schools? I’d happily donate time and money towards that.

  • Parent of two dughters October 19, 2011 (11:50 am)

    I have read quite a of valid points regarding the school boards inability to predict the future enrollment. The Seattle Times Sunday edition had a very interesting article regarding the warnings Seattle Public School had received from various experts that the information they use to predict enrollment isn’t broad enough. Now they are having to work with those same experts to try and get it right.

  • Concerned Parent October 19, 2011 (11:58 am)

    Fixing up Genesee to accommodate overcrowded schools in the north end seems like the only good suggestion to come out of this proposal. If Boren can be used to satisfy 1/2 of the south-end’s overcrowding issues in the next couple of years, and Boren doesn’t need renovations, why not keep it open as a permanent elementary option for south-end students once Genesee opens in 2015. That would meet the needs of the public school population AND eliminate the need to displace the entire Westside community (a PAYING tenant who has upgraded the facility, improved the neighborhood and created REVENUE for SPS, while decreasing even more overcrowding in West Seattle schools). Is SPS really willing to go back on it’s contract with Westside in order to keep Boren open as merely an “emergency back-up” site? Really? Alternatively, maybe this whole situation should just be called an EMERGENCY – justifying the use of Boren in this capacity!

    Sundquist’s proposal to take over EC Hughes after Westside’s community improved the grounds is reprehensible given the circumstances. Plus, why not keep the revenue and put it to good use on Fairmount Park or a new Denny elementary building?

  • NK October 19, 2011 (12:19 pm)

    I have always heard that West Seattle Elementary (High Point) is no where near capacity… Does anyone know the current numbers (2011/2012) at this school and the other elementary schools in the southern section of W Seattle? (Gatewood, Roxhill, Arbor Heights, Sanislo, Highland Park)

  • Anon for this October 19, 2011 (12:24 pm)

    I think the district should open Boren as an interim site for fifth (maybe fourth/fifth) students from across West Seattle. This would free space in all the schools, push boundary changes out a few years, and allow the district to get a better handle on where capacity is needed and future growth is expected. Boren isn’t suited for younger students, but older elementary aged kids could manage the spread out campus, bigger toilets, etc. This would also allow for the school to open with enrollment that sustains proper staffing without costly mitigation funds.

  • raincity October 19, 2011 (1:27 pm)

    Why is the 11 million to reopen Fairmont too much? They just spent more than that on reopening a school in the northend. (View ridge?)

  • Delridge Mom October 19, 2011 (1:35 pm)

    What a mess! As the parent of a kindergartner, I am not excited about the prospect of my child attending school in 3 different buildings over the next 5 years. I understand there is a serious overcrowding issue, but shuffling kids around from school to school seems like a really bad idea. Plus, Boren is huge and not set up for little kids. Is there even a playground at Boren?

  • tk October 19, 2011 (2:20 pm)

    NK- You are right—for years WS Elementary/High Point has been at undercapacity. That’s one of the reasons why is was slated to be closed in the first round of closures (2005?) and the district proposed that Pathfinder move in, but the proposal was thrown out for many reasons.
    The district plays with “capacity” data year to year and suddenly 2 years ago when they got the fed/state grants for struggling schools WS Elementary’s “functional capacity” dropped on paper by 100 seats and suddenly it is now rated as one of the district’s highest overcapacity schools, so go figure!
    On the SPS website are the reports for the current(though ever changing) capacity for each school(as opposed to actual enrollment).

    Interesting idea about making Boren an all West Seattle 5th or 4-5 school (or at least for all the overcrowded ones). It seems that it would spread the equitable “pain” of moving/disrupting all school kids more, rather than just creating pain in one or two schools, but I imagine transportation costs would be sky high from having to pick up kids from all over the WS region.

    Finally, I agree that moving the Hughes/Westside kids sounds like very poor planning on the district & school board’s part. But the argument that the district makes alot of rent on the lease that could be put into rebuilding Genessee Hill is bogus ( $45,000 a year is just a drop in the bucket!)

  • Need a change October 19, 2011 (2:26 pm)

    Tired of the chaos at John Stanford Center?

    Vote for Marty McLaren as your WS School Board Director.

    http://www.marty4ssd.com/blog/

  • Findlay October 19, 2011 (3:59 pm)

    Worried about overcrowding and it’s effects on your child’s education?

    You should come check out Seattle Lutheran High School where a small class size is a guarantee! In recent years, we’ve had 95% of the graduating students continue on to 2 or 4 year colleges!

    SLHS is having an open house on 10/25 at 6:30 pm. Check it out at: http://www.seattlelutheran.org/html/admissions/openhouse.html

  • A October 19, 2011 (4:11 pm)

    Findlay – enough is enough! You post about your private school in every single SPS post on here! It’s getting old. If we wanted to go there we would. I am not at all interested in a religious school. IF I were to go the private school route it would certainly not be a religious one.

  • Y October 19, 2011 (4:52 pm)

    $45,000 is more than SPS is getting for the other closed schools… and SPS is also saving a lot of money on maintenance – not that they maintain the closed buildings well – but they spend a lot of money on them. Just another example of poor management. The attitude that it is “just a drop in the bucket” is one of many reasons why we have so many financial issues in the school system.. “every drop in the bucket” COUNTS.. it adds up!!
    Apparently, SPS “plays” with capacity and enrollement, and projected enrollment.. VOTE!!

  • Cathy October 19, 2011 (5:07 pm)

    I like the idea of using boren as a 4/5 grade.

  • Attendee October 19, 2011 (5:29 pm)

    These are grat comments BUT. Where we’re you last night?… It’s easy to sit and complain but not attend public forums to express support or dismay… The turn out was poor… Come on West Seattle !! Capacity and school board forum attendance was not what I expected from our area. Did you know that Northeast had great turn outs for both of these events while out turn outs were poor… What message does this send?.?.

  • Melissa Westbrook October 19, 2011 (6:08 pm)

    Hi, Melissa Westbrook from the Save Seattle Schools blog. We are doing our best, along with the West Seattle blog, to keep up on this issue. We tend to be able to go to more committee meetings/work sessions on this issue than Tracy of the WSB so if you want the latest, check in with us at saveseattleschools.blogspot.com

    The district has set up a new committee, Facilities and Management Advisory Committee (FACMA), with 32 reps from all corners of the districts. They are looking for anyone from the ELL community to serve. They are also happy to take ideas/solutions at

    capacity@seattleschools.org

    There will be a School Board Work Session on this issue on Nov. 2 from 4-5:30 p.m. at the district headquarters.

    The district has played fast and loose with capacity numbers for years but last night at the Madison forum, one incumbent did say the district “finally” had the numbers. What parents and community members need to do is HOLD them to these numbers so they cannot continually change their minds.

    Boren was built as a middle-school so I don’t know how well it could be converted to an elementary school (but obviously, if it were temporary, okay).

    Some of the comments here have been very illuminating as you are the folks “on the ground” who know your schools and your area. Very helpful so thanks.

    As far as costs to reopen buildings, the district has cut back on maintenance for decades. As one commenter said, they do even less to closed buildings (and Viewlands, in the NW, had its copper wiring stripped out because of lack of security). As all homeowners know, if you avoid basic maintenance, it will likely turn into major maintenance.

    To reopen the five schools over the last two years cost $50M, just in capital costs (that’s not staffing, stocking libraries, furniture, etc.) If a building has been closed for a period of time (I think it’s over two years), then to reopen it as an educational facility, it must be brought up to a newer level of the safety code. That costs money.

    The real vision also has to be what will get done under BEX IV, which is the capital renovation/rebuilding levy program which will come up in Feb. 2013. That’s where the real money is to get big things done. The problem is that we have many buildings needing help but also a capacity management issue. Choosing who gets what is going to be an interesting discussion.

  • Findlay October 19, 2011 (10:17 pm)

    A: My kids were in the public school system for 6 years. We know about the frustrations that parents go through in desiring the best education for their children that also is aligned with their worldview. Personally, I’m just excited that it appears that children and families are returning to Seattle! It’s a good ‘problem’ to have!

  • tk October 19, 2011 (10:38 pm)

    The most recent Capacity document (from June) with both capacity as well as projected enrollment up through 2015 is linked fro the Save Seattle schools blog that Melissa mentions above, in the comments section from Kellie.
    Here is thelink to the document:
    http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/school%20board/10-11%20agendas/062911agenda/20110629_Report_IntTermCapitalPlanning.pdf

  • stb October 20, 2011 (8:52 am)

    Attendee,
    My thoughts exactly. I went to the forum and I am very glad I did. But I was extremely disappointed at the tiny turnout. I guess it’s easier for people to post grumpy comments on here instead of getting out and getting involved.

  • lc October 20, 2011 (10:35 am)

    Kudos to Carla Rogers (Alki Elementary)for putting this forum together – you rock!

  • madashell October 20, 2011 (11:01 am)

    Uh, I was there.

    But, you’re right. I’d expect the entire WestSide contingent there. They vote too.

  • RC October 20, 2011 (12:42 pm)

    When and where is this meeting?
    I am a Westside parent and I want to be there.
    This is taken from Wikipedia re: the E.C. HUghes building:
    E.C. Hughes School. Opened as an unnamed school in portable buildings in Olympic Heights (then known as West Hill) in 1913; named as West Hill School in 1918; moved to permanent site in 1920, as an annex to Gatewood School. In 1926 it was renamed as E.C. Hughes. Operated until 1989, used for storage until 1998, then revived as an interim site while Highland Park Elementary underwent repairs.

    So, basically, since 1989 (22 years) it was only used for an interim site once??

    Now that Westside has made it beautiful, they want it back after 1 year?!?! Egregious!

  • Rod Clark October 20, 2011 (12:59 pm)

    Even if Wikipedia doesn’t mention it, Hughes was the interim site for Brighton in 2003 while their building was being rebuilt. I know because I substituted for someone at Brighton/Hughes several times that year.

    At one time, there was a plan for the New School to be at Hughes during the rebuilding of South Shore. That would have been in 2004-05.

  • RC October 20, 2011 (2:29 pm)

    Good, thank you Rod. But still, overall, highly underused until now. The SPS should be glad to have a paying tenant, not break the spirits of hundreds of Westside children & families (who highly value education)!

  • Joy October 20, 2011 (4:11 pm)

    Wow, what a mess is right. When the District was closing Cooper in 2009, we had a parent who was a systems analyst who ran the numbers and gave the District the right data. In the interest of giving Pathfinder a new school, Sundquist ignored the Data. Pathfinder was also slated to receive about $400,000 to refurbish Genessee Hill. We are still not sure what happened to that money, except we heard that Pathfinder also got a $3000 smart boards for the 18 classrooms. Somehow, now, the Cooper Building needs a new heating system, though it is only 10 years old.

    The Cooper kids endured ten years of being in the Boren building while the District was procrastinating and ultimately built that beautiful building for them on Pigeon Point, only for them to have had it taken from them. I suppose the Cooper kids can endure another ten in that building. Hardly seems fair that those kids get the shaft every time.

    Melissa, I don’t know how and why you didn’t know the Cooper kids were in Boren for 10 years.

  • tk October 20, 2011 (4:54 pm)

    RC- don’t trust Wikipedia!
    I don’t know about Brighton, but for sure the South Lake Alt. High School was at Hughes for two years from the fall of 2006 through 2008 (when their new school opened up). The district had to update Hughes at that time as it had been empty for many years.
    Ironically, in the spring of 2006 the School Board had just voted to close 6 buildings, which was a joke as 2 of those buildings were already empty (including Hughes)!

Sorry, comment time is over.