West Seattle, Washington
25 Wednesday
If you’re one of the many readers who come here late at night to catch up – we want to let you know that you’ll find us someplace else, temporarily, tomorrow night, and for at least part of the weekend. We’ve had a sorely needed overhaul in the works for a very long time, and our tech team tells us it’s finally ready to go live. So around 6 pm Friday night, we’ll be putting up a “Pardon Our Dust” type sign here, and providing news coverage from a temporary site while our decade of data is moved. The direct link to that temp site will be in a longer note we’ll publish here around midday tomorrow, and you’ll find it pinned in our social-media channels, so if you don’t already frequent them, please bookmark those now (particularly Twitter at twitter.com/westseattleblog and Facebook at facebook.com/westseattleblog), because we’ll also directly link our temp-site-published stories there until we’re back here live with the overhaul. Thanks in advance for your understanding!
P.S. We will also post lost/found pets on the temp site while it’s in use, because that’s one of the most valued services we provide. We will not have a temporary event calendar but we WILL publish daily highlights on the temp site on Saturday and Sunday mornings, as comprehensive as we can make them.
The neighborhood’s been alerted, but Seattle Public Utilities wants to make sure the wider community also knows about a road closure planned this Sunday night and early Monday, 6 pm to 5 am, along two blocks of 22nd SW in Pigeon Point, north and south of SW Andover, for emergency sewer-repair work, also closing the intersection of 22nd and Andover for the duration. It’s detailed and mapped in this flyer. SPU says, “Our goal in completing the work at night is to minimize daytime traffic impacts. There is also a possibility that overnight repairs may need to continue the following night (Jan. 11-12), if crews are not able to complete work on Jan. 10-11. There will be detours in place for residents who live east of 22nd Avenue SW off of SW Andover Street. These residents will need to access their homes via SW Oregon St. Crews will place detour signs along SW Delridge Way and SW Andover Street.” There’s been one change since the flyer was originally distributed, Garrett said – they’re going to cut off work on Monday morning at 5 am instead of 7 am, to reduce the impact on people who have to leave for work and school early.
This time tomorrow (Friday) night, you have the chance to cheer 14 student authors who will be in the spotlight at this month’s installment in the Words, Writers, and West Seattle literary series:
Students from Madison Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School will be talking about the books they’ve written as a part of a Community Learning Center program out of the West Seattle YMCA.
Sponsored by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, this FREE Young Authors installment of “Words, Writers, & West Seattle” begins at 5 p.m. Friday, January 8, 2016, at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village. All purchases made by those attending the talk that afternoon and for the next five days will result in a contribution of ten percent of proceeds to the Southwest Seattle Historical Society under the Barnes and Noble Book Fair Program.
According to the YMCA class instructor, Greg Hatcher, the students have published fiction, memoirs, and poetry in all sorts of genres. Hatcher says, “The students tend to lean toward the fantastic in their fiction but nothing is off limits.” Book titles include (from Madison Middle School students) Art In Words; Limitless; In Our Own Worlds, Fending for Ourselves; Imagination; Imagination, The Next Generation; Dubstep Kitty; Stuff and Nonsense; and More Than Just Scribbles
Students from Chief Sealth High School will be presenting Potpourri; Inkwell; Rising Sun; Shattered Moon; Harrowing Fairy Tales; and Raison d’Etre.
Stop by B&N any time between 5 and 7 Friday night to listen to some or all of the students and celebrate their accomplishments; read more about the Words, Writers, and West Seattle series here.
4:04 PM: Though it’s not on the 911 log, we’ve just received three messages about a crash blocking at least one lane toward the east end of the eastbound bridge, so heads up if you’re headed that way. (Added) Just as we were publishing this, SDOT tweeted:
A crash is blocking most of the 2 lanes on the EB West Seattle Bridge at 4th Ave S. Expect delays. pic.twitter.com/FGLqWud9N6
— seattledot (@seattledot) January 8, 2016
4:19 PM: The left lane is now open again, SDOT says.
WSDOT posted that miscellaneous tunneling-machine-operations-in-progress video this afternoon to go along with the news that the machine is out of the “access pit” and “is now tunneling in Seattle soil after breaking through the access pit wall late Wednesday. Seattle Tunnel Partners has mined 73 feet and installed 12 concrete tunnel rings since Bertha first moved forward in the pit on Dec. 22. More mining is scheduled to occur this week. Now approaching South Main Street, near Pier 48, Bertha is digging well below the area’s notorious fill soil. The top of the machine is approximately 80 feet below the surface in a mixture of glacially compacted material.” That’s from the newest WSDOT update, which you can read in its entirety here. WSDOT also has set up a new tunnel-machine-tracking page. If all goes well from here, they’re still heading toward a March closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct “for about two weeks” while tunneling under the structure. Speaking of The Viaduct, WSDOT adds that crews are starting to take apart the big red crane that’s been alongside it during the tunneling-machine-repair process.
(WSB photo looking north on Delridge near Myrtle – existing ‘fog line’ is toward the left)
Though SDOT reaffirmed two months ago that its planned speed-limit cuts for three more West Seattle arterials would happen before the end of 2015 as planned, they didn’t happen. They’re still on the way, says SDOT’s Jim Curtin, but one of them – Delridge Way north of Orchard – will come with something extra: Fog lines. This news came in another round of correspondence with the concerned citizen whose questions sparked our November followup, “A Dad On Dangerous Delridge.” Curtin’s first reply to ADODD this week:
In an effort to achieve the lower speeds we seek on Delridge, we will be adding a fog line (aka edge line) to narrow the existing travel lanes on the street. The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) has a good website dedicated to lane widths here. Some sections of Delridge already have an edge line but most areas do not. Several locations, including the area just south of the Boren Building (home to two schools), have wide swaths of roadway with little to no organization or structure. The edge line will change that and help us reduce vehicle speeds on the corridor. This work is weather-dependent so we’ll need some dry weather before we can install the new pavement markings. We are hoping to make this change in the first quarter of 2016 during a dry stretch. A public communications effort will accompany these changes to help raise awareness of the speed limit change.
After seeing that via a CC in ADODD’s correspondence, we followed up with Curtin, first to ask if there’s a specified width for the resulting, narrowed traffic lanes: “Travel lanes will be 11 to 12 feet wide depending on the location to match the existing edge lines on the corridor. The roadway channelization will look very similar to the existing conditions on Delridge between Croft Pl SW and SW Myrtle Street.” (That’s where we took the photo atop this story.) He added that “the edge line will be applied to both sides of the street. Bike lanes are not planned through this low cost effort.” No existing markings will be changed, according to Curtin, just “essentially filling in the gaps in the channelization so we will not make changes to existing pavement markings.”
Our last question: What about the other arterials set for speed-limit reduction? Curtin replied: “Fauntleroy between Alaska and California will occur first – likely within the next month or so. The speed limit is already 30 mph along most of Fauntleroy but the speed limit jumps up to 35 in this section (which contains mainly residential land uses, Fairmount Park Elementary, and a park). Speed studies show that drivers are already traveling well below the existing 35 mph speed limit on this section of Fauntleroy. We intend to recalibrate the radar speed sign at SW Brandon Street and change the existing speed limit signs. As you know, the design of the roadway was significantly changed in 2009.” The 30 mph speed limit for more arterials was first announced last February.
11:09 AM: We’ve just checked with the Port of Seattle for the status of what it announced before Christmas – that a contractor would soon start driving test piles at Terminal 5 in West Seattle, as it gears up for the modernization project – about two months work to install “about 27 piles … at the edge of the Terminal 5 wharf.” The announcement added, “Once installed, some of the piles will be tested using a method known as rapid-load testing. The testing sounds like a half-second cannon shot. The sound can be as loud as 145 decibels at a distance of 50 feet. Nine tests are planned, with no more than one test per day.” We called port spokesperson Peter McGraw this morning to ask if the work was still set to start this week as the December announcement had said; he says the contractor tells them it’ll begin “within a few days.” The T-5 modernization project, expected to have a nine-digit price tag, is intended to make the terminal able to handle “megaships”; as reported by the Tacoma News-Tribune a week ago, one such ship is likely to visit Harbor Island’s T-18 next month.
11:27 AM: Update from the port: McGraw says, “Pile installation is scheduled to occur between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday and between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday in compliance with the City of Seattle’s noise ordinance.”
Four West Seattle Crime Watch reports to share:
OVERNIGHT BREAK-IN: Just received from Erik:
I live on 50th and Grayson and got a call from an elderly neighbor that someone broke in through her garage this morning at 1 am while she was sleeping. She woke up to them rummaging through her dresser drawers in the room she was sleeping in. She startled them and they ran out but they had some jewelry by then. She mentioned to the police how surprised she was, that she always has felt safe in our neighborhood and they responded that this is a new occurrence that has been moving in to the area and has been happening more frequently. The neighbor next door to her was prowled at 4 am the night before. In both cases they tried going through a garage or basement door that had cover from the street or light. Just wanted to bring this up to the neighborhood. Be safe!
BICYCLE STOLEN: Another reminder that crime can happen to anyone. Even a City Councilmember. West Seattle-residing at-large Councilmember Lorena González tweeted this last night:
Help find this racing bike stolen from our garage on Monday! Call Seattle Police if you see. Thx. pic.twitter.com/2x6zSqiwQQ
— M. Lorena Gonzalez (@MLorenaGonzalez) January 7, 2016
Thanks to Joe Szilagyi for pointing out the tweet from González, who lives in The Junction.
BICYCLE FOUND: Thanks to “Northwest” for reporting this apparently dumped (which tends to mean “stolen”) bicycle on the Ferry Avenue slope:
NW says, “Discovered this bicycle while out for a walk along the top of the eastern-facing hillside about 20 feet down from the street on Ferry Ave SW. it is a mountain bike, the brand Mongoose.”
CAR PROWLED: Another one in the area between Morgan Junction and Lincoln Park:
The other day, you reported that a neighbor up the street (6300 block of 47th Pl SW) had their car windshield broken for the second time, unfortunately. We just noticed (Tuesday) night that my car had been rifled through; since it’s currently parked along the street instead of in its usual place by our driveway to allow access for some water repairs, we may not have noticed right away, so I don’t know which night it happened. I also don’t know how they got in, since the car had been locked and there was no sign of damage.
Of course as a diligent reader of WSB, I know not to leave anything of value in the car. I’m thinking of just taping a big sign inside the window: “Dear thief, please don’t waste your time breaking into this car. I’ve already taken everything of value out of it.”
Thanks for sharing Crime Watch reports to inform your neighbors across the peninsula via a website that’s accessible by all, since crime unfortunately knows no neighborhood bounds. If you ever have anything to report, tell the police first and then please e-mail us, editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – or if it’s happening now, aka breaking news, please text/call 206-293-6302.
(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:44 AM: Now that the new West Seattle Water Taxi M/V Doc Maynard is officially on the job (WSB coverage here), it’s on to the regular morning traffic and transit watch. So far, no incidents in/from West Seattle.
FAUNTLEROY FERRY DOCK ALERT: As previewed here earlier this week, piling-replacement work is happening today at the Fauntleroy dock, and Washington State Ferries warns that delays are possible for ferry users, 7 am-4 pm.
ICY BIKE PATH: First published last night, an alert about black ice on the path near the “low bridge,” despite above-freezing temps.
7:52 AM: Thanks to the texter who just alerted us to the big emergency response to a crash at 16th/Holden. On our way.
8:07 AM: At the scene. Car is in eastbound lanes of Holden on west side of intersection.
SPD is directing traffic. 1 person hurt (driver of that car), minor injuries but will be transported via private ambulance.
8:16 AM: Engine 11 just rolled out for a crash reported at Roxbury/Olson. We’re off to check. 16th/Holden north/south flow is back to near-normal.
8:24 AM: No traffic impact at Roxbury/Olson, fender-bender and on a side street while SPD talks with drivers:
9:11 AM: Photos added from aforementioned incidents.
The M/V Doc Maynard is ending its first West Seattle-to-Downtown Seattle passenger run right about now; our Instagram clip above shows its first WS arrival, our YouTube clip below, its first departure:
TV lights shone on the first passengers to board; we were on Seacrest Pier watching as they admired the big new boat, delivered and dedicated in last September – since then, it’s spent some time filling in for its twin boat on the Vashon run, M/V Sally Fox, and awaited dock improvements at Seacrest, which were finished last month, enabling the crew to train for today and beyond. It can hold 278 passengers, more than twice its predecessor, the Spirit of Kingston, which is now the KCWT’s backup boat. And there’s rack space for 26 bicycles. KC Department of Transportation’s Marine Division director Paul Brodeur talked up other key points while the DM was boarding:
The half-million-passenger ridership milestone he mentioned was celebrated last month.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Elected to represent District 1, charged with making decisions affecting the entire city – how will newly seated City Councilmember Lisa Herbold balance those roles?
Her Q&A appearance at tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting offered an early glimpse into how she hopes to do it.
If you don’t have time to watch our video, read on!
While Herbold is one of four first-term councilmembers – three representing districts, one elected at-large – she is the only one who was already at City Hall, having spent more than a decade and a half working for Councilmember Nick Licata, who chose not to run again. “In some ways, it’s the same job, in others, different,” she mused tonight.
“So you started (off) knowing where your parking space was,” one attendee suggested.
“I don’t have a parking space,” Herbold laughed.
She later joked that a benefit of district representation is that she can get anywhere within a few minutes – to a meeting like this one, for example, at the Sisson Building in The Junction – “then go home and get into my jammies.” (She lives in Highland Park, a central location for a district that includes South Park as well as West Seattle.)
In a far more serious vein, Herbold had a lot to say about the committees she’s on – including acknowledging reading a WSB comment or two from people puzzled by the catch-all committee names, such as the one she’s chairing, the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development, and Arts Committee:
Read More
(WSB photos)
This morning at Westside School (WSB sponsor) in Arbor Heights, dozens of students gathered for a special delivery: Hundreds of coho-salmon eggs brought by Judy Pickens as part of this year’s deliveries for “Salmon in the Schools.” A dozen local schools, public and private, are participating this year, Judy says; the eggs she and husband Phil Sweetland picked up at a hatchery are timed to hatch within the next two weeks or so. At Westside, second-grade teacher Margie Carpenter put the eggs in their aquarium after a 10-minute iodine bath to be sure they hadn’t brought along any organisms that might hurt the fish when they hatch:
Students at the participating schools will tend to the resulting fry for the next few months, and then go to Fauntleroy Creek in May to release them. Judy says, “During that time, they will learn about fish biology, habitat, culture, and economic importance in this region, cultivating writing, math, chemistry, and other monitoring skills.” Around King County, 160 schools are expected to participate in Salmon in the Schools this year. Salmon watch at Fauntleroy Creek continues year-round, meantime, culminating each year in the watch for returning coho – none last fall, as happens some years.
A reader e-mailed tonight to share this safety alert for bicycle commuters:
This morning at 9:00 a.m., there was black ice on the bike path just north of the Spokane St. Bridge on Harbor Island. It was 40 degrees, but this area is probably in shade all day this time of year. A group of cyclists spread bark to improve traction. We could see skid marks where it appeared other cyclists had spilled.
Consider walking your bike through this section. It is only 50 feet or so.
Earlier, we had received one report that a bicycle rider was injured just before 9 am at a location logged by Seattle Fire as 1002 SW Spokane. We didn’t get word until long after the call closed, and could only confirm with SFD that one person suffered “minor injuries.”
5:54 PM: Texter says a crew is working on the inside outside westbound lane on Admiral Way at 39th SW, and that’s causing a backup down the hill past Admiral Way Viewpoint. We’re checking to see what it’s about.
@westseattleblog #admiraldistrict pic.twitter.com/emTBrMZmu9
— brentamaker (@brentamaker) January 7, 2016
6:35 PM: Thanks to Brent for the video. It’s a Seattle Public Utilities water crew; we’re now inquiring with SPU to confirm whether it’s a break, who’s affected, and how long they’re likely to be working.
6:53 PM UPDATE: SPU spokesperson Andy Ryan tells us a two-inch water line broke/is leaking, and the crew should be done by 8 pm.
7:44 PM UPDATE: That timeline might slide, as a particular type of truck was still being awaited as of a short time ago. Ryan says no one should be without water but the flow is “throttled back” so some might have reduced water pressure.
12:16 AM: Commenters say the crew’s still at work and now hoping to fix it by morning.
(September photo of M/V Doc Maynard, by Mike)
Three and a half months after its ceremonial dedication, the M/V Doc Maynard will finally take over the King County Water Taxi’s West Seattle-to-Downtown Seattle run tomorrow. Just in from the King County Department of Transportation:
Pier modifications to Seacrest Dock and crew training have been completed clearing the way for the MV Doc Maynard to begin morning service on the West Seattle route tomorrow (Thursday) morning. The MV Doc Maynard will serve as the primary vessel on the West Seattle route with the Spirit of Kingston backing her up as necessary.
The vessel, built by All American Marine in Bellingham, carries 278 passengers, 131 more than the Spirit of Kingston. The added capacity will offer more room as the West Seattle route continues to grow. In 2015, the West Seattle route served over 313,000 passengers, an increase of nearly 11 percent from 2014.
Like the M/V Sally Fox that operates the Vashon run, the Doc Maynard has indoor and outdoor seating, ADA accessible bathrooms and wheelchair tie-downs, space for 26 bicycles and video screens that will display safety, schedule and trip information. But because the new vessel will be spending most of its time in the calmer waters of Elliott Bay, passengers will have access to an outdoor forward bow that will offer a better view of the sights.
The Doc Maynard was welcomed to the fleet with a dedication celebration in mid-September (WSB coverage here). The pier-modification work was done last month. The WS Water Taxi is on a Monday-Friday, commute-times-only schedule until early April, which means its debut run from West Seattle should be a 6:15 am Seacrest departure Thursday morning.
Thanks to West Seattle High School boys-basketball head coach Keffrey Fazio for sharing the clip from last night’s game, in which his #9-ranked team beat #4-ranked O’Dea 60-59, on the road, at the buzzer, on a shot by junior standout Nate Pryor. The coach adds, “Pryor also had 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Seniors Chaaka Trahan and Carter Golgart provided key plays down the stretch. Junior Akili Kasim had 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Junior Yusuf Mohamed had 9 points and 6 rebounds.” The Wildcats are now 6-0 in the Metro League, 9-1 overall, and will be back at home at 6:30 pm Saturday vs. Stadium HS.
P.S. The also-league-leading undefeated WSHS girls play at Holy Names tonight and are home against Eastside Catholic at 8 pm Friday.
(Added: Thanks to Angelina for the photo taken right after it happened)
12:11 PM: Thanks for the tips reporting a vehicle crash at the North Delridge Subway (Delridge/Andover). The 911 log shows a heavy-rescue call that canceled quickly. We’re en route for a look.
(WSB photo)
12:26 PM: Police at the scene say no one was hurt. Store management says the shop IS open – this damaged one of their two doors, but the other one – on the north end of the facade – is usable, and they will be finishing cleanup shortly. Police say the crash was caused by the driver hitting the gas pedal instead of the brake.
Two views from early today, as we start our daily preview – above, Lynn Hall shows us the pink sunrise light on the Olympics; below, the crescent moon, from Chris Frankovich:
Now, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
STORY TIMES: We list the local library story times on our calendar as often as possible, so if you’re interested, browse the calendar from time to time to look ahead. Today’s lineup includes Baby Story Time at 11:30 am and Somali Story Time at 5 pm, both at High Point Library. (35th SW & SW Raymond)
HOME OFFICE/COWORKING MEETUP: Noon today, get your new year in gear by networking – free weekly meetup at noon at West Seattle Office Junction (WSB sponsor). (6040 California SW)
Tonight:
(WSB photo from Monday’s City Council meeting)
COUNCILMEMBER LISA HERBOLD @ SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: Two days after her first meeting as our area’s City Councilmember, Lisa Herbold will be “in the district” for what’s billed as a “casual conversation” during tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting. All are welcome at SWDC, whose participants are representatives from community councils and other organizations in western West Seattle. 6:30 pm at the Sisson Building/Senior Center in The Junction. (SW Oregon & California SW)
JIM PAGE AT C & P: Singer-songwriter Jim Page is at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) tonight, 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
And, one more time:
HELICOPTER REMINDER: As noted here on Tuesday, Seattle Fire says a Black Hawk helicopter from the National Guard is expected to land at the Joint Training Facility in southeast West Seattle sometime today. (9401 Myers Way S.)
A unique, and much-needed, donation drive is under way this month at VAIN (WSB sponsor) in The Junction.
They’re one of six dropoff locations in the city collecting “pads, tampons, wet wipes, and underwear of various sizes and styles” for All Cycles, which provides menstrual products for homeless and income-insecure people in need. Chelsea from VAIN explains that it’s a “grassroots effort” started in the community; you can drop off unopened boxes/packages of the requested items at their West Seattle boutique/salon, 4513 California SW. The drive continues through February 20th.
(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:39 AM: Good morning! No incidents so far today in or from West Seattle and vicinity. If you listen to/watch regional traffic reports, you’ll hear about some areas outside Seattle with icy roads, but no trouble here – the morning temperature is warmer than it’s been in a while, in the 40s.
8:57 AM: Earlier this week, we mentioned Washington State Ferries‘ announcement that work was about to start to replace two pilings at the Fauntleroy dock. Paul Brannan sent this photo of a crane barge that’s arrived at the dock:
Our West Seattle Traffic page includes the webcam that should show whether/how this is affecting traffic on the dock as the day goes by.
9:13 AM: Crash reported on the Alaskan Way Viaduct at Western (just before the Battery St. Tunnel).
10:08 AM: Our note above about icelessness on local roads turns out to have been wrong. Melissa sends word that in Highland Park, 7th/8th/Trenton has black ice that led her and others to spin out. Be careful!
3:07 PM: Friday, if you’re in the Capitol Hill vicinity at noontime, note that former President Bill Clinton will be visiting to campaign for wife Hillary Clinton. Not sure yet how this might affect traffic but thought you’d want to know.
1:23 AM: We’ve heard from several people about possible gunshots in North Delridge a short time ago. We haven’t (yet) heard any confirmation of gunfire – police need to find casings and/or property damage for that – and definitely no victim(s) reported anywhere. Though a few people mentioned hearing a helicopter, the area’s one law-enforcement helicopter, Guardian One, is nowhere nearby, according to the last transmission we heard. We’re still checking – please let us know if/where you see police activity.
1:35 AM: One person who heard it says the 911 dispatcher confirmed police are looking into this. We’re off to see if we can find where they’re focusing.
ADDED 9:39 AM: While the full incident report isn’t available yet, we were able to get a few details from SPD media-relations Officer Lauren Lovanhill: She says “multiple bullet holes were found in a residence in the 5600 block of Delridge (Way SW),” and 32 casings were found in the front yard and driveway. Four people were seen running from the area and getting into a car. And she confirms that, as we believed to be the case at the time, no one was hit.
ADDED 8:27 PM: As noted in comments, the precinct’s second-in-command, Operations Lt. Ron Smith, was at tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting. This didn’t happen in that district and so wasn’t on the agenda but we talked to him briefly as soon as we saw him pre-meeting – he said so far there’s no indication any of the recent incidents are connected, and that this is being investigated by the department’s Real-Time Crime Unit and “intel” unit. The written report still wasn’t available by day’s end so we’ll renew our request for it tomorrow. The meeting’s guest speaker was newly inaugurated Councilmember Lisa Herbold; she was asked one question about public-safety issues in general, and said one that’s on her radar for starters is 911 response times, and she is working to get documentation on that from SPD.
In West Seattle Crime Watch, we’ve been featuring an increasing number of “found” items that are suspected to have been stolen – from bicycles to bags – and helpful readers have gotten some of those items back to their owners. Here’s the latest discovery: Rico found that safe during his morning walk today: “At about 11:00 a.m., I saw a floor safe lying on the concrete sidewalk just south of Alki Point, opposite the old sewage treatment plant. It had been broken open. There were empty coin rolls on it and near it. The instructions to the safe were nearby.” Lose a safe? Had one stolen? Know somebody who has?
Summit Public Schools, the California-based organization that wants to open a charter school in a former church/supermarket building in Arbor Heights, has announced what it calls a “stopgap measure” for the two schools it opened this fall in the International District and Tacoma: “Home-based instruction.” Regional director Jen Wickens e-mailed this announcement:
Summit Public Charter Schools Offers Free, Personalized, High Quality Home-Based Instruction to Enrolled Families
This is a stop gap measure as the legislature works to find a permanent fix to keep public charter schools open across stateSummit Public School’s mission is to prepare a diverse student population for success in a four-year college, and to be thoughtful, contributing members of society. Everyone at Summit has been working hard to continue to provide the personalized, high quality education promised to our families despite the court’s decision this fall ruling our state’s public charter school law unconstitutional.
After exploring all possible options, we believe the best way for us to be able to offer the same high quality academic experience to our students is to transition to Home-based Instruction (also known as homeschooling).
We are able to do this because Washington law allows parents the right to choose to homeschool their children and parents can also choose to have their children attend academic programming, tutoring and classes offered by certificated teachers.
Summit Olympus and Summit Sierra will officially become “tutoring centers” and our students will be enrolled in Home-based Instruction. Despite the shift in educational program category, we will continue to offer the exact same Summit experience to each of our families – a free, personalized program with our outstanding and dedicated faculty.
We will also continue to work toward a long-term legislative fix to keep public charter schools open across the state. Students and families are entitled to a high-quality education, and they should have a choice of where they attend school. Students and parents deserve this choice and the voters supported them.
Summit originally intended to open a middle/high school called Summit Atlas next fall in the former Freedom Church/Safeway building at 35th and Roxbury that Washington Charter School Development purchased for $4.75 million last summer to redevelop. After the state Supreme Court ruled the 2012 charter law unconstitutional in September, Summit announced last month that it would postpone its hoped-for opening until fall 2017. The building is currently vacant; Freedom Church had leased it back for a while but has now moved to a new site it bought in Skyway. We first discovered the 35th/Roxbury school plan almost exactly a year ago, after documents were filed with city planners.
| 9 COMMENTS