LWSD reboundary fails to utilize empty classrooms, saddles unincorporated Redmond with more portables to further overcrowd area's bursting schools and classrooms
What:
The Lake Washington School District board plans to vote on Superintendent Traci Pierce's reboundary recommendation, which would send even more students to the district's most crowded schools in unincorporated Redmond rather than utilize empty permanent classrooms at nearby, recently renovated schools.
Evergreen Middle School's capacity is projected to jump from a crowded 872 to 1,120 students, with kids from City of Redmond schools being bused in to a school that will be as much as 46 percent over original building capacity. The district intends to spend $2.5 million to add four portables and restroom portables to the nine already on site, and create smaller teacher planning spaces to squeeze more students into the school. A flawed community feedback process didn't include outreach to the Evergreen community, or reveal middle-school numbers to the affected elementary feeder schools despite public requests to share this.
Who:
School and community members in unincorporated Redmond are contacting the school board through the weekend to request a voting delay on this ill-advised and fiscally irresponsible plan. Community members from east-Redmond elementaries and Evergreen Middle School will speak at Monday's school board meeting.
Why:
The current reboundary plan disproportionately impacts unincorporated Redmond by sending overflow from schools within the City of Redmond to already-crowded east-Redmond schools.
Who Should Attend:
All residents of King County who are concerned with excessive school overcrowding in our area should attend. Schools and communities in unincorporated Redmond are most significantly impacted by overcrowded schools and classrooms in the Lake Washington School District's current reboundary plan. Comments may be submitted to board@lwsd.org.
When:
Monday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. (start of board meeting, which includes 30-minute public-comment period on the reboundary topic)
Where:
Board Room, LWSD Resource Center
(near the Marriott at Redmond Town Center)
16250 NE 74th Street
Redmond, WA 98052
16250 NE 74th Street
Redmond, WA 98052
The LWSD Boundary Committee published enrollment projections for other middle schools (Kirkland/Rose Hill) effected by boundary changes but failed to do so for Evergreen Middle. Up to 120 students will be effected plus the cost for 4 additional portables with the EMS change vs. 53 for Kirkland/Rose Hill change and zero portables. Many in the Redmond Ridge community feel mislead by the omittance of enrollment projections of EMS.
ReplyDeleteIt is infuriating that LWSD wants to "balance enrollment" of about 2100 students between Redmond Middle School and Evergreen Middle School even though they differ drastically in size.*
ReplyDeleteHow is it "balancing enrollment" when 1041 students will be subjected to severe overcrowding at Evergreen - a school built for 735 - 41% over original building capacity vs 1121 at Redmond Middle - a school built for 921 - or 21% over original building capacity?
Students who have been subjected to attending Rosa Parks which was 75% over original capacity JUST NEVER CATCH A BREAK! Why?
*LWSD Capital Facilities Plan 2014-2019
Bob - I used the wrong numbers from the CRP. Pleae post this instead.
ReplyDeleteIt is infuriating that LWSD wants to "balance enrollment" of about 2100 students between Redmond Middle School and Evergreen Middle School even though they differ drastically in size.*
How is it "balancing enrollment" when 1041 students will be subjected to severe overcrowding at Evergreen - a school built for 672 - 55% over original building capacity vs 1121 at Redmond Middle - a school built for 841 - or 32% over original building capacity?
Students who have been subjected to attending Rosa Parks which was 75% over original capacity JUST NEVER CATCH A BREAK! Why?
*LWSD Capital Facilities Plan 2014-2019
It's hard to believe the district didn't notify the Evergreen community of the huge impacts to students and families BEFORE the feedback process closed. They just posted information today on their website: how is that inclusive of community feedback?
ReplyDeleteThe district obviously had a plan in mind before seeking input to begin with, sounds like a false process to me. Not a wise use of existing resources and taxpayer funds either.
It would be great if someone would attend the meeting to support the recommendation and encourage the board to make a decision so families can plan for next year. The district is in a tough spot, with limited options. Without money for buildings, they are stuck with portables, and those portables can only go where there is room for them. None of us like our overcrowded schools, but our district needs to make the most of what the voters have given us.
ReplyDeleteThis process began in September and the impacts at EMS were announced at the meeting 12/1 and on the website.
There is room to improve, particularly with how enrollment projections are presented, and how special programs are represented in those numbers, but I applaud the efforts to get the word out about this process.
Steve Hitch
LWSD needs to wake up. The people didn't pass bonds because they didn't want to spend more money yet LWSD is going to waste money by adding portables to schools that are slotted to be remodeled... That makes no scene. Change the learning community to push the growth toward the areas that are less crowded. LWSD already has issues with bussing and now they want to push kids to schools that are father away than other school with space in Kirkland and Fin Hill, its CRAZY!
ReplyDeleteSteve - It sounds like many of those who object were unaware of the 12/1 meeting. The results from that meeting should have been posted on the website much earlier than yesterday to avoid resentments.
ReplyDeleteThis is unacceptable...all our elementary schools are already overcrowded, which would mean that these kids would automatically overcrowd the feeding middle school (Evergreen middle). If the board brings in kids from other neighborhoods to burst the school at its seams now, what would happen when the local kids graduate out of elem. schools? The kids are already in compromised learning environments...
ReplyDeleteIn response to Steve Hitch's comment: the district only made available the Evergreen enrollment projections *yesterday* (1/21). Any community feedback based solely on general emails, newsletters or meetings held up until that point is invalid, because we didn't have this key information.
ReplyDeleteSuch a flawed process cannot move a plan forward with such significant, lasting negative impacts--over an undefined number of years--to so many students and families. The district says the plan is "temporary," but it's uncertain whether future ballot measures will pass considering recent failures. Once added, portables remain on sites indefinitely due to the high cost of relocation.
It's important for families to have time to plan, but the district can still develop new community-inclusive scenarios while also providing ample notice for enrolling families.
Several readers have said the LWSD website was updated yesterday with Evergreen MS boundary information. I can't find it. Can any of you tell me where it's on the website? LWSD started a "Boundary Blog" and the latest post on that is early December!
ReplyDeleteBob, the district's post yesterday on middle-school projections is at this link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lwsd.org/News/Reboundary/Pages/default.aspx
Bob commented that the results from the 12/1 Redmond Learning Area meeting should have been posted on the website earlier than yesterday. All the scenarios that were presented on 12/1 WERE available on the LWSD website on 12/1, shortly before the meeting. The meeting was an open house that showed the scenarios, and community input could be given on paper forms at the meeting and online, so attending the meeting was not necessary. All three Redmond area scenarios showed a shift of about 120 students from RMS to EMS. Email from the district on 11/25 specifically said scenarios were being developed to shift 100-150 students from RMS to EMS. The district has sought community input over and over again. I agree with Steve's comment above that the decision needs to be made. My son will likely have to leave the school we've had kids at for 8 years. I'm not happy about that, but it is the consequence of the bonds not passing. Putting off the decision will only make things more difficult.
ReplyDeleteThe district only yesterday published *specific* enrollment numbers for Evergreen and Redmond middle schools for each of the two scenarios over the three years projected. This was not available previously, as it was for middle schools in other learning communities.
ReplyDeleteA link to actual data should have been shared with impacted parents and community members in advance of the feedback deadline. Many parents still have *no idea* about the true scope of the overcrowding that Evergreen will face for an unknown number of years (no guarantee a bond measure will pass in three years). Evergreen will be slammed with a capacity of 1,120 students from an original building capacity of 672. Student learning experiences *will* be impacted.
The district has only a short time to make this right, but it can be done by slightly extending the kindergarten enrollment date. The district has done too little, too late to make this a viable recommendation.
To Bob and "anonymous" -
ReplyDeleteI agree that the District posted information about 120 students affected, with more detail on 1/21, which seems kind of late in the game.
However, the district shared with us all that there would be impacts to Evergreen at the December 1 meeting. That meeting was announced to us all with direct email and opportunities to be added to mailing lists if we want to stay informed about the process.
The December 1 information was also posted to the website. It said 113 students would be affected in the feeder schools and that it would impact Evergreen. The numbers posted yesterday add a lot of clarifying detail based on the final recommendation that was formed based on community feedback. The numbers changed from 113 to 120 in their final proposal, but I don't think that change is significant. Calling that a "false process" with no notification is unfair criticism, in my book.
I get that not everyone pays attention, it is hard to stay on top of so many things going on. We are all very busy, but what more should the district do to announce these meetings then send a direct email to each student's parent (which they did), and post the information on their website (which they did)?
Also, "growing schools in areas that are less crowded" sounds easy, but there are limits at each building site. With the failed levy, there isn't money to remodel buildings, so we're stuck with portables. Portables can only be placed at sites that are big enough to accommodate them.
None of us are happy about the overcrowding. I am very frustrated about it. I think the district is doing their best to find ways to give our kids an education within the resource limitations that the voters (and our state legislators) have given us.
If someone wants to attend the board meeting to complain about the process, I hope they come prepared with specific ideas of how such a process could be improved.
If someone wants to complain about the recommendations that came from the process, I hope they come prepared with specific solutions. Something more than: "not in my backyard".
And I hope the district can share some more detail about all the analysis that has been done that has led to the recommendation and why other alternatives don't work, to satisfy those who are unhappy with the outcome.
Thanks for your comments, Steve and thanks for posting your name.
ReplyDeleteHas any one checked out traffic at Evergreen for drop off? I just got home from there, and the traffic was backed up to the stoplight at Union Hill Rd and 208th. With the overcrowding on the buses, more and more parents seem to be driving their kids to school, and picking up. The buses have to honk at the cars to get out of the way. Also, there is no left turn lane into the school. Cars are crossing a double yellow line, and passing on the right shoulder. They are also dropping off in the Dickinson bus shoot, which is a no, no. Do you recall the Nov. 6th pop bottle bomb in the Bus zone at Dickinson?
ReplyDeleteAdding Portables at Rural Schools is a Regional Planning Issue
ReplyDeleteKing County's Growth Management Planning Council convened a School Siting Task Force in 2012 to address the issue of school districts building schools in rural areas and then sending city kids out to the schools. The Task Force made a rule that no new schools could be built outside the Urban Growth Boundary, but didn't have time to address the issue of whether existing rural schools could be remodeled or be expanded.
The intent of the School Siting Task Force was to require school districts to build inside city boundaries where most people live and where ALL of the new homes, condos and apartments are being built. Chip Kimball, the school district's previous superintendent was on the Task Force so the district was aware of the Task Force's recommendation.
The Lake Washington School District has been tone-deaf to the intent of the School Siting Task Force and the needs of its students and families. The district has decided to add most of the new classroom portables and remodeled space at its rural schools. It plans to send HUNDREDS of additional students out to rural schools from inside the Redmond and Sammamish city limits. The district says they must add portables to rural schools because that is the only place that space is available. This is just NOT true.
The school district has known for nearly three years that King County's Growth Management Planning Council (GMPC) and the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) do not want students who live in cities to be sent to rural schools. Both of these governing bodies have a mandate to create regional development plans and objectives that dictate how, when and where growth occurs. Vision 2040's MPP-PS-21 & 22 dictate that new school facilities (even if it is a portable or remodeled space) should be located inside cities.* The school district has a mandate to follow their rules and recommendations. LWSD should not be adding classroom capacity to Evergreen, Alcott, Dickinson or Wilder and students should not be required to leave the city to go to these rural schools.
In addition to contacting the Lake Washington School District School Board, parents should contact King County, the GMPC and the PSRC. In your email, note that students will not be able to walk, bike or even ride a Metro bus to/from the rural schools because they are located on dangerous rural roads far from the students' homes. Tell King County not to issue Building Permits and Conditional Use Permits for the interior remodels and portables. (The PSRC does have the authority to freeze King County's transportation funds if the county issues permits that don't comply with Vision 2040 - so that just might be an incentive for the county not to issue the permits...)
Send email about this issue to:
King County Executive - Dow Constantine (natasha.jones@kingcounty.gov)
King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert (kathy.lambert@kingcounty.gov)
Growth Management Planning Council - Karen Wolf (karen.wolf@kingcounty.gov)
Puget Sound Regional Council - Rick Olsen (rolsen@psrc.org)
*(http://www.psrc.org/assets/1745/Public_Services.pdf)