Balancing Capacity Across the District
How to Get Involved

The capacity management process will include building closures and program moves and changes. While these actions are necessary, they are among the most challenging decisions that school districts face. Students, families, staff and community members are encouraged to stay involved in this process.

E-mail Updates

E-mail capacity@seattleschools.org to sign up for periodic updates via e-mail. Type in "Subscribe" in the subject line.

Comments and Questions

Comments and questions may be directed to capacity@seattleschools.org. All comments will be reviewed and opinions considered as the process continues. Due to the volume of correspondence expected, most questions will be answered via additions to the Frequently Asked Questions document.

Would you like to make a recommendation for building closure? Please send your recommendation to capacity@seattleschools.org. All recommendations must include how they support the Guidelines for Building Closure.

Comments may also be sent to the School Board at schoolboard@seattleschools.org; via U.S. mail to School Board, P.O. Box 34165, MS 11-010, Seattle, WA, 98124-1165. The School Board office phone number is (206) 252-0040.

NEW! Quarterly Community Meetings (May) to discuss updates
on Strategic Plan, development of new Student Assignment Plan,
information about upcoming levies, as well as other key topics

Families, staff and community members are invited to attend a series of community meetings in May to discuss Seattle Public Schools' Strategic Plan Excellence for All, development of the new Student Assignment Plan, information about upcoming levies, as well as other key topics. Interpreters will be available. The meetings are scheduled for:

Tuesday, May 5, 2009
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Ingraham High School, library
1819 N. 135th St.
Seattle, WA 98133

Thursday, May 7, 2009
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Filipino Community Center
5740 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Seattle, WA 98118

Saturday, May 9, 2009
10 a.m. to noon
John Stanford Center, auditorium
2445 3rd Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98134


Quarterly Community Meetings (March) to discuss updates
on Strategic Plan, high school math materials adoption,
new Student Assignment Plan and other key topics

Families, staff and community members are invited to attend a series of community meetings in March to discuss Seattle Public Schools' Strategic Plan Excellence for All, high school math materials adoption, and the new Student Assignment Plan. The Strategic Plan establishes the framework for moving Seattle Public Schools toward the goal of all students achieving at high levels and graduating ready for college, career and life. Interpreters will be available. The meetings are scheduled for:

Saturday, March 21, 2009
10 a.m. to noon
John Stanford Center, Auditorium
2445 3rd Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98134

Tuesday, March 24, 2009
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Urban Impact, Main Office
7728 Rainier Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98118

Thursday, March 26, 2009
Ballard High School, Library
1418 N.W. 65th St.
Seattle, WA 98117

For more information, contact Susan Hall at (206) 252-0994 or e-mail at slhall@seattleschools.org

Quarterly Community Meetings (January) to discuss updates on
Strategic Plan, 2009-10 budget, Student Assignment Plan Seattle Public Schools' Strategic Plan, Excellence for All, establishes the framework for moving the District toward the goal of all students achieving at high levels and graduating ready for college, career and life. Three community meetings were held in January to provide an update on the implementation of Excellence for All, budget planning for 2009-10, the new Student Assignment Plan, and other key topics. All staff, families and community members were invited. Dates, times and locations are as follows:

Community Workshops on Preliminary Recommendations
for Capacity Management and Building Closure - Workshop Feedback

Community workshops were conducted on Thursday, December 4 and Saturday, December 6 to consult with the public, present information and listen to concerns and ideas. A number of recent studies have urged Seattle Public Schools to balance its capacity, both in terms of overall excess capacity as well as geographic location. Click on the links below for feedback from the workshops.

• Thursday, December 4, 6:30-8:30 p.m. John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence, Auditorium 2445 3rd Avenue South, Seattle, WA. Workshop Feedback.

• Saturday, December 6, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Filipino Community Center, Main Ballroom, 5740 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Seattle, WA. Workshop Feedback.

Public hearings were held at buildings proposed for closure on Monday, December 15, and Tuesday, December 16. The Lowell meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18 was rescheduled to January 20 because of adverse weather conditions. See details below.

Individual School and Program Community Meetings

Principals organized meetings for schools and programs most directly affected by the preliminary recommendations. The following community meetings were held to allow time to hear questions and concerns from our school community:

Friday, Dec. 5, 2008

• Meany Middle School - 301 21st Ave. E., 6:30-8:30 p.m. completed

Monday, Dec. 8, 2008

• Bailey Gatzert Elementary - 1301 E. Yesler Way, 6-7 p.m. completed
• Hawthorne Elementary (Library) - 4100 39th Ave. S., 8-9:30 a.m. completed

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008

• Arbor Heights Elementary - 3701 SW 104th St., 6-7 p.m. completed
• Hawthorne Elementary (Library) - 4100 39th Ave. S., 6:30-8 p.m. completed
• Rainier Beach High School - 8815 Seward Park S., 6-8 p.m. completed

Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008

• African American Academy - 8311 Beacon Ave. S., 5:30-7:30 p.m. completed
• Madrona K-8 - 1121 33rd Ave., 4:30-5:30 p.m. completed
• Summit K-12 @ Jane Addams - 11051 34th Ave. NE, 6-8 p.m. completed
• Thurgood Marshall Elementary - 2401 S. Irvin St., 6-7 p.m. completed

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008

• Leschi Elementary - 135 32nd Ave., 6-7 p.m. completed

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008

• Montlake Elementary - 2409 22nd Ave. E., 6-7 p.m. completed

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008

• Cooper Elementary - 1901 S.W. Genesee St., 7-8:30 p.m. - rescheduled to Jan. 13 because of weather conditions - completed
• Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center - 411 Boston St., 6-8 p.m. - rescheduled to Jan. 15 because of weather conditions - completed
  
  

Public Hearings on Building Closure

Public hearings were held at buildings proposed for closure from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on the days and locations below.

Monday, Dec. 15, 2008

• T.T. Minor - 1700 E. Union St. completed Transcripts
• Pinehurst - 11530 12th Ave. N.E. completed Transcripts
• Van Asselt - 7201 Beacon Ave. S. completed Transcripts

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008

• Genesee Hill - 5012 S.W. Genesee St. completed Transcripts
• Mann - 2410 E. Cherry St. completed Transcripts
• Old Hay - 411 Boston St. completed Transcripts

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009

• Lowell - 1058 E. Mercer St. rescheduled from Dec. 18 to Jan. 20 because of weather conditions - completed Transcripts

Key dates in the building closure timeline include:

• October 29 School Board directs Superintendent to accelerate work on capacity management completed
• November 25 Preliminary recommendations presented by the Superintendent, and discussed by the Board at a School Board workshop at 6:00 p.m., John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence, 2445 3rd Avenue South. This workshop will be videotaped for later streaming on our Web site. completed
• December 3* School Board meeting - discussion of recommendations completed
• December 4 Community consultative workshop, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence completed
• December 6 Community consultative workshop, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Filipino Community Center, 5740 Martin Luther King Way completed
• December 15, 16, 18 public hearings at buildings proposed for closure. completed (Dec. 18 hearing for Lowell was rescheduled for Jan. 20 and was completed)
• December 17* School Board Meeting completed
• January 6 Final Recommendation released. completed
• January 7 Recommended Motion introduced at School Board meeting completed
• January 20 Public hearing at Lowell building, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. completed
• January 21* School Board meeting completed
• January 22 Final public hearing at John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence completed Transcripts
• January 29 Board vote on recommendation completed

* Regularly scheduled School Board meetings are televised on SPS TV Channel 26.

School Board Meetings - Public Testimony:
December 3 and 17, 2008; completed
January 7; completed
January 21; completed and
January 22 completed.

One hour was reserved for public testimony at every regular legislative session held by the School Board. Public testimony was one of the first items on the agenda. There were three-minute slots available for up to 20 individuals. Sign-ups for public testimony were accepted beginning at 8 a.m. on the Monday before each regular board meeting. (December 3, 17, January 7 and 21). The final public hearing was January 22.

School Board meetings are broadcast live on SPS TV Channel 26, broadcast periodically, and also posted to seattlechannel.org.

Last Updated:
April 27, 2009 12:09 PM