Set
in the heart of Wallingford, just west of the University of Washington, Latona
Elementary has been a popular neighborhood school for decades. After an extensive,
yearlong renovation, Latona was reborn as the John Stanford International School
in the Fall of 2000. You can see a quick tour of the
building here.
Located
near 41st and Latona, the building features modern classrooms, advanced technology
connections, a library with books in many languages, and interior design elements
reflecting a world culture. All this, and a sweeping view of Lake Union and
Seattle's skyline beyond it.
The Latona campus was platted in 1889 by Moore. The site was between the present 4th Ave NE and 5th Ave NE and NE 42nd and NE 40th.
The 
first
school on the site was built in 1891 and was a two storied wooden structure.
Although eventually demolished in 1917, the building was used for manual training
and home economics classes after the new school was built. The new school was
a wooden framed building with twin octagonal towers designed by James Stephen
and built in 1906. It housed 8 classrooms and faced 5th Ave NE.
The brick, "fire proof" building as designed by Edgar Blair and built in 1917.
There was a cream-colored, terra cotta main entry facing NE 42nd street. The
number of classrooms increased to 16. When the freeway was built in 1957, it
divided the neighborhood and caused many families to move.
Latona School remained a neighborhood school until the late 1970's when a group
of Latino families at the University of Washington wanted to start a school
similar to Alternative School #2 at University Heights. The children would receive
Spanish instruction during the school day. The parents were granted status as
Alternative School #3, called Escuela Latona, and collocated at Latona School
with the neighborhood program.
The Parents' groups of the two schools combined in the mid 1980's. The two academic
programs began working closely together and unity of the two schools was declared
officially by the Seattle School District in 1993. After this date, all children
were taught Spanish, all went to Physical Education and Music or Computers in
addition to their core academic classes.
In Fall 1999 Latona School moved its program to an interim site at Lincoln High
while the Latona building underwent extensive renovation. The John Stanford
International School opened its doors in the Fall of 2000.