We first reported four weeks ago on plans to add 4 portable classrooms at Madison Middle School. The early-stage site plan shows the expected placement on the north side of the campus. Today, the city sent an announcement that it’s forming a community advisory committee to consider whether a zoning modification can be granted to allow the placement:

Here’s your chance to serve on an advisory committee that will recommend whether to grant a modification to a City zoning regulation for Madison Middle School at 3429 45th Ave SW. The Seattle School District is requesting to provide less than required on-site parking in order to add portables.

The committee will convene up to three public meetings at or near Madison Middle School over a three-month period. The committee will receive briefings from the School District, and gather and evaluate public comment on the departure request. Following these meetings, the committee will make a recommendation to the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) to either grant or deny the requested modification. The committee may also recommend relevant conditions to be applied to granting the change to minimize its impact on the surrounding neighborhood. SDCI will make the final decision.

Those who can apply to the committee are neighbors who live or own a business within 600’ of Madison Middle School, residents in the surrounding neighborhood, representatives of city-wide education issues, and parents of potential Madison Middle School students. Other committee members will include a representative from the School District and City of Seattle.

To apply, send a letter of interest by Wednesday, March 14 that includes your address, information about yourself and your interest in serving on this committee to:

Maureen Sheehan
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods
PO Box 94649
Seattle, WA 98124-4649

Email: Maureen.sheehan@seattle.gov

That’s also who to contact with questions.

12:19 PM: On the same day that students returned to class at the Florida high school where 17 people were killed two weeks ago, the Seattle School Board will at its “work session” meeting this afternoon/evening consider a resolution to go on record supporting gun laws and the nationwide march in support of them. The board –
led by president Leslie Harris, who represents West Seattle and South Park – will consider a resolution “to declare support for sensible gun safety legislation, declare opposition to efforts to arm educators in our schools, and declare support of the March for Our Lives on March 24, 2018.” The “sensible … legislation” is described in the resolution as:

• raising the age to purchase assault weapons to 21,

• implementing Enhanced Background Checks for Assault Weapons,

• banning the purchase and sale of “assault” or semi- automatic rifles and of any accessories designed to increase a gun’s rate of fire,

• establishing safety programs in schools that do NOT include arming educators or staff,

• eliminating private gun sale loopholes,

• providing funding for thorough gun violence research, including removing the prohibition on research and data collection by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC);

• supporting prevention, intervention and community re-entry programs that reduce community and gun violence; and

• increased funding for programs and school staffing (i.e. counselors, nurses, and psychologists) that support student mental health, social and emotional learning, and antibullying; and therefore be it further

RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the Seattle School District supports legislation currently under consideration by the Washington State Legislature that would enact some of the above measures, including Engrossed Senate Bill 5992, Senate Bill 6620 and House Bill 3004; and therefore be it further

RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the Seattle School District wholly rejects the misguided suggestion, advanced by President Donald J. Trump, the National Rifle Association (NRA) and some members of the Washington State Legislature, that it is either desirable or appropriate to arm teachers in schools for any purpose, and will maintain existing prohibition of firearms at school and will NOT support any effort to arm educators and staff; and therefore be it further

RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the Seattle School District wholly endorses and will
participate in the student-led March for Our Lives on March 24, 2018.

That march is planned to start on Capitol Hill and head to Seattle Center. Meantime, you can read the entire resolution in the agenda for tonight’s special “work session” meeting, which has other items including a budget discussion and a briefing on potential ways to “re-vision” high school starting in the 2019-2020 school year – see the full agenda here.

TODAY’S MEETING: Since it’s a “work session,” there’s no public comment period, but it’s open to the public, 4:30-6:45 pm at district HQ in SODO (3rd/Lander).

6:23 PM: The board approved the resolution, according to the SPS Twitter feed; here’s what was published on the district website.