3 years ago we moved to Alki directly across the street from the Elem school from Burien. It was midyear my kids were attached to their schools in Burien so we all got up super early and I drove them to Burien and paid for before and after school care to enure they got safely to and from their schools.
I enrolled my 2 boys the first day of open enrollment for the next school year.
My eldest was accepted to Madison our first choice and closest middle school. We live 1.7 miles from the school so he does not qualify for a yellow bus. But that 1.7 mile includes the Admiral Hill. District did not care. So I drove him in the mornings and he took metro home which we paid for untill this year when a magical voucher appeared in the mail. I don't know why the change but hey we will take it. Not so bad ...we make it work.
My youngest on the other hand ....placement has been a red tape nightmare. Despite living across the street from Alki Elem and listing it as our first choice, somehow my son ended up placed at West Seattle Elem which was number 5 on our choice list. We accepted this, put him on the wait list for Alki and started our first year waiting for the bus. And waiting and waiting and waiting. His pick up time has always been listed as 7:35. For 2 years we have arrived at the stop by 7:25 and have had actual arrival as late as 8:30. Thank God I have a flexible employer. Several times its just not shown up. Calling transport office is a joke you sit on hold longer then it takes for the bus to show or you just get cut off...I think there might be an automatic timer that cuts you at 40 mins hold time.
West Seattle Elem is a failing school. Last year we were given the option to be placed at a school meeting its test scores and I took the option by mail. So I was suprised when my sons school assignment for this year was still West Seattle Elem. I called the district sat on hold over 30 mins each time to have the first service person tell me only a 2nd level rep could help me so back on hold for second level rep, another long wait. They would then tell me that no there was a special person who could help me only and let me transfer you to their direct line. Could I have that number in case I need to contact them again? No. I can only be transferred. Well this special placement person doesn't answer their phone and believe me it rings forever and wow! they don't have voicemail. So after a few daily rounds of that battle I insisted the 2nd level rep stay on the line with me during the transfer. This led me to being tranferred to another person and leaving them a voicemail for a few days in a row and finally a call back that they were not the right person but try this other direct line. I left yet another voicemail that was never returned but I did recieve physical mail asking me to choose which school meeting thier tests score with room I would like to send my son to. One is in Queen Anne, the only other option Columbia City. Seriously. My goal was to get my son into the school across the street from our home. Is this not what the district keeps saying is their long term goal as well to have all children attending thier closest school?
Then came the completly confusing press release of some children losing transportation because their schools are too far away.I followed links, made calls, tried to understand that damn map they released and in the end was told wait for your letter. Once again our family had hope that our youngest would be placed across the street.
Got our letter today and nope! We are still placed at West Seattle Elem and on top of that now my son has to catch the bus at ...you got it Alki Elem...lets rub it in his face just a little more that he cant go there. We are still on the wait list they even claim he is number 1 on the wait list for Alki but I don't see it happening.
Oh, AND Madison starts early this year...youngest pick up is later which means school district thinks I can be in two places at once...driving my eldest and supervising my youngest while waiting for the bus.
westseattleblog
West Seattle Blog
West Seattle Blog
