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March 12, 2015 at 8:50 pm #816959
BeeLeeParticipantWe are moving to West Seattle soon. Still so much to learn. Investigating schools for our children. Can anyone provide color on the new school going up where the old Pathfinder school was located on Genesee Hill? I believe it is slated to open in fall 2016.
I read on the Seattle school website this school will take on the Schmitz Park Elementary school kids, and that campus will be closed. Is that correct? I saw a projected enrollment for the new school of 600-700. That seems like a lot for an elementary school. Will it be a K-5 school?
Is there a general sense or discussion about how this school will be? I make an assumption (though not necessarily correct) that a new school will garner a lot of focus and attention, which might make it a better-performing school, at least initially.
Whatever info you can provide is greatly appreciated!
March 12, 2015 at 9:07 pm #822767
ericakMemberThe info you have above is correct, K-5 and I have heard about 650 students which will make it the largest (i think) elementary school in the city.
We specifically chose to live in the area that feeds into this school – have heard some great things about Schmitz Park and am hoping for that reason and those listed above will result in a positive experience for our child. Pay close attention to the neighborhood boundaries for the schools as they are changing slightly over the next couple of years and are well mapped on the SPS website.
March 12, 2015 at 10:47 pm #822768
fc43ParticipantIt is not a new school per se. It is a new building for currently existing Schmitz Park Elementary. The school with its 610 students has long overgrown its current building. My child is attending SP and we absolutely love the school. Can’t wait until the school relocates!
March 13, 2015 at 5:24 am #822769
tttParticipantEven though the building will be new, it sounds like it will open at capacity. Most ws elementaries are busting at the seams. We wish it was opening sooner and we have heard great things about the svhool from our friends that have children already attending.
March 13, 2015 at 7:37 pm #822770
imeldaMembermy kids are both at Schmitz Park. It’s too big and getting even bigger – a “mega school”. My advice would be to go somewhere smaller. It’s just too much.
March 14, 2015 at 6:11 am #822771
BeeLeeParticipantThis is all very interesting. Thanks to all of you for writing in. I suppose there must be some logic involved, but it seems so odd to me that a new building would be built, only to shut down another, thus not at all alleviating the overcrowding issue. ?! I have seen the current SP elementary school and I know there are many temp buildings, so obviously this had to change. But still, the new school solves nothing except to get the kids into nicer facilities. I would hope this old school that is being vacated can somehow be salvaged and used as a smaller elementary school w/o the temp buildings. Then, you’ve got some relief from the overcrowding. Of course opening a new school takes capital.
Those of you who have kids at Schmitz Park, what is the average class size (teacher/kid ratio)? 610 is enormous for K-5. How do you manage to not feel like a number? Thank you again for this information. Lots to chew on here.
March 14, 2015 at 6:42 am #822772
imeldaMemberClass size is good. 23-24 in 4th grade. The teachers/staff do a great job of making it not feel mega, but it is just so big and crowded. Bathroom facilities are 3rd world, very few toilets for hundreds of kids. No running water in the portables. That all won’t matter in the next few years. It really comes down to what you want. If you are ok with mega, then you’ll like SPE.
March 14, 2015 at 3:24 pm #822773
tttParticipantAren’t the primary grades higher than 24? The new building is being built so the sp kids don’t have to have all the portables/bathroom problems anymore. There has been district talk that the old sp building will eventually be renovated and possibly become a preschool building. The only negative things i have heard about sp are the size/overcrowding problems. With all the new apts going in in the junction area and the already over enrolled schools in the north end, more will have to be done in the near future to help alleviate school crowding. We’ve been watching any news on sp since our kids will go there.
March 14, 2015 at 5:05 pm #822774
BonnieParticipantBe careful looking at the lines because they have changed the boundaries for all schools several times in the last few years. They will change the boundaries and take away your busing. Even moving across the street from the school is no guarantee they won’t make the dividing line that street. (crazy, but it’s like that for the Roxhill school) Before you make a decision where to live based on that school alone look at all the schools. Arbor Heights is getting a new building too, but you may not want to live that far south. (we do and love it but not everybody wants to live farther away from the Junction/WS Bridge, etc.)
Good luck! I have friends whose kids go to SP and they are happy.
March 14, 2015 at 8:37 pm #822775
CSWSParticipantThe ‘old’ Schmitz Park building is slated to become the Early Childhood Programs facility for SPS. Of course I swear I saw that in a document or story somewhere and can not find anything of the sort in my on-line search!
March 14, 2015 at 10:31 pm #822776
BeeLeeParticipantThere will be a nice old school available for use once Westside School moves to its new facility. Would be nice to see that turned back into a school for SPS.
March 15, 2015 at 3:38 am #822777
fatkittyParticipantI heard that EC Hughes was going to stay an interim site in case they need it for emergencies. Kind of like the Boren building was before STEM moved in.
March 15, 2015 at 4:59 am #822778
I WonderMemberSP is like your favorite restaurant; when everyone hears about it, they want to get in. There’s a reason for that. Its a great community with a strong administration and teachers. 5 years ago when we started, it was about 320 students It has now doubled in size since then. I attribute it to the population boom; and that many families now desire to move into the SP footprint because of the schools strong reputation. They have an excellent math program, music, art, after school enrichment programs (like music, foreign language, lego club, arts). The PTA is very strong, the parents very supportive, and they wear bra’s. -g- They are bursting at the seams and need extra room badly. Take the kinder tour, you cn find out for yourself. Just because it has grown into a large school, it hasn’t lost its luster.
March 15, 2015 at 7:18 am #822779
LynnParticipantThe city’s legislators have requested funding from the state to retrofit and reopen the EC Hughes building.
March 16, 2015 at 2:59 am #822780
BeeLeeParticipantGood to hear that SP is well-run and that there seems to be some thoughts and activity in the future for EC Hughes. Thanks again, everyone. This has been very helpful.
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