West Seattle schools: Lafayette Elementary’s new portable arrives

More heavy equipment in the Admiral District today, not far from the ongoing work at the Safeway redevelopment site. Thanks to the WSB’ers who sent tips on this: West Seattle’s most populous elementary school — 500+ students — is getting its new double portable today, before midwinter-break week ends. A crane is helping move the portable into position at Lafayette Elementary, as you can see in our photo. We first reported almost two months ago that Lafayette, Gatewood, and Schmitz Park Elementary Schools would each get a new portable sometime before the next school year, to help handle growing enrollment.

ADDED: As WSB’ers pointed out, the Gatewood and Schmitz Park portables have arrived too. Here’s our photo from Saturday showing the one on the Gatewood playground:

madashell February 25, 2011 (4:33 pm)

Get with the program people. There are many parents citywide who have recognized where our “super’s” priorities are. Obviously, it is NOT with the education of our children. Likewise, our WS School Board director has spent more time behind her coattails than helping West Seattle.

http://www.petitiononline.com/NC_MGJ/petition.html

Terri February 25, 2011 (5:07 pm)

Gatewood’s is going in today also.

WSB February 25, 2011 (5:29 pm)

That explains why one WSB’er e-mailed to say she saw a truck with one going south on California …

Gina February 25, 2011 (6:48 pm)

The portable has been installed with the window side facing east. Will be very dark inside because of the proximity of the other portables to the windows.

MJ February 25, 2011 (7:20 pm)

I might be a little slow, if our schools are so crowded that many of them need portables, why in the last few years have we shut down schools in West Seattle? I feel like I’m missing something. I’m not being sarcastic either. I’m really wondering…

Joy February 25, 2011 (9:18 pm)

We in the Cooper Elementary Community absolutely saw this coming. We crunched the numbers and tried to present the obvious data to our West Seattle Representative, who did little to nothing to take us seriously. It was more important to procure the nicest school in West Seattle for his pet constituents. Did no one believe us when we said, “There is no Capacity in West Seattle North..” Our kids had to go somewhere. Now, scattered to the wind and numerous portables later, look where we are. We were treated so shabbily during the school closures, I am absolutely numb to this portable debacle, We tried to tell him. I am so sorry for your kids, but I don’t know what more that our rep can do before West Seattle rises up and mutinies against him. How much more are we going to take?

wsparent February 25, 2011 (9:50 pm)

Dear “just wondering” and others. The board and Superintendent have been trashing West Seattle schools for a few years now, and sending the $$ North, South East, and (illegally) to their cronies.

Time for the super to GO – NOW!!

They closed two schools just to reopen them in portables at Schmitz Park, Gatewood, Lafayette, and Arbor Heights. Apparently, Roxhill and Alki are already maxed out on portables.

This is sick and appalling. At least all students will be out of the rain, but lunch room, bathroom, gym, library, playground, and other facilities are all overcrowded.

I guess it is better than some sub saharan African countries, but not much.

Time for MGJ and her corrupt staff to GO!!

West Seattle Steve February 25, 2011 (10:01 pm)

@MJ
Bad planning.
The school board said they had data showing the school age population decreasing for the next 10 years. Now their predictions are for the school age population to rise for the next 10 years.