West Seattle, Washington
08 Monday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
As you might have heard by now, the State Supreme Court has ruled that the publicly funded charter schools stemming from Initiative 1240, approved by voters in 2012, are unconstitutional. The Friday afternoon ruling (see it here) said they’re not eligible for public funding because they’re not under local voters’ control.
This comes less than a month after the state Charter School Commission approved what would be West Seattle’s first charter school, a plan by California-based Summit Public Schools to open a middle-/high-school campus next year at what’s currently the Freedom Church/Jesus Center at 35th/Roxbury (newly named Summit Atlas, according to its website). Even before the state commission’s approval, the site was purchased by Washington Charter School Development for $4,750,000, with the intention of remodeling the supermarket-turned-church building into the school’s first wing (its seven grades are to be phased in, starting with 6th and 9th in the first year). Summit announced that the West Seattle school’s director, Greg Ponikvar, was starting work right after the approval, and had started taking applications.
Summit’s first two schools in Washington had just opened – one in the International District, one in Tacoma. We e-mailed Summit’s regional director Jen Davis Wickens (who we interviewed in July to talk about the West Seattle plan) to ask for reaction on the court ruling. Regarding the West Seattle plan, Wickens said, too soon to say: “Our lawyers are still analyzing the ruling and we’re working on our next steps.” Their Washington operation has been focused on reassuring the families enrolled in the two newly opened schools – here’s the letter Wickens said was sent to those enrolled at Summit Sierra last night in the ID by its director (principal), Malia Burns:
Dear Founding Spartan Families,
It is with sadness that I write this message to you this Friday evening before the holiday weekend.
Today, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that public charter schools are “unconstitutional.” The ruling is not a criticism of charter schools or charter school organizations like our, nor does not immediately shut down charter schools. The case will be sent back to King County Superior Court to determine next steps.
We want to assure you that school will be open on Tuesday, September 8th, as usual. We will be hosting a special community meeting Tuesday morning at 7:45 AM to provide updates.
Rumors and misconceptions can quickly take hold, but please remember that Summit remains deeply committed to each and every family.
Also, please know there are many folks fighting for our public charter schools. We will be working with our colleagues in other schools and with WA Charters to chart our collective path forward (updates will be available on the WA Charters website).
For those families that have asked how they can show their support for their school, please come to the community meeting Tuesday. We will share any and all information that we have with you then.
Our community is new, but it is powerful, courageous, and committed.
Here’s the statement that the Washington Charter School Association, mentioned in the letter, has published. Meantime, back to Summit Atlas, the 400-plus-page application it had filed with the state envisioned supplementary funding from charter-school-support organizations as well as the public funding set up by the voter-approved initiative; the organizations mentioned include the Hollyhock Foundation, CSGF Walton, and the Gates Foundation. You can see the budget documents starting with Attachment 25 in the application. Work has not yet started at the building, which its new owner had leased back to Freedom Church TFN.
At least two West Seattle schools were heavily vandalized overnight, according to multiple reader reports we’ve received. First we heard about graffiti vandals painting a serious amount of damage at Schmitz Park Elementary, the most populous elementary on the peninsula (600+ students), and then a mention that Madison Middle School, a few blocks east of SPES, was hit too. One parent sent photos, with tagged walls plus large tags/drawings over two sets of double doors including the one partly shown above (we follow media-coverage best practices and don’t show tags in their entirety); the photos we saw included at least two taggers’ “signatures” as well as the crude depiction of male genitalia that’s been seen at vandalized sites around WS recently, as well as paint dumped on play equipment in the same courtyard where a playset was damaged by fire last year:
A concerned community member is organizing a work party for 9:30 am Monday – contact him at nmarroquin@comcast.net if you can help.
ADDED: We’ve also received photos showing taunts painted on walls at Madison – with at least one of the same “signatures” – as well as more flat-out paint-splash damage:
HOW TO REPORT GRAFFITI VANDALISM: Call police if you’re the victim; if you see vandalism in progress, call 911. If you see graffiti on public property, call 206-684-7587. Wherever you see it, police advise taking a photo before cleaning it up, as it could be helpful as evidence to trace a pattern; then get it painted over as soon as possible, as that’s considered the most effective form of deterrence, not to have the vandals’ “work” visible for long.
Highlights! Canada vs United States WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup ⚾ #U18WorldCup @BaseballCanada @USABaseball18U http://t.co/LMI9quPdOE
— WBSC (@WBSC) September 5, 2015
Just two weeks ago, we reported on West Seattle High School senior Morgan McCullough being chosen to join the USA Baseball 18U National Team, which was getting ready to defend the world title it won two years ago. Today, the team is hours away from the gold-medal game at that tournament in Osaka, Japan. They beat Canada 9-5 early today (the game started at 2 am our time) in a “tune-up” for the title game, which they earned their way into via a 6-5 victory over Cuba the day before. The title game is against Japan, at 2 am our time Sunday morning (aka, really late tonight) and you’ll be able to watch it live online if you’re up – via this Ustream channel, or check in on play-by-play tweets here. McCullough is the only player from the Northwest on the national-team roster.
ADDED SUNDAY: As noted in comments, USA won, 2-1!
(WSB photo from 2014)
Staying home this holiday weekend and doing a little (pre-)fall cleaning? Reminder: Next edition of the popular twice-yearly Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy UCC Church is only three weeks away: Sunday, September 27th, 9 am-3 pm (9140 California SW). Each spring and fall, 1 Green Planet takes away tons of recyclables via this free-to-all dropoff event. You can plan ahead because, thanks to Judy Pickens, we have the list of what will be accepted (free dropoffs!) this time around – see it here.
Before we get to what’s up today/tonight, a few words from photographer Ann Anderson about the scene she captured above, at Seacrest on Thursday night: “The fisherman identified himself as ‘Wild Bill’ and his catch as ‘Pinks’ (pink salmon). These pinks have come back to the Duwamish River to spawn after 1 1/2 years in the ocean. … Pinks are only allowed to be caught during odd number years, so 2015 is open season for them. They should be running through mid-to-late September.” Now, catch some of the highlights from our calendar for today/tonight:
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ADOPT-A-STREET CLEANUP: Meet outside Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) at 9 am – treats before and after you pitch in to clean up the area! (41st SW & SW Admiral Way)
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Been in lately to see what’s new with what’s not-so-new? Noon-4 pm, regular hours for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s HQ. (61st SW & SW Stevens)
KITTY HARBOR ADOPTIONS: Noon-5 pm, dozens more kittens/cats are looking for forever homes. No adoptions Sunday – so this is it, for this weekend. (3422 Harbor SW)
STAND WITH THE DUWAMISH: 1-6 pm, come to the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse for a cultural event including your chance to show support for the tribe’s fight for federal recognition. Details here. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: 1-4 pm, third-to-last day to tour the historic lighthouse with US Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers. Last tour starts 3:40 pm. (3201 Alki SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL: One local team playing at home – as previewed last night, Seattle Lutheran hosts Mary Knight, 1:30 pm at West Seattle Stadium. (4432 35th SW)
GENESEE-SCHMITZ NEIGHBORHOOD ICE-CREAM SOCIAL: 6:30 pm-8 pm, come meet your neighbors, have ice cream, and have fun – as explained here. (48th SW & SW Charlestown)
‘HEIST’ AT WEST SEATTLE MEANINGFUL MOVIES: 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center, West Seattle Meaningful Movies presents “Heist: Who Stole the American Dream?” Details in our calendar listing. (6400 SW Sylvan Way)
YESOD AT C & P: 7 pm live music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) tonight, with Yesod. (5612 California SW)
1:40 AM: Major Seattle Fire response is heading out to 17th and Roxbury for a report of a detached-garage fire. First unit on the scene reports heavy smoke.
1:45 AM: The call has been downgraded to a lower-level response and the fire is under control. No injuries reported.
1:49 AM: Roxbury is closed in both directions at the fire scene – though they’re going to try to open an eastbound lane so Metro can get through. Meantime, SFD’s investigator is being called to find out how this started.
2:58 AM: SFD units are wrapping up, and SPD says Roxbury will be fully reopen again in a few minutes.
ADDED: SFD tweeted that this fire was deliberately set, and SPD is investigating.
The family of retired science teacher “Don” Greengo is sharing this remembrance with the community:
H. Donald “Don” Greengo, loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, died of natural causes, surrounded by loved ones, on June 4, 2015. Born October 15, 1928, in Waconia, MN, to Royal E. and Blanche I. (Downs) Greengo, he was the youngest of four boys. At the age of two, Don contracted polio, which affected the growth of his legs. He underwent several surgeries at Shriner’s Hospital throughout his childhood. Always having a positive outlook on life, he never complained.
As a teenager during the summer of 1945 he met his future wife and the love of his life, Gretchen Harvey. But life would first take them in different directions.
After graduating from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, with a Bachelors in Science, and further studies at Case Institute in Cleveland and the University of Washington in Seattle, he began teaching science (chemistry, physics, earth sciences, and math) in Anoka, MN. Despite using a cane to help with walking, Don traveled to Japan, the Middle East, India, and Europe, exploring different cultures. In the mid-1950s, Don took a job with the U.S. State Department to teach overseas, first in Japan at the Itazuke U.S. Air Force Base, and then at Habibia College in Kabul, Afghanistan. While still overseas, he learned through his sister-in-law that Gretchen was living in Seattle and was a widow with two small children. After returning to the U.S. in late 1958, he came to Seattle and a date was arranged for Don and Gretchen to meet. Don proposed to Gretchen after that first date and they married on July 17th, 1959.
Don began a career with the Seattle School District in 1959, teaching at Sealth, Nathan Hale, and finally, 18 years at West Seattle High School, where he was head of the Science Department, retiring in 1984. He was a favorite teacher of many students over the years. He garnered respect from his students because he treated them with respect, as he did with all people.
Don will be remembered by family and friends as a man of quiet strength, integrity, patience, and compassion. Don enjoyed traveling with his family, visiting relatives and the annual summer trips with Gretchen, their children and grandchildren. He loved to play games, tell corny jokes, and tell of his adventures overseas. He loved the Arts, going to many plays, ballets, and concerts, and he loved the outdoors. He had a great love for his family and they for him.
Don is survived by his wife Gretchen, of nearly 56 years; his children, Denise (Bugnon) (husband Ken) Reed, Paul Bugnon, Kevin Greengo, and Laurie Greengo; his grandchildren, Jennifer Reed, Stephanie (Reed) Olson, Owen Greengo; and great-grandchildren, Brennen and Peyton Olson; his brother Irving Greengo; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank close family friend and nurse extraordinaire Keiko Hume for the compassionate and loving care she gave Don.
Don, we will miss you, your great sense of humor and love of life, your selflessness. and your love of family. You set a wonderful example for humanity. In lieu of flowers, the family requests you give a donation to a charity of your choice in Don’s honor. A celebration of Don’s life will be held at a future date; information for family and friends will be forthcoming.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
Three reader reports:
STOLEN CAR: Tanya reports her mom’s car was stolen in the 7100 block of Fauntleroy Way SW, outside The Kenney (WSB sponsor), where her mom, who works in home care, was visiting a patient on Wednesday. It’s a 1993 green 4-door Honda Accord LS that resembles the car in this photo (except for the hubcaps). No plate number to share – her mother had changed plates recently and “did not yet memorize or save the data on the new plate.” But if you see this type of car seemingly abandoned in your neighborhood, please alert police.
SUSPICIOUS ENCOUNTERS: Two reports of incidents that weren’t crimes – so we’re not labeling them Crime Watch – but stirred concerns:
Read More
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand. Above, Wizzy and cheerleaders)
High-school-football season starts on the peninsula tonight. West Seattle High School hosts Lindbergh (from Renton) at 7 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle). There’s also a game at West Seattle Stadium (4470 35th SW) – Seattle Prep hosting Bothell, scheduled to have started at 5 pm.
Then tomorrow, Seattle Lutheran plays at WS Stadium at 1:30 pm, hosting Mary Knight (from Elma); Chief Sealth International High School has a 7 pm Saturday game on the road vs. Garfield at Southeast Athletic Complex.
ADDED SATURDAY: Final score from the Wildcats’ game: Lindbergh 21, West Seattle 14.
We’re adding three photos we took in the early going.
Next up for WSHS, a road game at 7 pm Friday (September 11th) vs. Washington HS in Tacoma.
5:03 PM: Seattle Fire crews are at the scene of what’s described as a “garage fire” in the 2700 block of 38th SW (map). SFD says it’s a detached garage, and that the fire’s under control. More to come.
5:26 PM UPDATE: Our crew says the fire’s out and most of the firefighters are leaving. It was in the back of a detached garage; no vehicle was in the garage at the time, we’re told, and no one was hurt. The cause is under investigation.
ADDED SATURDAY: SFD says this fire was accidental, caused by smoking materials.
In our area, Alki, Delridge, Hiawatha, High Point and South Park community centers will offer all-day camps as an expansion of current before-/after-school care IF there is a Seattle Public Schools strike. That news and other related info from the city is just in via this announcement:
Today Mayor Ed Murray announced that Seattle Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Associated Recreation Council (ARC), will expand currently scheduled before- and after-school care into all-day camps on September 9, 10 and 11 in the event of a strike by Seattle Public Schools teachers.
“While we still hope that an agreement will be reached to allow school to start on time, the City is making arrangements to provide some relief to impacted families juggling childcare arrangements,” said Murray. “That’s why, for families with children already participating in Seattle Parks and Recreation before- and after-school programs, we will be expanding those program hours for them.”
“The heart of our work here at Parks and Recreation is to support kids and families,” said Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jesús Aguirre. “If the strike takes place, we will do just that.”
DETAILS AHEAD:
Final details are now all worked out for the rescheduled microsurfacing in Arbor Heights. Here are full details from SDOT:
The pavement on many Arbor Heights streets is about to improve. On Wednesday, Sept. 9 or Thursday, Sept. 10, SDOT will be applying a microsurfacing overlay to local roads, weather permitting. This preventative maintenance work was scheduled originally for Monday, Aug. 31, and Tuesday, Sept. 1, but SDOT postponed the work due to rainy weather.
Neighborhood Impact:
SDOT understands Wednesday, Sept. 9 is the first day of school. Please review the map above and the notes below, and contact us if you foresee any complications with your transportation and access needs during the work period. This week, SDOT’s contractor, VSS International, distributed a final notice confirming the work with neighbors on streets scheduled for microsurfacing.
To ensure the microsurfacing treatment has time to properly cure and dry, streets receiving the treatment are closed, on average, for 4 hours between 7 AM and 5 PM on the day work is scheduled. In rare cases, streets may be closed for up to 8 hours to ensure proper curing and drying. If you live, work or play on a street scheduled for microsurfacing, please note the following:
• Please follow posted “No Parking” signs and detours
• Cars must be relocated off the road and planting strip area prior to the start of work. Cars parked within the posted work area will be towed at the owner’s expense. If you wish to use your car on the day you are scheduled for microsurfacing, we recommend you move it to an unaffected street prior to 7 AM.
• If work coincides with your regular garbage, recycling or yard waste pick-up, please have your bins to the curb before 6 AM to ensure collection. We will not affect pick-up.
• Streets generally reopen within 4 hours of closure, but in some cases, may take up to 8 hours to reopen
• If a street is not completed on the day it is scheduled, it will be completed on our make-up day, Friday, Sept. 11. If for any reason SDOT is unable to maintain this schedule, you will be re-notified of the new date to resurface your street.
• Emergency vehicles will have access through the project area at all times without delayPlease note, SW 104th St east of 35th Ave SW is scheduled for microsurfacing on Thursday, Sept. 10, not Wednesday, Sept. 9 as indicated on some final notices distributed in the neighborhood.
About Microsurfacing
Microsurfacing is a preventative maintenance method that extends the life of pavement for 7 to 10 years. Similar to painting a house, microsurfacing creates a protective layer which preserves the underlying structure and prevents the need for more expensive repairs in the future. To be effective, the treatment must be applied in dry weather and dry completely before being driven or walked upon again.
SDOT successfully completed a microsurfacing pilot project in Arbor Heights in 2014. More information on that project is available here.Questions? For more information:
Art Brochet, Seattle Department of Transportation
2015Microsurfacing@seattle.gov | 206-727-3669
Visit: seattle.gov/transportation/microsurface_arborHeights.htm
(From the “design packet” by Alloy Design Group)
The 6-story, 58-unit microhousing project planned to replace an 8-unit apartment building at 4528 44th SW in The Junction is the first West Seattle project in a while to make it through Design Review in the minimum amount of meetings. The Southwest Design Review Board has approved it after one Early Design Guidance-phase meeting (in March) plus, last night, one Recommendation-phase meeting. One member of the public offered comments. Patrick Sand was at the meeting for WSB; toplines ahead:
Four highlights for your afternoon and evening, if you’re not leaving town for the holiday weekend:
HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY, HOTWIRE ONLINE COFFEEHOUSE! WSB’s flagship sponsor – hub of many community activities, including West Seattle Outdoor Movies – is celebrating “lucky #13” today, and proprietor Lora Swift (WSB photo below) has decided that YOU get the gift(s)!
Details are on the HWC Facebook page. Hotwire’s open until 7 pm. (4410 California SW)
CORNER BAR, WITH RAT CITY BRASS: 6 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club, it’s the first-Friday pop-up Corner Bar, featuring Rat City Brass starting at 7:30 pm. Details in our calendar listing. (12th SW & SW Holden)
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Teresa Mae performs tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
LIVE IN-STORE WITH DANNY NEWCOMB & THE SUGARMAKERS: Longtime local musician, new band, new record – all combine for a free 8 pm all-ages in-store concert at Easy Street Records; info in our calendar listing. (California SW & SW Alaska)
(WSB photos)
Thanks to @smokeycretin9 for tweeting the tip: An SDOT crew is working on SW Roxbury right now, putting down markings for the upcoming rechannelization. They’re working westward toward 35th SW and the crew supervisor told us they’re expecting to be out most of the day.
The bulk of the work, he confirmed – including the “hydroblasting” to remove the old lane stripes – will start a week from Monday, which is the time frame that project manager Jim Curtin gave the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council earlier this summer. As unveiled at WWRHAH’s meeting last April, SDOT’s plan will rechannelize the road between 17th and 35th, along with other safety measures along the entire length, eastward to Olson.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Big changes for the Port of Seattle, and more on the way.
That’s what Seattle Port Commission co-president Courtney Gregoire detailed to the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly lunch meeting on Thursday, under a tent at port-owned Jack Block Park (whose namesake, a former commissioner himself, was in attendance).
Gregoire (pictured above with the WS Chamber’s CEO Lynn Dennis and board chair Hamilton Gardiner) touched only briefly on the controversy that turned commission meetings into international news earlier this year.
If you have eyes on Elliott Bay, watch for spouts. Ian reports via Twitter that he’s seen multiple spouts by an unknown type of whale that’s “made a huge circle of the bay.” (P.S. Our most recent sighting report was last Sunday, humpbacks near Alki Point.)
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:11 AM: No incidents in the area so far. But here’s one West Seattle bus cancellation announced by Metro so far this morning:
Transit Alert – NB Rt 56 to downtown Seattle due to leave 61st Ave SW & Alki Ave SW at 7:23 AM has been canceled.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) September 4, 2015
LABOR DAY TRANSIT REMINDERS: On Monday (September 7th), Metro will be on a Sunday schedule. So will the West Seattle Water Taxi run, and the Washington State Ferries Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route. Sound Transit Route 560 will be on its “weekend” schedule.
8:05 AM: Trouble on northbound I-5 downtown – if you are headed out, you might consider an alternate route:
Police activity has the 2 left lanes of NB 5 south of Mercer blocked. pic.twitter.com/qRNHc17Ffj
— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) September 4, 2015
The SFD real-time 911 log lists this as a medic response.
Traffic-safety issues are high on the priority list for the Fauntleroy Community Association, and FCA shares the photo with word of one more safety feature in place. From Gordon Wiehler: “The FCA installed a convex mirror at Roxbury, Marine View SW and 45th Ave SW to better see what’s coming down the hill, typically at high speed.”
P.S. The FCA is another of the community councils that’s getting back to regular meeting schedules now that summer’s ending. Its board meets at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) next Tuesday, September 8th, at 7 pm.
9:36 PM: Police have WB Roxbury blocked just east of 22nd after a crash. We’re at the scene now gathering information.
9:41 PM: Police tell us two cars collided, and a woman riding in one of them was taken to the hospital. Her injuries were not life-threatening, so the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad won’t be called out. They’re waiting for tow trucks, but expecting that’ll be at least half an hour.
(Added, reader-contributed video: Ben Evans recorded Thursday night’s vote at Benaroya)
8:19 PM: The Seattle Education Association – which represents educators in Seattle Public Schools – says its members have voted to strike if an agreement isn’t reached. It was by a unanimous voice vote, according to our partners at The Seattle Times. The two sides are scheduled to resume talks tomorrow, with a mediator. More to come.
ADDED 8:37 PM: Here’s the official news release just e-mailed by SEA:
By an unprecedented thunderous unanimous vote, Seattle educators have voted to strike beginning the first day of school, Sept. 9, if the Seattle School Board fails to negotiate a tentative contract agreement before then.
“The Seattle School Board has rejected most of our proposals around competitive pay, reasonable testing, guaranteed recess, student equity and workloads,” said Phyllis Campano, a special education teacher who serves as Seattle Education Association vice president and bargaining chair. “Through their inaction, their lack of serious proposals and their refusal to publicly explain their positions, Seattle School Board members have shown they neither respect nor value us as professional educators.”
SEA President Jonathan Knapp said negotiators from the SEA and the Seattle School District are meeting with state mediators Friday morning.
“Seattle teachers and support staff are unified and resolute in working for a fair contract,” he said. “And we’re willing to do what it takes to get one. The Seattle School Board must get down to work and move on these crucial issue so our students can start school on time.”
Although negotiations began in May, and educators set an Aug. 24 deadline for a contract settlement, major unresolved issues haven’t changed:
*Professional pay: We need to attract and keep caring, qualified educators in Seattle, which is one of the most expensive cities in the United States. We’ve gone six years with no state COLA and five years with no state increase in funding for educator health care.
*Guaranteed student recess: Recess time varies wildly across the district, and we believe all students benefit from a guaranteed amount of time for play and exercise.
*Fair teacher and staff evaluations: Educators should be evaluated fairly and consistently, and the focus should be on providing the support all educators need to be successful.
*Reasonable testing: Too much standardized testing is stealing time away from classroom learning.
*ESA workload relief: Educational staff associates provide students with crucial services and support, but their current workloads mean many students aren’t getting the help they need.
*Office professional workload relief: Office professionals do crucial work and play many roles – and they should be compensated for the extra work they do.
*Student equity around discipline and the opportunity gap: We need to focus on equity issues across Seattle, not just in six schools.
*The administration’s proposal to make teachers work more for free: It is unrealistic to expect teachers to work more hours without additional pay, and the district administration has been unable to explain how their proposal would help students.
SEA represents about 5,000 teachers, instructional assistants, paraprofessionals, nurses, counselors, substitute teachers and office professionals who educate 52,000 students in the Seattle School District.
10:06 PM: And the district has sent a news release as well:
Seattle Education Association (SEA) members have voted to authorize a strike tonight, potentially delaying the start of school. SEA members took the action after a collective bargaining agreement could not be reached between the union and the Seattle Public Schools (SPS).
SEA represents the district’s educators, substitutes, paraprofessionals, instructional assistants and office professionals. The current contract with SEA expired Tuesday. A vote to authorize a strike is not declaring a strike. The union is not allowed to declare a strike until 72 hours after the vote to authorize. Securing an agreeable contract for union members is highly important to both SPS and SEA.
SPS and SEA have a shared goal of providing a quality education for our 53,000 students. The district is optimistic an agreement can be reached, and those students can start their school year. A mediator will meet with both sides Friday to assist in the negotiation process and the district is hopeful that an agreement can be made to start school as scheduled, on September 9.
“Our goal is a contract which honors, respects and pays oureducators and provides more instructional time for all students, including those children who desperately need more time with outstanding teachers in order to succeed,” said Superintendent Larry Nyland. Seattle remains behind other districts statewide in the amount of daily instructional time for students, approximately six hours and ten minutes.
SPS has proposed a 13% salary increase over three years for SEA members, including a state Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Since 2007, the district has increased salaries for teachers by 23%, exceeding the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 19% over the same time period.
The start of school could potentially be delayed. The district is working with the City of Seattle on child care options, including Seattle Parks and Recreation and the possibility of some SPS daycares remaining open. Athletics events will operate as scheduled, unless otherwise announced.
Three weeks after we wrote about that 14-house development proposal at 3601 Fauntleroy Way SW – on an East Admiral slope – the public-comment period has been extended. Thanks to Diane and MJ for the tips on that. September 10th is the new deadline for comments on the project, which was first proposed eight years ago; you can read the comments already sent to the city by going here and entering project #3007882. That’s the same number to use to send your own comments in via PRC@seattle.gov.
Two road-work alerts for next week, to keep in mind before you check out for the long holiday weekend:
ARBOR HEIGHTS MICROSURFACING RESCHEDULED: The work originally scheduled for this week was postponed because of the stormy weather – and now, SDOT says it’s set the new dates, next Wednesday and Thursday, September 9th and 10th. However, they can’t just do it all as originally scheduled because SW 104th Street, now home to the new Westside School campus, is part of the project area, so they’re working on a specific plan for 104th. Otherwise, the rest of the area is getting neighborhood notifications of the new schedule today. We’ll have an update when the 104th plan is finalized and added in.
49TH SW CLOSURE: From Seattle Public Utilities:
Seattle Public Utilities will repair the sewer line near the intersection of 49th Avenue SW and SW Edmunds Street. This work will require closing 49th Avenue SW to through traffic between SW Alaska Street and SW Edmunds Street. Local access will be available with the assistance of a traffic flagger. Contractor crews plan to start work the week of September 8. Work will take up to five business days to complete with hours of 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM. The lanes will remain closed for the duration of work hours and will be opened to traffic after non-work hours. Metro bus 37 will run as normal.
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