Athletics . District officials have said all staff members from the consolidated schools will be retained and the buildings would remain in use. Leah Klug, whose daughter has autism, said her family moved from Seattle to Bellevue because of Eastgates program. Wilburton and Eastgate families crowded into the room, with many holding signs or wearing shirts asking the board to keep their schools open. Hes not going to be here to see the fallout, Kelly Smith, an Eastgate parent, said. All staff members from the consolidated schools will be retained and the buildings would remain in use. One parent, who wouldn't share her name with Soundside, says she moved to the Eastgate neighborhood so her kids could go to school here. The Bellevue School District released its recommendation for consolidating elementary schools Thursday, suggesting students at three different schools be sent to other schools in the. However, the news tends to play up the outrage. Three board members voted yes, while two abstained. We cannot keep the same service levels in all of our schools if we keep the same number of elementary schools that we currently have, and allow our enrollment to drop down as low as 200 students per school.". The school district was looking for buy-in, and they gave all the information first then closed Ashwood. Wilburton opened in 2018 and was built to relieve overcrowding at other schools, including the ones the district is now planning to send Wilburton students to. He played a significant role, and people trusted him. The Bellevue waterfront with Seattle in the background, and the Olympic Mountains in the distance. Our independent, nonprofit newsroom produces award-winning stories, podcasts and events. So safe to assume that the district is going to take the newest school (of the options) for their own use? She was asked by the school principal to present the case to the closure committee to keep Lake Hills open. The district is planning to make a recommendation to the school board on Feb. 9, narrowing the seven possibilities to three schools that will close. The elementary schools that are being considered are Ardmore, Eastgate, Enatai, Phantom Lake, Sherwood Forest, Woodridge and Wilburton, the district said. Parents at the demonstration questioned the districts timing and transparency over the proposal to consolidate three schools, which the district says is needed to address declining enrollment. Comments (-1) Water Quality Update. The Bellevue School District released a new consolidation plan a week before the school board was expected to adopt a proposal. Recommendations for closing three elementary schools were made by. The district anticipates about a $31 million shortfall for the 2023-24 school year, in part because of a declining student population. I ask that the district be proactive and meet with groups ahead of time. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Excellent job of putting it together. In retrospect, what would you change about your response to the news and/or process? After the District met once again, they decided to take Ardmore Elementary off of its list. It made everyone feel better. Believe in Bellevue. The proposal will consider shifts to consolidate three of the seven elementary schools identified below to stabilize elementary enrollment. Bellevue parents say they were caught off guard when told of a plan to consolidate several of its elementary schools. Downtown Bellevue Fitness Centers and Gyms, Bellevue Childrens Museum Presents KidsQuest Summer Nights with Animals, Science, & Live Music, Bellevue Towers Penthouse Back on Market after Additional $2M Reduction, Bellevue Collections Lincoln South Food Hall Reopens with New Restaurants, Final Beam Set & Signed on Top Floor of Luxury Condo Tower, MARI, Korean BBQ Restaurant, Seoul Bowl, Now Open in Bellevue. Parents were questioning the districts timing and transparency over the proposal to consolidate three schools. The board is expected to officially decide on a plan on March 16. The district said it took Ardmore off the list because, as a Title I school, it serves a high number of low-income students and English language learners. Eastgate Elementary hosts the Olympic program, which serves special education students in the areas associated with autism spectrum disorder. "I did tell my daughter," she says. Across the state, private school enrollment is up by a bit more than 8,300 students, about an 11% increase since 2019. Eastgate was built in 1956 and rebuilt in 2009. It is projected to continue declining for the next 10 years. Fred and Sheri Yeatts were parents with two students at Ashwood and co-presidents of the local PTSA when the school board received and approved the recommendation to consolidate Ashwood with Clyde Hill. Lake Hills received a new principal, Mike McBride, at the beginning of the consolidation, who reached out with empathy to both communities and committed to honoring both schools traditions. Enrollment dropped due to declining birth rates, higher housing costs, more educational options, including private schools, lower immigration levels and families moving to more affordable areas, according to the district. There will be a presentation to the Board on Thursday, January 12, 2023, with options to address declining enrollment. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Mailing address for all three: 12111 NE 1st Street, Bellevue, WA 98005. Ralph Allen was the principal and had a collaborative work style that was very transparent. Three short years later, Bellewood Elementary became the fourth school to be consolidated, sending students to Lake Hills Elementary in June 1981. Organizers said they hoped district officials would see the rally while they met in the building and prepared for Thursdays school board meeting. Which is the fate of this brand new school? Bellevue Elementary School's Time to Shine! Location. There will be time for parents to weigh in on the proposal before any schools are consolidated. Comments (-1) Inscripcin para Preescolar o Knder! "We do not need 18 elementary schools at the moment, or . Jarvis also said that Advanced Learning students would move from Spiritridge to Woodridge, and Arabic Heritage Language program, which is launching in September, would be added to the elementary school. Preschool + Elementary 100 South 3rd Street, Bellevue, IA 52031 After being established in 1942, the Overlake School District #405 was consolidated and renamed in 1952 as the Bellevue School District #405, approximately one year before the City of Bellevue was incorporated. The district is experiencing its lowest student population in more than a decade. . Downtown Bellevue Fitness Centers and Gyms, Bellevue Childrens Museum Presents KidsQuest Summer Nights with Animals, Science, & Live Music, Bellevue Towers Penthouse Back on Market after Additional $2M Reduction, Bellevue Collections Lincoln South Food Hall Reopens with New Restaurants, Final Beam Set & Signed on Top Floor of Luxury Condo Tower, MARI, Korean BBQ Restaurant, Seoul Bowl, Now Open in Bellevue. The number of open seats is equivalent to two elementary schools, according to deVita. "As a system, we faced the impossible choice of . Parents, staff push back on proposed plan to consolidate 3 Bellevue elementary schools. However, his term ends this summer. Parents are grappling with what deVita is saying. Wait, why would any consolidation be needed?. Paige Cornwell Seattle Times staff reporter The Bellevue School District is holding school board hearings this week for families affected by the district's recommendation to consolidate. The district said transition planning will now begin to get ready for the 2023-2024 school year. We also felt confused about the criteria that were being used to make the decision. VIDEO: School board closing two elementary schools. There was no resistance because we trusted him. All Rights Reserved. The final decision will be voted on by the School Board on March 16th. Nearby, Northshore, Shoreline, and Lake Washington School Districts have all seen drops of 2 % to 5% since the pandemic began. KUOW is the Puget Sound regions #1 radio station for news. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Inslee: Install speed-enforcement cameras on WA highways. If youre part of the receiving school, reach out to the new school community and find ways to collaborate to honor both schools traditions. In her spare time, she enjoys cycling, cooking, frequenting the Bellevue Downtown Park with her family and searching for the perfect chocolate treat. As 6 p.m. rolls around, Nicole and the crowd head into the cafeteria for the open house. Copyright 2023 Downtown Bellevue Network. A direct message was sent to community members at the impacted schools with dates and times for their open houses. "I gave her just enough information so that if something came up on the playground, she wouldn't be blindsided.". King County has third-highest ratio of young men to young women in U.S. Scientists find worrisome lesions on endangered southern resident orcas, Just outside Seattle, residents endure a dangerous yet ordinary intersection, Bellevue families rally against proposed plan to consolidate schools, Seattle may need to close schools to save money. Theo Chocolate to close Seattle factory, announces job cuts, merger, Gov. What would you say to anyone experiencing this today? In October 2022 the district had 18,409 students, a decrease of nearly 2,000 from when the district began losing students in 2019. She points out that Bellevue School District is far from alone in facing enrollment challenges, though its declines are the steepest in the area. "The primary aim of education is not to enable students to do well in school, but to help them do well in their lives outside of school. They moved the kids to Clyde Hill and then Cherry Crest. On a chilly evening in south Bellevue, parents are filing into the cafeteria for an open house at Eastgate Elementary. Zac Gudakov / Unsplash Members of the Bellevue School Board will be briefed Thursday on proposals aimed at helping the district deal with its declining enrollment numbers. A letter sent to families says one plan calls for consolidating three elementary schools with the largest declines to date. Today is the last day of school for Wilburton and Eastgate elementary schools in Bellevue before they close permanently. The views expressed in this article are solely those that were interviewed and not those of the Bellevue School District, employees, volunteers or affiliates. Hes not going to be here to watch our kids drive by our school with other kids taking residence, hes not going to have to bare the brunt of emails or phone calls from parents.. Enrollment is projected to decline for the next 10 years to a low of 16,000 students. Initially, Bellevue was considering sending Ardmore students to Bennett, Cherry Crest and Sherwood Forest elementaries. Copyright 2023 Downtown Bellevue Network. Jarvis said there is a surplus approaching 3,000 seats in Bellevue elementary schools, which translates to at least 100 empty classrooms. Morons have ruined this city. The Bellevue School District recently updated their proposed consolidation plan, which had previously included seven schools and was narrowed down to Ardmore, Eastgate and Wilburton Elementary. The district cited. Parents say theyre skeptical of some of the districts projections and wonder if officials have explored policy changes that could help balance enrollment across the district. I wonder, how difficult will it be for us to create another building down the line, whether its five or seven years? Aras said. The BSD said. It wasnt a consolidation but a total closure, and the kids moved to two new schools. Discussions first began in January, to consolidate three of the seven elementary schools to stabilize elementary enrollment. Advanced Learning students at Spiritridge will move to Woodridge. They recall the experience of sending their students to a new school after managing the impact of the consolidation and the transition planning their children experienced at the time. Theo Chocolate to close Seattle factory, announces job cuts, merger, Gov. The School Board was presented with three options to reduce the shortfall: consolidating schools, postponing the decision by tapping into the districts reserve fund, or reducing staff. The intention is to stabilize elementary enrollment, as it has greatly declined. Read more on seattletimes.com. It has been losing students since 2019, when 20,295 students were enrolled in schools. Wasnt that a bad financial decision by the district? For the first time, she said through tears, her daughter has progressed academically, socially and emotionally. The district hasnt said how the Wilburton and Eastgate buildings will be used next year. In her spare time, she enjoys cycling, cooking, frequenting the Bellevue Downtown Park with her family and searching for the perfect chocolate treat. What it means for the kids? We are moving forward together to ensure students transition with support and reassurance from trusted adults and professionals. Ashwood had two popular events, Funky Fair and Fun Day, and Clyde Hill said, lets do that here too! That made us feel very good. Summary by Ground News. Kara is the editor-in-chief at Downtown Bellevue Network. BELLEVUE, Wash. The Bellevue Schools District (BSD) said it has seven elementary schools on a list for a consolidation plan that will go into effect for the 2023-2024 school year.. Bellevue Community Schools is one of the schools supported by the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency. This K-6 school located in the west Bellevue area was also known for serving neuro-diverse and special needs students. Shes talking about head counts and funding formulas, but theyre thinking about walking their 2nd graders to school and how far the bus ride to Spiritridge or Somerset Elementary could be next year. Closing the two schools would provide approximately $6.2 million in savings, Jarvis said, which would save about 60 full-time staff from layoffs. It gives the sense that people are not being treated fairly and the viewers dont really know the breadth of the dissatisfaction. She asked the School Board to prioritize groups like students with special needs, and provide adequate support for students in the consolidated schools as they navigate the school year, knowing it will be their last in the building together.. Comments (-1) Family Literacy Night . And what do you remember about it? Early Childhood Education. Advanced learning at Spiritridge would be relocated to Woodridge Elementary. A letter sent to. She also served as a member of the Virginia Interracial Commission and chairman of the board of directors for the Consolidated Bank and Trust Company. Her younger daughter is in kindergarten. As a part of this announcement, it was included that Ardmore would not be amongst the schools that are to be consolidated. At her sons elementary school, there werent enough teachers, counselors or other staff and she once found a little girl wandering around a parking lot unsupervised because there wasnt anyone to supervise drop-off. Thu, March 16th 2023, 12:25 PM UTC 6 VIEW ALL PHOTOS A Bellevue School District parent holds a sign that reads "Please save our schools!" (KOMO News)
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