As you are probably aware, changes are coming. Pinehurst K8 is slated to be torn down and a new building is planned for the site. A design team has made design recommendations and presented them in July. Information about the new construction is here.
The Pinehurst/AS-1 K-8 program is being displaced, and most-likely closed, to make way for the larger environmental sciences K-8 program currently in the Jane Addams building. There will be public hearings about this at the school, 11430 12th Ave NE, September 25, 7:00 – 8:30, and October 8, 6:30 – 8:00.
SPS is drafting new enrollment boundaries to accommodate growth and new construction. A community meeting will be at Nathan Hale High School Commons, 10750 30th Avenue NE, on September 24, 6:30 – 8:30.
These changes are coming out of the Building Excellence Capital Program.
Other documents:
- K-8 Generic Educational Specifications
- Green Building Resolution
Totally disappointing that the board and district are treating the Pinehurst K-8 (also known as Alternative School #1) school and community like trash again. I say again because they do this closure business to the Pinehurst K-8(aka AS#1) community every couple of years.
This one is especially disappointing because during the last round of closure threats the board and district agreed that the constant threats and misinformation put forth by the enrollment office for years and years directly effected enrollment numbers.
Last time around the reasoning was test scores, which to those who don’t know, the majority of Pinehurst K-8(aka AS#1) parents opt out of standardized testing and as the scoring goes anyone opting out scores as a zero. So in 2009/10, the community came together and had the majority of the school test and the scores of course went way up. The school actually received an excellence award afterward, which is one of the reasons it was able to stay open.
Anyway, in 2011, the board and district agreed to finally support and market the school to help get the enrollment numbers up. The support and marketing assistance wained after the personnel change over and school board elections, so now they’re claiming Pinehurst K-8(aka AS#1) has too low of enrollment to be kept open. It’s a sad state of affairs to be let down time and time again. It’s also disheartening to see the designs builds plopped all over the sight of such a thriving school and community. I don’t fault Jane Addams K-8, but hope the district and board don’t jerk them around like they have Pinehurst K-8(aka AS#1.)
Danny
The building itself is pretty bad and probably should be a tear down. I honestly haven’t followed the politics of the rest of it. I like the idea of alternative schools. Maybe the thought is charter schools (I know ugh, right) will fill that need.
The Superintendent is recommending the Pinehrust K8 program be closed:
http://seattleschools.org/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=302488&sessionid=02732036cf999df6a28ef513a6f3e718
FYI: There is a public hearing tonight at Pinehurst K-8 (aka AS#1.) It starts at 7pm and hopefully the superintendent will attend this time and some actual answers will materialize from nothing. Please attend and make sure your voice is heard.
Thanks,
Danny Littlejohn
Pinehurst K-8 (aka AS#1) parent
Pinehurst/AS#1 will be temporarily relocated to the Lincoln building for 3 years (with transportation provided from the Pinehurst/N.Gate neighborhoods by the Seattle SD)
Then permanently moved to the site at Wilson Pacific (which is being remodeled/rebuilt during these next 3 years.
We are STAYING OPEN!!!
Awesome! I went to Lincoln for a year while waiting for Ballard HS to finish construction.
And nice that the new site is nearby as well.