After two years of ramping up in its interim site at Lincoln, F.A. McDonald International School has moved into its own, spiffy, newly-remodeled building on N. 54th St. at Latona. The school had been closed for 28 years and was in pretty bad shape until now. But starting on September 5, approximately 293 students will walk through its doors to begin a new school year; 112 of which will be Kindergartners.
McDonald International is hosting a Grand Opening celebration and open house on Tuesday, September 4, if you want to come and check out the new digs. A ribbon cutting ceremony will beging at 2pm followed by school tours until 4pm.
Curious about the school’s namesake and history? I found this little nugget of information from the Seattle Schools website:
Judge F.A. McDonald was the Seattle School Board President from 1910-1913. He died in July 1913. A new school was being built between Green Lake and Latona. It had been decided by the School Board that it would be named the Bryant School. But when Judge F.A. McDonald died, School Board Briefing/Proposed Action Report the Board chose to name the new school after him, as he was on the committee that selected the site for the new school. Four of McDonald’s grandchildren would later attend the school.
McDonald School opened with three classes midway through the 1914-15 school year. In 1920-21 it became a K-8 school with 673 students in 20 classes. There were as many as 17 portables also on the site. In 1923 a new addition opened with 12 classrooms. Peak enrollment was in 1926-27 with 902 students. In its final year as a regular elementary school, 1980-81, McDonald had an enrollment of only 166 students in grade K, 3-5. It served as an interim site for schools until it was put on the BTA III project list.
Bonus fun fact: In 2009, McDonald School was used to film World’s Greatest Dad directed by Bobcat Goldthwait and starring Robin Williams. (It was depressing as all get-out, IMHO)
You, know, that sure is crappy to have the open house between 2 – 4. How is a working person supposed to see the “new” school? Bad scheduling.
Memories: In the summer of 2009 temperatures in Seattle reached 90 degrees. The movie staff and actors used trailers parked east of the McDonald school building. Neighbors along Latona, NE 54th, and NE 55th had to keep their windows closed because toxic exhaust fumes were coming from the trailer generators 24/7.
This year the high pitched beeping noises of trucks backing up and the construction dirt clouds filling the air have kept people and their pets on edge.
We’ll be thrilled to see the construction work finished and to hear the school yard filled with the happy sounds of children at recess again.
Neighbors and other citizens and businesses donated hours of planning and sweat equity and chipped in $$ to fund the school yard playground equipment that has been so popular these past years.
This is a grand opening.. befoe school begins. There will also be parents back to school nights.. etc. Those will be at night, I presume.
Does anyone know how many kindergarten classes got enrolled at B.F. Day and John Stanford this year?
Huber, up until last week there were two K classes of roughly 33 and 34 at John Stanford; they just added a third K class (will have two Japanese classes, one Spanish) To have sufficient K staffing they are compressing the three Japanese 3rd grade classes into two.
Thanks, Sea. So much for the transition plan that was supposed to give JSIS two kindergarten classes, eh? I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. My impression of the school board is that it can’t find its butt with a flashlight and two weeks to look!
What was the movie being filmed in that area? I attended FA McDonald many, many years ago, and I am delighted that it is being opened again. Many fond memories…
the movie is the one mentioned at the end of this posting on Wallyhood under Bonus fun fact.
Does that mean that JSIS has NO plain old regular kindergarten classes? Just immersion.. only.
You are correct, Sir (or Madam). JSIS is immersion only.
For more info about JSIS, see: http://stanfordes.seattleschools.org