Well, it looks like the option to shuffle incoming 6th graders from Hamilton International Middle School off to a “6th Grade Academy” in Green Lake is a thing of the past. On Thursday, the Seattle School Board voted 4-3 for the following plans to address the capacity issue (per Seattle Public Schools’ website):
- Designating the Jane Addams building to become an attendance area middle school, with the first students assigned to Jane Addams Middle School beginning with the 2014-15 school year.
- Relieving over-enrollment at Hamilton International Middle School with minimal disruption by assigning the 6th graders from Laurelhurst Elementary to Eckstein Middle School.
- Delaying the assignment of students from Sacajawea, John Rogers and Olympic Hills to Jane Addams Middle School for one year, giving time to redraw boundaries and adequately plan and implement a quality comprehensive middle school.
- Installing portables at various schools District-wide as needed to address annual short-term capacity management needs for the 2013-14 school year. The exact number and location of portables will be adjusted based on open enrollment data.
Seattle Public Schools also adds:
Enrollment is projected to grow by 7,000 students over the next 10 years. The annual capacity management plan and new student assignment plan transition plan addresses immediate capacity needs. If approved by voters on Feb. 12, renewal of the Building Excellence IV (BEX IV) Capital Levy would provide capital funding for long-term growth.
The annual short-term capacity management plan was developed following input and feedback from the community, staff and School Board. Input was considered from more than 500 attendees at community meetings and from more than 1,225 public comments in December 2012 and January 2013.