Less than a week ago, we posted on the Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Interagency Recovery School that’s planned for the old Queen Anne High School Gym. Work was being done at night, which prompted several email tips to Queen Anne View, asking what was happening to the Gym.
When SPS responded to our inquiries, it was news to residents and John Hay Elementary parents. The alternative high school will be located directly across from John Hay Elementary, with the location generating concern from John Hay parents.
Concerns include not only the proximity of recovering addicts to elementary school students – the SPS statement noted that students are committed to being sober – but also the use of SPS property.
Like many Seattle schools, John Hay Elementary is overcrowded. It has two large portable classroom units in the southwest corner of the playground, and could have used the Queen Anne High School Gym space if it’d been available.
After we posted the article on the Interagency Recovery School, there were many reader comments and suggestions for contacts. Parents contacted SPS and Sue Peters, our local Queen Anne SPS board member. According to the John Hay PTA, they received a response after 3 days of inquiries to SPS.
SPS will host a community meeting in December – something that likely wouldn’t have happened without the heads up on the school and the involvement of the John Hay PTA. The original decision was made without a review by SPS (it was added at the last minute to a meeting this past Thursday, November 6th).
Sue Peters is reviewing emails and forwarding them to the Interim Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for Facilities. She has asked for more information on the development and why the community wasn’t engaged early on in the process.
Part of the mission statement for the Interagency Academy program is “partner with community-based organizations and agencies” and one of SPS’ three goals is “Strengthen school, family and community engagement” – neither of which has happened (yet) with the Interagency Recovery School.
We’ve contacted SPS to find out when a date for the community meeting is confirmed. When that information is made available, we’ll share it on the blog. In the meantime, if you have comments, questions, or concerns, here are the people to contact:
Sue Peters, Queen Anne SPS Board Member
Assistant Superintendent of Facilities Flip Herndon
Stay tuned for more information on the proposed community meeting.