http://lcna-seattle.

org/
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sandra Adams Motzer,
Chair

March 22, 2016

Janine Blaeloch,
Vice Chair

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Larry Nyland

Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors

Philip Shack,
Secretary

Dear Dr. Nyland and Board Members,

Pamela Bowe,
Treasurer
A. Abdi Hussein,
Director
Chris Leverson,
Director
Mark Mendez
Director
MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
Cedar Park Neighborhood
Council
Childrens Home Society / North
Seattle Family Center
Douglas Park Cooperative
Friends of Cedar Park
Neighborhood
George: Center for Community
Hiram Place Association
Hunger Intervention Program
John Rogers Elementary PTA
Lake City Community Council
Lake City Emergency
Communication Hub
Lake City Future First
Lake City Greenways
Lamb of God Evangelical
Lutheran Church
Meadowbrook Community
Council
North Cedar Park Good
Neighbors Association
North Helpline
Olympic Hills Elementary PTA
Olympic Hills Neighborhood
Council
Pierre Visioning Project
Pinehurst Community Council
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Seattle Mennonite Church
South Cedar Park Good
Neighbors Association
Techno-Formation Vocational
Services
Thornton Creek Alliance
Victory Heights Community
Council

I am writing on behalf of the Lake City Neighborhood Alliance (LCNA), an

alliance of organizations with the mission to protect and enhance the quality
of life in the greater Lake City area. LCNA is comprised of 27 member groups
representing neighborhood, business, faith, school, special-issue, and serviceprovider groups throughout Lake City. Like you, each member organization
cares deeply about the education, safety, and well-being of all students in our
community.
At LCNAs March 10th meeting, we held a discussion about some of the
proposed changes in our neighborhood schools, especially the elementary
schools. That discussion raised a number of concerns. Our membership voted
overwhelmingly to advocate for the following issues:
1. CAPACITY MANAGEMENT. Adjust boundaries so that enrollment is
consistent with building capacity, with a reasonable amount of space
set aside to accommodate enrollment growth at all schools. The
enrollment numbers that were presented to us implied overcrowding
in one school and significant under-enrollment in another.
2. RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND SOCIOECONOMIC EQUITY. Adjust boundaries so that
English Language Learners (ELL) and Free/Reduced Lunch (FRL)qualified students are more evenly-distributed between multiple
schools and not concentrated at Olympic Hills Elementary School (ES)
and Cedar Park ES. There are two major boundary areas of concern: (a)
The slice of the Little Brook neighborhood (with high numbers of ELL
and FRL students), just west of Lake City Way NE to 30th Avenue NE
and between NE 123rd Street and NE 145th Street, would be reassigned from Olympic Hills ES to Cedar Park ES. We strongly support
that students in this slice continue attending Olympic Hills ES. (b) The
southern boundary of the Cedar Park ES attendance area reassigns a
significant population of students who qualify for ELL and FRL to Cedar
Park ES. Of specific concern are the approximately 70 ELL students now
assigned to John Rogers ES, but under the geo-split model, would be
reassigned immediately to Cedar Park ES, resulting in the sudden loss
of needed support staff at John Rogers ES. We urge you to readjust
that boundary so that these students remain at John Rogers ES.
3. WALKABILITY AND SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL. The Cedar Park boundary should
not cross major arterials, such as Lake City Way NE (State Route 522!)

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and NE 125th Streets. The walk zone should be drawn at 35th Avenue NE and NE 125th
Street.
4. STUDENT REASSIGNMENTS. Using the geo-split model is too disruptive for students. The rollup model has been used for the opening of all new Seattle attendance-area elementary
schools since 2010. As part of the roll-up model, allow all elementary school age siblings
to attend the same elementary school.
5. IMPROVEMENTS FOR CEDAR PARK ES. In its current state, the Cedar Park ES facility is substandard. Explore the possibility of using Cedar Park ES for something other than an
attendance area school. Or, with additional funding, improve the facilities so that it
could be a more functional neighborhood school in the future.
Thank you for considering our concerns. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any
questions.
Very sincerely,

Sandra Adams Motzer

Chair
sandymotzer@aol.com
206.819.8056

cc: SPS Enrollment Planning; Dr. Flip Herndon, SPS Associate Superintendent for Facilities and
Operations; Bernardo Ruiz, Director SPS School and Family Partnerships; Dr. Veronica
Gallardo, Director SPS ELL and International Programs; Richard Staudt, Director SPS Risk
Management; Brian Dougherty, SDOT Safe Routes to Schools; Dwane Chappelle, Director
Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning; Debora Juarez, District 5 Council
Member.