Responses to potential Lafayette Elementary Closure
This is the letter sent to the Superintendent on behalf of the Admiral District neighbors and businesses:
Dear friends,
This letter is written on behalf of the neighbors and businesses that we represent as the Admiral Neighborhood Association. This is regarding the efforts of the Seattle Schools to partially alleviate their budget shortfall through targeted school closures. While we are not supportive of any school closures in general, our message is specifically concerning the possible closure of our neighborhood school, Lafayette Elementary. You have already heard concerns from school families as well as staff and we feel confident in their ability to advocate on behalf of those they represent. This is to advocate for our neighborhood as a whole and the detrimental impact that the closure of Lafayette would impose on the whole of the Admiral neighborhood. Closing this particular school would have a far reaching and devastating economic and neighborhood quality of life impact.
First, Lafayette is located in the midst of a number of vital small businesses who rely on the added pedestrian traffic and corresponding economic boost this provides. Eliminating that would impact small private owner businesses as well as larger ones such as Safeway and PCC Markets. Second, we know that closing a school means an empty building for a good many years. Currently it is observed that the schools have a hard enough time maintaining their structures that have students in them. We understand that one of the primary influences of overall building conditions is the activity of a vibrant PTA. A closed school would mean a target for vandalism and graffiti on nearly 2/3 of the block entering our main intersection right in the heart of Admiral. This would be added to the current reality being that the 4 corners of this intersection are already comprised of 2 vacant buildings and a gas station. The Admiral neighborhood itself currently has a dismal walk score of 70 which local neighbors and business owners are already trying to address. One of the few bright spots in our walkability is the school and students’ abilities to walk to their local elementary school, their local middle school, and their local high school, all in the same neighborhood. Closure of Lafayette would devastate our efforts to build and improve upon on this.
We understand that you have a monumental task in closing the budget deficit and we also understand that school closures are sometimes the wise choice. We also understand that other school are also fighting for their lives. We as an organization, tasked with the holistic well-being of our neighborhood, want you to understand that a closure of Lafayette would have a devastating impact far beyond the school families and staff. Thank you for your consideration.
On behalf of our Admiral neighbors and businesses,
Joanie Jacobs
President of the Admiral Neighborhood Association and the ANA Board
Dear friends,
This letter is written on behalf of the neighbors and businesses that we represent as the Admiral Neighborhood Association. This is regarding the efforts of the Seattle Schools to partially alleviate their budget shortfall through targeted school closures. While we are not supportive of any school closures in general, our message is specifically concerning the possible closure of our neighborhood school, Lafayette Elementary. You have already heard concerns from school families as well as staff and we feel confident in their ability to advocate on behalf of those they represent. This is to advocate for our neighborhood as a whole and the detrimental impact that the closure of Lafayette would impose on the whole of the Admiral neighborhood. Closing this particular school would have a far reaching and devastating economic and neighborhood quality of life impact.
First, Lafayette is located in the midst of a number of vital small businesses who rely on the added pedestrian traffic and corresponding economic boost this provides. Eliminating that would impact small private owner businesses as well as larger ones such as Safeway and PCC Markets. Second, we know that closing a school means an empty building for a good many years. Currently it is observed that the schools have a hard enough time maintaining their structures that have students in them. We understand that one of the primary influences of overall building conditions is the activity of a vibrant PTA. A closed school would mean a target for vandalism and graffiti on nearly 2/3 of the block entering our main intersection right in the heart of Admiral. This would be added to the current reality being that the 4 corners of this intersection are already comprised of 2 vacant buildings and a gas station. The Admiral neighborhood itself currently has a dismal walk score of 70 which local neighbors and business owners are already trying to address. One of the few bright spots in our walkability is the school and students’ abilities to walk to their local elementary school, their local middle school, and their local high school, all in the same neighborhood. Closure of Lafayette would devastate our efforts to build and improve upon on this.
We understand that you have a monumental task in closing the budget deficit and we also understand that school closures are sometimes the wise choice. We also understand that other school are also fighting for their lives. We as an organization, tasked with the holistic well-being of our neighborhood, want you to understand that a closure of Lafayette would have a devastating impact far beyond the school families and staff. Thank you for your consideration.
On behalf of our Admiral neighbors and businesses,
Joanie Jacobs
President of the Admiral Neighborhood Association and the ANA Board
This is the letter from Lafayette PTA President Sara Davis to school families:
To the Amazing Families of Lafayette Elementary,
I’m sure by now you have all seen the Seattle Public School’s announcement. You know that our dear Lafayette is proposed to, at best, change, and at worst, close.
If your hearts are breaking, know ours are as well.
We found out with you. Our amazing Lafayette Staff found out with you. Three other schools in our district; our incredible West Seattle community; families at TWENTY other schools across Seattle – all found out with you. This year will be like no other. The reality is, it could be Lafayette’s last year…. But I choose to believe that it will not be. Because we choose to fight.
Your PTA is here to support the community – and we will need the whole community to come together to prevent this devastating change. We need to fight for all of our Seattle children. They have the right to a steady place of education. To continue to learn at a school and in a community that they feel safe and loved at.
We have tenacity. We have love. And most importantly – we have each other – an incredible community that is bold, outspoken, and cherished. They have opened the gates – let’s make sure they hear us loud and clear.
We will be putting all the upcoming meetings that relate to “Well Resourced Schools” on the PTA calendar and sharing resources. Look out for another email in the coming days with meeting times and places.
We will be a sounding board, a community connection. But we will also make sure that all our kids have an incredible year. We will not let this impact their education negatively. We will make sure that they feel all the love that our school has to give to the fullest extent, that they get the resources they need to further their education, and that they continue to come home everyday full of joy with the knowledge that their school believes in all they are capable of.
I advise everyone to share this email and all the forthcoming resources the PTA will be sharing with their neighbors and friends. Stand with our neighboring schools.
We Stand Together. We Stand Strong. And We Won’t Go Down Without A Fight.
Yours in Partnership,
Sara Davis
Lafayette Elementary School PTA President
To the Amazing Families of Lafayette Elementary,
I’m sure by now you have all seen the Seattle Public School’s announcement. You know that our dear Lafayette is proposed to, at best, change, and at worst, close.
If your hearts are breaking, know ours are as well.
We found out with you. Our amazing Lafayette Staff found out with you. Three other schools in our district; our incredible West Seattle community; families at TWENTY other schools across Seattle – all found out with you. This year will be like no other. The reality is, it could be Lafayette’s last year…. But I choose to believe that it will not be. Because we choose to fight.
Your PTA is here to support the community – and we will need the whole community to come together to prevent this devastating change. We need to fight for all of our Seattle children. They have the right to a steady place of education. To continue to learn at a school and in a community that they feel safe and loved at.
We have tenacity. We have love. And most importantly – we have each other – an incredible community that is bold, outspoken, and cherished. They have opened the gates – let’s make sure they hear us loud and clear.
We will be putting all the upcoming meetings that relate to “Well Resourced Schools” on the PTA calendar and sharing resources. Look out for another email in the coming days with meeting times and places.
We will be a sounding board, a community connection. But we will also make sure that all our kids have an incredible year. We will not let this impact their education negatively. We will make sure that they feel all the love that our school has to give to the fullest extent, that they get the resources they need to further their education, and that they continue to come home everyday full of joy with the knowledge that their school believes in all they are capable of.
I advise everyone to share this email and all the forthcoming resources the PTA will be sharing with their neighbors and friends. Stand with our neighboring schools.
We Stand Together. We Stand Strong. And We Won’t Go Down Without A Fight.
Yours in Partnership,
Sara Davis
Lafayette Elementary School PTA President
Admiral Way Bridge Retrofit
Follow the link to keep up with all that is going on:
Slide deck courtesy of West Seattle Blog
Slide deck courtesy of West Seattle Blog
Hiawatha Park update
Follow the links below to keep up with construction updates:
Community Center stabilization work
Hiawatha play area renovation
Community Center stabilization work
Hiawatha play area renovation