Major update: SPS is going to be included in Fort Lawton EIS!!!

We have a Major Announcement: SPS is going to be on the Fort Lawton redevelopment EIS! Per a Memorandum of Understanding released jointly by city and district today, SPS is invited to utilize 6 acres of land at Fort Lawton! This is a significant moment and one that came with a great deal of work and effort, not just through those of us that advocated for a school/school use at the Fort Lawton site, but on the part of the School Board who truly listened to the voices of constituents and families; SPS Staff who were willing to maintain a dialogue and look at the bigger picture; and, the City officials and staff who also see the benefit of working together with the school district and the families of Seattle in the investment of outcomes for ALL our students. We are grateful to our leaders for the enormous effort that they placed into creating this opportunity. Many of you might be thinking, “Why not more land?” The truth is that being a part of the redevelopment is a huge win and the fact that Seattle public schools was required through the US Department of Education to work with the City as the master redeveloper precluded the district from utilizing the entire property. The school district will be able to utilize the land in the capacity that they have the budget for at this time, and it will leave the door open for an in-city environmental education day use center/future school when funding and need arise. The work does not stop here, and as Mayor Tim Burgess and School Board Director Leslie Harris highlighted, this is a process that will involve and encourage public input. "Tune in" and "show up", share your voices, your concerns and your hopes. Working collaboratively, and with the consideration of ALL our Seattle School students when we speak and advocate, we will ensure that great things can and will happen. Finally, thank you to YOU, the over 1,400 petition signers who are the Fort Lawton School Coalition, and those who also sent letters and made phone calls to city and school district officials. We did this together! Watch the press conference here: http://www.seattlechannel.org/Mayor?videoid=x84956