Write a letter & we’ll mail it for you!
For a letter to SPS:
Please write a letter to Seattle Public Schools and Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones letting them know why it is important for Broadview to stay open.
1. Write in your preferred language & sign your name.
2. Hand-written or typed & printed is fine.
3. You can also email it to Mckenzie.powell@broadviewthomsonpta.com and we will print it for you.
4. They don't have to be perfect, just honest. Tell SPS why it is important to your family that Broadview stays open.
Specific examples are helpful. Is it important for you to be able to walk to school and speak with the teachers face-to-face? Does their proposal seem equitable to you? Do you think their proposal ‘Ensures Racial and Educational Equity?’
For a letter to the legislature or media: Our media focused group is working on this. If you are interested in joining them please reach out on the Save our School What’s App Group.
Q: What talking points do we think will be effective?
A:The following talking points have gathered support:
Current Resource Allocation: Our school is currently meeting the criteria for Well Resourced Schools, demonstrating that we are effectively utilizing our resources.
Inequitable Boundary Proposal: The proposed boundary division is inequitable. It disproportionately places the wealthier neighborhood in one school while distributing the remaining students into another, creating an imbalance that could affect educational equity.
Capacity Calculation Concerns: Seattle Public Schools (SPS) reports that our elementary schools are at 65% capacity. However, this figure includes the new schools with large, underutilized spaces. Why are these vacant spaces being counted in the overall capacity assessment?
Cost of Older Buildings: SPS has cited the higher operating costs of older buildings as a rationale for closures. However, shouldn't repair costs be covered by the capital fund rather than the operating fund, which is not currently in deficit?
Transportation and Walk Zones: At Broadview Thomson, only ~9 General Education students take a bus to school in the morning, while the remaining 555 out of 564 students live within the walk zone. Data shows that we need a school in our current location.
For the Seattle Times, send an email to the Editor Please include your full name, address and telephone number for verification only. Letters are limited to 200 words.
Seattle Times writers that have recently picked up stories on SPS
Danny Westneat: dwestneat@seattletimes.com; Danny Westneat takes an opinionated look at the Puget Sound region's news, people and politics.
Denisa R. Superville: 206-464-8216 or dsuperville@seattletimes.com; Denisa R. Superville covers K-12 education at The Seattle Times.
Jenn Smith: jennsmith@seattletimes.com;
Redlining Our Neighborhood: We urge against any decisions that would disproportionately impact our neighborhood, essentially redlining our community and undermining its resources and stability. SPS’s proposal (for Broadview specifically) reinforces redlining and segregation of our uniquely diverse community and is in direct conflict with their own claim of “ensuring educational and racial equity.”