Levies News

After extensive renovation, the project to modernize and expand the historic Daniel Webster School is finished. The work included seismic upgrades for earthquake safety; modern electrical, heating and ventilation, and plumbing systems; a new gymnasium and main entrance.

Construction began on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, at Frantz Coe Elementary School as the contractors moved onto the school grounds. The 3-story classroom addition will include six classrooms with shared learning commons and a small group collaboration space.

Planning continues for the Kimball Elementary, Northgate Elementary, and Viewlands Elementary replacement projects, and the West Seattle Elementary expansion and renovation project. Thank you, voters! The Building Excellence Capital Levy (BEX V) in 2019 included funding for these projects. The West Seattle project is also partially funded by a Distressed Schools Grant from the State of Washington.

On Wednesday September 16, the City of Seattle voted against designating the current Rainier Beach High School building as a landmarked structure, allowing for the construction of a new school building.

Construction began in July to expand West Woodland Elementary School. Two additions will increase the size of the school from 51,000 square feet to approximately 80,000 square feet to help address enrollment growth in the area. The expanded building will provide space for up to 550 students. Previously, West Woodland was designed for 320 students. Before construction began, the portable classrooms were removed from the school grounds as they will no longer be needed.

The historic two-story brick building has been modernized and upgraded. Two additions provide eight new classrooms with learning commons spaces and a new full-size gymnasium.

Starting the 2020-21 school year with remote learning isn’t what anyone expected when construction began at Daniel Bagley Elementary School in 2019. The construction project is wrapping up and the school building will be ready to welcome students when in-person instruction resumes. The historic two-story brick building has been modernized and upgraded. Two additions provide eight new classrooms with learning commons spaces and a new full-size gymnasium. The previously existing portable classrooms were removed at the beginning of the project.

King County, including Seattle, is now in Phase 2 of Safe Start Washington, Governor Inslee’s phased approach to re-opening the state. In phase 2, all construction, including new work, is allowed. This includes activities where social distancing may not be possible. Contractors working on Seattle Public Schools projects are required to comply with the state’s Phase 2 COVID-19 Job Site Requirements. This includes developing a comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control, mitigation, and recovery plan.

Construction of an addition to West Woodland Elementary School starts this summer. Besides adding 28,000 square feet, parts of the existing building will be remodeled to better meet the needs of the school. “The addition and remodel will bring in 12 new classrooms, an expanded gymnasium, and a new commons/lunchroom area,” said Paul Wight, the district’s project manager. “The rest of the school building will have new finishes such as paint, tile, and flooring.”

While major school construction projects — such as school replacement, modernization, and additions — take multiple years, smaller projects are scheduled during the summer break to avoid disruption to teaching and learning. Typically, the start date for these summer projects must be after the end of the school year. This year is different. With schools closed, construction can begin earlier this year.

The project to build a second classroom addition at Magnolia Elementary kicked off on Monday, May 18, 2020, with the contractor mobilizing on site. The addition will include six-classrooms, allowing the school to meet state K-3 class-size reduction goals. Once complete, it will seamlessly connect to the existing classroom and library wing.

Low-risk construction work is allowed to resume under Phase 1 of Safe Start Washington, Governor Inslee’s phased approach to re-opening the state. This allows Seattle Public Schools to proceed with the construction projects scheduled to begin or take place this summer. Contractors are required to comply with state-issued safety requirements.

The renovated and modernized Lincoln High School opened in September 2019 and has now earned a grand prize in the 2020 Education Facilities Design Awards. The awards are presented by Learning by Design magazine, which focuses on educational facility design and construction projects. Bassetti Architects designed the project to reflect the district’s educational specifications and make the most of the historic buildings.

The architects and project management team continue to work on plans for the new Northgate Elementary School. After completing the School Design Advisory Team (SDAT) process in mid-December, early schematic designs can now be shared. "These images reflect a very early phase of the project,” said Vince Gonzales, the district’s project manager for the Northgate replacement project.

Planning is underway for six major school construction projects across the district. Funded by the Building Excellence V (BEX V) Capital Levy approved by Seattle voters in February 2019, these projects range from school additions to building replacements. Representatives from the schools participate on School Design Advisory Teams (SDAT) to provide input to the construction design process.

Moving portable classrooms from one school site to another requires prep work, careful maneuvering, an early morning trip through dark streets, and sometimes, a crane. During the summer of 2019, nine classrooms were moved from three different locations, and then placed at three schools in need of more capacity.

Just before school opened, four ribbon-cutting celebrations marked the completion of multi-year construction projects at Lincoln High School, Ingraham High School, Magnolia Elementary School, and Queen Anne Elementary School. Each event included congratulatory speeches, school tours, and the ceremonial cut of a long red ribbon.

On Thursday, Aug. 29, the Ingraham cheer squad joined district leadership, elected officials, and Principal Martin Floe to celebrate the opening of the school’s new classroom addition.Students returned to an enlarged Ingraham High School when classes began on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The new two-story addition on the north side of the school provides 18 new classrooms, two new science labs, a makerspace, small group collaboration spaces, and a new main entrance.

This fall, Queen Anne Elementary School students, teachers, and staff will start the school year off with expanded enrichment areas and opportunities for students and community. They return to an expanded and reconfigured building designed to support their Creative Approach School, which combines project-based learning and social-emotional learning. The growing school needed more classroom space and expanded core facilities.

This fall, Lincoln High School is back serving students as a comprehensive high school for the first time since 1981. The school, located at 4400 Interlake Avenue N., Seattle, 98103, is the district's oldest existing high school. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will mark the reopening of this historic school on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, at 2 p.m. The event will celebrate completion of the project to modernize the historic building and bring it back into service as a new high school.

On the first day of school in September, Magnolia Elementary opens as a new attendance area elementary school. Students, teachers, and staff will fill the halls for the first time since 2006. A ribbon-cutting event, scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, will celebrate completion of the project to modernize the historic building and construct two additions.