LICTON SPRINGS COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of Community Meeting, July 17, 2013
NSCC Campus OCE&E Building, Room 220B
Directors Present: Jan Brucker, Liz Kearns, Melanie Davies, and Ellen Beck.
Board Representatives Present: Ken Thompson (Liaison to North Precinct).
Visitors: Jean Wirch, Jim Simmons, Carol Simmons, Rajah Hawkins, Blaine Escarcega, Phil Bange, Sarah Sense-Wilson, and Margaret Bartley.
President Jan Brucker called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and we had introduction around the table.
Minutes. The June 19, 2013 minutes were approved as presented.
NEW BUSINESS.
Community Meeting at Wilson Pacific. Liz Kearns gave a recap of what happened at the June 25, 2013 meeting at Wilson Pacific hosted by the Seattle School District to give presentations and welcome questions and/or comments concerning the elementary and the middle schools to be built at the present site of Wilson Pacific. The elementary school will be an APP school, but the decision has not been made whether the middle school will be an APP school or not.
Discussion followed. It was noted that the several of the mothers of elementary school children were aggressively asking the School District if there wasn’t a fourth layout of the schools not being shown that had the schools at opposite ends (west – east) of the property, with one of them taking the location of the present sports field, which they discounted as being subpar and no loss. The School District stated that if the sports field was displaced, it would be rebuilt in another location with no loss of the present size.
Renaming of Wilson Pacific. We welcomed members and supporters of the Urban Native Education Alliance in favor of renaming one/both of the schools to be built after Robert Eaglestaff, an educator and visionary, who was the principal of the Indian Heritage School. His legendary and remarkable leadership at the School saw the alternative school grow to over 150 Native and non-Native students with graduation rates of 100%, with student success exceeding that of any other alternative school in Seattle. They came to our meeting seeking our support for renaming Wilson Pacific after Robert Eaglestaff.
There was a lot of discussion not only about Robert Eaglestaff, but also about Indian Heritage School. All of our guests were pleasantly surprised to find out that the LSCC has always supported the Indian Heritage School at Wilson Pacific and is also in support of naming of one or both of the schools in honor of Robert Eaglestaff.
Jim Simmons, an educator and former principal, said that the School District had always neglected Indian Heritage School. The School is at Northgate presently and that is not acceptable.
Wilson Pacific and Licton Springs are sacred sites to the Duwamish and other First Nations. Chief Seattle’s Duwamish Tribe has considered Licton Springs a Duwamish religious since time immemorial.
An application for landmark status and historical preservation for Wilson Pacific has been made by Chris Jackin, whose organization is Save Seattle Community Schools. A decision is expected in September.
It is shocking but true that 30% of Native kids are put into special education classes by the Seattle School District.
Rajah Hawkins told us he had been placed in special education even though he was intelligent. When he went to Indian Heritage School they asked why he had been placed in special education! At Indian Heritage he was on a team that participated in a Scholastic Challenge. Their team won against all U.S. teams and several Canadian entries! Superintendant John Stanford personally promised Rajah in 1996 that Indian Heritage School would not be closed.
Someone capable of revitalizing the school is needed at this time.
It had been heard that Indian Heritage School is to be cancelled for next year. This has not been officially announced to everyone’s knowledge.
Ideas for publicity were suggested and included pow wow or potlatsch. Jan Brucker suggested a play. Her daughter Lauren created an Our Town project that included making over the play to the Indian culture.
Card for Mark Matsui. We all signed a card to former President of NSCC Mark Mitsui, who is driving across the country to become the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges in the U.S. Department of Education. It was decided that if LSCC gave him a $100.00 Starbucks coffee card, it should just about get him across the country.
Master Bike Plan. Melanie Davies announced that the Master Bike Plan has been released. It includes a route taking North 90th across to Greenwood. This was discussed. 90th is a long steep hill before a downhill to Greenwood. It was wondered if this was the best route possible.
Our next meeting is Wednesday, September 18, 2013.
The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ellen M. Beck, Secretary