Here it is:

http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/school%20board/12-13%20agendas/032013agenda/20130320_Action_Report_Columbia.pdf

Here's what I can figure out thus far: Contractors are bidding on the updates at the end of the month. It also appears the Torah Day School's lease expires in June.

Below are some links to what I've been able to track down. Some of the documents discuss immediate plans to "modernize" the building…others are older and simply mention Columbia as an option to reopen or to consider. I think I am also finding info about reopening the site as an interim location for Meany Middle. A direct inquiry to the district might be the best way to get the actual details…the links below might get some folks interested in finding out more. If anyone knows anything official, be sure to chime in.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OR6IRBrE04bK6s0N1FRDk9IiaSGhmovep5UWwMcFtno/edit?usp=sharing

http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/capacity%20management/November%2021-2011%20Board%20Workshop%20Final.pdf

http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/school%20board/11-12%20agendas/050912agenda/20120509_Presentation_BEXIVWorkSession.pdf

Traditional Montessori curriculum
Farm playground, nature curriculum
Parenting support and education

Open House
Saturday, January 12th
10:30-noon
Director’s presentation @ 11 am

NOW ENROLLING
Ages 2.5-6

(206) 725-7714
www.learninggarden.net

4226 South Lucile Seattle, WA, 98118

My daughter has been attending an Arabic-speaking in-home daycare since the time she was 4 months old and I don't want to lose the fluency that she is building. (I don't speak the language at all, or have any Arabic family ties, so her exposure has been very lopsided. Even so, she does seem to understand everthing "Teta" (Grandma) says and will say short phrases in Arabic herself.)

I'd love to get together and compare notes. I'm not sure how to give you my phone/email address without it posting here publicly, though. Are you a member of the Columbia City Parents email list?

(By the way, if you're open to an in-home daycare, you can search all the licensed providers by subscribing to Child Care Resources of King County. http://www.childcare.org/default.asp You can do a search by language & zip code to at least give you some options.)

Leina

Anyone have kids going to The Islamic School of Seattle? I would love to hear your thoughts on the school. I am planning to head there for a visit in the future, but I thought I could see if any Southenders could give me a review….

Thanks again in advance!

My daughter is only 1 year old, but we have started to research preschools. I was wondering if anyone knew of an arabic/english preschool (other than Islamic School of Seattle) around here. A google search isn't bringing anything up.

Ideally - we would love to place her somewhere where she could learn the Arabic language without religious teachings.

I did call the Islamic School (very nice, btw) and they said that they don't teach too much of Islam to the little ones, but I was hoping to find other options.

Thanks in advance!

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I haven't had any recent conversations about what's in store for Columbia School.

Last I heard, Torah Day School had applied to the District to move into Columbia School. Then the South Shore School (the New School) moved back into their temporary home ('07-09) while the District figured out what in their new Rainier Beach building has made people sick. Assuming the health concern is resolved, Columbia should be available again in the fall. I think the District’s RFP (Request for Proposals) originally stated the site would be available for a three-year lease.

Right now (July 2010), the District's site says this:

The Columbia School lease is on hold pending a decision on reoccupancy of South Shore School.

Meanwhile, TDS is hiring, though "Columbia City" could refer to their current or proposed locations. I think TDS' proposal includes other neighborhood-based organizations, so other Citizens are definitely more in the know about this.

I also know very little about TDS, and their website is pretty sparse. Here's some of what other people in the Jewish community have written about the new and growing school:

• Learning curve: The success and failure of two schools in Seward Park
• The Seattle Kollel: Case Study in Unintended Consequences

My name is Irene. I am a student at Orca K-8. I am studying the history of the houses that used to be on the Orca (Whitworth) playfield and the families that lived in them. In the '80s seven houses were torn down to make the playfield that is there today. On June 17th we are going to (temporarily) recreate the houses on the field and invite our neighbors to come visit them. If you remember the houses or know any information about them or have any pictures of them, we would love for you to contribute to our project. Please contact our teacher, Mikala Woodward at 206-501-6904 or jojoma3 AT aol.com.

Thanks!

Breakfast (8:30 AM), lunch and childcare will be provided. Translation services available for Spanish, Somali, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, Oromo, Amharic, Tigrigna, Cambodian, and Samoan. This event is FREE.

Questions? Contact Julie DeVito at (206) 252-0989 or gro.sloohcselttaes|otivedj#gro.sloohcselttaes|otivedj

Some of the gaps we are asked to fill are things you might consider “extras” but that are essential to our school as we know it: without our half-time Environmental Science / Garden Coordinator our award-winning Garden program — integrated into the science curriculum at every grade level — could not function. Other holes in the budget are simply maddening: the district only provides us with 5.6 middle school teachers, for instance. How we are meant to serve six classrooms of students with 5.6 teachers is beyond me — I suppose we could send one of the teachers home at lunch every day and lock all 65 6th graders in the gym for the rest of the afternoon? Last year $25K of our PTSA budget went to fill out the sixth middle school teacher’s salary, and another $30K paid the Environmental Science teacher. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is for our amazing group of committed parents to work all year raising all that money — Annual Fund letters and the Plant Sale and a Jog-a-thon and the Spring Auction — just to put a teacher in each classroom.

Please read the whole thing.