Seattle Press on Line - Wallingford Wants Hamilton Middle School In Lincoln Building

Wallingford Wants Hamilton Middle School In Lincoln Building

Aug 29, 1998 -- Four Wallingford Community organizations have called on the Seattle School Board to carry out its plan announced two years ago to move Hamilton Middle School into the Lincoln High School Building when Ballard High moves out of Lincoln into its new home in 1999.

A letter was sent to the School Board in early August from: Ward MacKenzie, President, Wallingford Community Council; Sallye Soltner, President, Wallingford Chamber of Commerce; Mark Johnson, Chair, Team Wallingford; and Tom Veith, Chair, Lincoln Liaison Committee.

"We invited the School District to use Lincoln as a temporary site for Ballard High when the plan to use Sand Point fell through," recalled Ward MacKenzie, President of the Wallingford Community Council. "But that was with the clear understanding that Hamilton Middle School would move into Lincoln when Ballard High moves out in the fall of 1999," Mac Kenzie said. "Now there are proposals to use Lincoln again as a temporary site when Roosevelt and Garfield are renovated or replaced. We don't want Lincoln to be used for another 5 or 10 years as a temporary site. It wouldn't be good for the community or the school, or for the future of Hamilton Middle School.

"The school District has a demographic problem," MacKenzie continued. "There are too few students in the north end schools, and not enough schools in the south end. We think the best way to attract students is to have really excellent schools, and the best way to improve Hamilton is to move it into Lincoln."

"The move of Hamilton to Lincoln is one thing about which there is broad consensus in the community," the letter says."Our goal is to have the Hamilton program be the best middle school program in the district, but this goal cannot be achieved in their current building. A world-class facility is essential in drawing students, upgrading programs, and building market share in the north end. This has been the expectation for many years, and was the plan that was approved when voters passed the Building Excellent Schools program in 1996.

For further information, comments or questions contact Ward MacKenzie, weavers@nwlink.com.

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chris chapman	Oct 22, 2002	seattle, wa	student at hamilton
i perfectly agree with the the wallingford organizations. though i will be graduating this year from hmilton, lincoln is a much better facility and i wish i was able to go there this year.


Elenor	Sep 12, 2004	Freedman	Student at roosevelt
I agree! let hamilton take lincoln! we do not want to be there!!! however, i do have one questin... how are you planning on filling lincoln with just your middle school? Roosevelt, one of the larger high schools, is not even able to fill all of the classrooms!!!