The Seattle School District Community Advisory Committee began the complex task of recommending which K-8, alternative and elementary schools to close, consolidate or relocate at their first meeting Monday, March 20. Some members feared their May 26 deadline wouldn't be long enough to solicit adequate community input.

So far, a series of community meetings and weekly gatherings with the committee as a whole will roll out the closure/consolidation plan. The committee, appointed by the Seattle School Board earlier this month, acknowledged that supplemental meetings in each community would likely be necessary.

For closure purposes, the city has been divided into four quadrants using Interstate 90 as the north-south boundary and Interstate 5 as the east-west border, which are boundaries that most people recognize, said Seattle School Board President Brita Butler-Wall.

The district expects that closing at least 12 schools by fall 2007 will improve academic performance throughout the district as well as lessen projected multi-million dollar deficits, partly caused by excess facilities, said Butler-Wall. The district expects to save $4 to $5 million annually.

But last week the school board proposed that the original decision to close 12 schools be amended to 11 schools--one less in the southeast quadrant. The decision was based on high excess space estimates in the area. The board will vote on the number of schools to close April 5.

The advisory team is also charged with making connections within the communities where closures will be considered; two buildings in the northwest, three buildings in the northeast and southwest and four (possibly three) in the southeast. The committee suggested that some meetings in each quadrant be held at times when people without traditional nine to five jobs can attend.

During the next 10 weeks, the committee must apply the eight criteria and overarching principles the board has approved to determine which schools don't make the grade when it comes to academic achievement, effective family connection, building condition and family satisfaction.

Throughout the process, the school board expects the citizen advisory team to consider a set of principles, such as sustaining academic effectiveness and minimizing disruptions to students, families and staff.

Clarity for parents and students, benefits to those who are underserved and insurance that the community is heard and understood is absolutely necessary, said committee member John Dunn.

The board president said the process would be an "ask don't tell, short but intense analyzation," but that it would stand out from last year's "cold-water shock" that sparked community protest at schools like Ballard's North Beach Elementary, which was slated for closure last spring.

North Beach Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president M. J. McDermott said criteria like academic effectiveness and parent involvement will likely work in the school's favor since North Beach was recently named a Parent Involvement School of Excellence by the National PTA. The school's Washington Assessment of Student Learning scores are near the highest in the district.

The district is hoping to condense schools by adding more students to buildings that could handle more capacity. With about 230 students, North Beach could be considered for consolidation, but McDermott believes district support for a playground expansion and the lack of the lead-pipe problem that's contaminating the water supply throughout the district are all signs the school will avoid this year's list.

Though the district has taken a different approach by asking for community involvement, McDermott thinks the neighborhood reaction may be similar to last year's revolt.

"Ultimately, we can be as fair as we want to be but it'll still be a painful and subjective decision," said McDermott. "It's challenging because of the timing, but our parents will undoubtedly get on board to fight it."

Joanne Bowers, principal of Ballard's Viewlands Elementary School, said she'd rather focus on having a fiscally responsible district that nurtures students than worry about school closures.

"I know they have to close schools," said Bowers. "I'm in support of them doing what they have to do. We are living beyond our means right now."

Bowers, who has a 20-year history with Seattle Public Schools, hopes the neighborhoods will lull their protest this time around.

"(The board) had to make a tough decision, and I feel for the community," she said. "It's not an easy thing to go through, but the neighborhoods fighting isn't what's best for the kids."

Viewlands PTA president, Victoria Guettler, said many parents thought Viewlands would be targeted last year.

"This building is more than 50 years old and hasn't had a darn thing done to it," said Guettler.

Viewlands' parents often pick up the slack for school building improvements, she said. The PTA recently acquired a $5,000 grant from Lowe's Home Improvement to replace the carpet in the library and have sought other grants to help pay for a music program and a school nurse.

Viewlands could hold up to 500 students, said Guettler, but that would add up to about 30 students per classroom.

"That's insane," she said. "That's not going to get the kids a better education. I think they are grasping at straws sometimes."

Guettler and others will likely have plenty of opportunity to offer their opinion in the coming weeks. The committee will hold their meetings publicly, as the group has agreed the process must be fair, translucent and clearly linked to the final decisions made by the school board.

"The community will be heard and in the end they'll see their voice and understand the board's decision," said co-chair Mona Bailey, who served as deputy superintendent for Seattle Public Schools. "We are here to listen to the entire community, but they also need to understand that not everything they want to see will happen."

After public reviews and hearings throughout the spring at different phases of the process, the committee will submit its recommendations to the board at the end of May. The board and school superintendent Raj Manhas will make a final decision on consolidations and closures by July 26.

For meeting updates and further information on the school closure process visit http://www.seattleschools.org.