The grand opening celebration brought together school leaders, district administrators, civic dignitaries, tribal representatives, union labor, and enthusiastic families . Following the formal speeches, the crowd enjoyed a celebratory ice cream social from Ben & Jerry's on Alki provided by the project’s design and construction partners, Mahlum Architects and Cornerstone General Contractors, ahead of the official first day of school on September 2, 2026.

Community and District Leadership Celebrate a New Era

The ceremony featured remarks from a distinguished panel of speakers who shared their excitement for the school’s future and gratitude for the collective effort required to bring the project to fruition.

Mason Skeffington, Principal of Alki Elementary

Serving as the master of ceremonies, Alki Principal Mason Skeffington (also referred to as Scaffington) expressed deep pride in the new campus:

"This beautiful building behind me was years in the making and would not be here today without you in the audience and those listed on this program... This campus is our home and a hub for this community. As principal, I take great pride in knowing that starting this year and those that are yet to come, we'll have an amazing state-of-the-art school that will nurture and develop Alki Seagulls for generations to come." 

He also reminded the students in attendance of the expectations of the "Alki way":

"These amazing scholars remind us each day of the joy... and embody living the Alki way to always be responsible. Let kindness be your guide. Keep yourself and others safe and inspire respect and pride." 

Ben Shuldiner, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner highlighted the importance of establishing world-class educational spaces:

"This is a pretty wonderful day. Being a superintendent, there's a lot of stuff I have to do, but days like this is, it just makes me so happy to see our children, to see our families, to see our communities all coming out to celebrate something that every child really in the world deserves, which is an amazing world-class environment to learn... What matters is what happens inside and the fact that we have these amazing students and amazing faculty and amazing educators." 

Shuldiner added that this high-performance environment is symbolic of the district's lofty goals:

"What I hope is that this brand new, beautiful, state-of-the-art building is symbolic of our expectations for everyone. We all need to be world class. We all need to have world-class expectations for our children... We are and we are going to be the single greatest urban education system in America."

Gina Topp, President of the Seattle School Board

For School Board President Gina Topp, who represents District 6 (including West Seattle), the opening was deeply personal, as her own daughter will attend the school:

"Place matters. The place where our children spend their days matter... As adults, we look at this beautiful new Alki Elementary. We see everything it took to get here. We see the year of planning, budgets, levies, construction schedules, meetings, and more meetings... The kids see something different. They see the classroom where they're going to meet their best friend. They see the playground where they're going to run wild... My hope is that when you [drive past this building years from now], you will remember more than this, a beautiful building. My hope is that you remember a place where you were known, a place where you were challenged, a place where you were cared for, a place where you had fun, and most importantly, a place you learned."

Evan Smith, Vice President of Schools First

Evan Smith represented Schools First, the grassroots advocacy organization that campaigns for school levies:

"This building and many capital projects in the district are funded through the levies that voters in Seattle approve... [I want to ask for] another round of applause please for the voters of Seattle... for recognizing both the importance that space and place make in the students learning journey and how this shows up in communities... They can see their tax dollars at work. They can see those levies create amazing spaces for our students."

Monty Anderson, Executive Secretary of the Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council

Monty Anderson praised the local neighborhood’s support during construction and noted the prudent use of taxpayer funds:

"I never heard one complaint from a worker about how they were treated in the neighborhood here. And that says a lot to this community... We've been talking a lot here about taxpayer money. I think the next part about it is being prudent and fiscally responsible with that money. And people like... the school board... have made sure that they have apprenticeship standards on these projects. They meet the highest standards and they also hire from the Seattle School District. So, you're taking the money and you're investing it right here back in your pocket."

Andy Sheffer, Deputy Superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation

Andy Sheffer celebrated the school's seamless physical and collaborative connection with the adjacent park:

"How cool is it to have a school overlooking a park? The outdoor environment is so critical to our mental well-being, and I'm so grateful to work with Seattle Public Schools. Every single meeting with Seattle Public Schools is about learning... Seattle Public Schools leans in in every single meeting." 

Complete Ceremonial Participants and Project Partners

The grand opening was supported by a wide assembly of civic leaders, education administrators, and development partners:

• Welcome & Introductions (Master of Ceremonies): Mason Skeffington (Principal, Alki Elementary School) 
• Official Ribbon Cutters:
  • Alki Elementary School: Principal Mason Skeffington, PTA President Justine Berk 
  • Seattle Public Schools: School Board President Gina Topp, Superintendent Ben Shuldiner, Assistant Superintendent of Operations Fred Podesta, Executive Director of Capital Projects, Planning, and Facilities Richard Best, Senior Project Manager Vince Gonzales, Project Manager Brian Fabella, and Executive Director of Elementary Schools Rena Deese, Vicky Schmitz
  • Project Partners: Becky Hutchinson and Laura Poulin (Mahlum Architects); Tim Morse and Alex Lund (Cornerstone General Contractors) Vicki Schmitz Block.
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• Honored Guests:
  • Teresa Mosqueda (King County Council Member) 
  • Brianna Thomas (State Representative, District 4) 
  • Evan Smith (Vice President, Schools First) 
  • Dr. Dwane Chappelle (Director, Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning) 
  • Andy Sheffer (Deputy Superintendent of Planning and Capital Development, Seattle Parks and Recreation) 
  • Monty Anderson (Executive Secretary, Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council) 
  •  
• Additional Project Contributors & Liaisons Mentioned:
  • Reese Harrington (Liaison, Seattle Parks and Recreation) 
  • Ken Workman and Nancy Chapman (Duwamish Tribe Representatives) 
  • Harus Engineers (Mechanical and Plumbing Design)
  • Mayfly Engineering (Local, woman-owned West Seattle firm responsible for Stormwater Management).

"Come Ashore": Cultural Identity and Sustainable Architecture

The new school's design is heavily defined by its physical, ecological, and cultural environment, delivering a facility that is as sustainable as it is educational,

Deep Indigenous Roots

During the pre-design phase, the architectural team collaborated extensively with members of the local Duwamish Tribe, including Ken Workman and Nancy Chapman. From these meetings emerged the central architectural theme, "Come Ashore," which is the Lushootseed language translation of "welcome" . Historically, tribal members would welcome visitors arriving by boat to the shoreline. This welcome is permanently emblazoned in Lushootseed at the end of the school’s main entrance.

This connection to the Duwamish heritage is woven directly into the school’s structural elements. The building features extensive use of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), a sustainable mass timber material. Project Manager Brian Fabella recalled a moving exchange with Duwamish representative Ken Workman:

"Our DNA is in the ground. The trees pull up that DNA. And so our ancestors are in the trees. And by building this out of mass timber, it’s sort of honoring our ancestors because they’re here with future generations." 

Mass Timber and Seismic Safety

Beyond its cultural and aesthetic value, the choice of mass timber has significant technical advantages. The material reduces the building’s carbon footprint and makes it substantially lighter than conventional steel-and-concrete designs. This reduced weight translates to smaller foundation requirements and superior seismic safety. According to Project Manager Brian Fabella, "Seismically, this is probably the safest building here in Alki." 

A Living Laboratory for Sustainability

Targeting the strict standards of the Washington Sustainable Schools Program (WSSP), the building serves as an interactive educational tool:

• Geothermal Energy: A highly efficient geothermal heating and cooling system utilizes 65 wells drilled 300 feet deep beneath the school grounds. To make this invisible system tangible, designers placed decorative monuments on the school’s floors, showing students where geothermal pipes run underneath.
• Solar Power & Ventilation: The roof features solar panel arrays. Combined with natural fresh-air ventilation, the school operates on an exceptionally low Energy Use Index (EUI) in the low teens.
• Interactive Design: The school flooring includes a permanent, artistic tide chart showing high and low tides, integrating tidal patterns and marking dates like the school's opening day.

Innovative Layouts and Community Hubs

The design process relied on an active School Design Advisory Team (SDAT) of school staff, parents, and community members who collaborated over multiple sessions. The resulting design includes several specialized layouts:

• Third-Floor Library & Art Room: A beautiful library that "pops out" from the building's exterior, offering panoramic views, adjacent to a state-of-the-art art room and a fully refurbished gymnasium.
• Family Resource Room: A dedicated community space featuring a small kitchen and laundry facilities, built specifically to assist families in need, including those who may be experiencing housing instability.
• Anti-Bullying Restroom Design: Single-occupant, non-gendered restrooms feature an open, shared common sink area, which is structurally designed to minimize isolated spaces. "What we learned was there's so much bullying occurring in the space that's enclosed in the restrooms," Fabella explained. "By opening this up, we drastically cut down on bullying." 
• Enhanced Classroom Security: Classrooms are fitted with emergency responder buttons that enable the school's main office to instantly identify secure zones during safety drills or lockdowns.

Project Economics: Under Budget and On Target

The comprehensive modernization of Alki Elementary School carried a total construction cost of approximately $67 million. Despite encountering local scheduling delays that added roughly $2 million in auxiliary costs, project management confirmed that the overall development concluded under budget.

The capital requirements for this extensive build were paid for entirely through voter-approved community funds. Specifically, funding was drawn from the 2019 Building Excellence Capital Levy (BEX V) and the 2022 Buildings, Technology, and Academics Capital Levy (BTA V), highlighting the Seattle public’s continuing commitment to high-quality civic and educational infrastructure.