Do the middle/high schools still have lockers? (Bellevue, Issaquah: school districts, living in)

[VeronikaW]

When I was in middle school (IN and CA) and then in high school (CA), we had lockers for our books and personal belongings. I actually still sometimes have nightmares about forgetting my locker combination.

Anyway, we're living in CA right now, but we're planning a move back to WA in the very near future. My nephew is 13 and goes to middle school here in CA, and they've abolished lockers in most of the school districts here, and all the students are required to carry every single one of their books with them everywhere. My nephew's backpack weighs about 60 pounds. Also, in most of Southern CA, students are expected to walk or be driven to school, bus service is scarce, and generally requires special circumstances to be used.

So, I'm just wondering if WA schools have abolished the use of lockers as well. I asked my nephew if the lockers were abandoned due to overcrowding or gang fear, and he said they didn't want kids bringing weapons and stuff to school (like you can't put a gun in a backpack?). I find this amazingly funny, since the city we live in is so totally white bread it's ridiculous.

Anyway, what's your experience in WA? Lockers or no?

Maybe by the time my toddlers are in middle/high school, everything will be done via Kindle.

Oh, I have another question, too. Due to the fact that there's practically no bus service, on the occasions I've gone to pick up my nephew from school, the process takes about 30 minutes because there are so many other parents there picking up students, too. Traffic backs up for about 2 miles around the school as parents pick up students. Wondering if there's similar issues in WA?

V. =)

[Seacove]

In Woodinville they have lockers and bus service. There are still some parents that pick up kids so traffic can still get crowded but I would imagine if there were no bus service it would be worse. I had no idea how limited school bus service is in CA, that's surprising.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by VeronikaW

Anyway, what's your experience in WA? Lockers or no?

I had the same nightmares... and it did happen a lot in the first week of middle school-- which was solved when I realized in my rush to get things, I inverted the numbers, and was 10 lockers off from mine.

Originally Posted by VeronikaW

Oh, I have another question, too. Due to the fact that there's practically no bus service, on the occasions I've gone to pick up my nephew from school, the process takes about 30 minutes because there are so many other parents there picking up students, too. Traffic backs up for about 2 miles around the school as parents pick up students. Wondering if there's similar issues in WA?

I know that generally the rule is the kid must live more than a mile from the school to use the bus. But there almost always parents who come and pick up their kids, so you'll see for sure a long line of cars (because they'll be a designated spot).

[Akama13]

Bellevue has lockers and bus service. High school students have to use METRO service though. Pick up and drop off is nothing like in CA.

[VeronikaW]

Thanks, everyone. I assumed SoCal's situation was unique. Not sure what's up with the whole bus service thing (it was the same when I was in school 20 years ago). My nephew's school has 1200+ students, and there is literally one bus that services the entire school.

I didn't ride a bus to school until 5th grade when my family moved to Indiana (in the 80s). It was quite the foreign experience, especially considering the school was easily walking distance, but walking to school was not allowed.

Looking forward to getting back to WA and some semblance of normalcy. =)

V. =)

[SitoUK]

sorry, I cannot contribute anything to this thread but I am very surprised to see that you were NOT allowed to walk to school in Indiana?!?! Why would anyone not be allowed to walk to school if they choose to?

[seattlenextyear]

I think the Lake Washington High schools require you to be outside of 1 mile in order to bus you.

I see that you accidentally wrote "Kindle" instead of "iPad". Don't worry, it's an honest mistake

[VeronikaW]

Originally Posted by SitoUK

sorry, I cannot contribute anything to this thread but I am very surprised to see that you were NOT allowed to walk to school in Indiana?!?! Why would anyone not be allowed to walk to school if they choose to?

I know it was really perplexing to us. I think the school told my mom it was some sort of liability issue. It was strange to have to ride a bus for what would have been a 5-10 minute walk.

Originally Posted by seattlenextyear

I think the Lake Washington High schools require you to be outside of 1 mile in order to bus you.

I see that you accidentally wrote "Kindle" instead of "iPad". Don't worry, it's an honest mistake

My husband works for Amazon, just got finished launching the appstore, I shall not speak of iPads. =)

[texastrigirl]

I don't know, maybe by then everything will be done on a Kindle

My kids are in Issaquah School District...they still have lockers and are bused. We live a mile from our elem school but get bused because there are no sidewalks to get all the way there because of the wetlands

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by seattlenextyear

I think the Lake Washington High schools require you to be outside of 1 mile in order to bus you.

Correct, and they still do have lockers.