Gig Harbor to Tukwila (Tacoma: live in, cost of, moving)

[mthomson]

No love lost...I don't give much credence to the news. This is one instance with a few upset parents. As I mentioned, the folks that I've worked with directly love it. I don't think the few folks mentioned in the article (nor just the folks I know) are the determining factors. You can't make everyone happy all the time. The district is making the best decisions they can to accomodate kids.

[mthomson]

Traci--
I'd look around Peacock Hill area, or the neighborhood called "Southport". Those are nice and close to the HWY and bridge for easy commute times. Artondale, Cromwell, Fox Island are all great areas, but are going to give you a bit more of a drive. Pt Evans is another good option, as is Rosedale.

[NoLoveLost]

Originally Posted by mthomson

No love lost...I don't give much credence to the news. In addition to that being old news,

Old to you, not to the parents who children are still in that miserable portable in the back of the school segregated from the rest of the place.

Originally Posted by mthomson

the complaint is that they are moving buildings...to a building with better facilities, better faculty, and more opportunities to help those kids. The problem is that its' further away for some families.

First get your facts straight. The complaint was that the change in location constituted a change in placement and therefore the CONTENT of the program. The new facility lacked equipment, an ST room, Movement rooms, outdoor covered area to do OT work, quite room, and a number of others things I could list. The school has NEVER been set up for special education whereas there are 4 sp ed schools in the district, and they moved the program to this one, the one that wasn't set up for a special ed program.

Originally Posted by mthomson

better facilities, better faculty, and more opportunities to help those kids.

Where did you hear that???? Who says it is better? Have you SEEN the place? Are you familiar with the services they were promised and STILL AREN'T getting? Have you ANY clue what the STAR Program went thru? What they STILL deal with????

or is it that you work for the district?

Originally Posted by mthomson

No doubt that's a burden, but I'm not going to base my opinion of an entire district on few folks who are upset about transportation. Valid yes, the whole story, no.

It's a DISTRICT program, and it wasn't just a "FEW" folks. It was EVERY family with a child in the program. It is the program that any child who needs a self contained class will be in....

So are you also assuming that we aren't important enough? Are you dismissing us because we aren't "the majority"???

Well I must say you do assume a lot.

Yes, it was further away for many of the parents, but the issue was the facility wasn't appropriate for this program.

[mthomson]

"Well I must say you assume a lot". Well put, back at ya'. I know that there are two sides to every story, and newspapers are trained not to report that. Report the controversy, sell papers. Report the good, folks will go buy whoever is reporting the bad.
I don't discount any of the struggles that come from this change, but I won't say that "EVERY" family was inconvenienced. I know of 2 who are thrilled with the program. Maybe they're the minority.
Since this isn't what the poster was asking about, I'd ask that we either let it drop or start a new post. I just have a hard time with folks who will label an entire district as bad because of one decision that may or may not have been the best option.

[NoLoveLost]

Originally Posted by mthomson

"Well I must say you assume a lot". Well put, back at ya'. I know that there are two sides to every story, and newspapers are trained not to report that. Report the controversy, sell papers. Report the good, folks will go buy whoever is reporting the bad.
I don't discount any of the struggles that come from this change, but I won't say that "EVERY" family was inconvenienced. I know of 2 who are thrilled with the program. Maybe they're the minority.
Since this isn't what the poster was asking about, I'd ask that we either let it drop or start a new post. I just have a hard time with folks who will label an entire district as bad because of one decision that may or may not have been the best option.

Well then I assume not, when I say you are a liar.

I was directly involved with this, and know ALL of the parents whose children were in that program (and those who are still) and NONE of them were or are happy about it.

My information isn't based on the news reporters. I know the whole story first hand. This wasn't about "inconvenience". Nor did I say the program itself was bad, It was the district and how they treated (and still treat) the program.

and it is something that the poster should be interested in. If she has kids (as she seems to) then she is very much going to be concerned about how a school district treats the children.

but yes, I'm done talking about this......

[cabocurtis]

I too have been contemplating moving my family to Gig harbor even though I will keep my business in Seattle. An option not talked yet is the Sounder commuter train as with projected population increases traffic on Interstate 5 is only going to get worse in the future. The toll bridge has significantly improved traffic flow to and from Gig Harbor to Tacoma. By the Tacoma Dome only 8-12 minutes from Gig Harbor the train can be picked up and they have a Tukwila station. According to schedule only a 39 minute trip and Im sure there is bus service to the employer once in Tukwila. A monthly or annual pass can be purchased that covers the train and bus transfer. Also there is a sounder commuter bus that leaves Gig Harbor that may have a stop and transfer option to Tukwila which provides the benefit of not driving but accessing the carpool lane. Here is the link. Sound Transit: Sounder Commuter Rail Schedules The trains feature wireless internet and a bond was approved that more runs each direction are to be added.

As traffic gets worse this seems to be the way to improve the experience of going to work. Living in Kent, Maple Valley or places that may have good schools is no panacea as the routes to tukwila are clogged during commute hours. I currently live 9.3 miles from my office in downtown Seattle and its can take 25-40 minutes depending on traffic. I have looked at the schools and have nieces currently at Gig Harbor High and they report them to be good schools compared to most other public school options in WA state. Activities besides mentioned in Gig Harbor is the point defiance zoo across the bridge and the Tacoma Dome gets most of the national popular musical group concerts. Good luck on your decision.

[traciann]

What a great point! I had started to throw this sort of idea around (the train), but wow... you really make a strong and specific case here. My husband is more the skeptic here, but when you throw all these numbers around and can compare this to the Maple Valley commute, which is another area we were considering, this is great. Thanks for helping me make my case!!

[cabocurtis]

You are welcome. Maple Valley during commuter hours can often be very frustrating due to lack of alternate routes and much is only a two lane highway. Des Moines is a nice community in development toward the Puget Sound from Tukwila that has a commute opposite of most of the bad traffic but I am not familiar with how the school system is. My guess is Gig Harbor has better schools.

[Zym]

Forgive me for saying, NoLoveLost, that certainly sounds like sour grapes.

I have one child that graduated from Gig Harbor High School, one there now, and one at Discovery Elementary. The schools here are the best in the state. Very high parent involvement, well funded, and for the most part excellent teachers. Sports and other extra curricular programs are well supported both with funding and with parent volunteers. I would send my kids to private schools if I lived in a lot of the areas in the state, but the quality of education here is absolutely excellent.

[NoLoveLost]

Originally Posted by Zym

Forgive me for saying, NoLoveLost, that certainly sounds like sour grapes.

I have one child that graduated from Gig Harbor High School, one there now, and one at Discovery Elementary. The schools here are the best in the state. Very high parent involvement, well funded, and for the most part excellent teachers. Sports and other extra curricular programs are well supported both with funding and with parent volunteers. I would send my kids to private schools if I lived in a lot of the areas in the state, but the quality of education here is absolutely excellent.

For regular kids that may be, but for special ed kids no...sorry but it isn't sour grapes when this school district doesn't provide for part of the children in this community. It's a fact, not an opinion......

So much so that in the year when I was fighting this school district, there were 38 pending lawsuits against it.......