Photoessay #732 - Farewell to Shorecrest

And farewell to the Shoreline School District. It's been fun but it's over. I've had a kid in this district since September of 1987. Do the math, 22 years.

My last kid graduated a few weeks ago.

I've seen whole empires rise and fall. I've lost track of who's superintendent. I had 3 kids in the same school for several years. Try doing parent conferences with that one.

I used to say that my family was a cost center for the district. We've been in about everything except Highly Capable and the Alternative programs. We've used our share of Special Education. And athletics (softball, track, basketball, cross country, soccer, water polo). And music (band, orchestra, highland dancers). And literary publications and art (newpaper, literary magazine, Reflections) And student discipline and special counselors. No drama, somehow we skipped that.

We've added to the already healthy minority population. Listen at graduation to the names and look at the kids proudly getting their diplomas. Look at the audience. Not an all white district at all.

This school district is an integral part of the community. The city of Shoreline basically incorporated around the school district. A lot of the impetus for incorporation came from the Seattle School District wanting to annex the Shoreline School District. This community, not rich, nor fancy, has always supported the school district. Our schools represent our community. Every levy passes. Community members care about their schools. I remember seeing schools in California in disrepair. Dead plants. People here would not stand for that. Before you know it, community members would be in there making it right. Not that many people send their kids to private school, because these schools are OUR schools and OUR kids go to them.

A good place for my four kids to go to school. The Shoreline School district has served them well.

I used this picture 16 months ago or so. View of the back of Shorecrest High School featuring the performing arts center with a view of the Cascades in the background. Taken from the softball field. Where we spent many a frozen hour. The school is built near the crest of a hill with the athletic fields in the upper portion. That icy wind just whips over that hill. "We freeze out our competition" I confided to chilly parents from the opposing team.