John Muir Elementary School PTA

Population Our Project Will Serve

Our community has a demonstrated need for this project and also for assistance with funding.

The site at John Muir Elementary is located in the south end of the Mount Baker neighborhood in Rainer Valley, one of the most racially and economically diverse areas in Seattle. The richness and diversity of our community is reflected in our student body. About 85% of our students are children of color and over 15% speak English as their second language. Nearly 60% of our students qualify for free or reduced priced lunch, based on family income level. We are in an Urban Village Hub where green space is extremely limited, especially to the south and west of the school grounds where many of our students' families live. The opening of the Sound Transit Link Light Rail Mount Baker Station in 2009 has also brought increased development and energy to the surrounding neighborhood. Current initiatives specifically seek to increase density around light rail stations. Three existing or planned low-income building projects are within 1-2 blocks of our site.

Community Participation

A primary goal of this project has been engagement with all parts of our community in order to reflect our diversity. School parents and PTA members have joined with neighbors, businesses and other organizations in Mount Baker and surrounding neighborhoods to help with all phases of the design and building process thus far. The Seattle School District Self-Help Committee has had an active voice in this project from the beginning. Non-profit organizations have pledged their support - including the Mount Baker Community Club, the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club, Powerful Schools, Feet First (local nonprofit that promotes walking and pedestrian rights), The Rainier Valley Chamber of Commerce and Capitol Hill Housing, which manages low-income housing developments that will directly benefit from this project.

Achievements So Far

Installed initial play structure in August, 2006. Funded by Small & Simple Neighborhood Grant of $15,000 awarded in 2006. Installation made possible by considerable volunteer effort from Kaboom! staff, Safeco employees, Computer Associates employees, John Muir Elementary students, parents and staff, and Mount Baker neighbors.

Completed Master Plan for entire playground renovation in 2008. Funded by Small & Simple Grant of $15,000 awarded in 2008. Selected Murase Associates as landscape architect after a thorough vetting process of multiple firms. Murase conducted multiple design charettes at the school, at Mount Baker Community Club, and in classrooms with students, from which they created three conceptual designs. They presented these concepts at a second set of public meetings, where they gathered community feedback in order to generate the final Master Plan.

Completed Design Phase in March 2010. Funded by Small & Simple Grant of $15,000 awarded in 2009. Completed deliverables include site design and construction documents.

Extend the use of the playground for children of all ages by adding a variety of equipment and landscape features that allow for exploratory, imaginative and active play for all ages, especially to serve children ages 2-5.

"Green" the overall character of the playground by removing asphalt, adding environmental features and incorporating interactive play elements such as a "river" playscape, landscape mound, and butterfly and vegetable gardens.

Connect to the neighborhood by creating new, accessible entryways at the south and east boundaries, with stairs at each entrance intended to function as a stage, a porch, a waiting area, informal seating and, most importantly, a gathering place for both school and neighborhood.

Fill the gap in North Rainier open space by introducing the John Muir playground as an alternative green space between Mount Baker Park to the north and Genesee Park to the south - and by making it available for public use after school, on weekends, during school breaks and all summer long.

Cast your vote for new playground equipment at John Muir Elementary!

We are very excited to announce that the PTA's Playground Committee has selected four final designs for the new play area for younger children that will be built as part of our playground improvements. These are shown below.

We are seeking input from our school community and neighbors to help make the final selection. Please review the four choices to the right, then click the link below to cast your vote.

Keep in mind that this play equipment is targeted at younger children (kindergarten and first grade students and preschool-age students from the community). This is one component of a larger playground renovation planned for Summer 2012. The existing play structure for older children will remain as-is.

Choice 1: NWR and Associates

Choice 2: Cascade Recreation

Choice 3: Highline

Choice 4: Sitelines

Click here to cast your vote

PLEASE VOTE ONLY ONCE!

Voting will close on Sunday, January 29.

If you have any questions or would like to help out, please contact playground@themurpta.org.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!

Jenny Ott and Jin Lee

Playground Committee Co-Chairs