Ordway Weekly Newsletter - January 2, 2024

Dear Ordway Families,

Wishing each of you a Happy New Year! I am so grateful to have the Ordway School Community in my life and I look forward to continuing to enjoy working everyday with our children, staff, and families, and together facing the challenges ahead of us in 2024. 

It is clear that the upcoming School Consolidation Scenarios A and B have our entire Ordway Community - children, parents, staff whether neighborhood or El Velero  - all striving to remain together (Scenario A). Based on the questions I am receiving from our parents needing clarity, I thought I would respectfully share my perspective. In a recent conversation with Amii Thompson, newly appointed Acting Superintendent, I was able to explain the viewpoint of Ordway’s staff and families based on our shared understanding of the two prior Reconfiguration Committees of 2013 and 2017. Each of these committees’ members, also in response to declining enrollment budgetary issues, recommended consolidating by moving the entire Ordway School population into the Sakai building. In this way, the long-term aim would ensure a centrally located elementary school for the most diverse and densely populated neighborhood on the island, as well as preserve the Ordway Elementary School Community as the newly configured Sakai Elementary School. To review, that option is now only possible in Scenario A in which Ordway is moved to Sakai; while Scenario B eliminates a centrally located K-4 school on the island by assigning all of Ordway’s children and staff to either Blakely or Halilts. Since there is understandable chatter among community members regarding decisions highly impactful to families, folks are concerned to hear talk that Scenario A is regarded by the district to be difficult logistically - small toilets, retrofitting kindergarten classes, complicated scheduling, etc. Similar to the 2013 and 2017 recommendations to move Orday to Sakai, Scenario A presents hurdles but they are not insurmountable especially to preserve a centrally located K-5 school for families.

While respecting this is a complicated and emotionally charged decision for our district, there are issues specific to Ordway. As your principal, I do understand the staff and parents’ worries of whether or not maintaining a centrally located school, and preserving the Ordway School Community, is a district priority during this budget crisis. It is not inconsequential that Ordway School would no longer exist in Scenario B. In my view, it is human nature that Ordway staff and parents alike are banding together to – as our students’ sweet letters/drawings to me note both in English and Spanish complete with their drawn teardrops - “Save our school” - not the Ordway name, nor the Ordway building, but preserving the children’s familiar school community - friends and teachers - as one of three newly configured K-5’s on the island proposed in Scenario A - Blakely at the south end, Halilts at the north end, and Ordway in the middle. Notable is that Odyssey will remain intact as a school community in both Scenarios A and B.  And not to be diminished, Sakai staff and families likely have been experiencing this same sense of fear and dread of losing their school community since the 2013 committee’s original recommendation. 

In my administrative experience it is understandable that Ordway's stakeholders, staff, and parents alike, articulately advocate and even passionately at times, for the unique values we know our centrally located school community brings to Bainbridge Island’s young families. 

Whichever scenario is determined, perhaps even a new one – it is clear that Ordway as we know it, will sadly be moving out of this building after this school year. I am committed to facilitating a smooth transition in the best interests of our young children and our wonderful staff. Please stay informed, involved, and continue to reach out to me with any questions you may have. 

Best,

Debra