School district makes the right call on delay | IN OUR OPINION

Published 8:18 am Friday, August 31, 2012

Officials with the Bainbridge Island School District made the correct — but difficult — decision this week when they decided to push back the opening of the new Wilkes Elementary School.

District officials had always expected that the new school would open on time for the first day of classes on Wednesday, Aug. 29, and they said this week that the contractors on the construction project were certain enough work on the school would be completed in time.

The problem?

Though the classrooms were ready, the safety precautions planned for the rest of the site would not be in place in time for the first day of school.

District Superintendent Faith Chapel said the decision was not made lightly, but there was broad consensus among staff at the school and the district staff that the delay was necessary and would ultimately benefit student safety and student learning.

The three-day delay to the start of school for Wilkes students and their parents no doubt will cause a few headaches with childcare and other issues this week.

That said, student safety is paramount as construction continues on the second phase of the project.

Extending the summer vacation for students, and making up those missed days with creative scheduling during the October and March parent-teacher conference time, was the proper path to take.