September 14, 2007
New school, new friends
By Sarah Koenig
Enterprise writer
Sharie Landsverk's son Aaron, a
fifth-grader at Forest View
Elementary, has autism, and
usually struggles with change.
He's just one of hundreds of
students who started school at
the brand-new elementary last
week, leaving familiar faces and
patterns behind.
"Transitions are probably the
most difficult thing for children
with autism," Landsverk said.
"This year he has a brand-new
school, a brand-new teacher, there's an aide, a new speech therapist, a new
music teacher, occupational therapist, a new principal -- everything is new."
But things went smoothly, thanks to a lot of preparation, Landsverk said.
Last year, principal Brenda Fuglevand set up a meeting between Aaron's
teachers and specialists and those who'd work with him at Forest View. She let
him meet his teacher early and tour the school the day before it started, both
exceptions to the rule.
Aaron's mother drove him by the school often while it was being built to give him
a sense of familiarity.
"He loves the school. He commented on the architecture and how he loves the
building, and he loves the people," Landsverk said.
The transition to Forest View went well for Hartley Steiner's first-grade son
Gabriel too, minus a transportation glitch on the first day. Socially, it helped that
most of the kids in the neighborhood were going to the same school, Steiner
said.
Enterprise/ CHRIS GOODENOW
After his mother suggested they be best friends for the day, first-grader Gabriel
Steiner (left) holds hands with Juliana Mothersbaugh, as they walk to the school
bus stop on their way to the new Forest View Elementary School, Monday, Sept.
10, in their neighborhood in unincorporated Bothell.
"He's excited about the school and excited to have a new teacher," Steiner said.
The only thing missing for Gabriel seems to be a map. "He wishes he had a
map," Steiner said. "He's 6 -- he can't read a map."
In addition, the gym's not finished, students eat in their classrooms and they don't
actually go anywhere, Steiner said. But the school "rocks," and Gabriel just wants
to know where everything is, in addition to his many questions about things in
general, she said.
Steiner has been bowled over by the school's design. Since the standard Everett
School District elementary school design didn't fit the site, the building had to be
designed from scratch.
That's meant architectural details you don't usually see in a school, Steiner said.
There are two-story windows that overlook a green belt, wavy lines in the
concrete dyed blue-green to resemble a river, exposed logs in the walls,
wrought-iron willows, solar tubes that trap sunlight to bring it from one area of the
building to the next, and more.
The school's opening, however, didn't go off without a hitch. On day one, there
weren't enough buses to pick up all students after school. Children were
supervised and waited at the school, getting home late. Steiner's son didn't get
home until after 5 p.m.
Many parents were upset about the missing buses and the fact that the school
hadn't called them. But the problem was fixed by the next day, and glitches are to
be expected, Steiner said.
Unlike Steiner's son Gabriel, first-grader Megan Fettig didn't have many children
from her old school come to the new one with her -- about five, and those
children didn't make it into her class.
"At first she was kind of curious why that didn't happen, but she makes friends
easily," said her mother, Dawn Fettig. "She was excited to make some new
friends and see some of her old friends at recess. She absolutely loves the
school."
Megan Fettig said she likes the school, especially her teacher.
Tracy Grayson, whose son Christopher attends first grade at the school, liked the
fact that parents got to stay with their kids on the first day for 30 minutes to see
the school and get oriented. Students in her son's class were given a checklist to
mark off. It ensured they found their lockers, their cubby and other essential
places.
"I have found the bathroom and understand how to work the hands-free sink and
toilet," one check box read.
Grayson also likes the fact that the younger children are upstairs, near the school
office, and the older children are all downstairs.
"Just for influence, and I think it's just nice to know the littler kids are right down
the hall from the office and just protected and cared for," she said.
Principal Fuglevand has stood in front of the school each day answering
questions and making sure people find their way, which Grayson appreciates.
Steiner, like other parents, said she was nervous about going to a brand-new
school.
But after she joined the PTA and met the staff and principal, she was
immediately impressed and her concerns vanished, she said.
She's only heard good things about all the teachers, and that's unique, since
usually everyone at a school knows who the best teachers are, she said.
"I think everyone thought in the beginning that we were forced to go to the new
school," Steiner said. "Now I feel lucky that we get to go to the new school."
