Please sign this petition http://www.keepourkidstogether.org to help keep siblings in the same school.

As some of you are aware, the Seattle school district is in the midst of a major philosophical and logistical shift for assigning students to schools. We used to be able to pick any school in the entire district. That meant, in reality, that you had to tour a ton of schools, put down your first five choices, and often got your third choice. The whole system was unwieldy and stressful. I'm not sorry it's going. In the new system, everyone would go to their neighborhood school.

The problem is the transition. If the plan goes forward with no provision for grandfathering in siblings, Rose, Miriam, and Ariana would be going to Daniel Bagley, and David would go to Greenwood.

That's bad for me. That's two different drop offs, pick ups, PTA's, auctions, jogathons, volunteering. . . It's taken me three years to really feel part of the Daniel Bagley community. I love hanging out on the playground comparing notes with the other parents; playdates are easy to schedule. I write grants for the school, teach classes as the guest poet. The principal knows me, the secretaries know me. The librarian and I are total buds. I would have to cut short my community building at both places. I just wouldn't have the time, money, and energy for both.

But forget about me, It's really bad for David. He's been walking to Daniel Bagley (well, often being pushed in a stroller) almost his whole life. He climbs their trees. He hangs from the dome. He's friends with the playground supervisor, and yes, the principal, bless her heart, knows him by name. David already thinks he's a Bagley Bee. It would break his heart to be separated from his sister and cousins not to mention all the other friends he has made over the years.

I know many of you are not personally affected by this bad transition plan. That's ok. You can still support my family.

John and I think anyone who pays taxes in Seattle has a right to speak on this issue. The rest of you use your best judgment.