Vibrant kites soared across the high ceiling and bouquets of balloons dotted the foyer of the new Lake Wilderness Elementary, greeting students and families with color at every turn.

As the community entered the building for the dedication ceremony last night, many said, "Wow, beautiful!" "Isn't this awesome, and pointed out the kites, which are actually sound-absorbing tiles.

"I think that the use of color is incredible," said Aubrey Durbin, PTSA president. "I think that is important in an elementary school and I love all the natural light that comes into the building."

Parent Joanna Guest, who also attended the event, agreed.

"It's cool! My older three kids went to the old school," said Guest, whose 8-year-old will start school at the new building next week. "I'm really excited. ... The color choices are really aesthetically pleasing."

During the dedication ceremony, School Board member Tami Henkel recalled the beginning of the project, which many of the students and staff in the room helped celebrate.

"Four hundred and seventy-eight days ago, a lot of us were right here for the groundbreaking," Henkel said. "That's a pretty quick turnaround, right guys?"

She thanked the voters and the community for supporting Lake Wilderness' need for a new building.

"I know the Wildcat Way will continue and Lake Wilderness will always be a wonderful place to learn and grow," Henkel said.

Principal Audrey Meyers, Ph.D., said that for her, the evening brought to mind three words: "excitement," "thankful," and "opportunity."

"Excitement in the sense that this building offers a new learning experience for our students," Meyers said, noting that the school is not only visually stunning but also well-equipped to help prepare students to be Future Ready. She said she is thankful for the patience and perseverance of teachers and staff and also to all those who helped make the new school a reality. Meyers emphasized "opportunity" because the new building opens the door to many possibilities.

"This new building has ignited a passion within us to create a mission and vision of learning for our students, built upon a foundation of meaningful partnerships with our families," she said. We are looking forward to our future with you by our side in this beautiful new Lake Wilderness Elementary."

Fifth-grader Leah T. said the new building is "really nice," and that she is excited for her new class with Kelly Weiner.

Maisen F., who is entering fourth grade, said she likes the benches at the new school, and the new library because it has reading nooks and the model Lake Wilderness made out of LEGOS.

Eden S., also a new fourth-grader, said the new school is "awesome," and that she likes the "giant classrooms!"

Many students and parents congregated on the new playground equipment and Forever Lawn behind the new building. Children ran races on the turf, turned cartwheels and waved balloons.

Asked her thoughts on the new building, Lexi C., 10, said, "This one's way bigger and better, but I still miss the old one."

Student transportation is going to be different this year, which is in response to the unprecedented change taking place across the Tahoma School District. 

Perhaps the biggest change affects high school students who live within walking distance of the new school. Students who are within about a 1.5-mile radius and who have a safe-walk route will no longer ride the school bus. The old high school did not have safe-walk routes, due to its rural location. By comparison, students in neighboring districts such as Kent and Auburn walk two miles to school.

More students will walk to Glacier Park Elementary this year, and Lake Wilderness Elementary students will see changes in the route to their new school, which stands on what used to be the playfield for the old building that was demolished during the summer. Crossing guards will be on duty to direct students as they access the campus from Witte Road. Students and visitors must enter the campus from Witte Road, because other entrances have been removed and a perimeter fence limits access. Separate entrances and lanes for bus traffic and car traffic are in place to reduce congestion and improve safety.

Increasing the number of students who walk or bike to school is encouraged by the office of the state Superintendent of Public Instruction. Walking to school is good exercise and reduces the number of buses on the road, which aids with traffic congestion and is more environmentally friendly.

The new safe-walk routes were established in 2016, using recommendations made by a committee of district staff, city of Maple Valley police and public works officials, and parent representatives. State law authorizes school boards to establish routes for buses, as well as distances and routes for students who walk. Safe-walk route maps can be viewed on the Tahoma web page The committee will conduct annual reviews of safe-walk routes in the district.

Additional safe-walk routes are planned for Rock Creek Elementary School. The city of Maple Valley was awarded a state grant that will pay for construction of a paved walking path that will connect the Woodmont neighborhood, which is south of the school, to existing sidewalks that will allow students to walk to school in the 2018-2019 school year. Another project is in the works to connect neighborhoods north of Rock Creek, including Belmont Woods, to the school with safe places to walk or bike. Much of that work has been completed and the city and school district will continue working together to complete the project in time for the 2018-2019 school year.

The other big change is to bus routes and times, which were overhauled to improve efficiency and to adjust to changes in schools and bell times. All of the adjustments were planned as part of a comprehensive review, and are not in response to the regional shortage of bus drivers. Numerous bus stop locations were changed, consolidated or eliminated. The district is using the same number of buses as last year and has even increased transportation spending by about $250,000 to accommodate student needs this year.

Families can visit the Transportation web page to check the E-link online scheduling system to find bus routes, times and pickup locations.

• Talk with your child about expectations such as not taking shortcuts, not playing tag/chase, pushing or shoving near the street. Also, for children who have phones, iPods and other gadgets, talk about keeping them stashed away and not wearing headphones while walking to and from school.
• Encourage children to cross streets only at traffic signals, crosswalks and corners. Teach children to stop before the curb and looking for traffic using "left, right, left" checks. Make eye contact with the driver of oncoming vehicles, and continue looking in all directions while crossing. Ask your child to walk rather than run across the street.
• Ask students to stay alert while they are walking, and pay attention to parked cars that may be preparing to back out or depart.
• Families in many neighborhoods in surrounding districts have coordinated "walking school bus" groups to increase safety and supervision along the walking routes. For ideas, click here: http://www.walkingschoolbus.org/