The image is the former main office of Jing Mei Elementary School. Unfortunately, in the school year of 2024-25, the school was moved to the Wilburton Elementary School building that was newly built in 2018 and abandoned its former building in Newport Hill. Even though the school sign is completely removed, at the front side of the main office, we can find some signs referring to its main office, student drop off zone, as well as school zone signs.
In the beginning of the 2024, the relocation of the Jing Mei Elementary School that is fully immersed Mandarin-English dual lingual public school into more desired location that is closer to the city center brought up many political conflicts as it forces Wilburton Elementary School to be dissolved. Many parents of Wilburton ES speculated that rich Asian (mostly Chinese) donors lobbied its relocation for their advantage and boycotted outside of Wilburton ES and Bellevue School Districts days and days. Yet, the relocation proceeded as planned. Regardless of its political conflicts, Jing Mei ES’s relocation was a clear indicator of growing Asian immigrant population in city of Bellevue. Unfortunately, for Newport Hill community, it reminds the shift even within its Asian descendant residents.