Mission

To form a partnership of students, parents, community, and staff in order to create a caring climate in which each person is entitled to courtesy, respect, and dignity so that continuous and life-long learning can be modeled and applied by all.

Raising Expectations and Standards

We continue to see tremendous success in our student achievement. We credit our success to high expectations for all students, quality professional development for staff and a belief in teamwork.

In 2006-2007, we participated in a district-wide initiative to improve math achievement at all schools. We worked with experts from the University of Washington to plan, implement and assess research-based practices in math.

Community Connections

Pioneer Valley has a strong PTA that organizes a Fall Carnival, Holiday Fair and Bingo Night. We work with Graham Community Learning Center for an after-school science program. We also have a year round daycare called the Explorer Club, run by a daycare provider. This is a community partnership.

Parent and Community Involvement in Learning

In 2007-2008, Pioneer Valley parents actively volunteered at our school. In particular, parents have helped students with reading by serving as tutors in the library. We are very fortunate to have such support!

What Makes Us Special

Pioneer Valley has among the highest reading, writing and math scores in the district. We have a school-wide student behavior plan called Raise Responsibility. The emphasis of this discipline approach is to teach students what it means to be responsible and how to show responsible behavior. Each year we celebrate adults in children's lives by organizing Muffins with Mom and Donuts with Dad. Four times per year these adults are invited to have breakfast with their children.

In previous years, our sixth grade students have attended Camp Arnold. This provides great hands-on experiences with nature, as well as learning to work together to accomplish common goals.

Uniform Policy

Pioneer Valley requires students to wear uniforms. This is our eighth year with a uniform policy. We survey parents every two years and receive feedback on the policy. In 2007, 74 percent of parents and staff supported the uniform policy.

Adequate Yearly Progress

Pioneer Valley did not meet adequate yearly progress (AYP), as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act. Of the 36 areas measured, the school met all but one of the required benchmarks. AYP is determined primarily by year-to-year student achievement on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) in reading and mathematics.

Each year individual schools and the school district must "raise the bar" in gradual increments so that by 2014, 100 percent of students achieve proficiency in each subject area. Pioneer Valley met the benchmarks in each category for all student sub-groups.

Top-notch staff

Pioneer Valley has 48 classroom teachers. They average 13 years of teaching experience and 69 percent have a master's degree. They are joined by a wonderful support staff who have students' best interest in mind in all that they do.

Bethel School District

Bethel School District serves about 17,500 students in 17 elementary schools, five junior highs (with another opening its doors in 2010), three comprehensive high schools, one alternative junior high/high school, and an online academy. The district has won national awards in technology and communications, as well as state awards in professional development, energy conservation, and the arts. In addition, five district teachers have earned "Washington State teacher of the Year" in the last 25 years - more than any district in the state.

The Bethel School District covers 202-square miles in south Pierce County. The area is one of the fastest growing in the Puget Sound region. In 2006, district voters passed both a four-year levy for operations and a $175 million bond to build new schools. As part of the first phase of the bond, two elementary schools and one junior high (temporarily housing Spanaway Lake High School) were opened in September 2009.

In 2007-2008, the district's budget was $158 million, about 80 percent of which went to salaries and benefits. About 1,050 certificated staff and about 1,000 classified (support) staff work for the district. Tom Seigel joined the district in 2001 as superintendent. He previously worked in Boulder, CO as a superintendent. Prior to his work in public education, Seigel served in the U.S. Navy for 25 years, completing his military career as a Commander.