Mission

We are committed to providing students with the behavioral and academic skills required to reason, communicate and live with dignity in a literate society.

Our staff seeks to provide instruction that allows all students to reach their fullest potential. We assist students in gaining the academic competence and the responsibility required to find success through their school years and into the world of work.

Parent and Community Involvement in Learning

Our students, parents and community participate in the Bethel Technology Fair, family reading and math programs. Our instructional coach trains parents to support reading, writing and math both at home and in the classroom. We value our parents, community and business partnerships.

Raising Expectations and Standards

We promote high expectations and standards by helping students set goals and encouraging them to reach them. We recognize academic achievement at student body assemblies and honor those who demonstrate our district/community core behavioral qualities. We focus on student strengths and work together toward improvement in all areas.

We believe in high expectations and standards for both students and staff. Our teachers and support staff work hard to develop their skills through a variety of trainings at both the school and district level. Our instructional specialist also works closely with staff in core subject areas.

At Rocky Ridge, we examine assessment data closely to guide our teaching and student goal-setting. We work closely as a team, side by side with parents, to determine the best instruction for each student to gain success.

What Makes Us Special

2008-2009 was the fifth year of our "Structured Teaching Program," which serves students with autism and autistic-like characteristics in the Bethel School District. Teachers Peggy Rich and Anna Godfrey, along with their paraprofessional support staff, provide a program based on T.E.A.C.C.H. This model of instruction provides the organizational structure, visual support and work systems that enable students to learn in their school setting with decreased anxiety and improved success.

Community Connections

Our facility is used by Girl Scouts, Bethel Recreation, community homeowner associations, PTA and other social organizations. We welcome the community into our school.

Top-notch staff

Rocky Ridge has 33 classroom teachers. They average 14 years of teaching experience and 50 percent have masters' degrees. They are joined by a wonderful support staff who have students' best interest in mind in all that they do.

Adequate Yearly Progress

Rocky Ridge did not meet AYP, as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act. Of the 36 areas measured, the school met all but six 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.

We are developing special intervention strategies to help all students achieve their best.

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 2008-2009, 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.