Mission

Together we prepare our children and community to create, explore, think, and succeed in a changing world.

Raising Expectations and Standards

Our school has used several different strategies to help students meet standard. These include:

• School-wide assessments for all our students to measure progress toward grade level goals in reading, writing and math.
• Student-led conferences twice a year in which students set goals and share accomplishments with parents and teachers.
• Collaborative staff meetings to discuss acheivement and strategies to help all children learn.
• Celebrations - We celebrate student success through school assemblies. We also use Tribes, a process that allows students to recognize their own and others' accomplishments.

Community Connections

Spanaway Elementary works closely with several area business to help support student learning including Key Bank, Asplundh, Washington State University, Pierce County Public Works, LeMay, Crescent Realty, City University, and Pacific Lutheran University.

Parent and Community Involvement in Learning

Spanaway Elementary volunteers range in age from 12 to 91 years old. They help in classrooms in math, reading, PE, Music, library and a variety of services as needed. Our HOSTS program brings senior citizens and community/parent volunteers to help students learn to read. Schoolwide TRIBES were involved in service learning projects designed to assist students in learning about their community.

What Makes Us Special

There is a very special bond between our school staff and the community we serve. We work together as a team to make sure every student feels his or her worth as an individual. We pride ourselves on being a community that cares. The following programs help us accomplish our mission:

• TRIBES is a school-wide initiative to promote a positive learning environment.
• HOSTS is a program that enables tutors to work with students one-on-one in reading.
• PACERS is an athletic team that helps students build self esteem as well as physical skills.
• GARDEN PROJECT teaches children real-life skills in reading, writing, math and technology and provides leadership opportunities.
• FAMILY FUN NIGHTS bring families to school for fun and learning.
• CONFLICT MEDIATORS assist students on the playground with problem-solving skills.

Top-notch staff

Spanaway Elementary has 25 classroom teachers. They average 9 years of teaching experience and 56 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.

Adequate Yearly Progress

Spanaway Elementary 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 two 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. Spanaway Elementary met the benchmarks in each category for all student sub-groups.

We believe in the potential of each and every child and will do all we can to help students succeed.

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.