Pine Lake Middle School

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Pine Lake Middle School
Location
3200 228th Ave. S.E.
Sammamish, WA 98075
Information
School district Issaquah School District
Principal Roy Adler
Enrollment

940 (as of 2005-06)[1]
Faculty 39.9 (on FTE basis)[1]
Student:teacher ratio 23.6[1]
Type Middle school
Grades 6 - 8
Mascot Wally Wolverine
Color(s) blue and orange
Established 1974
Information 425-837-5700
Homepage School website

Pine Lake Middle School is a middle school serving students in grades 6-8 in Sammamish, Washington, United States, as part of the Issaquah School District. The school was established in 1974 on the Sammamish Plateau, and sends students into both Skyline High School and Issaquah High School through the Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus. In 1999, the school was completely renovated.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 940 students and 39.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 23.6.[1]

The school has an "exceedingly high participation in Junior National Honor Society", according to the Issaquah School District Web site.[2] In 2005, almost half of all Pine Lake students (425 out of 940) qualified for the honor society.[3]

The principal is Roy Adler, and the assistant principal is Michelle Caponigro.[4]

Pine Lake's mascot is Wally the Wolverine.

Contents

[edit] Academics

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had 940 students and 39.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 23.6.[5]

In recent years, the school adopted new math and science curriculums. In the “All School Write” program in the spring of 2005, all students "were directed by a carefully selected prompt to write an expository essay". Specially trained teams of teachers then evaluated the essays and compiled data on areas of strength and weakness.[3]

For students needing more help with academics, the school offers reading classes for students not reading at grade level; study-skills classes for students with various organizational and academic problems; after-school homework help from teachers; an accelerated Reader program to increase reading comprehension; and "Safe-Net", a program that helps at-risk sixth graders.[3]

The school is part of the KING-5 TV weather network[clarify].[3]

Technology is integrated the curriculum, with students and staff using tools such as Microsoft Office, interactive whiteboards, projectors and document intocameras are used. the school library makes available to students not only the Internet but private research databases.[3]

[edit] National Junior Honor Society

Pine Lake Middle School has a large student membership in the National Junior Honor Society. The Pine Lake chapter advisor is Kristin Little. Its executive board consists of 5 members, Eight grade president, Seventh grade president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. In 2006, the executive board participated in a loose change fundraiser that raised over $10,000 for the International Justice Mission. Six hours of community service per year are required, and are usually due in late May.

[edit] Student life

Since at least[clarify] the 2002-2003 school year, Pine Lake has banned soda from vending machines in the school.[6]

Students have a tradition of dressing up for Halloween at the school.[7] In the 1990s, the Pine Lake Middle School outdoors club constructed a three-quarter-mile trail at the Lower Plateau to the Old State Road in the Tradition Plateau National Resources Conservation Area in the Issaquah Alps.[8]

[edit] Sports, arts and extracurricular activities

The school has interscholastic sports programs for boys in basketball, wrestling, cross-country running, softball, and track; and for girls in basketball, gymnastics, volleyball, cross-country running, softball, and track.[3]

Performing and fine arts programs at the school include: Band, choir/chorus, orchestra, drama, photography, drawing-painting, ceramics. Jazz Band, and video production.[3]

[edit] Geography bee winner

In the spring of 2005, Pine Lake Middle School seventh-grader Max Sugarman, 13, of Issaquah placed sixth in the National Geographic Bee finals in Washington, D.C. after winning the Washington state competition on April 1. "This page tips its hat to Max Sugarman," The Seattle Times editorialized, "the boy his friends call 'The Walking Atlas.'"[9]

Sugarman was continuing a community tradition. In recent years, a number of Eastside students have done unusually well in geography bee championships at the state and national level. In 1997, Kirkland seventh-grader, Alex Kerchner won the 1997 national title, and in 2001 it went to an eighth-grader from Bellevue, Kyle Haddad-Fonda.[10]

[edit] Awards and recognition

During the 2006-07 school year, Pine Lake Middle School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education[11][12], the highest award an American school can receive.[13][14]

The school received a state academic improvement award in the 2004-2005 school year for reducing by 10% the number of students who missed seventh-grade reading, writing or math goals from one year to the next.[3]

[edit] Nick News with Linda Ellerbee

Nick News with Linda Ellerbee chose the middle school for its Nick News Adventure program. Six students were chosen from all across the country. Pine Lake nominated students Brady Begin, Blaire Brady, Molly Knutson and Chris Torres. These children were interviewed by the head of production and Chris Torres was chosen to be on the program. He, along with five others was sent to Thailand to become a mahout.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Pine Lake Middle School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 29, 2008.
  2. ^ Issaquah school district Web site, accessed September 29, 2007
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "School Guide: Pine Lake Middle School", at The Seattle Times Web site, "Profile updated Tuesday, September 26, 2006", accessed September 29, 2007
  4. ^ Pine Lake Middle School. Accessed September 24, 2007.
  5. ^ Pine Lake Middle School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 24, 2007.
  6. ^ Roberts, Gregory. "Suburban schools limit soda sales, add choices", news article, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 17, 2003, accessed September 29, 2007
  7. ^ "Eek! There's a teen at the door!", article in The Seattle Times, October 21, 2006 ("at Pine Lake Middle school in Sammamish, students dress up, and 'It is a fun day, but we don't have parties or an assembly', said assistant principal ..."), accessed September 29, 2007
  8. ^ Manning, Harvey [1]Google Books excerpt of Best Winter Walks and Hikes: Puget Sound, The Mountaineers Books: 2002, p 137, accessed September 29, 2007
  9. ^ "The Walking Atlas", editorial, The Seattle Times, May 30, 2005, accessed September 29, 2007
  10. ^ Bain, Laura. "Issaquah geography whiz finishes sixth in nation", The Seattle Times, May 25, 2005. Accessed September 29, 2007.
  11. ^ "3 Eastside schools get top honor", The Seattle Times, September 23, 2006.
  12. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized - 2003 Through 2006 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed May 11, 2006.
  13. ^ CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department, Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  14. ^ Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."

[edit] External links

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