Pine Lake Middle School

Pine Lake Middle School
Location
3200 228th Ave. S.E.
Sammamish, Washington
U.S.
Information
Type Public intermediate school
Established 1974, 43 years ago
School district Issaquah S.D.
Principal Michelle Caponigro
Faculty 36.2 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades 6–8
Enrollment 837 [1] (Dec 2011)
Student to teacher ratio 30.12[1]
Color(s) Blue and Orange         
Mascot Wolverine (Wally)
Rival Beaver Lake M.S.
Information 425-837-5700
Website School website

Pine Lake Middle School is a public middle school in Sammamish, Washington, a suburb east of Seattle. A part of the Issaquah School District, it serves students in grades 6–8 and is a feeder school to Skyline High School.

The school opened 43 years ago in 1974 on the Sammamish Plateau as Pine Lake Junior High School, a feeder school to Issaquah High School. When Skyline opened in 1997, Pine Lake sent its graduates to both Issaquah and Skyline, and for five years (2005–10) through the Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus. When the two high schools added freshmen back to their campuses in the fall of 2010, PCFC was converted to Pacific Cascade Middle School, a feeder school for Issaquah High, and Pine Lake became a feeder to Skyline only (except in special circumstances). In 1999, Pine Lake was completely renovated.

As of the 2012–13 school year, the school had an enrollment of 837 students and 36.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 30.12.[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 Michelle Caponigro, and the assistant principal is Mike DeLetis.[4]

Pine Lake's mascot is Wally the Wolverine.

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 curricula. 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 science department installed a weather station in March 2000. Current conditions are available online using WeatherBug and through the KING-5 TV weather network. Science students can also use WeatherBug's specialized software for a more in-depth study of weather.

Technology is integrated in the curriculum, with students and staff using tools such as Inspiration, Microsoft Office, interactive whiteboards, projectors and document cameras. Computers with Internet access are available throughout the school. The school library contains a wide variety of reading materials personally selected for the students and provides access to a valuable collection of private research databases.

Pine Lake offers a wide variety of after school activities, such as homework club, Earth Service Corps and Jazz Band. Pine Lake provides Impact, an after school club for Issaquah School district.

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, Eighth 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.

Student life

Since at least the 2002–03 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]

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] Their track team is # 1 in the Issaquah School District, and haven't lost a track meet in 30+ years.

Performing and fine arts programs at the school include: band, orchestra, photography, drawing/painting, video production, and woodshop.

The Choir/Chorus, Orchestra and Band travels to Disneyland every other year, but just 8th graders go.

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]

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]

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 were sent to Thailand to become a mahout.

Green School

Pine Lake Middle School (PLMS) has put a lot of effort into making their school green, such as recycling and composting.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Pine Lake Middle School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed May 13, 2015.
  2. ↑ Issaquah school district Web site, accessed September 29, 2007
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "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 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."

JackSteele

Coordinates: 47°34′52″N 122°02′03″W / 47.58111°N 122.03417°W / 47.58111; -122.03417

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