The first day of school is marked with red pen on household calendars. But, what often goes unnoticed is that amount of time spent planning for Day One by school administrators, teachers, bus drivers, food service staff, and paraeducators.
For North Thurston Public School (NTPS) staff, this September marked the addition of more students.
“Along with new schedules, new bus routes, and new teachers, the start of the school year included 200 more students than the district had last fall,” reports Courtney Schrieve, Communications and Community Relations Director for NTPS.
Scott Spence, Lacey City Manager, notes that population and enrollment growth is fueled primarily by families surrounding Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM). “The base is a huge influencer of population growth in the Lacey community. The City of Lacey has the largest active duty population living off base. One in every ten residents is active duty military,” he says.
As more families choose to live in Lacey, NTPS is looking at creative ways to handle the increase in students.
“This enrollment growth continues to match our projections,” adds NTPS Chief Operations Officer, John Bash. “Many of our schools are at full capacity and cannot be expanded further with portable classrooms.”
To address the capacity issues, NTPS will be shifting to a middle school model with sixth through eight grades. The new model will transition from a K-6 elementary model to a K-5/6-8 middle school model to increase capacity for more students.
“NTPS is running out of classroom space at the elementary schools that feed into our middle schools,” says NTPS Executive Director of Secondary Education Troy Oliver.
Beginning in the fall of 2013, Chinook Middle School – which was designed to be a 6-8 middle school when it was modernized in 2009-10 — will become the first 6-8 comprehensive middle school in the district. Aspire Middle School for the Performing Arts opened as a 6-8 school in 2009. A magnet school with about 300 students, it was originally developed to help take some enrollment pressure off Komachin Middle School and surrounding elementary school upper grades.
Oliver reports that there are many benefits to having a 6-8 middle school configuration:
- NTPS is able to deliver daily science instruction to sixth graders using the science labs built in the middle schools. Elementary schools incorporate any science learning into their curriculum but often have to share supplies with other classes.
- Students have opportunities for additional enrichment opportunities beyond art, music, and PE.
- A three year middle school will better engage parents and students. “Sometimes middle school becomes just a two year layover between elementary and high school. Just when kids and parents are getting used to the teachers and classes, they are sent off to high school,” adds Oliver.
The school district is also planning a bond in 2014. While the final details will require School Board approval, the bond is intended to add building space to accommodate more students-including a new middle school, modernizations of Evergreen Forest and possibly Pleasant Glade Elementary Schools, and North Thurston High School, as well as emergent needs and technology.
“NTPS is always working to maximize the student learning experience while, at the same time, make the most efficient use of facilities. Growth in student enrollment and the changing mix of students means adding new facilities and upgrading older buildings,” notes Graeme Sackrison who currently serves as the co-chair for North Thurston Citizens for Schools, the community campaign committee that supports bonds and levy measures for the district.
For now, the City of Lacey is focusing on creating an attractive job base to bring even more families to the community.
“NTPS has always had a great reputation. A job attracts a family to a community but a quality school environment dictates where the family will end up living. Parents want kids to be in a school situation that is supportive and meets the educational needs of the family,” notes Spence when discussing how the school district impacts the greater Lacey community.
While most of the enrollment growth is centered in the elementary schools, and especially the kindergarten classrooms, the NTPS pride extends all the way up to graduating seniors.
Oliver adds that, upon graduating, NTPS students are well-prepared for college and the workplace thanks to an educational philosophy that supports the whole child. “Our schools are diverse in a similar pattern to the State of Washington. Kids go to school with people of different ethnicities, family backgrounds, and socio-economic status. Because of this diversity, kids are prepared for the next step.”
More information about North Thurston Public Schools can be found by visiting their website. Follow the district’s progress on Facebook.
