- Target:
- The Puyallup School District Board of Directors
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.puyallup.k12.wa.us
What is Grade Reconfiguration?
Currently the Puyallup School District follows a Jr. High School model which includes K-6 at elementary, 7-9 at Jr. High and 10-12 at the high school level. Under the proposed reconfiguration, our district would move to a middle school model and have K-5 at the elementary, 6-8 at the middle school and 9-12 at the high school in the Fall of 2012.
Switching to a middle school model is not the problem. The problem is at the high schools. Currently there is not enough room to house the ninth graders in the existing high school buildings during the traditional school day. Enrollment in grades 10-12 currently exceeds our high schools’ plant capacities, with many students attending classes in portables. Based on this, how can we possibly consider adding 600 more students to each high school? Below are the current number of students and the projected population explosion:
Puyallup High School
Building capacity: 1,600
Grades 10-12=1,605
Grades 9-12=2,188
Emerald Ridge High School
Building capacity: 1,400
Grades 10-12=1,613
Grades 9-12=2,200
Rogers High School
Building capacity: 1,400
Grades 10-12=1,844
Grades 9-12=2,507*
*Making this the largest high school in the State of Washington
How does the School Board propose to implement this plan?
The School Board proposes to address the overcrowding issue by encouraging students to seek non-traditional school day options. These options are:
Model 1 – Extended Day
Model 2 – Twilight Academy
Model 3 – Rolling School Year and Day
The Impact
•Segregation of students. The students who participate in sports, clubs, organizations or part-time jobs would all require first shift and those who do not participate in extracurricular activities would be given second shift thus segregating the student population.
•Fewer athletic opportunities! Two and three ninth grade junior high teams, down to one team.
•Reduced access to teachers, counselors, support staff, library and technology!
•Reduced access to clubs & organizations!
•Disruption in family life.
•Transportation
No school district in the state of Washington has voluntarily chosen to overcrowd their high schools without an emergency dictating it. Which begs the question; do the benefits outweigh the consequences? No!
The Board of Directors needs to listen to the parents and voters of the school district. We DO NOT SUPPORT GRADE RECONFIGURATION! The current grade reconfiguration model is not in the best interest of the students and does not allow equal access to education for all students. Please make your voice heard by signing this petition.
The Puyallup School Board consists of five members who serve alternating four-year terms. Board members are elected by the citizens of the district and are suppose to serve the district at large. The School Board and Superintendent Tony Apostle need to hear from all concerned parents about this proposal.
Cindy Poysnick ckpoysnick@puyallup.k12.wa.us
Pat Donovan pdonovan@puyallup.k12.wa.us
Chris Ihrig ihrigcj@puyallup.k12.wa.us
Greg Heath gheath@puyallup.k12.wa.us
Diana Seeley dseeley@puyallup.k12.wa.us
Superintendent, Dr. Tony Apostle
Apostlet@puyallup.k12.wa.us
We, the undersigned, petition the Puyallup School Board to stop their current grade reconfiguration plan until they can feasibly afford to build an additional high school and safely house grades 9-12 without overcrowding, extended day, twilight academy or rolling school year.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The STOP! The Puyallup School District Grade Reconfiguration. petition to The Puyallup School District Board of Directors was written by Cindy Bradeen and is in the category Education at GoPetition.