“Expect the best” in Lake Stevens Schools

Schools: Lake Stevens High School, PROVE High School, Lake Stevens Middle School, North Lake Middle School, Mt. Pilchuck Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, Sunnycrest Elementary, Skyline Elementary, Glenwood Elementary, Highland Elementary, and HomeLink School

Improving teaching and learning in our schools is my paramount focus. Fall of 2008 marked the fifth year of our writing-across-the-curriculum plan for students in grades 6 through 12. This writing plan has each student in every class writing three papers per class, which subscribes to the Six-Trait Writing curriculum. As students learn how to write and practice their skills they become more confident in writing. They benefit from improved writing abilities and thinking skills, which in turn has the potential to have a positive impact on every class they take now and into the future.

This is the second year that we have collaborated with the University of Washington to provide instruction and training for our principals and math teachers of grades 4 – 12. The three specific areas being targeted for improvement include time spent on math instruction, alignment and depth of curriculum and increasing student achievement expectations.

Our community continues to be the most supportive in the county when it comes to passing bonds and levies. An overwhelming level of support was exhibited at the 2005 bond election with 72.4% of voters approving a $65.5 million proposal. These bond dollars immediately went to work to build Cavelero Mid High, which opened on time and on budget in the fall of 2007.  The Lake Stevens High School’s cafeteria/commons/office modernization project was completed in January 2007. The modernization of Mt. Pilchuck Elementary and Hillcrest Elementary schools was completed on time and on budget to open for students in the fall of 2008.   The modernization of Sunnycrest Elementary is scheduled to be completed and open for students in the fall of 2009. The replacement of the high school stadium is planned to begin immediately after the football season of 2009.  Already completed on our bond project list is the new FieldTurf and track surface at Lake Stevens High School.  The funding supplied by our community through the bond can only be used for bond approved projects and our 2005 bond project list is nearly completed.  Our schools are in excellent condition thanks to our community’s commitment to and support of Lake Stevens’ students and schools.

– Sincerely, David C. Burgess Ed.D.