Kopachuck Middle School
10414 56th Street NW Gig Harbor, Wa 98335
Phone: (253)530-4100 Fax: (253)530-4120
[vacant] - Principal
Mrs. Susan O'Leary
- Assistant Principal
Mission:
Kopachuck Middle School is an exemplary learning community
dedicated to all students becoming productive life-long learners who
achieve at high levels.
Vision:
Kopachcuck Middle School is an action oriented school that
involves all stakeholders in continuously developing ideals and
transforming them into reality.
Values:
1. We will work together to identify and develop strategies and
assessments to help each student achieve at high levels.
2. We will monitor individual and collective efforts, and use data
to guide our process of continuous improvement.
3. We will honor a collaborative, respectful approach in furthering
our collective vision.
4. We will demonstrate life-long learning and foster it in our
students.
5. We will work with students, not against them.
6. We will be open minded and flexible when faced with challenges,
and we will teach the appreciation of individual differences.
Improving Education - Building Programs:
Kopachuck Middle School is one of four middle schools in the Peninsula School District. Enrollment of this sixth through eighth grade school is
approximately 630 students. All students take core classes of humanities, math and science. The school offers a wide range of elective programs in music, art, drama, photography, technology, Spanish, and physical education. All classrooms along with the library and computer lab are connected to the Internet.
During the 1997-98 school year, the staff of Kopachuck began the process of restructuring our educational program. With our school's mission firmly in mind, we looked critically at our program and made significant modifications for the 1998-99 school year by adopting an extended rotating block schedule. We believe goals must be meaningful, measurable and "drive" our work. Our building goals were revisited and substantially condensed to focus on basic skills and knowledge. In the area of basic skills, each student is expected to read with comprehension, write clearly and correctly, listen actively, speak coherently, gather information efficiently, and perform basic computations. Students will use these skills to acquire and apply knowledge across the curriculum and to solve real life problems.
As the bridge between elementary and high school, we will continue to provide a strong transition program for our students. Teachers incorporate thematic teaching, integrate curriculum and individualize instruction into their daily work.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Use:
In addition to a strong community service program with students, the school is a vital community center . The parent organization provides evening activities for students and parents. Many youth groups and neighborhood groups use the facilities daily and weekly throughout the year.
For information on community use or to schedule an activity, please contact the Community Facility Use Department at 858-5524.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About our Principal & Staff:
Kopachuck has 39 certificated staff, including: 31 classroom teachers, two counselors, two administrators, as well as a psychologist, social worker, drug and alcohol counselor and librarian. In addition, eight paraeducators and five office staff meet the daily needs of our students.
Currently, 20 of the certificated staff have their master’s degree and two with doctorates.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Building Condition:
Kopachuck was originally built in 1980 and has 13 classrooms, arts and crafts area, home economics, 2 special education classrooms, 2 science rooms, gym/locker, commons' stage, music room, restrooms and other required mechanical/operational areas. The gym was remodeled
recently. Three portable classrooms have been added to the southeast corner for increased instructional space. A small softball field is available and the other field accommodates soccer, baseball, and a 300 meter running track.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget:
Information on the district's general budget can be found on the
district website:
www.peninsula.wednet.edu
Title 1/LAP:
Kopachuck receives no Title 1 funds and only minimal LAP funds. We
offer LAP literacy classes for struggling students as well as
math and literacy support classes for students not meeting standard
on the WASL.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Test Results
Public schools in Washington State are required to give two types of tests to students every year.
A norm referenced test - Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - is given to students in grades 3, 6 and 9 and the results from this test indicate the performance of a school in relation to other schools in the nation. For example - an elementary school score of 60 percentile on this test means that the school performed better than 60% of all elementary schools in the nation that took this test.
A criterion referenced test, Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) - is given to students in grades 4 (Reading, Writing and Math), grade 5 (Science), grade 7 (Reading, Writing and Math), grade 8 (Science), and grade 10 (Reading, Writing, Math and Science). The results of this test indicate the performance of a school based on a set of academic standards. In Washington these standards are called Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) and they are explained in more detail at the state's Public Instruction website. An example of interpreting these results, a 7th grade score of 60 in Reading means that 60% of 7th grade students in the school met the state's academic standard in Reading.
The Reading and Math results of the WASL are also used as a yardstick to determine whether schools are meeting the goals set by the "No Child Left Behind" federal legislation. Every year from 2002 to 2014 the percent of students who meet state standards are expected to increase until, in 2014, all students meet the Reading and Math standard. If a school/district has met this yearly goal then they are considered to have met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
Test and AYP results can be found on the state's Report Card web site. Additional school and district information that can be found on this web site:
- Enrollment
- Gender and ethnicity information
- Free & Reduced Lunch participation
- Attendance rate (elementary & middle school) an graduation rate
(high school)
- Student/teacher ratio
- Teacher experience & education
- Comparisons to other schools
How to get involved:
We encourage parent involvement. Volunteers are coordinated through the Kopachuck Parent Organization.
