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Article Archives: 2006 Edition / Education
Standing the Test of Time
Puyallup School District has been a mainstay in community since 1854
The Puyallup School District has more than 21,000 students in 31 schools.
Not many school districts can say they’ve been around since before the Civil War‚ but Puyallup can.
The Puyallup School District has been educating generations of leaders and learners since its founding in 1854.
Today‚ it is the ninth-largest school district in Washington‚ with 31 schools and more than 21‚000 students.
“Puyallup schools have been the pride and the core of this community for 152 years‚” says retired teacher Lorraine Friberg. “They continue to be the reason so many families choose our community and district in which to live and raise their children.”
Even with a whopping 31 schools‚ the 55-square-mile district continues to grow to the point where additional facilities are needed.
To resolve that issue for the time being‚ voters passed a $198.5 million bond issue in 2004 that will allow for the construction of three more schools in the near future.
“Two elementary schools and a new junior high are slated to open in the next three years‚” says Karen Hansen‚ director of communications and executive services for the Puyallup School District. “Numerous others are undergoing extensive remodeling‚ thanks to the voter-approved bond passage.”
Besides building and remodeling schools‚ the bond has also paid for increased classroom technology to enhance instruction and student learning.
In addition‚ each of the more than 2‚000 staff members throughout the district has received a new laptop computer.
Puyallup schools have more than 1‚200 classroom teachers‚ with 62 percent of them having at least a master’s degree. The average amount of classroom experience per teacher is more than 13 years.
“Dedicated and quality staff members throughout the district have earned numerous awards‚ including recognition from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards‚” Hansen says.
“Puyallup’s rigorous academic programs have earned the district a national reputation for excellence‚ with student achievement being its No. 1 priority‚” she adds.
As for parent involvement‚ Puyallup schools have a long history of parent and community involvement through active PTAs‚ volunteer/mentoring programs and business/education partnerships‚ such as Communities in Schools.
“Pride – it’s the feeling I get whenever someone asks me where my kids attend school‚” says parent Therese Pasquier. “I’m proud that my children go to a public school district that is not in the local paper for failing its students.
“As I become a more involved parent‚ I see firsthand how the Puyallup School District fosters parental involvement‚” Pasquier adds‚ “and this goes hand-in-hand with student achievement.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by submission
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