At our request, Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle sent 4 large posters to us that advertise the National Portfolio Day event.

"National Portfolio Days help further the artistic development of young artists by bringing together experienced college representatives to review work and offer critique. National Portfolio Days are about the exchange of information: about your work, yourself, your college plans, your concerns. They are not an examination or a competition."

Graduation Rate at Everett School District High Schools

The following graduation rates are reported in the Seattle Times School Guide:

Everett HS – 53.1%

Jackson HS – 61.6%

Cascade HS – 71.6%

The district needs to do better.

Kamiak High School’s Two Types of Diplomas

Kamiak HS has two types of diplomas. One is called the Mukilteo School District Diploma. The other is called an Advanced Academic Endorsement (AAE). The AAE requires more Math, more English, more Science, and 3 years of a single World Language. It also requires at least one AP English Course and at least one AP Social Studies Course.

An Example of a Comprehensive High School’s Course Catalog

Jackson High School was founded as a CES (Coalition of Essential School) school. While the founders meant well, they unknowingly chose the least effective school reform program as rated by the 1999 study sponsored by the national teachers' unions (NEA and AFT) among other noteworthy organizations.

One of the 10 CES principles is to teach a limited number of essential skills and areas of knowledge.

This is why the JHS catalog is so thin. The AP/IB Boosters founders disagree with this tenet. We believe that a large public high school should take advantage of its size and offer a wide variety of courses.  In our opinion, the literal following of CES principles is the main reason JHS has such a low graduation rate (62%).

Kamiak High School, a school with similar demographics and similar size as JHS, offers its students so much more.  Jackson HS offers German, Spanish, and French.  Kamiak offers these 3 World Language courses.  But Kamiak also offers Japanese, Russian, and American Sign Language.   Jackson offers a limited number of science courses and AP Chemistry which started in 2003.  Kamiak offers all of these science courses plus Genetics, Human Physiology, Environmental Science, AP Biology, AP Physics B, and AP Physics C.

We have reviewed course catalogs from schools in the Greater Seattle Area including the Bellevue School District, the Mukilteo School District (including Kamiak), and the Everett School District. The following sample catalog is a compilation of that review and an example of what we believe Everett School District students (including those at Jackson) should have.

It is a work in progress. Your comments are welcome.

Thank you,

Executive Board