Arbor Heights Elementary School

Infobox_School| name=Arbor Heights Elementary

---

imagesize=240px
caption=Arbor Heights Elementary School
established=1948
type=Public
enrollment=309 (2007-08)
principal=Dr. Carol Coram
location=3701 SW 104th Street
Seattle, WA 98146
website= [http://arborheights.com arborheights.com]
information=[phone]

Arbor Heights Elementary School is a k-5 school in the Seattle School District. It is located in the southwest corner of Seattle, Washington, in a residential neighborhood known as Arbor Heights. Enrollment was 309 students for the 2007-08 school year.

History and physical plant

The school was built in 1948. In the summer of 2002 there were major seismic upgrades and roofing replacement. In 2005 there were significant improvements to the heating, air, and water quality of the school. The school is situated on a 4+ acres, with an extensive playground and playscape. In the fall of 2006 the playground was officially named after Jackie Keegan, longtime administrative assistant and playground supervisor at the school.

Academic program

Academic achievement of every student is the primary focus of all staff. Students participate in music and physical education on an alternating daily basis. The school publishes a monthly student newspaper, distributed in hard copy and available online in pdf and podcast. [http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/jrseahaw.html Archives] date back to October, 1994, and the Newsletter bills itself as “The oldest continuously published elementary school student newspaper on the Internet”.

Special events

Every spring the school holds a [http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/ya.html Young Authors’ Conference] , where each student publishes a book. The school participates annually in a salmon release program, hatching and releasing fry in the local Fauntleroy Creek. Every year the school participates in an artist in residence program. In the spring there is an alternating science or art fair. The school has a kiln, and students regularly participate in creating clay projects. The school holds an annual carnival in the spring. All-school service learning projects have included a Kids for Cans food drive, Katrina coin drive to benefit the Humane Society, and a blanket drive for the Union Gospel Mission in Seattle.

Technology

The school has a computer lab, 3-5 student computers per classroom, and 50 laptops available to classrooms for special projects. The school uses the Windows operating system exclusively. Each teacher has a computer in the classroom, and each staff member has a laptop for use at home and at school. The emphasis on the use of technology is in integration with core academic subjects.

The web site

The school was the ninth elementary school in the world with a web site, with a launch on [http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/ahold1.html August 14, 1994] . A screenshot of the home page was featured in The Road Ahead by Bill Gates. The home page was originally known by the byline “Home of the Earth Day Groceries Project”. It has been continuously located at [http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/ www.halcyon.com/arborhts/] . In 2003 it acquired the [http://www.arborheights.com www.arborheights.com] domain. Recognizing the future of the web, in 2006 the school launched a wiki at [http://arborheights.wikispaces.com arborheights.wikispaces.com]

Community partnerships

The school houses a before/after school YMCA day care program. It also offers an Art Wizards after school art program. The school has partnered every year since 1993 with the local Safeway grocery store in The Earth Day Groceries Project, with students decorating grocery bags for distribution to the public on Earth Day. In 2005 the school began a collaboration with Tully’s and Starbucks by holding a series of “Writers’ Night Out” events, where Arbor Heights students shared some of their best writing with the public. For several years the school has collaborated with Macy's in the Pen Friends and Young Achievers programs.

The PTSA

The Arbor Heights PTSA meets the third Thursday of every month of the school year, at 7:00 pm. A very active group, the PTSA sponsors fundraisers throughout the year to support a variety of events: Friday Popcorn, Dads & Donuts, Grandparents Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, Volunteer / Staff recognition - Golden Acorn Award, Bingo Night, Bowling Night, and a Spring Carnival. The PTSA also supports ongoing programs and capital improvements such as The Grassy Knoll, Instrumental Music, Artist in Residence, Transportation for fifth grade camp, U-Wired computer tech support, and more. The Arbor Heights PTSA maintains a discussion list, has a blog, and regularly contributes to the school wiki.

Contact information

Arbor Heights Elementary School
3701 SW 104th
Seattle, WA 98146
Phone [phone] Fax [phone]
Dr. Carol Coram, Principal
[e-mail]

References

*Citation
last =Thompson
first =Nile
last2 =Marr
first2 =Carolyn
publication-date =
year =2002
title =Building for Learning - Seattle Public Schools Histories, 1862-2000
place =Seattle
publisher =Seattle Public Schools
url =http://www.seattleschools.org/area/historybook/index.dxml
access-date=2008-03-05. See [http://www.seattleschools.org/area/historybook/arbor-heights.pdf Arbor Heights] (pdf)

External links

* [http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/ School Website]
* [http://earthdaybags.org The Earth Day Groceries Project]