Chehalis School District

Chehalis School District No. 302 is a public school district in Lewis County, Washington, USA and serves the city of Chehalis. Chehalis is on the I-5 corridor, half way between Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon.

Chehalis School District No. 302
Address
310 SW 16th Street
Chehalis
, Lewis, Washington, 98532
Coordinates46°39′4″N 122°57′1″W
District information
GradesPre-K through 12
SuperintendentDr. Christine Moloney
Deputy superintendent(s)Dr. Brian D. Fox
Schools6
Budget$46,843,371[1]
NCES District ID5301170[2]
Students and staff
Students3,259[3]
Teachers173[3]
Staff120[3]
Student–teacher ratio18.79[3]
District mascotBearcats
Other information
Websitechehalisschools.org

Schools

High schools

Middle Schools

  • Chehalis Middle School

Elementary schools

  • James W. Lintott Elementary - Pre-kindergarten to 2nd grade
  • Orin C. Smith Elementary - Third to 5th grade

The previous primary schools, Cascade (built 1922), R.E. Bennet (opened 1928), and Olympic (built 1960)[4] were replaced by the current elementary schools which were built simultaneously in 2018 and fully opened to all students in 2019.[5]

Special schools and educational programs

  • Green Hill School
  • Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center
  • Turning Point/Lewis County Alternative School

Enrollment and graduation rates

In November 2006, the district had an enrollment of 2,596 students. In May 2015, the district had an enrollment of 2,791 students.[6]

The school district implemented a plan in 2013-2014, referred to as the Student Achievement Initiative (SAI), that within 8 years of graduating, 60% of the students would receive a degree or certification from a technical training program or college.[7] To achieve the goal, all seniors in high school were to submit an application for acceptance to Centralia College. Coupled with field trips to Centralia College, this allowed the district to achieve high rates of graduation, college admission, and career opportunities for the students. Officials and teachers in elementary and middle schools created programs to emphasize future college and employment opportunities by holding job assemblies, "swag days" for local and state schools of technical and university education, and "college-themed days".[8]

The graduation rate for students at W.F. West High School in 2010 was 77%, with 33% of those students achieving admission into a university or training school.[8] In 2018, 73% of seniors who graduated went on to further higher education.[9] Starting in 2019, a four-year stretch of 100% of graduating senior classes were accepted into college.[10] In 2019, the four-year graduation rate was 95%, bettering the state average by 14 points.[9] The rate increased to 96% in 2022.[8]

Funding

The SAI was originally funded by donations from the community, including a $10 million contribution from Orin C. Smith, who graduated from the high school in 1960. The fund is perpetual, and is able to pay out $500,000 per year.[11][12]

The district, in 2022, was awarded a grant of over $1,000,000 from the Washington Student Achievement Council. The funds are to be used to reach out to parents and young children, particularly at-risk students.[7]

References
  1. "CSD Performance Report 2018-2019" (PDF). chehalisschools.org. Chehalis School District.
  2. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences.
  3. "Chehalis School District". nces.ed.gov. National Center For Educational Statistics.
  4. "About CSD". Chehalis Schools. Chehalis School District. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  5. Hayes, Katie (March 22, 2019). "Chehalis' Orin Smith Elementary Almost Finished". The Chronicle. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  6. "Annual Performance Report School Year 2014-2015" (PDF). Chehalis Schools. Chehalis School District. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  7. The Chronicle Staff (December 16, 2022). "Chehalis School District Awarded $1.05M Grant for Student Achievement Initiative". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  8. Zylstra, Matthew (September 29, 2022). "'This Doesn't Just Happen by Chance': How the Chehalis School District Became a Jewel in Public Education". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  9. Long, Katherine (June 6, 2020). "Small towns find new ways to celebrate high-school graduation amid coronavirus restrictions". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  10. "Every Graduating W.F. West Senior Has Been Accepted Into College, District Announces". The Chronicle. June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  11. The Chronicle Editorial staff (March 6, 2018). "Our Views: Orin Smith's Legacy Will Last for Generations". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  12. Baide, Matt (December 29, 2017). "Former Starbucks CEO Orin Smith Giving $10 Million to Chehalis Foundation for Schools". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
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