The district’s three traditional middle schools — Chinook, Nisqually and Komachin — currently serve students in seventh and eighth grades; most sixth-graders attend the district’s elementary schools. However, sixth-graders have attended Aspire Middle School, the district’s magnet school for the performing arts, since it opened in 2009.
The district plans to eventually move sixth-graders out all of its elementary schools. Part of that plan includes creating a new middle school that would be built if voters approve a future construction bond measure.
Anybody who lives in the 14,000-student district is welcome to apply for the committee, which is slated to meet on Feb. 12, April 18 and June 20. Applications are due Jan. 15.
“Our main goal is to get honesty back from them on our proposals for what six-eight middle school will look like, as well as the timeline for the transition,” district spokeswoman Courtney Schrieve said.
“It’s not the question of ‘Are we doing 6-8 middle school?’ it’s ‘How will we do it?’”
A grade six-eight middle school model is already used in the Olympia School District, and the Tumwater School Board recently approved a plan to move its sixth-graders into middle school as well.
For more information on North Thurston’s transition advisory committee, call 360-412-4598 or go to www.nthurston.k12.wa.us.
Lisa Pemberton: 360-754-5433 lpemberton@theolympian.com www.theolympian.com/edblog @Lisa_Pemberton
