WEEK AHEAD: Back-to-school time at one local campus

Seattle Public Schools and many local independent/parochial schools don’t start classes until after Labor Day. For one local school, however, this is back-to-school week. Classes start Wednesday (August 14) at Summit Atlas, the middle/high school in Arbor Heights that’s West Seattle’s first and only charter school. (Last day of the school year is earlier, too – that’ll be Friday, June 6, 2025.) After Summit Atlas, the next school to start classes will be Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School, on August 28.

education August 11, 2024 (10:47 pm)

Are the charter schools better than public schools?What the advantages and disadvantages?

One size rarely fits all August 12, 2024 (7:47 am)

Great question. Your curiosity about pros and cons indicate a willingness to ask, to weigh, to seek evidence, and remain open to new data/evidence/experiences of others. Having been in education for more than 30 years, in both public and private settings, I can safely say, one size (or approach) does not fit all. My experience of Charter Schools is 50/50, based on family friends. For one, it has been a great fit for their child who struggled in both public and private settings (they never gave up.) For another, they faced specific issues with their kid (not the school per se) and decided on another option. Both families had the privilege of means and where withall to push the systems, respect the professional involved, and eventually, dicide to do what they felt was best for their children. I realize this is not a pro/con list about charters. Do your research and avoid idelogical traps on either side. Nor is it a policy piece about public education, Charters, and funding choice. It is a my professional opinion as an educator and a parent with friends who have significant experience in public, private, and more recently, Charter schools. A shout out to all the educators out there getting ready for school, be they in public, private, or Charter schools. Thanks for remaining curious.

Wsres August 12, 2024 (7:56 am)

What I know about that charter school is that they use computers a lot and the student’s learning is more self-directed. They do not have sports, nor do they have many choices for electives compared to public school.

herongrrrl August 12, 2024 (9:55 am)

Charter schools vary widely based on their charters. It happens that Summit Atlas does have some sports options. As for electives, their focus is on core curriculum without electives. Three times a year they offer students a 2 week “expedition” that serves as a sort of elective intensive, where students can choose from a wider range of subjects and activities to explore than I ever saw offered in my or my oldest child’s public school experience. But that is how Summit Public Schools does things and there are a lot of different charters out there that do things very differently. My oldest went through Seattle PS and navigated it well. My youngest needs something different. I will admit I was reluctant to explore a charter school but agreed to go to the Atlas open house when my kiddo was interested. I was really impressed by their approach and set up, very different than Seattle’s and much more aligned with what my child needs as an individual. I know others who have not found it so. I am really grateful that this option exists in our neighborhood, and works for my kiddo, because I don’t have the means to explore private school options.

junctioneer August 12, 2024 (10:05 am)

Super curious about the relatively early start date for this region. Does Summit Atlas have more days of instruction or is it just more spread out?

e August 12, 2024 (1:47 pm)

They end a bit earlier. Their calendar year is based off the calendar year of their California schools. They have only a few here but many in CA.
- junctioneer August 12, 2024 (2:30 pm)
  
  Ah that makes sense about CA schools. There are some private schools that start at the same time as SPS but end around the same time as Summit Atlas, but there must some some variation within guidelines, breaks, and/or partial days for the city.
  - One size rarely fits all August 12, 2024 (5:54 pm)
    
    Many, not all, private schools start the last week of August. Public School Districts decide calendar through collective bargaining. With athletics/co-curriculars starting in August, many high school students and coaches/teachers are already back and private school calendar decision- making recognizes that (I’m biased.) Public or private, all schools still have to meet OSPI requirements for days/hours of instruction for the school year.
    - WSB August 12, 2024 (6:17 pm)
      
      In West Seattle, the only schools opening before Labor Day are, as mentioned in the story, Summit Atlas and Holy Family. I have already checked all the calendars. (I checked Vashon and Highline districts, too, since some West Seattleites send their kids there. I did not check the off-peninsula parochial schools – looking now at one that does draw notably from West Seattle, Kennedy Catholic HS, their first day is 8/21. I’ll add them to the forthcoming full list.)

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