Orient School District No. 65 is a Washington State K-8 public school.
Our mission statement is:
“The Orient School District is an active partnership of students, parents, staff and community members who are committed to the academic achievement and social well-being of every child.”
Other Information:
We have a comprehensive learning community in that we provide services to our families through a 21st CCLC (Century Community Learning Center) grant. With this grant, we have provided G.E.D. classes to our families; have provided and continue to provide many outreach programs such as Open Gym nights, Strengthening Families classes and Parents As Partners monthly meetings.
Our small teaching staff (5) fulltime teachers has 94 years of teaching experience, combined, and 7 years of administrative experience. All of our teachers have their Master’s Degree in Education, and 75% of our teachers are National Board Certified Teachers.
View of Orient School from top of First Thought Mountain:
Positive School Climate
Staff and students know if their learning time is to be optimized, there must be efforts made each day to teach and reinforce an environment encouraging the qualities of kindness, honesty, respect, and cooperation.
As one student expressed in her graduation speech, “when I came to Orient School at age 9, I was unable to read, spell, or do math. It’s five years later and I can do all of these things because of the help I received from some very patient, caring people.”
Old-Fashioned Values
For over one hundred years, the Orient School students continue the tradition of engaging in hard work and high standards to reach their potential in academic achievement. Courtesy, and an appropriate dress code, are stressed. In our school family, the older children assist the younger children, when needed, at lunch and at recess times. This makes our school unique!
Parent Engagement
Parents, teaching staff, and students have many opportunities to be involved in school functions, school curriculum selection and implementation, volunteerism, after school activities, and field trips.Everyone makes an effort to provide parents with a safe and nurturing school community where their children can obtain a quality education.
Highly Qualified Teaching Staff
All of the Orient School Highly Qualified teaching staff is currently participating, or have already achieved, National Board Teaching Certification. Their passion, expertise, and achievements in increasing student achievement are well known throughout the state.
Academic Rigor and Excellence
From pre-school to eighth grade, from special needs to the gifted and talented, all Orient School students are instructed with Spalding Integrated Language Arts, Saxon Math, and the Core Knowledge series. All curriculums are designed to build upon previously learned knowledge while using effective teaching practices.
A Washington State Arts Commission (WSAC) grant allows for Teaching Artists to work in tandem with the classroom teachers to expand the students’ knowledge in the visual and performing arts.
A 21st Century Community Learning Center grant allows our after-school program Expanding Children’s Horizons and Opportunities (ECHO) to offer homework help, enrichment activities, and field trips which are already being scheduled for the coming school year.
We are very proud of the accomplishments of our alumni and celebrate a high percentage of students who achieve high school honor roll status and continue their education by attending college and trade schools.
Community Partners
One of the other distinguishing characteristics of the Orient School District, is the positive relationship that exists between the school district and the surrounding community. Local businesses, government officials, and non-profit organizations often step up to the plate to cheer on students, to assist parents, and to celebrate teachers.
Gratitude
As the Orient School District plunges forward towards continued growth in excellence and creativity, we thank the parents, students, staff members, and community members who have contributed to our success in the past, who are giving of themselves so generously in the present, and who will make a difference in the lives of children in the future. As Helen Keller wrote, “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”