Raisbeck Aviation High School

Raisbeck Aviation High School

"The Sky is not the Limit"
Location
9229 E. Marginal Way South
Tukwila, WA
98108
Coordinates Coordinates: 47°31′15″N 122°18′02″W / 47.520764°N 122.300631°W / 47.520764; -122.300631
Information
Type Public; STEM
Established 2004
Principal Therese Tipton
Faculty 24
Enrollment Approx. 400
Color(s) Red, Black, Gold, White
                   
Mascot Phoenix
Website Raisbeck Aviation H.S.

Street view of RAHS with the Airpark's historic pioneering aircraft in the background

Raisbeck Aviation High School (or RAHS), part of the Highline School District, is located in Tukwila, Washington. The school is an aviation- and aerospace-themed STEM school and one of the Highline School District's small schools. It is focused on preparing students for college, careers and citizenship. The school serves about 400 students in grades 9-12 from around Puget Sound. Until 2013 it was known as Aviation High School. It is located adjacent to the Museum of Flight's airplane static outdoor exhibit near King County International Airport.

Academics

The school’s approach to learning project-based with an additional emphasis on the students presenting and defending their learning in front of industry experts.[1] Each student is paired with a mentor from one of the school’s industry partners who is assigned to the student in Grade 9 or 10 and continues with them through graduation. The mentor advises the students on course and career paths and assists with selection of internships where students work in local industry before graduation. To assist with guidance of the various programs, RAHS has both a Board of Governors and a 5-person Advisory Council with representatives from local industry, businesses, and the county.

Programs

RAHS offers a full spectrum of academic programs in addition to specialty and programs unique to this school, including:[2]

Career readiness

RAHS offers students a range of career readiness programs:[7]

Athletics and physical education

RAHS does not offer Physical Education (PE) classes or athletics teams but all students must earn state-mandated credits in Physical Education and Health to meet in order to graduate. Students participate in athletics at their "home" high school or school district. Credit is offered for legitimate athletic participation and individual fitness programs where a student participates in a club or intramural sport or develops his/her structured fitness program. Health classes are offered by the school and are available on-line. There are no on-site outdoor play areas or playfields and there is no gymnasium; the indoor Commons space does convert into basketball practice courts. On a side note, the gravel field outside is informally used as a two-hand-touch football field during lunch. The school offers an after-school Ultimate Frisbee team, led by parents and volunteer staff.

Admission

Since the 2016 student admissions, an Admissions lottery process used in charter schools was implemented in order to improve ethnic diversity among the student body.

Before the Class of 2020, admission to RAHS was based on grades, 7th grade MSP scores, interest in the theme of aviation, student behavior and family. Each applicant is interviewed by a panel for 90 minutes, and must complete a 12-page application where they demonstrate their writing abilities. Only 100 students are accepted yearly (approx. >30% acceptance rate), although in the 07-08 year 124 students were accepted. In many ways the process was like that of a private institution, except without tuition. According to former principal, Bruce Kelly, greater consideration is given to an applicant’s passion for aerospace than to previous grades. "[8]

Students must volunteer for 10 hours per year in order to graduate. Students say that this goal is easily met by volunteer opportunities offered by such student run clubs such as INTERACT and the National Honor Society.

Recognition

The school was designated by the Washington State legislature as a "lighthouse model of STEM education", which recognizes the school's best practices and student achievement results.[9] RAHS has been designated by the State of Washington as one of a select few Designated Existing Innovative Schools that have implemented "bold, creative, and innovative" ideas.[10] The school was ranked #1 among best high schools in Washington state by U.S. News & World Report in April 2016.[11]

History

From 2004-07, the school was located at the South Seattle Community College - Duwamish campus. From 2007-2013, it was housed at the former Olympic Elementary School, the previous (temporary) location of Mount Rainier High School. Construction of new facilities commenced in August, 2011 [12] and opened on September 9, 2013, renamed Raisbeck Aviation High School after major donors James D. Raisbeck and Sherry Raisbeck.

Facilities

The new 3-story, 72,000 square foot facility was designed by Bassetti Architects. The key design feature is the building’s form, with a curved cross-section inspired by the leading edge of a wing. The design received the 2011 People’s Choice Award and Polished Apple Merit Award from the regional chapter of Council of Educational Facilities Planners International.[13]

The facility is located on land owned by the Museum of Flight. Of the $44 million cost for the new facilities, 35% was through donation by individuals and private foundations, 32% by the school district, 23% by the Port of Seattle, 9% by the State of Washington, and 1% by the federal government.[14]

Designed as a teaching tool and to support a rigorous education in "STEM" subjects (science, technology, engineering and math), the building offers direct views to the adjacent Museum of Flight's airplane static outdoor exhibit which includes a Concorde and pioneering Boeing jet aircraft. The location of the school was selected to provide ready access to the Museum of Flight's resources, located across the street at Boeing Field, and to the approximately 200 flight-related businesses nearby.[15]

The museum has a long-term plan to enclose the Museum’s Airpark with a roof, covering the currently exposed aircraft from the weather, which will span the gap between the high school and the newly built Space Gallery. The cover will also allow aircraft which are seasonally brought out, such as the Museum's B-17 and B-29, to be put permanently on display.[16]

References

  1. ↑ Aviation High students land in their new school, Seattle Times October 16, 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-17
  2. ↑ RAHS programs. Retrieved 2014-02-19
  3. ↑ RAHS Careers webpage. Retrieved 2014-02-19
  4. ↑ RAHS Community Service webpage. Retrieved 2014-02-19
  5. ↑ Museum of Flight ACE webpage. Retrieved 2014-02-19
  6. ↑ Skunkworks Robotics webpage. Retrieved 2014-02-19
  7. ↑ RAHS Careers webpage. Retrieved 2014-02-19
  8. ↑ Aviation High students land in their new school, Seattle Times October 16, 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-17
  9. ↑ Highline School District, Highlights 2009-2010, retrieved online 2011-09-27</ref US News & World Report, retrieved online 2011-09-27
  10. ↑ State OSPI webpage. Retrieved 2013-11-10
  11. ↑
  12. ↑ "Aviation High soars into the future, landing next to Boeing Field", Seattle Times, 2011-08-13
  13. ↑ Architect's website
  14. ↑ ‘’Grand Opening Media Kit’’, RAHS & Museum of Flight, October 17, 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-17
  15. ↑ "Aviation High soars into the future, landing next to Boeing Field", Seattle Times, 2011-08-13
  16. ↑ Phoenix Flyer. Retrieved 2014-02-17

External links

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