My student "choiced" in to their current elementary school. Do I need to apply for choice again if they want to follow the feeder pattern of their current elementary school?
Yes.
Choice students must apply again for choice once they transition from elementary school to middle school (and then again from middle school to high school) if they want to continue at a middle school outside their address-zoned school.
You can complete the registration process here.
My student is moving from their addressed-zoned elementary school to their address-zoned middle school. Do I need to complete a registration form?
No.
Transitioning from your addressed-zoned elementary school to your addresssed-zoned middle school does not require you to register.
When do I sign up for classes?
Schools will host Curriculum Nights in February so students and families can learn more about course offerings. Middle school counselors will visit elementary schools soon after with registration paperwork that students can bring home to complete.
What is the neighborhood model?
The neighborhood model is a way to group cohorts of students in a specific area of each school building where they go from class to class together. This allows students to be familiar with their classmates and teachers. This video has more information:
SPS Middle Schools and the Neighborhood Model from Spokane Public Schools on Vimeo.
How will busing work?
Yellow bus transportation is provided by Zum Services Inc. Registration will be available this spring and summer. Bus routes are finalized in August.
What kind of academic opportunities will be available?
Every middle school offers a variety of rigorous and effective academic opportunities to prepare students for high school and beyond. Contact your school to get specific information.
How will schools prepare sixth graders for being in school with seventh and eighth graders who are older and might be more physically mature?
Schools have robust support systems in place to help with the transition, specifically for sixth graders. Middle schools on Spokane’s north side welcomed sixth graders in the fall of 2022, and south hill middle schools welcomed sixth graders in 2023 to great success.
SPS hosted a webinar in January 2023 discussing the transition for rising sixth graders:
Webinar: Middle School Transition from Spokane Public Schools on Vimeo.
Why don’t we have “accelerated” classes for sixth graders?
To help students with a successful transition from elementary to middle school, sixth grade students attend English/Social Studies and Math/Science as block courses. We currently don’t accelerate in sixth grade, but students will have those options throughout middle school beginning in seventh grade.
Will my sixth grader have lunch with an eighth grader?
Please check your school’s bell schedules, which are typically updated, if necessary, during the summer. Bell schedules are available via the schools’ homepages.
With a large student population, will there be more counselors and administrators?
The number of counselors and administrators is dependent on the school enrollment.
