Education Program

First Place is an alternative among several school choices. The decision to apply for admission to First Place is made by the family or guardian of each student.

• We provide education to children in grades K-6.
• Staff requests past school records at time of enrollment.
• Each student receives standardized academic assessment upon his or her enrollment.
• All students receive an individualized instruction plan.
• Students receive instruction from certified classroom educators.
• There is an on-site literacy/technology specialist.
• The student/teacher ratio is currently 14:2 in our new facility (10:2 in the kindergarten class.)
• The curriculum is based on the academic standards of Seattle School District and the State of Washington.
• There are computers with Internet access in each classroom.
• Students utilize an on-site computer lab.
• There are on-site psychological assessments, special education, speech and language therapy, occupational/physical therapy, bilingual assessments and bilingual tutoring.
• Extra curricular activities and cultural enrichment experiences, on-site and through field trips, are made available to First Place students and their families throughout the year.

 

Classroom Without Walls

Overview

The Classroom Without Walls program is a community research-based approach learning how to integrate multiculturalism, language arts, social studies and technology. First Place integrates these elements by taking the 3rd-6th grade students outside of the traditional classroom to engage in learning about traditional subjects, such as science and social studies, through interacting with the components of the subject. Research has proven that “out-of-classroom learning enhances what is taught in school and assists students in retaining knowledge gained through hands-on experience.” Additionally, all of the learning experiences meet the Washington State standards and the classroom curriculum.

Program Description

All of the students participating in the Classroom Without Walls program will be exposed to a great diversity of issues, people, and experiences that will build their academic skills, provide personal growth, and develop leadership and advocacy skills. One of these activities includes attending class in the Tulalip and Muckleshoot Tribal Schools. This experience is part of a larger learning opportunity for First Place students.

Each month the 3rd-6th grade students will focus their Classroom Without Walls exploration on some aspect of cultural appropriate enrichment, working with Seattle Children’s Theater to develop and refine classroom productions. Students will learn more about the cultural richness and diversity of their own community. For example, one of their projects will be to visit the Odessa Brown Clinic of Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center and research the history of the clinic and its namesake, Odessa Brown or a clinic in their own environment.

 

 

First Place Global Learning Projects

Classes at First Place are part of a global community of schools doing curricular projects together using the International Education and Resource Network. Teachers and Students at First Place are using email, websites, digital images and videoconferencing to do social studies studies, visual arts, and science projects with schools around the world. Here are some of their current projects:

Global Art Project: A Sense of Caring
In this social studies project students are communicating about friendship and caring with schools in Oman, Russia, United States and Cote d’Ivoire.

Slides shows (Best viewed in Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher)

• Art Project - Oman
• Art Project - Russia
• Art Project - United States

A Day in the Life Project
In this project, students are communicating with schools in Egypt.

Water Habitat Project
In this project students are sharing their experiences at Islandwood on Bainbridge Island with schools around the world.

Comfort Quilt Project
In this project, students make quilts to comfort to others.