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Bellingham School District No. 501 (operating as Bellingham Public Schools) is a public school district serving Bellingham, Washington. The district enrolls nearly 12,000 students across its schools and programs,[3][4] and is the fourth-largest employer in Whatcom County.[5] The strategic plan of Bellingham Public Schools is known as "The Bellingham Promise".[6]
| Bellingham Public Schools | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
1985 Barkley Boulevard
, Washington, 98225United States | |
| Coordinates | 48.7714°N 122.4477°W |
| District information | |
| Motto | A Collective Commitment |
| Grades | K–12, with preschool and pre-K offered for certain students.[1] |
| Superintendent | Greg Baker |
| Schools | 14 elementary, 4 middle, 4 high |
| NCES District ID | 5300420[2] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 11,614 (2022–2023) |
| Teachers | 705.48 (FTE; 2022–2023) |
| Student–teacher ratio | 16.46 (2022–2023) |
| Other information | |
| Website | bellinghamschools |
In 2006, the Center for Digital Education, along with the National School Boards Association, named the Bellingham School District 6th in the nation for districts with 2501-15000 students.[7][8] They were also awarded an "excellence in equity" award in 2019, from the Washington State School Directors' Association,[9] and a green ribbon for sustainability from the U.S. Department of Education in 2022.[10]
High schools
Bellingham Public Schools includes four high schools, all serving grades 9–12.[11]
| School | Mascot | Enrollment (2022–2023) | WIAA[12] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham High School (BHS) | Bayhawks | 1,218[13] | Northwest Conference (2A) | Located in the Sunnyland neighborhood, Bellingham's attendance area includes most of Bellingham's city center, and is bound by Squalicum's area to the north and Sehome's to the south.[14] |
| Options High School (OHS) | Armadillos | 188[15] | None | Located directly adjacent to Bellingham High School, Options is a "school of choice" and does not have its own attendance area.[16][14] Options provides an alternative education experience, with smaller class sizes for more accessible learning.[17][18] |
| Sehome High School (SHS) | Mariners | 1,163[19] | Northwest Conference (2A) | Located in the Happy Valley neighborhood, Sehome is the southernmost of the district's high schools.[14] |
| Squalicum High School (SqHS) | Storm | 1,280[20] | Northwest Conference (2A) | Located in the Barkley neighborhood, Squalicum is the northernmost of the district's high schools.[14] |
Middle schools
The district includes four grade 6–8 middle schools.[11]
| School | Mascot | Feeds to[14] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairhaven Middle School | Grizzly Bears[21] | Sehome | Fairhaven is located in the Edgemoor neighborhood. The school was originally Fairhaven High School, but it burned down New Year's Eve of 1935, reopening as a junior high in 1937 and a middle school in 1967.[22] |
| Kulshan Middle School | Thunderbirds[23] | Bellingham, Sehome, and Squalicum | Kulshan is located in the Whatcom Falls neighborhood. |
| Shuksan Middle School | Cougars[24] | Bellingham and Squalicum | Shuksan is located in the Birchwood neighborhood. |
| Whatcom Middle School | Wildcats[25] | Bellingham and Squalicum | Whatcom is located in the Lettered Streets neighborhood. The school was originally built in 1903 and named North Side High School. It was also named Whatcom High School before becoming a middle school.[26][27] Whatcom Middle School burned down on November 5, 2009; due to rebuilding, the school reopened in 2011.[28] |
Elementary schools
- Alderwood Elementary School
- Birchwood Elementary School
- Carl Cozier Elementary School
- Columbia Elementary School
- Cordata Elementary School
- Geneva Elementary School
- Happy Valley Elementary School
- The entirety of Happy Valley's attendance area feeds into Fairhaven Middle School.[14]
- Lowell Elementary School
- The entirety of Lowell's attendance area feeds into Fairhaven Middle School.[14]
- Northern Heights Elementary School
- Parkview Elementary School
- Roosevelt Elementary School
- Silver Beach Elementary School
- Sunnyland Elementary School
- Wade King Elementary School
- The majority of the school's attendance area feeds into Fairhaven, with some feeding into Kulshan.[14]
Other programs
Neighborhood references: City of Bellingham.[29][30]
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