Our Mission
At Spanaway Lake High School our mission is to provide a safe environment that fosters student success while building a culture of rigor, relevance, relationships, and reflection.

What Makes Us Special
Spanaway Lake High School has the most ethnically diverse population of any school in the district. We are committed to increasing our academic rigor at every level. SLHS offers open enrollment to many Advanced Placement and Honors classes ranging from Honors Communication Arts to AP Calculus. Academic expectations for all general education classes continue to rise as evidenced by our standardized test scores. We take great pride in our commitment to non-traditional learners. Spanaway Lake High School offers programs for English Language Learners, at-risk students, special education students and fourth year seniors. Spanaway Lake is in the third fourth of an Advisory program where students create a portfolio including test scores, career plans, academic records and best works. This portfolio is presented to parents at student-led conferences in May.Our goal is to connect closely with students to help them develop their potential and maximize their learning.

Raising Expectations and Standards
SLHS staff members work closely with district personnel to successfully implement new textbooks that align with federal and state standards.
Our focus is to increase academic rigor and student participation. Our Honors and Advanced Placement classes continue to grow.

AYP
In 2007, 86 percent of 10th graders met standard on the WASL writing test and 71 percent met standard on the WASL reading test. Our writing scores have increased 28 percentage points in five years. At the same time, we know we have work to do in math and science. Among 10th graders, 33 percent met standard in math and 23 percent met standard in science. We are offering a greater selection of math courses to our students, as well as providing increased training to teachers to help them reach struggling students in math and science.
SLHS made adequate yearly progress (AYP) in 79% of student categories. We did not make it in math among several sub-groups and reading among special education students. Each year individual schools and the school district must “raise the bar” in gradual increments so that by 2014, 100 percent of students achieve proficiency in each subject.

Community Connections
Our facility is used by several community organizations including: Bethel Recreation, club sports, AAU competitions, Kiwanis (for their annual auction), blood drives, and professional development, as well as several Pierce College offerings throughout the year.

Parent and Community Involvement in Learning
Parents participate in PTSA, Site Council, booster clubs, and are able to volunteer for various student activities.