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Hidden Gem: John Rogers Elementary

By Kim McCormick, Ph. D.,
John Rogers PTA chairperson for Science Enrichment

John Rogers is truly a "Hidden Gem." We've been using those words to describe our school for years now, because it is a treasure, but one that's a little hard to find! We are tucked away in the Meadowbrook neighborhood of NE Seattle, east of Nathan Hale High School, at 4030 NE 109th St.

How did our family discover John Rogers? We live nearby, and when our son, Mason, was young, we would walk down to the schoolyard on weekends so he could play at the awesome playground. Mason chose John Rogers, based on the playground. He was even more determined to become a John Rogers "Otter" when we toured the school and saw the giant saltwater tank in the lobby, full of anemones, crabs, and limpets. Our son got his wish: he is currently in 3rd grade, and I volunteer to help care for the saltwater tank and its critters, which includes a sea star the kids have named "Roger." Of course, as the parents, my husband and I were looking for a bit more than an awesome playground and saltwater tank. We wanted a school with solid academics, a strong sense of community, and a good mix of cultural and economic diversity. John Rogers has provided all that and much more.

The first thing that strikes you when you enter John Rogers is its friendliness. Our principal, Marcia Boyd, spends much of her time interacting with the kids. She knows all their names, and she knows the parents, too. Our strong parent community is an important component of the John Rogers success story. Parents help in the classroom, in the lunchroom, at student pick-up and drop-off, and they run popular after-school clubs. Parents also help out behind the scenes at home - there's a way for everyone to be involved! Our two PTA fundraisers each year, the fall Walk-a-Thon and our spring Auction, fund items such as our recent library makeover, technology improvements, field trips, after-school clubs, and art and science enrichment. It was a PTA and community-based fundraising campaign that made the wonderful, new upper playground possible.

Literacy skills are stressed at John Rogers. Kindergartners love spending time with their older "reading buddies." Older children participate in the Accelerated Reader Program. My son loves to read, and Ms. Bascus, our librarian, always seems to know how to help him find that perfect book. The school has consistently demonstrated yearly academic progress, thanks to wonderful teachers and support staff at John Rogers. The needs of students at all learning levels are well-met, thanks largely to our Sound Partner Tutoring Program. Several teachers have recently obtained or are working toward their National Board Teacher Certifications, a very high accomplishment.

We are very proud of our school's outstanding 4B Inclusion Program. Students on the autism spectrum spend the day in the classroom with their peers, and also receive one-on-one tutoring when needed. The Inclusion Program adds a wonderful layer of diversity to the school, and all students benefit from it. Bi-weekly all-school assemblies, on-staff playground supervisors, a school counselor, and conflict resolution programs contribute to very a positive learning environment.

We have lots of standout programs at John Rogers. Students in all grades learn to how to read and play music from all over the world, in addition to the instrumental music offered in the upper grades. Art is integrated in the curriculum. Fourth grade students receive Seattle Audubon's inquiry-based Finding Urban Nature Program, and all classes explore a nearby beach at low tide during our annual June Beach Day. Fourth-graders learn horse-back riding skills at an overnight equestrian camp, and 5th grade students attend outdoor education camp at Islandwood, on Bainbridge Island. A unique aspect of John Rogers is that swimming lessons, taught at nearby Meadowbrook Pool, are part of the PE curriculum. We also have a gym and a newly-resurfaced grass lower sports field, which is perfect for our spring Field Day event!

The after-school options are enticing! John Rogers staff run a fabulous Music Club and a popular Homework Club. The PTA also sponsors a variety of after-school programs, currently: Art, Science, Chess, and Creek Stewardship. Before and after-school language programs (Spanish, Japanese and Mandarin) are also offered, and this year, Mad Science will bring their exciting after-school program to our community. There's always something going on at John Rogers. Our Fall Festival, Book Fair, Holiday Sing-a-long, and Spring Ice-Cream Social/Instrumental Music Performance are fun, family-oriented events. Last year's Kindergarten musical, "Bugz," was simply incredible!

Our youngest son, Aidan, can't wait to become an "Otter" when he starts kindergarten next fall. The magic of John Rogers is far from hidden for our family. We hope you'll visit and see the "gem" we've discovered too! Contact one of the ambassadors listed below, and we'll be happy to tell you all about it.

Katy Fulmer (kindergarten parent), katyfulmer@comcast.net, 364-6439
Arlys Maxwell (kindergarten & 3rd grade parent), arlys.maxwell@comcast.net, 365-8136
Kristina Bartleson (1st grade parent), thegalley@hotmail.com, 361-2489
Karin Von Guenner (2nd grade parent), thekvong@yahoo.de, 364-1086
Kim McCormick (3rd grade parent), kim.mccormick@comcast.net, 362-3378
Theresa Evans (4th grade parent), theresa@evdev.com, 729-2426

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