Back to School at Sammamish

Evelyn Cogswell Spencer Welch

Once a year, the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club endeavors to raise the intelligence quotient of its members by having a breakfast meeting at Sammamish High School. Last Friday was the date for infusion of new brain cells for 75 Rotarians who attended. Orchestrated by BBRC member Evelyn Cogswell, the morning began with breakfast in the SHS cafeteria and lots of good, bubbly conversation. The group reconvened in the adjacent theater for the day’s program.

This was the first meeting back at SHS since Evelyn has taken a new job at the District School office. You might say she was passing the torch on to her successor, Spencer Welch, the new principal at Sammamish. The audience could tell that SHS held a special place in the heart of its former principal. Evelyn said, “It’s a wonderful school, a population that has heart. Our district says that all kids can learn and achieve high levels, but nowhere is that more true than at Sammamish. This school believes that all kids deserve a chance. This school has had tremendous success in getting kids into upper level courses. They celebrate that success … it’s like family.”

Cogswell proved her point by illustrating a list of successful schools, compiled by author Jay Matthews. “He takes the number of students taking Advanced Placement and divides the number of tests taken by the number of seniors in school. Sammamish rates a 2.155, which puts the school in the top 3% of schools in the US. There are only six such schools in Washington State, one in Spokane; the other five schools are in Bellevue. Sammamish rates number 133 out of 700 schools listed in this survey.”

Evelyn then introduced her successor. Spencer Welch is a Bellevue native, Bellevue High school graduate, a mathematician, a musician, a teacher. “A renovation of the building is coming and Spencer is the logical person to carry that forward. He also is the right person to lead the school’s reading initiative by sharing the District’s vision for this project.”

The mutual admiration society of Cogswell/Welch grew in stature as these two dedicated educators praised each other. Spencer opened with, “This is a daunting task to follow Evelyn! Her five years at Sammamish were remarkable. She took a school that had many problems and made it the school wit the most visionary attitude in the district.”

Speaking about the Student of the Month, who had been introduced earlier, Principal Welch said, “Treavor left out parts of his bio: he’s taken from 7 to 9 Advanced Placement classes and is enrolled in Running Start at BCC. After being accepted at Western, they are considering granting him Junior status! I believe I have the greatest job in America, working with people like Trevor and Evelyn.”

Welch said a modernization project will begin in about six weeks, which will take down theater in which the meeting was held. Other than one more stage production, this will be the last use of this facility until a new performing arts center is built.

Spencer said, “It’s an exciting place to be surrounded by students! We have particularly strong classes, a diversity that brings together students from all backgrounds. People say that Bellevue has lots of advantages because it’s so well-off. Well, the socio-economic diversity that makes up Sammamish High school differs with what perceptions are of Bellevue.” He quoted figures that said that 27% of students are eligible for federal assistance, meaning they’re below the poverty level. “Some of our people closer to the issue say the true figure should be 35%. The school is multi-cultural, where 40% of our students speak English as 2nd language and go home to speak a different language. We have 39 different languages represented in our student body. This creates a wonderful feeling of real community … just like the world.”

Spencer then listed some of the truisms that governs Sammamish High School. “Every student has the opportunity to reach the highest level of achievement in this school. Schools are not sorting mechanisms. The blinders are off, and the sky’s the limit. Quality of teaching is a magnet for our students, as well as our programs in dance and glass blowing. The block schedule concept, where we feature a four period day and each class is 90 minutes long. Having this schedule allows students to go deeper into a subject … 4 courses at a time. It allows them to focus, and also results in smaller class size. We are able to build on our considerable strengths.”

The school’s reading initiative gives students the ability to understand reading within the content and to translate those skills into the curriculum. Early indications show the initiative to be successful. The next school year the reading project will go to another higher level. This is called ”Vertical Teaming” – where the students will communicate across different interest levels, and will involve teachers at middle school and high school to raise the bar. As Spencer said, ”Ninety percent of our graduates go on to college. But, the reason that students drop out of their first year of college is poor preparation at the high school level. We at Sammamish and in the Bellevue School District are committed to raise the level of preparedness and that’s what the Reading Initiative is all about.”

Evelyn Goxwell gets flowers from President Kim Shrader

Spencer thanked the BBRC for the support over the past years, providing student planners, offering scholarships, recognizing students of the month, being mentors, supporting the school’s career center. It has been a profitable relationship.

“Sammamish is on the move,” said the new principal. “We will maintain the pace of reform. It’s a great opportunity for me.”

For Spencer Welch’s presentation, the BBRC has donated 240 doses of polio vaccine in his name to help fight the disease in the remaining countries afflicted. Evelyn Cogswell was presented with a special gift of flowers for her work in the BBRC and at Sammamish High School.