Totem Middle School
School Profile

School Website: http://www.fwps.org/tot/   26630 40th Avenue South Kent, WA 98032 (253) 945-5100 Principal, Christine Baker(Since 2007) School Built: 1963 School last remodeled: 1996 Number of classrooms: 35 View the official 2008-09 School Profile (63K PDF)
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What is Special About Our School?

Totem Middle School is a caring, successful learning environment for many reasons. Our dedicated staff members and parents make it special by working tirelessly to help students meet grade-level expectations. This school welcomes and embraces parent involvement and support from the entire learning community. We realize that parent involvement increases student achievement, and we strive to include parents in all aspects of our school community.

Totem offers a comprehensive educational program to every student. We have Algebraic Thinking and pre-AP Math. The curriculum for our pre-AP classes is Springboard, which was developed by Collegeboard. Critical thinking, reading and writing, and preparing students to take AP classes in high schools is the focus of this program. Teachers also use AVID (Advance Via Individual Determination) strategies in their classrooms, including Cornell Notes and Reciprocal Teaching. We have five sections of AVID this year. AVID is college prep elective, but the strategies for AVID are used school-wide to create a college going culture.

Our school is organized around best practices for middle school students. We have six teams of teachers working with students at Totem. We provide a challenging curriculum in all our classes, and provide the support for all students to succeed. Our ELL students and Special Education students are mainstreamed into regular classrooms for a majority of the school day. The ELL teachers and Special Education teachers work closely with regular classroom teachers. Our Para professionals also provide additional support in mainstream classrooms. Advisory is incorporated into first period. We believe student leadership is an important component of middle school education and we have many opportunities for students to participate, including a Spirit Team, ASB Committee and Officers, and our student Equity Team.  We have a comprehensive, quality music program at Totem and offer Choir, Band, Orchestra, and General Music classes. We offer many electives including Spanish for all 6th graders in our wheel, drama, Keyboarding and Spanish 1 for 8th graders, student leadership, journalism, AVID, creative writing, art, and service learning.

We also are continuing with TechStart this year after school at Totem.  This is a free 6-8 grade after school program sponsored by the Technology Access Foundation. This unique program teaches students computer applications and beginning programming while they learn about science. A variety of sports, clubs, and other activities for students add to the Totem school spirit. We have after school Einstein Club, the Totem Spirit Club, and an Olympiad Club for breaking academic goals.  An activity bus is provided.  TechStart will begin in October this year. . For more information about TechStart, please go to www.techaccess.org.

Totem was the first school in Federal Way to implement a uniform policy. We believe that uniforms remove barriers to learning and permit students to focus more attention on academics. Totem is located in a neighborhood setting and houses a diverse student body. The four elementary schools that feed into Totem is Mark Twain, Star Lake, Sunnycrest and Valhalla. Our graduates attend either Thomas Jefferson or Federal Way High School.

No Child Left Behind Report Card

The No Child Left Behind Act requires all schools and school districts in the United States to prepare annual reports for parents and the public detailing their academic achievement. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s web site makes this information available on-line at http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ Click on Federal Way in the “Summary” box, then choose your school from the list. You may also request a paper copy of the report card at your school’s office. For more information about the NCLB Act, go to http://www.nclb.gov/index.html.

Academic and Student Programs

Student Characteristics

How Are We Using Our Financial Resources?

School resources were used for planning time, staff in-service time, workshops, conferences, portfolio materials, photocopying, curriculum materials, and computer supplies.

How Are Our Students Doing on Required Tests?

Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)

*Beginning in spring of 2006, the state of Washington requires that the WASL be given at sixth grade. 

Percentage Meeting Standard in: