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Frequently Asked Questions
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Who will be successful at Eastside Prep?
If you’re curious, interested in learning, and willing to work both independently and in groups, you should do well here. We have some students who are pretty well-rounded and some who are really great in one area such as math but not so great in another area such as language arts.
How big is Eastside Prep?
In 2009-2010, we are serving 172 students in grades 5–12. We continue to grow at the rate of approximately 20%–30% per academic year, until we reach approximately 250 students. Our campus will include 7 buildings in the 2008–09 academic year and will expand to 10 buildings in the following year. Our classes are (and always will be) small so students get lots of individual attention. The average class size in 2008-2009 is 12 students.
How will colleges know you?
We will invite college representatives to visit our school so they know who and what we are. We will prepare students for the SAT and ACT by covering appropriate material and skills, such as essay writing, and administering other standardized tests during the school year. Many of our upper school courses will prepare students for AP exams if the student wishes to take them.
Can you explain how you set your tuition?
We have several goals in mind when we set the tuition each year. First, we want to attract and retain the best teachers and compensate them well. Second, we have many startup costs during our first years including buying furniture, supplies, equipment, and textbooks. Finally, we are located on a campus that can grow as we grow, so in the first years we will be paying a higher rent per student than we normally would. Our tuition is comparable to that of other independent schools, and, as with the other schools, tuition covers only a portion of actual operating costs per year. The rest is made up through each school’s annual fund drive.
We also offer financial aid to those who qualify. About 10% of our student population is on financial aid.
How much homework is there?
Eastside Prep is a rigorous school and there will be quite a bit of homework – anywhere from an hour to 2.5 hours per day depending on how efficient the student is. Many of our students participate in sports and other recreational activities, and we try to accommodate them where we are able. For instance, every student has a study period built into their daily schedule. Also, teachers work with all students to improve study, research, and organizational skills so they can complete their homework as efficiently as possible.
How do you promote economic and racial diversity in the student population?
Despite our small enrollment, different economic and racial backgrounds are already represented in our student body. Financial aid is available to low-income applicant families. We send all our press releases to publications that target communities of color, and we advertise in these publications. As our staff expands over the years, we will be able to broaden our outreach into various communities.
What is the research on how people learn, and how do you use it?
Our curriculum and instructional methods are based on the cognitive research on how people learn.
Research shows that…
All learning is constructed out of prior knowledge, so we
- Have teachers and students articulate their current knowledge to use it as a
foundation for new learning.
- Create a 5–12 curriculum that is a spiral, returning
students to core topics over the years in fresh contexts and more demanding forms.
- Have students use their knowledge in multiple contexts.
Students can
assimilate and use new information
better when it is orchestrated in
meaningful ways, so we
- Use the methodologies of the
disciplines (English, history,
math, science, etc.) to organize
course material.
- Help students learn to sense
and establish relationships and
patterns that make information
easier to retrieve and apply in
new situations.
Learning improves
when students think about their
thinking, so we
- Have teachers model how they
monitor their thought processes.
- Coach students to explore
their own thought processes to
become more strategic, effective
thinkers.
Learning improves
when students discover for
themselves, so we
- Offer hands-on, experiential
study.
How do I know that my child will be challenged?
As at any rigorous college-prep school, Eastside Prep students take multiple years of English, history, math, science, language, and art. Students who are more advanced in a subject are offered enriched materials. In the upper grades, when students start to focus their interests, advanced courses will be offered. If you don’t think your child is being challenged, talk to us. We’ll work together to make sure he or she is.
Is Eastside Prep accredited?
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Olympia has approved Eastside Prep as a fully qualified Washington state Middle and Upper School. In addition, the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS) has accepted Eastside Prep as a Candidate School. We plan to earn full Accreditation Membership with PNAIS by 2010, the first year in which we are eligible to apply.
Do you require the ISEE?
Yes, students must take the ISEE for the current year and have the scores sent to us. Our ISEE number is 481714. The ISEE provides teachers a common baseline to judge where students are in their learning. While we consider the ISEE as part of the application process, we would not decline a student on the basis of his or her ISEE score alone.
For more information about this exam, please visit
www.iseetest.org.
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