2023-24 Annual Report
A Message From Superintendent Patrick Murphy
Dear Olympia School District community,
We are pleased to share our school district’s Annual Report featuring information and highlights from the 2023-24 school year.
This report includes data about the Olympia School District, including demographics, assessment scores, graduation rates, financial information and links to school performance reports and school improvement plans.
Additionally, as you scroll through this publication, you will see one of our favorite things to feature in this annual report, which is the compilation of success stories from throughout the district featuring students, staff and community members. Each year, for example, we recognize one or more OSD Teachers of the Year and Classified School Employees of the Year. Their names and photos are included in this publication, along with student accomplishments ranging from regional successes to prestigious state and national honors. We are proud of the excellence of our students and staff, and we encourage you to take a few moments to scroll through the various accomplishments featured in this report. While the Annual Report is a snapshot of success stories districtwide, many more students, staff and community members are featured on our school district website and social media platforms.
I encourage you to visit
our district website, or check out our latest
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram and
YouTube content. You are also welcome to view a more detailed list of districtwide accomplishments on our
Accomplishments webpage.
The 2023-24 school year was a busy year of construction at many of our school buildings. Security vestibules were installed at six of our schools; Garfield ES, Hansen ES, Jefferson MS, Thurgood Marshall MS, Reeves MS and Washington MS. These vestibules, located at the main entrances of each school, guide all visitors through the front office before granting access to the rest of the building, ensuring tighter security measures are in place. Additionally, Reeves Middle School's primary gymnasium went through a major renovation, which included the sanding and re-striping of the floor, as well as the addition of a new Reeves RAMS logo at center court. Meanwhile, the athletic fields at Thurgood Marshall Middle School were upgraded with irrigation and laser-grading, providing a smoother, level playing surface for students and athletes alike.
Finally, this Annual Report is an opportunity to express our gratitude to the thousands of family and community members who volunteer in our schools. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit our
volunteer webpage to submit an application.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our students, staff and community.
Sincerely,
Patrick Murphy
Superintendent
Good News From Around the District: Our Staff
We are proud of the Olympia School District's many achievements made in the year 2023-2024. This report gives an opportunity to highlight some of those many accomplishments. The OSD is proud of our students and staff who achieve amazing success every day. In an effort to recognize and celebrate some of the achievements both inside and outside the classroom we have compiled a list of academic and extracurricular accomplishments that involve members of the Olympia School District community.
Our teachers are regularly recognized as among the nation's best, striving to make an impact in the community and district. The success of our schools would not be possible without the hard work of our staff. Every year, our district honors one or more Teachers of the Year and Classified School Employees of the Year.
As always, there are many more achievements in our district than we can summarize in this report, ranging from small acts of kindness to school wide accomplishments. We have included a few of these highlights from the 2023-24 year.
Josh Everson - Empowering all voices through art
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Olympia High School (OHS) art teacher Josh Everson was honored as the Washington Art Educator of the Year by the Washington Art Educator Association (WAEA)! His commitment to creativity, innovation, and student success was celebrated at the event, with his family present. OHS Principal Matt Grant praised Everson for helping students explore their creativity and unique identities, while student Cece Wallace highlighted his motivational support. Under Everson's guidance, OHS students have gained recognition in local art events like the Olympia Art Walk and the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction's annual showcase. Everson also connects students with guest presenters to enhance their learning experience. This award opens doors for future regional and national recognition. His impact on OHS art students is significant, with his motto being, "Someday art might just rule the world!"
Kristen Draper and Heidi Heiser named OSD Teachers of the Year
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Kristen Draper, Physical Education Teacher, Centennial Elementary School
Mrs. Draper was nominated for Teacher of the Year by Principal Shannon Ritter, who praised her for her positive attitude, collaborative spirit, and commitment to student well-being. Draper, who has been at Centennial for six years, creates an engaging, student-centered classroom where all students feel successful, regardless of skill level. She is passionate about teaching and building connections with students, especially as a PE specialist, where she can watch students grow over the years. Draper is active in her community outside of school, volunteering at Centennial and fostering connections through innovative PE programs like Star Striders, Ballet, Yoga and local scavenger hunts. Ritter noted Draper's key role in strengthening the bond between the school and its community, underscoring her dedication to enhancing students' physical activity and well-being.
Heidi Heiser, Environmental and Physical Science Teacher, Olympia High School
Olympia High School Principal Matt Grant recognized Heiser for her ability to design a curriculum that engages students at every level through hands-on labs and discussions, fostering collaboration in a diverse classroom. Heiser's passion for teaching began in childhood when she assisted her mother, a third-grade teacher. Over her tenure, she has taught various science courses, including Biology, Environmental Science, and AP Environmental Science, always seeking creative ways to make science accessible. Colleague Jesse Stevick praised her for her humility, organization and dedication to improving her teaching, as well as her involvement in the community and strong communication with parents.
Jairus Torres and Amy Long: OSD Classified School Employees of the Year
Jairus Torres, Paraeducator, LP Brown Elementary School
LP Brown ES Principal Sean Shaughnessy and Dean of Students Callie Jones nominated Torres, highlighting his substantial impact on students and staff. Known for his commitment to academic achievement, Torres supports students in small groups, adjusts lessons to meet individual needs, and manages the cafeteria and playground activities. His ability to build relationships with students and support their growth has earned him admiration. Outside the classroom, Torres also works as a site supervisor for the YMCA. Shaughnessy and Jones commended his cultural awareness and bilingual communication skills. Torres cherishes the relationships he's built with students, recalling a memorable moment when a fifth-grade class honored him with letters and posters on the last day of school.
Amy Long, Paraeducator, McLane Elementary School
McLane ES Principal Dannie Clark highlighted Long's daily dedication to creating an environment of respect and success, particularly through her leadership during cafeteria and recess times. Long is known for organizing the recess rodeo, a fun way to reinforce safety and rules, and providing academic and emotional support to students in one-on-one and small group settings. She finds joy in watching students grow through academic achievements and personal milestones. Her efforts extend beyond McLane, as she recently organized a special meet-and-greet between McLane students and Capital High School students to foster community connections. Long's work emphasizes building positive, trusting relationships, and she continues to enhance her skills through training in restorative practices and trauma-informed approaches.
Good News From Around The District: Our Students & Schools
We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of our Olympia School District students. Here are a few highlights of their accomplishments from the 2023-24 school year:
Theatre and Robotics, a partnership made for center stage
Capital High School's theatre production, She Kills Monsters, featured some innovative elements, including a collaboration with the school's robotics teams. Director Kristina Cummins had been eager to bring something new to the show, and after hearing an inspiring interview, she decided to incorporate robotics into the production. Working with STEM teacher Brenda Diettrich, the Capital and Jefferson Middle School robotics teams joined forces to create moving robot designs. This added an exciting, dynamic element to the show. One standout creation was the Beholder, a large robot that incorporated design elements inspired by the character Vera, like a punk-rock spike bracelet, which helped tie the robotic creations to the story.
Around the world with McKenny and Pioneer elementary schools
We had the pleasure of joining students and families for a trip around the world at the McKenny Hawks Cultural Kaleidoscope event and the Pioneer Bear Cubs Cultural Fair. Imagine two trips around the world in less than 80 days! Each event offered beautifully crafted student information boards and displays that gave attendees an opportunity to learn about the cultures, customs, foods and traditions of the diverse students and families of their schools and communities. Booths and displays allowed attendees to join in the exploration and learn fascinating facts about each other's heritage.
Aerospace Club at Washington Middle School is OUT OF THIS WORLD!
.jpg "Aerospace Club at Washington Middle School is OUT OF THIS WORLD!")
The Washington Middle School Aerospace Club is climbing to new heights with a little help and guidance from the Olympia High School Aerospace Club.
Club members from OHS act as mentors to the younger Bulldog club members. They help guide them through the process of building a rocket (from scratch) and bringing it through the testing phases as they prepare for their final launch where they will submit their team results to the American Rocketry Challenge.
Olympia High Bears launch girls flag football program
Flag football is rapidly gaining popularity, and Olympia High School's Bears are part of the inaugural girls' South Puget Sound League (SPSL) season. The Seattle Seahawks played a key role in this development, offering $117,000 in grant funding to support the creation of girls' flag football teams across the region. Thanks to the Seahawks and the Seattle Seahawks Charitable Foundation, Olympia High School added this exciting new sport, providing students with a rare opportunity to participate in football.
Avanti HS re-opens the doors to its new/old home!
Avanti High School has completed major renovations as part of the final project funded by the 2016 voter-approved bond measure. The building, designed by Olympia architect Joseph Wohleb, has preserved its historic charm while upgrading its facilities. The renovations include beautifully restored details like tall ceilings, ornate moldings, period light fixtures, and modern additions like new classrooms, lighting, flooring, and state-of-the-art technology. A reimagined library space now functions as a gathering area for students, with expanded opportunities for exhibits and performances. The weight room and art spaces in the Annex also received significant upgrades.
Centennial Elementary School celebrates belonging
Centennial Elementary School hosted its first annual "You Belong" event, bringing students and staff together in celebration. The event, planned by the staff and student council, featured the school community wearing matching T-shirts with the theme "You Belong at Centennial." The event was a huge success and was made even more special with support from the community, Vic's Pizzeria, and the SMU Saints.
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PoDS program at CHS invites parents to volunteer
.jpg "PoDS program at CHS invites parents to volunteer")
Capital High School (CHS) has launched a new volunteer program called Parents on Deck at School (PoDS) to involve parents in supporting students' success. The program emphasizes the positive impact of having more adults present in the school environment, whether through small gestures like saying "good morning" or simply being available to help. Assistant Principal Doug Anderson and Principal Lil Hunter highlighted the importance of parents and the community in shaping the school's culture and student success. PoDS allows parents to volunteer in a flexible manner, with no set commitment required—whether it's once a month or as often as they can. The program provides an opportunity for parents to be a part of daily school life and contribute to the positive atmosphere at CHS.
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Thurgood Marshall celebrates solar project completion with ribbon cutting
.jpg "Thurgood Marshall celebrates solar project completion with ribbon cutting")
On November 1, there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Thurgood Marshall Middle School Community Solar Project. The solar array is one of the first initiatives under Washington State University’s new low-income community solar program, created in response to the 2022 legislative approval of Second Substitute House Bill 1814. This program aims to provide equitable access to renewable energy through community solar projects. The event recognized the efforts of the Olympia community, Olympia Community Solar, Puget Sound Solar, and other partners for bringing clean energy and valuable learning opportunities to the school.
OSD continues to boast high graduation rates
The Olympia School District’s on-time graduation rate for the Class of 2024 was 94.2 percent. The five-year graduation rate for students in the Class of 2023 was 93.3 percent.
Board Continues Focus on Student Outcomes
Every year in December, the Olympia School Board elects officers for the coming year during its annual reorganization. The board elected Hilary Seidel as the 2023-24 board president and Scott Clifthorne as vice president.
Superintendent Patrick Murphy shared a special thank you to Darcy Huffman for her “steadfast leadership” as board president this past year.
Board members are also appointed annually to serve as liaisons with various community groups and state agencies. This year’s appointments include:
OSD Student Outcomes
Our students will:
- Outcome 1: Be compassionate and kind.
-
Outcome 2: Have the academic and life skills to pursue their individual career, civic and educational goals.
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Outcome 3: Advocate for the social, physical and mental wellness of themselves and others and be hopeful about the future.
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Outcome 4: Have the skills, knowledge and courage to identify and confront personal, systemic and societal bias.
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Outcome 5: Discover their passions, be curious and love learning.
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Outcome 6: Be critical thinkers who contribute to and collaborate with our local, global and natural world.
Districtwide Construction Projects
The 2023-24 school year was a busy year with updates and construction activity at many of our school buildings and facilities. Let’s start with updates from the larger-scale projects:
Security Vestibules
Security vestibules are currently being installed in six of our schools (Garfield ES, Hansen ES, Jefferson MS, Thurgood Marshall MS, Reeves MS, Washington MS). These vestibules are located at the main entry of each school and will be used to route all visitors through the front office before gaining access to the rest of the building.
Access controls will be available on every door within the security vestibules and windows will have film applied for additional security. The security film is shatter-resistant and provides significant additional structural integrity to the windows. Access controls and cameras will also be installed in each vestibule. Video doorbells, which are currently in use in our buildings, may still be in use after construction is complete. That is building dependant.
Once the current vestibule construction has been completed there will be seven additional schools on the docket to have vestibules installed during the summer of 2025. Those vestibules are currently in the planning and design phase.
Reeves Middle School Gymnasium
The primary gymnasium at Reeves Middle School has undergone a significant makeover this summer. The floor has been sanded and re-striped (baselines and sidelines) and the new Reeves RAMS logo has been placed at center court. During this process, some old floorboards were replaced and noticeable dead spots in the floor were backfilled with an epoxy injection to provide a more even playing surface.
While this work was being completed the floor covers for the volleyball equipment were replaced and the new RMS logo was affixed to the gymnasium walls.
Thurgood Marshall Middle School
The athletic fields at Thurgood Marshall Middle School have been getting lots of attention this summer, specifically the upper field which has been aerated and top-dressed with soil. Throughout this process, irrigation was added to the field and it was laser-graded to provide a solid, consistent and level playing surface. A six-foot chain link fence with pass-throughs was added to both sides of the field to help prevent sports equipment from rolling away.
As this work was being completed the Gaga-Ball pit was moved off the field, one of the two baseball backstops were removed and the shot put pit in the lower field had all the grass removed and new sand was added.
Additional Projects:
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District: In the process of evaluating existing school buildings to prepare for the Long Range Facility Master Plan.
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Hansen ES: Permitting has been completed and additional playground equipment has been added (in partnership with Hansen Community Council).
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Hansen ES & LP Brown ES: Redundant power options are under design.
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Knox 111 District Offices: Lighting is being added to the upper parking lot.
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Olympia HS: Audio and lighting are being upgraded in the Performing Arts Center
View our OSD Summer Construction Projects: 2024 Facebook Photo Album
This table provides detailed information about student performance on the Spring assessments. Student performance in each subject is scored as a level 1, 2, 3, or 4. Level 3 or 4 scores indicate that students demonstrate the skills expected for that grade. Level 3 or 4 scores are counted as meeting state standards in that subject.
For more information about test scores, visit the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction website. Simply type in "Olympia School District" under "I want to see data for a school or school district" and select "Go."
2023-24 Smarter Balanced Assessment Results
|
Grade Level
|
ELA
|
State
|
Math
|
State
|
3rd Grade
|
52% |
47.7% |
52.1% |
51.1% |
| 4th Grade |
49% |
48.5% |
45.7% |
47.8% |
| 5th Grade |
56.2% |
52.3% |
43.3% |
41.8% |
6th Grade
|
56.9% |
46.4% |
45.1% |
37.3% |
| 7th Grade |
57.4% |
49.5% |
53.4% |
37.8% |
| 8th Grade |
59.7% |
47.1% |
46.1% |
33.5%
|
| 10th Grade |
70.3% |
60.1% |
44.2% |
29.9% |
Grade Level
|
WCAS Science
|
State
|
6th Grade
|
61% |
55.3% |
| 8th Grade |
57.3% |
40.2% |
| 11th Grade |
38.7% |
35.7% |
Financial Report
2023-24 District Operating Budget
Expenditures
|
Cost
|
Percentage
|
Teaching
|
$122,742,157
|
74.19% |
Building Administration
|
$10,093,012 |
6.10% |
| Maintenance & Operations |
$10,070,814 |
6.09% |
District Support
|
$4,555,830 |
2.75% |
Transportation
|
$4,941,521 |
2.99% |
| Technology |
$2,692,684 |
1.63% |
| Utilities & Insurance |
$5,778,606 |
3.49% |
Food Service
|
$4,346,598 |
2.63% |
| Other |
$214,669 |
0.13% |
| Total Expenditures |
$165,435,891 |
100.00% |
Revenue
|
Amount
|
Percentage
|
State
|
$122,745,027 |
73.93% |
Local
|
$31,776,260 |
19.14% |
| Federal |
$9,618,166 |
5.79% |
| Other Revenue |
$969, 493 |
0.58% |
Other Financing Sources
|
$919,452 |
0.55% |
| Total Revenue |
$166,028,397 |
99.99% |
Invitation to the Community
There are many ways in which you can get involved in our schools. We invite you to contact your local school to ask how you can help or participate. When you access this website you will find a multitude of opportunities to assist in shaping our district's future.
Thank you for the opportunity to partner with you. We hope to see you in one of our buildings soon!
Stay Connected
We invite all Olympia School District students, families and community members to follow our social media channels including FacebookOpening in a new window, TwitterOpening in a new window, InstagramOpening in a new window and YouTubeOpening in a new window.
The Olympia School District will provide equal educational opportunity and treatment for all students in all aspects of the academic and activities program without discrimination based on race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, honorably-discharged veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. The district will provide equal access to school facilities to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. District programs will be free from sexual harassment. Auxiliary aids and services will be provided upon request to individuals with disabilities.
The Olympia School District offers many Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs/courses in the following areas: Skilled and Technical Sciences/STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics); Agriculture/Natural Resources; Business Marketing; Family and Consumer Sciences; and Health Sciences. For more information about CTE course offerings and admissions criteria, contact Pat Cusack, Director of College and Career Readiness, 111 Bethel St. N.E., Olympia, WA 98506, (360) 596-6102. Lack of English language proficiency will not be a barrier to admission and participation in CTE programs.
The following people have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies, reports of alleged sexual harassment, concerns about compliance, and/or grievance procedures:
James Whitehead, Title IX Officer
Knox 111 Administrative Center, 111 Bethel St. N.E., Olympia, WA 98506
(360) 596-8545
[email protected]
Autumn Lara, Executive Director of Elementary Education
Knox 111 Administrative Center, 111 Bethel St. N.E., Olympia, WA 98506
(360) 596-8534
[email protected]
Ken Turcotte, Section 504 and ADA Coordinator (Students)
Knox 111 Administrative Center, 111 Bethel St. N.E., Olympia, WA 98506
(360) 596-7530
[email protected]
Starla Hoff, ADA Coordinator (Staff)
Knox 111 Administrative Center, 111 Bethel St. N.E., Olympia, WA 98506
(360) 596-6185
[email protected]
Scott Niemann, Affirmative Action Officer and Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator
Knox 111 Administrative Center, 111 Bethel St. N.E., Olympia, WA 98506
(360) 596-6185
[email protected]
Paula Perryman, Director of College and Career Readiness
Knox 111 Administrative Center, 111 Bethel St. N.E., Olympia, WA 98506
(360)-596-6102
[email protected]