Seattle Public Schools wants to improve their market share and increase enrollment at their schools and part of the West Seattle effort was a yellow school bus tour of four schools which focused on each school's special academic goals and programs.

"It was done as a celebration of (the schools)," said Peter Daniels, communications director for the school district. "Our goal was to remind folks of the rich tradition and history of Seattle Public Schools."

A trip that started at West Seattle High School and went on to Denny Middle School, High Point Elementary and ended at the Pathfinder K-8 alternative school emphasized each of the school's special programs with introductions from the principals, a short explanation of key academic instruction and in some cases, student demonstrations or interactions.

At West Seattle High, students spoke about their experiences with the school's environmental learning academy, which took a few students to study habitat in Hawaii. The student body government expressed their gratitude to the Parent Teacher Student Association for their support and school spirit.

Co-student body president Carlos Estrada was particularly proud of his school's 80-minute class periods. He said it allows students the opportunity to a get a more in-depth examination of the subjects.

Principal Susan Derse said the school has increasingly focused on high academic standards and feels they are making progress towards achieving that goal.

"Some of our goals are to raise academic achievements and to reduce the gap that exists among different populations and eliminate the predictability of who's doing well and who is not," she said.

At a visit to Denny Middle School, Principal Jeff Clark, a long-time West Seattle resident and himself a graduate from the school, demonstrated what he called a "shift in educational techniques."

As compared to a few decades ago when teachers usually lectured from a textbook and students sat quietly and absorbed, he pointed to students in one of the school's sixth grade math and science classes who were working on fractions together in small groups, discussing and working out problems while the teacher walked around ready to help when needed.

"Now teaching standards and techniques are much more hands on and versatile," he said.

The school's environmental wetlands nursery teaches students about native plants and water quality while at the same time fostering collaboration with the community and other schools, such as the nearby Chief Sealth High School, said Clark. Denny also has the first marching band at any middle school in Seattle.

Denny is in the process of securing the International Baccalaureate program. Through that program, students will earn credit towards higher grade-level classes, preparing them to enter the same program already at Sealth. Sealth expects to start the program next year. Once completed, students can enter college with their freshman year requirements already completed.

The School District has approved $50,000 a year for five years to fund the program. Denny still needs to have the program accredited and that could take up to three years, said Irene Stewart, West Seattle's school board member.

"The goal is to keep the students with us taking advanced classes instead of taking running start at a community college where they would take introductory classes," said Stewart. "This could probably attract families from across the city, but priority will of course be given to those who live closest to the school."

At High Point Elementary, Principal Gale Everly explained the school's focus on literacy. There are12 different languages and cultures at the school and most of the students are bilingual or speak English as a second language, she said, and reading blocks and after school tutoring and English language learner classes help the students at different learning levels get the help they need.

The Pathfinder K-8 School is an alternative school and is based on expeditionary learning and has a multicultural focus with a Native American emphasis. Principal David Dockendorf explained the school's weekly learning activities that pair the younger students with older students for cultural learning expeditions, such as learning about language, math, science and cultures through breads from around the world.

After a review of standardized test scores revealed students were not doing so well in some areas, plans to start after school programs four days a week and on Saturdays to help bring the school up to academic standards have been developed, said Dockendorf.

Pathfinder is the only K-8 in West Seattle and the tight environment creates a very stable learning environment that is critical for most students, said Stewart. "But there are some limits to what a K-8 can offer," she said, adding that because there are fewer students per grade than other elementary or middle schools, some programs lack enrollment and support.

The school also has a Unicycle Team run by physical education instructor Lou Cutler. Through the years the team has been in the West Seattle Parade and the West Seattle Junction Festival.

But the looming threat of school closures and limits to school choice and busing to fill the projected school budget funding gap that is expected over the next few years, could threaten these and other Seattle public schools, according to a recent report released by the Citizen Advisory Committee for Investing in Educational Excellence.

Similar recommendations were made last spring when 10 schools were slated for closure, and cutbacks to the district's transportation caused a large public upset, halting the proposal.

"Seattle Public Schools does not have a finance problem," said Stewart, "We have a funding problem. We have close to $14 million in reserves, which is exactly where we are supposed to be. Family and community involvement has never been as great as it is now."

So far nothing has been determined as far as recommendations to fill the budget gap, said Daniels. If schools are recommended for closure "we'll still need to determine a process to identify schools as well as criteria," he said.

Rebekah Schilperoort can be reached at 932.0300 or rebekah@robinsonnews.com