Summary
Kamiak High School is a public high school in Mukilteo, Washington, United States. It was the second high school in the Mukilteo School District when it opened on September 8, 1993. The first and only high school within Mukilteo city limits, it was built to accommodate the overflow population from the overcrowded Mariner High School in the neighboring city of Everett.
| Kamiak High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
10801 Harbour Pointe Boulevard , 98275 United States | |
| Coordinates | 47°54′04″N 122°18′07″W / 47.90111°N 122.30194°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | September 8, 1993 |
| School district | Mukilteo School District |
| NCES School ID | 530543001188[1] |
| Principal | Stephen Shurtleff |
| Teaching staff | 85.60 (FTE)[1] |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 2,051 (2018-19)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 23.96[1] |
| Color(s) | Purple, Silver & White |
| Athletics conference | Wesco 4A |
| Mascot | Knights |
| Newspaper | The Gauntlet |
| Website | www |
Kamiak's campus features over 40 classrooms, a physical education complex with two separate gymnasiums and a weight room, a half-Olympic sized swimming pool complex, a Performing Arts Center (known as "The PAC"), a number of portables, six tennis courts, a softball field, baseball field, soccer field, football field, track facilities, and the school's East Campus, which houses science and math rooms as well as a third gymnasium (Multi-Purpose room) used as a secondary cafeteria.
History edit
When Mariner High School opened on January 10, 1971, it was the only high school serving the Mukilteo School District.[2] While the district waited for 84 years before opening Mariner, it dealt with substantial growth in enrollment between the openings of Mariner and Kamiak; from 1982 to 1992, the district student count had grown by 84 percent, with the district building one school per year from 1984 onward. With the growth far outstripping available capacity at Mariner, it was apparent that an additional high school was needed to handle future secondary students.[3]
Construction of Kamiak was initially funded via a $66.7 million levy approved by voters in 1989; an additional $89.5 million was approved in 1992. The cost of construction was projected at $32 million, with another $13 million dedicated to the construction of the adjacent Harbour Pointe Middle School.[3] The opening of both schools was threatened by contract negotiations between the district and its teachers, but a potential strike was averted when both sides agreed to a three-year contract;[4] both schools opened as planned on September 8, 1993.[5] Kamiak opened without a senior class for the 1993–94 school year.[6]
Firecrackers edit
On November 23, 2015, Kamiak was involved in a school shooting scare when it was put under lockdown after a teacher called 9-1-1 around 9:38 AM, reporting that she heard gunshots near her third-floor classroom. Neighboring schools Columbia Elementary and Harbour Pointe Middle were also placed under lockdown as a precaution. Mukilteo police responded to the scene with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies, which included the Washington State Patrol and the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office as well as the police departments of Edmonds, Everett, Lynnwood, and Mill Creek; an Everett officer was involved in a rear-end collision with another driver on SR 526 at its eastern terminus while responding to the incident. Officers at the scene found residue from two firecrackers in a stairwell between the second and third floors, conducting a full sweep of the campus after the discovery. The lockdown was lifted around 1:10 PM, lasting more than three hours in duration.[7][8]
Joshua O'Connor edit
Just more than two years later, Kamiak was involved in another shooting scare when former student Joshua Alexander O'Connor was arrested on February 13, 2018, in connection with a plot to shoot up ACES Alternative High, his then-current school. O'Connor's initial target in the plot was Kamiak, where he was suspended twice while attending there; he later switched his target to ACES after conducting a coin flip to decide between the two schools. O'Connor was ultimately thwarted when his grandmother discovered the plot while going through his journal and called 9-1-1 to report it; he pled guilty to all charges brought against him on December 7 and was subsequently sentenced to 22½ years in prison on February 28, 2019.[9]
Notable alumni edit
- Jean-Luc Baker (2012), ice dancer and Olympian[10]
- Sean Beighton (2007), Olympic curling coach and former curler[10][11]
- Ron Watkins (2005), conspiracy theorist, former 8chan administrator, and alleged author of QAnon posts[12]
- Andrew Forsman (2004), drummer and percussionist for the progressive rock band The Fall of Troy[13]
- Thomas Erak (2003), lead vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist for the band The Fall of Troy, which formed during their time at Kamiak[13]
- Tim Ward (2003), bass guitarist and screamed vocalist for the progressive rock band The Fall of Troy, which produced a single for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock[13]
- Marko Liias (1999), the Democratic member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 21st legislative district[14]
Notable faculty edit
- Chance McKinney (until 2010), Country musician and winner of CMT's Music City Madness Competition
Academics edit
The school offers 22 Advanced Placement courses: Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics C: Mechanics, Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, European History, Human Geography, US Government and Politics, World History, US History, Spanish Language and Culture, French Language and Culture, German Language and Culture, Japanese Language and Culture, Music Theory, Studio Art: 2D Design Portfolio, and Studio Art: Drawing Portfolio, as well as a number of honors courses.[15]
Athletics edit
The school is part of District One of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). With over 2,000 students enrolled, Kamiak is classified as a Wesco 4A member under WIAA guidelines.[16] Their main rival in athletics is Mariner High School, the other high school in the Mukilteo School District. Sports offered include:[17]
- Freshmen and Varsity Football
- Girls' JV and Varsity Soccer
- Girls' Swim
- Girls' Dive
- Girls' Freshmen, JV, and Varsity Volleyball
- Cross Country
- Boys' JV and Varsity Tennis
- Boys' Freshmen, JV, and Varsity Basketball
- Girls' Freshmen, JV, and Varsity Basketball
- Wrestling
- Boys' Swim
- Boys' Dive
- Boys' JV and Varsity Baseball
- Girls' JV and Varsity Softball
- Boys' and Girls' Track
- Girls' JV and Varsity Tennis
- Boys' JV and Varsity Soccer
- Boys' Varsity Golf
- Girls' JV and Varsity Golf
- Flag Football
- Dance
- Cheerleading
- Hip Hop
- Boys' and Girls' Lacrosse JV & Varsity [Club sport]
- Marching/Show Band
Clubs and activities edit
- Art
- Tri-M
- Asian
- Newspaper (The Kamiak Gauntlet)
- Spanish
- Knights in Action
- Leadership
- Chess
- German
- Debate
- Fashion
- Robotics
- DECA
- Korean
- Drama
- Marching/Show Band
- Winter Percussion
- Color Guard
- Winter Guard
- Dungeons and Dragons (D-n-D)
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d "Search for Public Schools - Kamiak High School (530543001188)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- ^ Keip, Kelly (January 3, 2001). "Mariner High School to celebrate 30th birthday". Mukilteo Beacon. Vol. 9, no. 27. pp. 1, 13. Retrieved February 21, 2021 – via Google News.
- ^ a b Lavell, Susan (14 October 1992). "School projects on schedule to keep pace with enrollment growth". Mukilteo Beacon. Vol. 1, no. 10. pp. 1, 8. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "Teachers, school district reach tentative agreement". Mukilteo Beacon. Vol. 2, no. 6. 1 September 1993. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "A new year begins". Mukilteo Beacon. Vol. 2, no. 7. 8 September 1993. p. 7. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ Jackson, Melanie (26 January 1999). "Kamiak Basketball Coach Resigns". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ Stevick, Eric (23 November 2015). "Firecrackers in stairwell prompt school lockdown in Mukilteo". The Everett Herald. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Clarridge, Christine (23 November 2015). "Firecrackers prompt reports of shooting at Mukilteo's Kamiak High School". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Hutton, Caleb (28 February 2019). "Everett teen sentenced to 22½ years for school shooting plot". The Everett Herald. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ a b Patterson, Nick (January 14, 2022). "Local Olympians Baker, Beighton nervously await games with COVID-threat lingering". The Everett Herald. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- ^ Pan, David (January 12, 2022). "Kamiak graduate headed to Winter Olympics". Mukilteo Beacon. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- ^ Marcus, Josh (April 9, 2021). "Q unmasked: Did the QAnon conspiracy founder start life as a shy kid from Washington?". The Independent. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c Seling, Megan (April 26, 2007). "The Stranger – Putting the Fall in the Fall of Troy". The Stranger. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
- ^ "Rep. Marko Liias' Biography". Washington State House Democrats. Archived from the original on February 9, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
- ^ "Kamiak High School Profile 2019-2020" (PDF). Kaimak High School. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Van Til, Cameron (27 January 2020). "Changes coming for Wesco after statewide reclassification". The Everett Herald. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "Student Handbook" (PDF). Kamiak High School. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
External links edit
- Official website
