Sammamish High School
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Location
100 140th Ave. SE Bellevue Washington USA
Information
Type	Public High School
Established	1959
Principal	Thomas C. Duenwald
Faculty	116 (November 2006)
Enrollment	1205 (October 2006)
Color(s)	Red & Black
Mascot	Thunderbird
Information	(425)456-7600
Nickname	Totems
Website	Sammamish High School Home Page Distric Home Page for Sammamish Sammamishtotems.org

Sammamish High School is one of four regular 9-12 grade schools in Bellevue School District (Bellevue, WA). The school is known as the Totems, and the mascot is the Thunderbird. Its colors are red, black, and white. The current principal is Tom Duenwald, with Andrea Pfeifer and Jose Rodriguez serving as Assistant Principals. Previous principal Spencer Welch departed after the 2005-06 school year to become Director of Human Resources for the school district.

Sammamish generally serves students from the east zone of the district, but students from outside its attendance area can enroll at the school through its open enrollment policy. The student body is the most diverse in the district, with more than 35% of the students come from minority backgrounds.^[1] Sammamish High's feeder elementary schools are Cherry Crest, Stevenson, Lake Hills, Phantom Lake, and Spiritridge. Its feeder middle schools are Odle and Tillicum. ^[2]

Academics

Sammamish is well known for its magnet programs (Sammamish Visual and Performing Arts Center), solid and challenging Advanced Placement classes, strong career and technical programs^[3]. Sammamish was named the Washington state recipient of 2006-07 Siemens Awards of Advanced Placement.^[4] This award recognizes the excellence of Sammamish's Advanced Placement instructions and student performances.^[5]

Under the decision of Program Delivery Council on Dec. 13, 2006, Sammamish switched to a modified 7-period schedule starting 2007-08 school year from the previous block schedule. Principal Bang-Knudsen and PDC Facilitator George Westergaard cited two main reasons to switch back to a regular schedule^[6].

Advanced Placement

Sammamish offers Advanced Placement classes. From 2002 through 2006, Sammamish students' scores have counted for over 50% of all the passing exams in AP Calculus BC for the entire state.^[7]

Sammamish was ranked as #104 in 2007, #190 in 2006, #227 in 2005, and #141 in 2003^[8]out of all the high schools in United States by Newsweek Magazine. The ranking is based on the number of Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate tests taken divided by number of graduating seniors. All other high schools^[9] in the district are listed as some of the best 1,000 high schools within the US. The validity of these rankings is disputed for various reasons, such as that Sammamish's lack of an IB program deflates its rating as compared to its neighbor Interlake High School^[10].

Athletics

Sammamish High School is a member of the KingCo 3A Conference ^[11], Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. 22 sports are played over the course of three seasons at Sammamish, with Cheer and Drill active year-round. Past statistics can be found at the WIAA website.^[12]

Activities

Sammamish High School is home to a variety of extracurricular activities^[13]. Associated Student Body and administrators coordinate these throughout the schoolyear. Academically, the school houses chapters of the National Honor Society, National Arts Honor Society, Tri-M(Music Honor Society), Mu Alpha Theta(National Math Honor Society), and as of the 2006-07 school year, a successful and competitive Policy/Lincoln Douglas Debate team. Teams have competed at the semi-final level of the Auburn Regional Forensics Invitational. An active Multicultural Club conducts events to demonstrate the diversity of the student body and coordinates the annual "Taste of Sammamish" culinary festival. Also, the Arts Magnet Program creates opportunities for students to participate in actual production. The school's theater, opened in early 2005, cost the district $4.5 million^[14] and is now home to at least two student productions each year. It contains professional equipment and is sometimes available to outside groups for rent, making it the third professional-quality theater in King County, Washington.^[15] Sammamish Graphic Arts students often participate in state and regional graphics competitions. The school offers a fully-functional hot glass studio and extensive programs centered on healthcare. The jazz choir has won numerous awards,^[16] and along with jazz band competes in the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival each year. Jazz choir was recently featured in Bellevue Community College's Vocal Jazz Invitational with its award-winning vocal jazz ensemble Celebration. In February of 2007, Sammamish won 1st Runner-up in the most competitive Multi-Mic Division at Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.^[17]

Notable Alumni

None

Links

• Bellevue School District
• Sammamish High School
• Course Catalog 2007-08
• School Report Card
• Washington Interscholastic Activities Association
• BSD AP&IB Tests 2005-06
• Seattle Times School Profile
• Letter: Principle transition 1-29-08

References