Real World. Real Learning. Real Life.
Welcome:
Gibson Ek is a small choice high school, based on the Big Picture Learning model, where design thinking and “learning through interest” are central tenets. Students commit to a personal vision through authentic new learning that empowers them to contribute their knowledge and skills to meaningfully influence the school and community. Through a combination of coursework, self-directed projects, and real-world internships, students develop mastery of 20 different competencies aligned with state, national and collegiate standards. Each student spends more than 600 hours interning with regional companies and organizations to explore career interests. Additionally, all students complete a two-year research project that culminates in their senior year, in which they identify a real-world need and then design and implement a response.
Mission:
We personalize the learning experience for each of our students while inspiring them to be contributing members of their communities as they engage in authentic competency-based learning.
Personalized Model:
As an innovative real world learning school, Gibson Ek’s program is consistent with the standards at all ISD schools. A core objective of this design is to develop self-directed learners highly capable of navigating systems, defining their work in complex contexts, thinking critically, and collaborating. Gibson Ek is authorized by the Washington State Board of Education (SBE) to graduate students based on mastery of competencies rather than credits and the competencies are aligned with Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and admissions expectations of selective baccalaureate colleges in Washington and nationally. The competencies are clustered within five interdisciplinary Learning Goals representing the skills, core knowledge, and attributes of effective learners prepared for college and career.
Each student’s experience is unique. Gibson Ek always strives to create a kind, respectful, inclusive, and vibrant school culture that honors the personalization that each student deserves. Staff and students never stop exploring ways to help students realize their future dreams and the impact they have in their community and the world. Through small advisories, students get to know at least one adult well and that advisor facilitates each student’s learning over the four-year program. Students develop Learning Plans with the guidance of their advisor and input from their parents, mentors, and peers.
Students use their quarterly exhibitions as a time to publicly show evidence of their learning. Students collect and organize their evidence in many ways such as online portfolios, videos, photography, projects and products, online files, and binders. The student’s portfolio is a repository of the growth and accomplishments of our students and can be a valuable tool for college admissions.
Communication
- Collaboration and Engagement
- Understanding
- Expression and Representation
- Evaluation and Research
Quantitative Reasoning
- Interpretation
- Representation
- Calculation
- Application and Analysis
Empirical Reasoning
- Design and Conduct Investigation
- Scientific Knowledge and Theories
- Mathematics & Computational Thinking
- Construct and Defend Arguments
Social Reasoning
- Critical Issues and Events
- Geography and Environment
- Institutions, Systems, & Government
- Human Behavior and Expression
Personal Qualities
- Creativity and Innovation
- Productive Mindset
- Better the World
- Health and Wellness
Extra-curricular Activities and Special Programs:
Leadership and Senate, Gender Sexuality Alliance Club, Robotics, Hiking Club, Imagine Tomorrow Team, Game Design, Yearbook, Newspaper, Gibson Ek TV, Travel Club, TEALS Partnership with Microsoft, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Teen Health Counselor Partnership with Swedish, Friends of Youth Drug and Alcohol Prevention, Project Wayfinder, YMCA and Bold and Gold Partnership for Outdoor Education and Leadership, Debate Club. Students participate in athletics through their home high schools
Innovative Learning Environment:
In order to truly personalize learning, we have designed our campus to create a vibrant, innovative, and collaborative school environment. The school is flexible with large open space, makerspace, cafe areas, gardens, a recording studio, production labs, research labs, and quiet reading and writing spaces.
Students and staff are able to quickly adapt our campus to meet the learning needs of our students.
Internship Program:
In the 2021-22 school year, Gibson Ek students worked with more than 150 mentors who provided internship experiences during the course of the year. Placements ranged from local businesses on Front Street in Issaquah to regional nonprofit organizations to Seattle-based tech startups, and much more. Most internships incorporate an independent project that requires higher-level thinking and learning.
Past examples include:
- Aviation Training Center: Intern learned more about how commercial pilots for companies like Alaska Airlines are trained and maintain certification.
- Mahlum Architects: Intern assisted with the Northwest Kidney Center project while learning software like Sketch Up and AutoCad.
- Atlantic Veterinary: Intern observed veterinary work and helped train staff in “fear free” practices.
- Village Theatre KIDSTAGE and Broadway Bound Children’s Theatre: Multiple interns worked with both youth theaters to support in the creation, production, and direction of performances.
- InCyte Diagnostics: Intern observed histology work and practiced creating slides of cell tissue.
- Production An on-campus volunteer (retired Boeing engineer) provided a vast amount of support to interns in the school shop, where they learned to use tools and worked on teams on such projects as a school greenhouse and a large model airplane.
- Museo Art Academy: Interns prepared class materials and learned about artistic pedagogy.
- Mountains to Sound Greenway: Interns supported the delivery of environmental education in classrooms and outdoors in an effort to create an appreciation for the natural world in trails and parks.
- KEXP: In his third year, an intern helped grow the radio station’s youth involvement program, including DJ’ing for their youth Saturday morning show.
- Iden’s Dealer Services: Intern learned auto care techniques that led him to create his own detailing business.