Mission
Though all aspects of a well-rounded high school education are fully present, SAMI’s science and math focus allows students to take personal ownership in their education in a small intentional community with others who share their interests. By integrating students’ learning around their passions, students come to understand the relevance of their work in every discipline.
Located at Point Defiance Park, SAMI students study amidst more than 702 acres of natural old growth forests, saltwater beaches, and spectacular views, with endless possibilities for recreation, hands-on learning, and science and math education. Students take classes at the marine center, zoo, and aquarium as part of their normal schedule, as well as in classrooms and labs built in and around the natural forest and marine facilities.
Vision
We believe all students have the right to high-quality educational experiences that develop their unique needs and passion.
Mission
Our mission is to partner with community resources to change public education, emphasizing creativity and utilizing a fully inclusive model that educates the whole student through our values: Community . Empathy . Thinking . Balance .
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Community - First and foremost, we are a learning community. Careful planning and design of school culture has helped us rely on the strengths of each staff and student. Students enter the school with the expectation to develop his/her leadership potential within and beyond our school.
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Empathy - We seek to continually put ourselves in someone else's shoes and seek new ways of approaching a problem. Every member of our community has unique perspectives, strengths and struggles, and we strive to adapt our approach to see the world from their point of view.
Thinking - We challenge ourselves to dive deep into any idea, seeking a strong understanding as opposed to merely reciting facts. We believe in putting complex problems in the hands of inspired young people, setting the bar higher and higher beyond what even they assume they can achieve.
Balance - We seek both left-brained and right-brained thinkers, creativity alongside analysis. Seeking both macro and micro, we study the species and the ecosystem, the inflection of one note and the whole orchestra. We find balance in perspective and our schools seek to always show both sides of a picture.
