The building was built in 1920 and became a part of the Ferndale School District with an associated PTO in 1941. An additional 2,809 square feet were added to the building in 1978. See additional history below. It is classified as a remote and necessary school by the state (granted in 1977), and serves approximately 30 students in grade kindergarten through five.
The Staff consists of:
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- Two full time classroom teachers
- A part-time principal
- A full time school manager/administrative assistant
- Three part-time para-educators for: classroom/library assistance, lunchroom/playground supervision and Music/PE/Computers
- Part-time specialists including: a psychologist, nurse and on-call communication disorder specialist
- A part-time custodian
Parents and community members provide numerous hours of volunteerism each year through the PTO and other ways.
Mission Statement
Beach Elementary School is committed to developing internationally-minded lifelong learners through a rigorous, inquiry-based curriculum. In a safe and nurturing environment, we challenge our students to exercise their individual capabilities to make reflective, meaningful contributions to our diverse global society.
International Baccalaureate Candidate School
Beach Elementary School was authorized in November 2015 and is the smallest IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) school in the world.
Parent Teacher Organization (BEPTO)
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- Chair: Johanna Munson
- Co-chair: Myria Rodeman
- Treasurer: Britta Hudson
- Secretary: Robin Kinkade
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The PTO typically holds the following events (pre-COVID):
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- Open house BBQ
- Halloween Party
- Harvest festival
- Santa Ship
- multiple “Kids night out” events
- Jog-a-thon
- Field day
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We are trying to hold as many of these events as possible, but most have, unfortunately had to be postponed/cancelled. We will be doing some creative brainstorming as to how we can continue to hold events and fundraise if school has not resumed, or restrictions have not been lifted by spring.
School History Notes:
The schools roots actually start in 1919, when there were two schools on Lummi Island – the North End School located off of Blizard Rd. and the South End School on Legoe Bay where our Fire Hall is today.
Lummi Island, January, 1920 – A community meeting was held to discuss building one large school building. One school (South End) building recently burned down and the plan is to consolidate schools under one roof. Township officials are ready to donate an acre of ground, after which school board will call special election to decide matter.
After much discussion, the majority favored consolidating two schools somewhere near central part on island. C.R. Granger offered to donate more land adjacent to existing North End School in order to enlarge facilities there. Development of easier modes of transportation, however, made argument for consolidation stronger and so this point of view eventually won the day.
February 20, 1920 – Lummi Island Township decided to trade land [5 acres] to Beach School District 32. This proposed location on eastern side of island (corner of Centerview and North Nugent) about halfway between North and South schools. On this site a school building consisting of two classrooms and gym was constructed that same year.
August, 1920 – Bids will be opened next Saturday for construction of handsome new edifice planned by Beach, Lummi Island (new school} … Architect T F Doan.
September, 1920 – The Lummi district is building a $10,000 schoolhouse …. which will be ready in short time.
October, 1920 – Work on the new school building has started under the supervision of E1y I. Austin with a large force of men
November, 1920 – The concrete work on the new $10,000 (Final cost $14,370.05) school house is nearly completed.
William H. Russell was the contractor for Beach School. In 1994 at the 75th Reunion of Beach School (actually 74th as it turned out), his three sons, Orrin, Robert and William from Michigan attended and presented us with their father’s original Bill of Materials for the new school which we now have in our Archive, Orrin was in the first grade that first year (1920), so we voted him the honorary “First Student of Beach School”.
Ferndale Schools are comprised of one high school, two middle schools and six elementary schools serving approximately 4,700 students in grades preschool through twelve.
Keywords
Mascot Eagles,
Updated: 2022/10/16 @ 11:04 pm Tark Henderson