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GreatSchools Rating

Wasilla Middle School

Public | 6-8 | 854 students

Last modified
Community Rating

3 stars

Community Rating by Year
2013:
No new ratings
2012:
Based on 1 rating
2011:
Based on 1 rating
2010:
Based on 1 rating

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14 reviews of this school


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Posted September 1, 2012

Dude all i have to say is i love WMS the teachers are great very helpful and easy to connect with. Im not sure what the "make you day" program is but i have never noticed it being a problem, right now we have "passports" and you dont really need them. Hah. I have a lot of friends here and i really enjoy going to wasilla middle school. By the way im in 7th grade so hah yea...


Posted May 19, 2011

I am in my 2nd year at WMS. The first year was ok, however 8th and 7th graders would tease the 6th graders, and the teachers approved of it by also saying that 6th graders "are at the bottom of the totem pole" and not sticking up for them. I am almost done with my 7th grade and I think this was the worst school year of my whole life. I can't take art class seriously since most of it seems to be elementary stuff (or is just review from last year), the Make Your Day program is just a joke, bullies seem to be everywhere, and there are no after school activities that I want. There are some nice teachers, but then you start to dislike most of them by the end of the year or by your next year.


Posted August 20, 2010

Very unhappy with the scool leadership, overcrowded, all in all this school will suck your childs soul and they will not be able to connect with the joy of learning as the school is run like a prison. On the plus side there are a few great staff members that really do love their jobs and the kids; however they are few and far between :(
—Submitted by a parent


Posted September 24, 2009

Parent involvement is not encouraged. Make Your Day Program is disliked by students, most consider it a 'joke'. Staff support of substitute teachers is often non-existant. Principal is not very observant and very much out of touch with what's happening in the school.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted January 20, 2009

dude i love this school it is the best. i never thought that a school could be so much better. when i go to school there the teacher are nice andare verey helpfull. that is all i have to say about wms.
—Submitted by a student


Posted January 8, 2009

The school is great and I love how they challenge me with new concepts. I am a seventh grader and because I did so well last year I have now advanced onto Algebra 1 and am in my second year of learning the Russian language. The teachers are great and do a good job teaching.
—Submitted by a student


Posted November 1, 2008

I think this is an exceptional school with great teachers!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted January 19, 2008

Wms is a good school with good teachers but i think that the make your day points is pointless. Only about half the teachers actually do points and it does [not] stop bad kids from do[ing] bad things so why not just get rid of it all together?
—Submitted by a student


Posted September 3, 2007

Well. WMS is an okay school, but it's not excellent. I don't think the Make Your Day Program does anything except make kids want to get into trouble. The MYD program is just another fancy meaning for Time Out. The teachers are awesome though. McCourt, Mack, Gelatt, and Pettijohn are my teachers this year and they are exceptionally good at what they teach.
—Submitted by Joyce Osborne, a student


Posted August 21, 2007

I was (emphasis on was) excited to get my children out of the neighboring school district and into WMS (for one of them at least). She was an exceptional student with ability all around. The school does not handle the problems appropriately (blinders arent' appropriate). After only one half a year at the school and being suspended for the rest of the year she is being advanced to the next grade and will not be going back to that school, even if that means homeschooling. I would rather be the one to mess up than leave it in the hands of strangers who clearly don't have your child's best interests in mind. I have to say though... the STEP program is better than what they do in Anchorage.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted August 15, 2007

As a parent of 3 children who attended WMS, I have seen all aspects of this school. I have one child who is extremely advanced and am sorry to say that she sat bored in classes while getting perfect scores. They could not or would not challenge her! They do not meet the needs of a wide variety of children and do not meet the scholastic guidlines. My children were given the option of going to a better school(that met the guidlines) but would have to sit on a bus for almost 2 hours each way.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted July 5, 2007

as a student of wasilla middle school i am very unsatisfied with this schools aducational program. the acedemic program is far to easy, and very boring and useless. the make your day program is pointless and does nothing to help students behavior.
—Submitted by a student


Posted January 24, 2005

This school has teachers and administration that is working together to make the students learning first. Also students tend to feel more safe since students and staff have been trained on how to look out for bullies. Bullying is just not tolerated. Because of the Make Your Day Program students are taking a more active role in their own learning.
—Submitted by a teacher


Posted January 15, 2005

I just read that the student teacher ratio is 14 students to one teacher, I don't think so. There is a lack of extra curricular activities. There also seems to be no real emphisis on any type of technology. The quality of academic programs is mediocre, and parents are not asked to be involved in there studies except for the use of a 'agenda' which seems to be the only contact. Also they use or should I say misuse a 5 step program called Make your day. An example of this is one time my child had forgotten his book and had to spend the entire hour 'on step' instead of learning that days lesson. Overall I was very unimpressed with WMS.
—Submitted by a parent


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

The state average for Math was 70% in 2011.

270 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
82%

2010

 
 
82%

2009

 
 
77%

2008

 
 
75%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 75% in 2011.

271 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
84%

2010

 
 
86%

2009

 
 
89%

2008

 
 
80%
Writing

The state average for Writing was 70% in 2011.

271 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
80%

2010

 
 
78%

2009

 
 
82%

2008

 
 
72%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2010-2011 Alaska used the Standards Based Assessment (SBA) to test students in grades 3 through 10 in reading, math and writing, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in science. The SBA is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Alaska. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

See Alaska's state standards

Source: Alaska Department of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 69% in 2011.

271 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
78%

2010

 
 
82%

2009

 
 
68%

2008

 
 
67%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 78% in 2011.

272 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
90%

2010

 
 
95%

2009

 
 
83%

2008

 
 
81%
Writing

The state average for Writing was 73% in 2011.

272 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
79%

2010

 
 
87%

2009

 
 
77%

2008

 
 
68%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2010-2011 Alaska used the Standards Based Assessment (SBA) to test students in grades 3 through 10 in reading, math and writing, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in science. The SBA is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Alaska. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

See Alaska's state standards

Source: Alaska Department of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 68% in 2011.

271 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
83%

2010

 
 
73%

2009

 
 
76%

2008

 
 
71%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 83% in 2011.

272 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
91%

2010

 
 
88%

2009

 
 
89%

2008

 
 
86%
Science

The state average for Science was 57% in 2011.

269 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
52%

2010

 
 
44%

2009

 
 
51%

2008

 
 
51%
Writing

The state average for Writing was 77% in 2011.

272 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
85%

2010

 
 
73%

2009

 
 
82%

2008

 
 
76%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2010-2011 Alaska used the Standards Based Assessment (SBA) to test students in grades 3 through 10 in reading, math and writing, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in science. The SBA is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Alaska. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

See Alaska's state standards

Source: Alaska Department of Education

Math

All Students82%
Female85%
Male80%
Black>=60%
Asian/Pacific Islander75%
Hispanic>=80%
Multiracial>=75%
Native American84%
White82%
Economically disadvantaged78%
Not economically disadvantaged86%
Students with disabilities50%
Students without disabilities87%
English language learners36%
Migrant>=80%

Reading

All Students84%
Female90%
Male79%
Black>=60%
Asian/Pacific Islander>=80%
Hispanic>=80%
Multiracial67%
Native American84%
White86%
Economically disadvantaged78%
Not economically disadvantaged89%
Students with disabilities50%
Students without disabilities89%
English language learners40%
Migrant69%

Writing

All Students80%
Female89%
Male73%
Black50%
Asian/Pacific Islander>=80%
Hispanic>=80%
Multiracial67%
Native American84%
White81%
Economically disadvantaged72%
Not economically disadvantaged87%
Students with disabilities31%
Students without disabilities87%
English language learners50%
Migrant69%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2010-2011 Alaska used the Standards Based Assessment (SBA) to test students in grades 3 through 10 in reading, math and writing, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in science. The SBA is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Alaska. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

The different student groups are identified by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. If there are fewer than 5 students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Alaska's state standards

Source: Alaska Department of Education

Math

All Students78%
Female80%
Male75%
Blackn/a
Asian/Pacific Islander>=80%
Hispanicn/a
Multiracial>=75%
Native American81%
White76%
Economically disadvantaged73%
Not economically disadvantaged81%
Students with disabilities42%
Students without disabilities84%
English language learners57%
Migrant>=80%

Reading

All Students90%
Female93%
Male87%
Black>=60%
Asian/Pacific Islander>=80%
Hispanicn/a
Multiracial>=75%
Native American84%
White92%
Economically disadvantaged87%
Not economically disadvantaged93%
Students with disabilities68%
Students without disabilities94%
English language learners>=60%
Migrant>=80%

Writing

All Students79%
Female89%
Male69%
Black>=60%
Asian/Pacific Islander>=80%
Hispanicn/a
Multiracial>=75%
Native American70%
White79%
Economically disadvantaged77%
Not economically disadvantaged81%
Students with disabilities43%
Students without disabilities86%
English language learners>=60%
Migrant>=80%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2010-2011 Alaska used the Standards Based Assessment (SBA) to test students in grades 3 through 10 in reading, math and writing, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in science. The SBA is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Alaska. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

The different student groups are identified by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. If there are fewer than 5 students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Alaska's state standards

Source: Alaska Department of Education

Math

All Students83%
Female82%
Male83%
Blackn/a
Asian/Pacific Islander>=60%
Hispanic>=80%
Multiracial>=80%
Native American71%
White85%
Economically disadvantaged75%
Not economically disadvantaged89%
Students with disabilities50%
Students without disabilities87%
English language learners30%
Migrant>=80%

Reading

All Students91%
Female95%
Male88%
Blackn/a
Asian/Pacific Islander>=60%
Hispanic>=80%
Multiracial>=80%
Native American82%
White94%
Economically disadvantaged87%
Not economically disadvantaged94%
Students with disabilities66%
Students without disabilities95%
English language learners60%
Migrant>=80%

Science

All Students52%
Female48%
Male55%
Blackn/a
Asian/Pacific Islander43%
Hispanic60%
Multiracial50%
Native American32%
White56%
Economically disadvantaged38%
Not economically disadvantaged62%
Students with disabilities32%
Students without disabilities54%
English language learners<=20%
Migrant53%

Writing

All Students85%
Female93%
Male79%
Blackn/a
Asian/Pacific Islander>=60%
Hispanic70%
Multiracial70%
Native American77%
White89%
Economically disadvantaged78%
Not economically disadvantaged90%
Students with disabilities56%
Students without disabilities89%
English language learners50%
Migrant>=80%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2010-2011 Alaska used the Standards Based Assessment (SBA) to test students in grades 3 through 10 in reading, math and writing, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in science. The SBA is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Alaska. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

The different student groups are identified by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. If there are fewer than 5 students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Alaska's state standards

Source: Alaska Department of Education

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »


Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
White 77% 53%
American Indian/Alaskan Native 13% 23%
Two or more races 4% 7%
Hispanic 3% 6%
Asian 2% 5%
Black 1% 4%
Pacific Islander 0% 2%
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 40%N/A34%
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 17N/A17
Source: NCES, 2008-2009
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!

650 Bogard Rd
Wasilla, AK 99654
Phone: (907) 352-5300

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