RHS Profile

Principal John Beckman    Dean of Students Kristin Robinson   Athletic Director  Robert Henry   Counselor  Lauren Memmott

Rainier High School  308 Second Street West / P.O. Box 98    Rainier, WA  98576  Telephone:  (360) 446-2205 FAX:  (360) 446-2208  www.rainier.wednet.edu

Secretaries  Katie Bartell Beth Greenwood   Registrar Kasey Yanusevich   Vocational Director Sandy Rossmaier

                                                                                   

Rainier High School (RHS) is part of the Rainier School District which is located approximately ten miles southeast of the greater Olympia area. It is also within a 35 minute drive to Tacoma. Mount Rainier, beautifully visible, is just over an hour away as are the ocean beaches and Olympic National Park.

The district is one of six Thurston County districts providing K-12 education. Rainier School District’s enrollment of 790 students makes it the smallest in Thurston County. However, no school system exceeds Rainier’s pride, community support and dedication to quality education. Historically the town and community of Rainier have a long, rich history. In early years the timber industry served as the dominant economic base for the community. The timber industry continues to serve as one employment base, however many State and Federal employees, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord service men and women now reside in the community. This brings together a healthy and diversified background of residents who cooperatively bring about the best for the school system. RHS provides instruction for approximately 250 students in grades 9-12 with a dedicated staff of 20 full-time and part-time instructors. Curriculum offerings include basic core curriculum and opportunities to prepare for college, trade school or immediate employment. Rainier has been recognized as one of the top 100 schools located in affordable communities across our nation.  Money Magazine reviewed research based upon student SAT scores, standardized tests, the cost of housing and access to urban centers in over 16,600 schools nationwide. Rainier was one of two schools in Washington State to be selected and ranked first in the State as the best value in education for its patrons.

RHS is accredited by Advanced ED Accreditation Commission and approved by the Washington State Board of Education.  Students can select challenging college preparatory classes in English through AP Literature and AP Language, math through AP Calculus, Pre-AP Physical Science, AP U.S. History,  AP Environmental Science, Pre-AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, Spanish (four years possible).  RHS prides itself not only making sure students are prepared to attend college, but also making sure they are able to apply real world skills to their local community. Students can participate in a wide range of Career and Technical Education classes. Through these classes, students are able to work in the school’s greenhouse, learn landscape design, use modern technology and complete certificates of proficiency programs that have been articulated with South Puget Sound Community College earning Tech Prep credits.  RHS students are required to have four years of English, three years each of math, science and social studies.

RHS Vision Statement is “At RHS we work to establish an ideal school where students, staff and community have mutual respect, shared beliefs, and a spirit of cooperation. Dedication to our young people’s education must be the single concern which unifies the community, faculty, staff and administration”.

RHS has been recognized regionally and nationally for academic and extra-curricular achievement -

• 2007 School of Distinction Awarded by the State Superintendent’s Learning Improvement Award
• US News and World Report Bronze Award 2013
• 2014 WA Achievement Award Winner
• WA Achievement Council Gold Star Award 2014 and 2016

Advanced Placement Awards -                          

• AP Scholar
• AP Scholar with Honors
• AP Scholar with Distinction

Nearly 80 % of the students participate in co-curricular activities. There are 11 clubs and activities and 10 varsity level sports.

The following grading scale is used for classes (Grades are based on a 4.0 scale.  Courses are not weighted.) :

              A = 94-100%    A-= 90-93%    B+= 87-89%    B = 84-86%    B-= 80-83%                                                                  C+= 77-79%    C = 74-76%     C-= 70-73%     D+= 67-69%     D = 60-66%

There were 53 students in the class of 2017 -

                0    earned 4.0 GPA         7   earned 3.0-3.49            11   earned 2.0-2.49

               11   earned 3.5-3.99        19   earned 2.5-2.99            5    earned less than a 2.0

 

 Percentage of class of 2017 meeting college level Benchmark (70% took the SAT):

     SAT  -   Evidence Based Reading and Writing:  84%          Math:  35%      

      

Students are required to have a clearly articulated post-high school plan upon graduation.  Of the 53 graduates in the class of 2017:

    23    % planned on attending a 4-year college/university                                 

    13    % planned on entering the workforce

    32    % planned on attending a community college to pursue a transfer degree         

      0    % planned on entering the military

    19    % planned on attending a technical college                                 

    13    % planned on pursuing another pathway (travel, service, work, etc.)

In the last ten years, RHS graduates have attended Stanford University, Bowdoin College, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Boston University, Columbia University, United States Air Force Academy, and Barnard College among many others.