Griffin students report high graduation rates; districts plan tighter 8th-to-9th transition and science alignment

Erin Hagen, presenting data from the Griffin School District, told the joint study session that the district’s 2024 cohort had 54 students with an adjusted cohort of 49 and zero dropouts; “we had a 100% graduation rate at Griffin,” she said.

The presentation included assessment and achievement metrics: an average cumulative GPA of 3.22 for the cohort, 44.9% with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, and 8.2% earning a cumulative GPA of 4.0. Presenters reported three International Baccalaureate (IB) diplomas and five associate degrees among the 49 graduates. Average attendance across four years of high school for Griffin students was reported as 92.7% with an unexcused absence rate of 2.3%. Presenters said 93.9% of Griffin graduates attended Capital High School and 6.1% attended another Olympia High School (OPLF).

The board and principals discussed early-warning data for current students. Erin Hagen said the Class of 2027 (tenth graders now) comprises 67 students and that “90% of them are on track to graduate.” She added that seven students were credit-deficient: four behind by one credit and three behind by half a credit, and noted the district’s multiple recovery pathways (summer school, Runing Start, credit-recovery options) used to help students catch up.

Connie Wood, Principal of Capital High School, described counseling and programmatic supports at the high school: “we do a really good job with the safety net in helping them overcome those hurdles,” she said, citing multiple counselors, a full-time social worker, deans, and college-preparation options.

District leaders asked for comparative context. Board members requested state and district averages for assessment scores and grade-level benchmarks; Erin Hagen and staff agreed to provide those comparisons in future reports.

Transition planning between Griffin middle schools and Capital High School was covered in detail. Capital administrators outlined a five-touchpoint plan scheduled between late winter and the end of the school year: an initial student visit with current CHS students, career-counseling and high-school-and-beyond planning, counselor-led registration visits where students select courses, an incoming-student information night for families, and one-on-one registration meetings so students’ course choices are entered into Skyward/Cumulative before summer.

Doug Anderson, Capital High School assistant principal, and other staff emphasized additional supports: summer or pre-school freshman orientations, campus tours run by student leaders, device distribution (school-issued Chromebooks), and individualized transition meetings for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Administrators said they also hold inter-district admin meetings to review individual students who may need placement or social-emotional supports before arrival.

Curriculum alignment—especially in science—emerged as a district priority. Capital staff said incoming freshmen show variability in science readiness: some students earn an eighth-grade physical-science credit while others do not, yet high-school science teachers have observed gaps in the “complex thinking” skills (for example, building or interpreting models and analyzing data) expected in ninth-grade biology. Capital’s administrators proposed paid release days for high-school and middle-school science teachers to meet for vertical alignment on standards and tasks.

District curriculum leaders noted resource constraints, explaining that curriculum adoption and alignment work typically require dedicated staff time that has been reduced during past budget cycles. They urged a sustained, districtwide process rather than a one-time meeting and said they will pursue teacher-release or curriculum-specialist time to support the alignment work.

Student voice and representation was also discussed. Board members explored expanding Griffin representation in Olympia School District student-representative programs (options included junior alumni or 7th/8th-grade representatives), the application and interview process, and the level of adult staff support needed to make the program meaningful.

Ending note: presenters and board members praised Griffin staff and students for the reported outcomes and agreed to follow up with comparative data, a proposed schedule for science teacher collaboration, and more detailed lists of the seven currently credit-deficient tenth-graders so schools can coordinate targeted supports.