The Island Kids: The Story of a Small School With Big Community Support

Beautiful and idyllic Anderson Island, located in the pristine waters of the South Sound and a short ferry ride from the town of Steilacoom, is a community like no other. At only 7.1 square miles, this island features quiet country roads, beaches, creeks, forest, nature and some nice folks. For visitors, it’s a peaceful retreat from the grind of the big city. But for the small population of this island, this is home.

For families, children need an education. And on this small island, an education is indeed like no other.

An educational history

The creation of a school on Anderson Island began in 1881. Using an old abandoned home near Oro Bay, the school consisted of seven pioneer island children from a couple of local families. Wide Awake Hollow School was formally constructed in 1904 to teach the island children and still stands today (it is currently be used as the island fitness center). It is considered  the oldest one-room schoolhouse in Pierce County.

It closed its doors in 1958 and students traveled by ferry to nearby McNeil Island to go to school. McNeil Island School closed its doors in 2011 due to budget cuts and the closure of the prison facility.

In 1975, the school consolidated with the Steilacoom Historical School District. It wasn’t until 1980 that a new Anderson Island school was built. Anderson Island Elementary, a one-room school in the island’s interior, was constructed on an acre and a half of land and surrounded by forest. 

It had only 12 students that first year.

The school continued to grow slowly over time to accomodate more students.

In 1996, a portable containing two classrooms was added. Another one sprouted up in 2001 with even more classrooms, including a library and computer lab. In 2007, a gym and multipurpose room was built for physical-education class and indoor recess.

Literally quite recently, the original one-room school underwent extensive remodeling. The building houses a small cafeteria, the main reception area, a conference room and a couple of offices.  A new dishwasher is on the way to complete the project (in past years, cafeteria dishes were washed by hand).

There is a playfield, playground and school community garden on the property. Behind the playground is a milelong nature trail that meanders through the woods. The playground itself has been lovingly supported and built by the generosity of the island community.

There is one school bus on the island for transporting the children.

The school mascot is the bald eagle, a regular inhabitant of the island.

The workings of a school

Children attend Anderson Island Elementary for kindergarten through fifth grade. Kindergarten through second grade is grouped in one classroom and third through fifth grade makes up the other classroom. At this time, there are 22 total students in the school.

School runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Grade-school students work on standard curriculums, have a computer lab (every student has access to a computer station) and can take advantage of a terrific library bolstered by community support and a high energy and creative librarian.

They enjoy recess and P.E. just like other schools. Breakfast and lunch are served in the small school cafeteria.

These students do special projects and activities in and around their island community. There is a small staff that works at this school: teachers, paraeducators, a secretary, librarian, and school cook. Administration divides their time between the island and Steilacoom Historical School district offices.

Older students are transported daily by ferry to Steilacoom to attend Pioneer Middle School and Steilacoom High School. The high-school students must arrive at the ferry terminal to take the 6:30 a.m. ferry from Anderson Island. School buses take them back to the ferry at 2:10 p.m. Middle-schoolers take the 7:30 a.m. ferry and return to the island at 3:10 p.m.

A unique experience

One thing for certain is that  Anderson Island Elementary School, students receive a lot of individualized attention due to the small class sizes.

The kids and teacher stay together at the lower grade levels for three years. This unique structure fosters a sense of teamwork and getting to know each other well.

Anderson Island students, at any grade, are quite independent. In fact, such a characteristic starts early on. Younger students are responsible for  helping classmates, cleaning up after themselves, pitching in where needed and taking care of themselves when the teachers or staff are working with other students.

Older students are required to manage their commutes and schedules more rigorously then their mainland peers. They also have to work through transitioning to a much larger school environment, while also keeping up relationships with their peers on the island and the community at large.

This creates an interesting balance.

Some of the children wish to participate in sports or other extracurricular activities, which, for older students, requires much planning, organization and patience on the part of both themselves and their parents. 

However, adults on the island recognized the need for extra activities for all kids and launched a parent and volunteer supported athletic association. Retirees and other volunteers created programs to get kids into sports. T-ball, basketball, soccer, and even golf have been offered (the island actually features a nice local golf course).

Other special projects at the elementary school level include nature hikes every Friday on the trail behind the school, cultivating the school garden, raising salmon from eggs and releasing them in the creek behind the original schoolhouse, and caring for classroom pets.

Students of all ages help out with community projects beyond school, which really illustrates the backbone of this community and the island way of life.

Finally, Anderson Island Elementary School gets plenty of furry and feathered visitors at any given time. Recently, deer were grazing in the playfield and nine stunning bald eagles roosted in the trees on the school property in full view for the children to observe and enjoy.

What do the kids say?

The students at Anderson Island Elementary were eager to share their opinions about their special school. Here’s what a few of them had to say from Ms. Taylor’s K-2 class:

Olivia: “I like that my school is tiny.”

Hayley: “I like that they have special food. Every Thursday is pizza!”

Bella: “We saw nine eagles and the deer eat their lunch at our school.”

Andra, on her older classmates: “They help me and they help me clean up.”

A teacher's perspective

Courtney Taylor is in her fourth year of teaching the K-2 children at the school. A University Place resident, she calls her daily commute, “the most beautiful commute in the world!”

Taylor appreciates the tight-knit school community and the comraderie of a the students and staff.

“I love having the kids for three years," she said. "I get to know them really well. There are lots of student interactions. They also get a better sense of independence as they have to do many things on their own.”

Meeting a true local

Dana Ballou was born and raised on Anderson Island and attended Anderson Island Elementary School in the first class in 1980. Now, three of her own children are graduates of the school and her fourth will finish this year. 

Ballou also has worked for the school for 16 years as a secretary and paraeducator -- and she literally lives next door

"While we may be remote, this school is so accessible and such a great environment for our kids," she said.

When Ballou gave me the tour of the property, she enjoyed looking back to her own student years.

"There were only 12 of us in 1980," she said. "We certainly learned to be independent and we all pitched in."

When we passed through the small cafeteria, Ballou mused, "One of my jobs as a student was to help hand-wash dishes after lunch. What a difference a dishwasher makes!"

Now, as a busy employee with multiple roles, Ballou's perspective has shifted, but her love of the the school remains the same.

She smiled before speaking.

"This is such a great place."