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Overview, Mission

Mica Peak High School strives to provide an environment of mutual respect where students can experience success, improve basic skills, and practice responsible behavior. We understand that many students who are unable to continue their education in a traditional school setting, still have the desire to obtain a high school diploma. The classes focus on discussions and related projects, which allows students to interact and determine the pace of their learning.

Mica Peak High School is an umbrella for two schools within a school:

  • Core Program: Our high school program, CORE, offers small-environment learning rooted in 21st century learning skills and focused on developing a sense of Relevancy and Rigor with professional and healthy relationships between staff and students.
  • School to Life/MICA: Our post-high school special needs transition program is rooted in helping students meet their transition goals.
 

Mica Peak Mission Statement:

Mica Peak High School is dedicated to empowering students to take ownership in their educational experience grounded in challenging curriculum.

Our Commitments:

  • To provide students a safe, caring, individually responsive environment that honors differences and engages the student in meaningful learning experiences.
  • To inspire students to master the intellectual, social, and emotional skills needed for success in life beyond high school.  

 

History:

Mica Peak High School opened as Barker High School in October of 1996 as a result of ten years of meetings by Central Valley School District's At Risk Action Team. Prior to 1996, a series of on-campus programs (junior-senior mentorship, 4-ACES high school contract, learning opportunity center, senior images block, projects curriculum and sophomore enrichment) had been developed to serve discouraged students. Although many of these remain operational today, during the At Risk Action Team's recommendation year, 1995-96, it became apparent that the District needed to offer an off-campus program for those students who had become disenfranchised on their home campuses. Barker High School was created to fill that need and provide an off campus extension program for the two District high schools, Central Valley and University.

As Barker evolved to meet the needs of students and fill educational gaps not provided by nearby programs, it became obvious that the school had created its own academic atmosphere and was no longer operating as an extension of the the two traditional District high schools. Barker staff worked to make it an independent school within the district, pursued accreditation and, in the spring of 2002, achieved the goal of becoming a diploma-granting high school. Then, in the spring of 2011 Barker High School was once again recognized for its efforts in the areas of curriculum and instruction by receiving continued accreditation by the state of Washington. In 2016, Barker High School became known as Mica Peak High School.

Mica Peak continues to grow and evolve, never losing sight of the need to teach each student as an individual.