Aki Kurose Middle School

Aki Kurose
Middle School
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Aki Kurose Middle School
Aki Kurose Middle School/About

About

Aki Kurose Middle School

Aki Kurose Middle School is a vibrant and diverse community of learners dedicated to creative, academic, and physical development. It is our goal to enrich the lives of students and staff alike by offering a variety of classes and activities that stimulate learning and develop knowledge and skills across a broad spectrum of experiences.

Aki Kurose Academy is located in Seattle’s beautiful Rainier Valley about a mile from the shores of Lake Washington and the green surroundings of Seward Park. The area is home to Sound Transit’s new light rail system and the growing metropolitan neighborhood of Columbia City.

Aki Kurose Middle School Academy was named after Akiko Kato Kurose, a peace activist and educator who helped bring Head Start programs to Seattle schools. Aki Kurose died in 1998 after a 16-year struggle against cancer. She was 73.

When Aki was just a young girl her family was interned at the Minidoka camp in Idaho. Throughout the rest of her life she worked to establish a dialog and an understanding about human rights issues and our role both as stewards of this planet and caretakers of our children.

Aki Kurose led a life of example, constantly modeling her beliefs through her actions and her teaching. Her life and career positively affected many thousands of people with a message of nonviolence and progressive education. Mrs. Kurose was honored for her work as an educator by two American presidents, the United Nations, various governors and city officials. Additional honors include the Seattle Public Schools Teacher of the Year Award, the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, the National Science Honor Roll of Teachers, the United Nations Human Rights Award, and the Asian Pioneer Award for Peace.

The Seattle School Board recognized Aki Kurose’s amazing life’s work when, in 1999, they named our school after her. Other projects throughout Seattle have also been named for Aki Kurose, including an affordable housing project, a scholarship, a science fair, and a peace garden.

Our Mission and Vision

Strong Relationships and High Expectations—Every Student Excelling and Cared For—in Our Collaborative Learning Community-Every student Achieves, Everyone Accountable.

Our Vision

We strive daily at Aki Kurose Middle School to be a school that:

  • Is a focused learning community-We are committed to providing each and every student Access to high quality teaching and learning.
  • Is Accountable for making our learning environment safe and personalized.
  • Builds strong relationships and get to know each student and family well.
  • Holds high expectations for the Achievement of every student. Students will be engaged in culturally relevant and rigorous learning activities. We believe that by providing equitable learning opportunities we are helping to prepare every student for high school, college and beyond.
  • Celebrates our wonderful diversity. There is a substantial educational benefit from being part of such a vibrant, racially and culturally diverse school community. Family engagement is critically important and is welcomed and appreciated. We must all have a collaborative Attitude for the good of ALL students.
  • Always provides students with what they need to grow academically, socially and emotionally by constantly Assessing for learning.

Contact Us

Main Office
Hours: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
206-252-7700
akikurose@seattleschools.org

Attendance: 206-252-7704 akikurose.attendance@seattleschools.org
Transportation Office: 206-252-0900

Principal

Caine Lowery, calowery@seattleschools.org , 206-252-7705

Assistant Principals

You have questions about a discipline issue: Please call Mr. Howard, Assistant Principal.

For discipline appeals information, call 206-252-0820 or visit Seattle Public School Discipline webpage. Parents and/or guardians appealing a discipline sanction have the right to request an informal grievance conference with the building principal or designee within three business days of learning of the discipline sanction.

Counselors

For the following issues, please contact your student’s counselor:

  • Your student has a health concern or 504 plan…Your student is doing poorly in classes and needs extra help with school work…
  • Your student is having a conflict with a teacher or thinks the teacher is being unfair…
  • Your student is having a conflict with a student that is adversely impacting them…
  • You fear that your student has been involved in inappropriate activities…
  • You have seen changes in personality, friends, reliability, and/or their school work…

Translators

For help in one of the following home languages, please call to leave a message or email your questions to one of the following people (by home language):

Aki Kurose Staff

See all Aki Kurose Staff

The District Ombudsperson serves as an independent liaison to assist SPS parents and community members in helping to resolve problems, complaints, conflicts, and other school-related issues when normal procedures have failed. The Ombudsperson office does not have authority and can only make recommendations. Information will be kept confidential at your request. The District Ombudsperson can be reached by phone: 206-252-0529 or on the District Ombudsperson webpage.

Can’t Find What You Are Looking For?

If you have tips on information you would like located here, or better ways to support your searches on the Aki Kurose MS website, please email us to let us know akikurose@seattleschools.org 

Thank you!