Protecting What Matters
Chronicling the history of the Seattle Public Schools:
The mission of the archives is to provide a repository of primary resources about Seattle schooling, schools and student voices. Because the district is governed in part by local politics, the record of their discussions and activities is engaging history. The school district serves researchers (current students and the public) in the development of educational and community history and practices.
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Explore what the archives has to offer - Search finding aids
A library of reports, studies and models from the 1860s through the 1980s - Search for Publications *scroll down to the Archives library
Browse our digital past on the Internet Archive.
Learn about artists and their work in our schools: Search Public Art in Seattle Public Schools.
Visit - our collection consists of published printed materials, manuscripts and
ephemera along with administrative records, photos, and
artifacts such as scrapbooks, trophies, art, banners. A short 4 min.
video of the archives is here.
The district has published several school history books over the years, and has preserved architectural drawings and other materials for its land-marked buildings. Information about school buildings, school names or school landmark status is found at Architecture and Buildings
School Board (1882 - present) minutes, indexes, correspondence, email, public hearings and administrative documents.
Finding aids for paper: school board and superintendent's working files, correspondence and meeting materials.
School Board 1910
Interested in School Archives Generally?
Establishing a School Archives
Interested in what the schools taught over the years? We have
guidance on curriculum, textbook selection, committee reports and other
administrative records from the 1940s on. The archives includes a
small collection of historical school textbooks, including those
published by the Seattle Public school district.
Student Voices in Photos, Yearbooks and Student News Papers:
The district photo collection dates from the 1890's - to the present including class photos, athletic, club photos, building and grounds, music programs, special events, and school field trips. A few of the photos have been digitized and can be found on our flicker site Seattle Schools' Digital Photos.
An index of photos by school name or topic follows:
A - D Adams - Duamish Bend
E - K Eckstein - King/Harrison
L - Q Lafayette - Queen Anne
R - Z Rainier Beach - Youngstown
Yearbooks:
Student life is documented in the archives through school yearbooks, newspapers, journals, scrapbooks, audio tapes, art and artifacts.
We have a complete collection of Broadway, Lincoln and Queen Anne High School yearbooks.
We don't sell yearbooks - check classmates.com
We have missing years - if you'd like to fill in the gap - donate.
Ballard Shingle 2003, 2004, 2009
Chief Sealth Cache 1980, 1986, 1999, 2010
Cleveland Aquila 1980, 1984, 1988, 2004, 2008
Franklin Tolo 1972, 1991, 2000
Ingraham Glacier 1970, 2010, 2012
Rainier Beach Valhalla 1995, 2011, 2014, 2015
Roosevelt Strenuous Life 2003, 2010
West Seattle Kimtah 1999, 2000, 2002
Current Initiatives
The Archives is working on it's collection of long term environmental building related materials. There is a major initiative to get more digital information on-line, particularly reports and videos which are being converted to preserve their content. We have been working with MiPOPs to preserve our moving images and school board meetings for future generations, but much remains to be done. Interested in volunteering? Want to make this archive more accessible? contact archives@seattleschools.org
Resources
Photocopies: $0.15 per page
Scanning: $5.00 per image - if all ready scanned free
Research Services provided for patrons: $30.00 per hour, pre-paid
Audio copies (includes tape): $5.00
Artifact Loan Preparation: $30.00 (for non- alumni groups)
Explanation of Charges:
Research Fees:
The Archives charges a fee for research services prorated on salary benefit and overhead costs with a half-hour minimum. (WAC 434-690-080, Section 4). Research services are defined as the collection, assembly or extraction of data or information from existing records, or the analysis of information to provide a report. The standard fee for research services is $30.00 per hour. Research services may be limited to one hour, depending on the staffing level and current workload of the Archives. In such cases, patrons will be referred to an independent researcher for assistance.
Donations:
Help us preserve school history and student voices. If you have memorabilia that you would like to donate use this form to Donate memorabilia to the archives. Our address is:
Seattle Public Schools Archive,
2445 3rd Ave South,
P.O. Box 34165,
Seattle WA 98124-1165