What is Gibson Ek?

Our mission statement: Gibson Ek students thrive by engaging in rigorous interest-based learning and real-world experiences in a vibrant and supportive community.

Gibson Ek High School is a choice school open to any Issaquah School District student looking for a more independent, project-based approach to learning. Students may apply in eighth grade. The student body of about 200 reflects a wide diversity of goals, from college to entrepreneurship to careers in a trade or the arts.

With no traditional classes or grades, Gibson Ek students learn through self-directed projects, incorporating reading, writing, science, social studies and math along the way. Certificated teachers guide and assess students as they work independently. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, students intern with regional businesses and organizations to explore career interests.

Gibson Ek follows an innovative model established by Big Picture Learning, a Rhode Island-based organization that promotes student-directed, real-world learning. Gibson Ek is among more than 65 Big Picture schools nationwide, including — locally — choice schools in the Bellevue and Highline districts.

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