12119 5th Place W
Everett, WA 98204

My 8th grade son's experience at Voyager has been excellent! Pros: The teachers and staff obviously take the effort to make sure their students are safe, supported, have every opportunity to learn and be successful. They really care about these kids. He has especially enjoyed ELA, STEM/Tech classes and running track and XC. Writing is NOT something he ever enjoyed but he has really grown and become a good writer with the attention and encouragement of his teachers. His first year of middle school was all on zoom due to the pandemic. His teachers managed it well and he was successful. He actually LIKES middle school and I think that says it all. He has a 504 plan and they have stuck to it. We haven't had any problems there. Meanwhile friends at HP and Kamiak are fighting tooth and nail to get their kid's 504 followed by teachers. Cons: The location of the school is on a very busy street in one of the worst areas in S. Snohomish County (per police and my dispatcher friends). In 2021 they had maybe 6 lockdowns in 2-3 months due to gun violence/crime in the surrounding area. No issues within the school with that fortunately. The kids have been quick to report any perceived threats they seen or hear of and are taken seriously by administrators and local police. The area has an obvious police presence and I know they try to make sure kids are safe walking in the area. There are 3 schools on the same block and the fire dept is behind the HS next door. The other middle schools in the district are in much nicer areas. 2 of the 4 are in neighborhoods full of multi-million dollar homes. The financial and neighborhood support situation in those schools is able to be much better because of the flexibility and privilege of wealthy families supporting their students and the PTA. The Mukikteo school district seems to offers all schools the same or similar budgets but where they need to be spent per each school's need is likely quite different. Voyager MS and Mariner HS get a bad wrap and that's not fair. They are good schools. The neighborhood situations are not their responsibility or within their ability to control. What they can control they do well with.

Never had a real issue at this school as a skinny nerdy white boy, never had any issues with bullies, always felt pretty safe. Loved my teachers, they welcomed open discussion and all viewpoints, they really seemed to *want* you to succeed

My daughter attended Discovery School from kindergarten through 5th grade. I consider it a true blessing that she had the opportunity to be part of this school community. The teaching staff and administrators at Discovery excel in various aspects, including education, special education, family engagement, and student safety. Throughout her time at the school, my daughter never encountered condescension or any negative judgment regarding her learning abilities. The school consistently places all children as their top priority and provides the essential social and emotional support required in today's society.