We, the people of Bolton Primary School believe
"schools can become cultures where youngsters
are discovering the joy, the difficulty, and
the excitement of learning and where adults
continually re-discover the joy, the difficulty, and
the excitement of learning. Places where
we are all in it together- -learning by heart."
-- Barth, 2001, p. 29
Like the above quote suggests, we want Bolton Primary School to become much more than a place where there are big people who are learned and little people who are learners. The Bolton Primary School Community invites everyone (from toddlers to adults) to "discover" or "re-discover the joy, 
difficulty, and the excitement of learning. We are all in it together." As we continue on our journey to become a pre-kindergarten to fifth grade school community, we want to fuel our endeavors through the discoveries, explorations, and excitement that learning together generates.
At the heart of our school are seven strongly held beliefs. These beliefs were first described and recorded in a document called the "Bolton Bill of Rights" created by the staff of Bolton Primary School at a visioning workshop the summer of 2001. This school year we affirm these seven beliefs. We believe each person in the Bolton School Community has the right and, corresponding, responsibility:
- To experience respect, compassion, and acceptance
- To feel safe, find peace, and know joy in their learning
- To be curious and take risks in order to discover more about ourselves, each other, our community, and our world
- To respectfully disagree (We will take the responsibility to work together to create avenues and structures that voice our disagreement. We will take the responsibility to consider the solutions that work for everyone.)
- To build lifelong memories (through traditions and celebrations)
- To voice our thoughts, to listen, and to make agreements about Bolton Primary School
- To work, think, play, and dream as we explore who we hope to become. Sitting amid famous landmarks, a city park, and historical homes in the West Linn area, the structure called Bolton School stands as a testament to a long tradition of academic excellence, mutual respect, and collaboration within the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. Families describe the Bolton area as a community with a "homey, close feeling" where neighbors with diverse interests and styles take time to "watch out for each other" and "support their children and the school". Who we are and who we hope to become is built on these traditions and stems from the strong vision held by the district and the beliefs contained in the Bolton Bill of Rights.
The word "Bolton" in our school name comes from the neighborhood that sits next to our building. Geographically, Bolton School sits on the bluffs of the Willamette River nestled in a neighborhood that includes a variety of family homes, commercial sites, historic homes, the West Linn City Library, and the community fire department. The existing Bolton facility originally housed students from first to eighth grade, and later (from 1966 to 1999) became a middle school for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. Currently, Bolton is in its third year as a new primary school in the West Linn-Wilsonville District. This year approximately 330 children attend Bolton Primary School. Additionally, 60 three and four year olds attend a district sponsored preschool program and twenty toddlers accompanied by their parent School in a class called First Teachers attend Bolton's Early Childhood Center.
It is a rare privilege to work with learners at Bolton Primary School. We hope to build on our strong beliefs, our unique proximity to the park and the city, and the strong traditions for academic excellence. We hope to use our small size as a vehicle to personalize learning and include parents as strong partners in our work. Come visit us!
5933 S.W. Holmes Street | West Linn, Oregon 97068 | 503 673-7050 | Fax 503 657-8711
Dr. Holly Omlin-Ruback |
 Stacie ErdahlInstructional Coordinator ErdahlS@wlwv.k12.or.us
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