Spring Valley Montessori School continues salmon tradition

Spring Valley Montessori School’s annual salmon release has helped revive the salmon population in the West Hylebos Creek, which runs through campus, located off Pacific Highway in Federal Way near the Pierce County line.

June 21, 2013 2:55 pm
Spring Valley Montessori students released salmon into West Hylebos Creek last month.
Spring Valley Montessori students released salmon into West Hylebos Creek last month.

From staff reports:

Spring Valley Montessori School’s annual salmon release has helped revive the salmon population in the West Hylebos Creek, which runs through campus, located off Pacific Highway in Federal Way near the Pierce County line.

The school has participated in the Salmon in the Classroom program through the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife for over 25 years. The 4th-8th grade students help increase the Coho salmon population by raising salmon from eggs to fry from December to May.

Each student releases a salmon into the West Hylebos Creek on campus.

The creek has made a comeback, school staff say, in the years since Spring Valley’s salmon release program began. The city contributes to the restoration by planting bushes, trees and other spots for shade-loving salmon. The ongoing collaborative effort is slowly nursing the waters back to health.