Top Private Elementary Schools in the Area (Seattle, Bellevue: house, catholic schools)

[kreebby]

While there are threads regarding private schools for specific needs, I was wondering if we could get a thread started discovering the top private elementary schools in the region (most info I find is on high school). After doing a little digging, while GreatSchool's best rated came up with a bunch of Catholic Schools as the "top rated by the community", I found that those Catholic schools hardly had an impressive academic program. I looked up the schools and found posts on various places about them from former alumni and other parents who said they would have preferred a public education instead.

It might be useful for other people who come searching as well. So post what good schools you know of and why they are good.

Generally my standards for a good school in this region are as follows:

• Up-to-date technology and a comprehensive technology program (introducing programming at a young age is a huge plus).
• A website that is not trapped in the 1990s (I have my reasons for this, I've found that an outdated website shows that other aspects of the school's teaching are outdated as well).
• Advanced science and math programs.
• Asian foreign languages (we have a large asian population here, this should be a standard).
• High percentile in math/literacy scores.
• Well rounded extra-curriculars that go beyond just "the basics" (rock climbing, chess, robots, are some examples)
• Education based on the individual rather than the classroom (i.e. allowing people to move up in a class they are good at, rather than keeping them at "grade level").
• Nutrition as a value.
• Outdoors programs.
• Small, but not too small (<10) class size.

These aren't all required in a single school and they're just my personal standards, but given the diversity and nature of the area we live in I think many of these should not be hard to obtain. That being said, here are some of the ones I've found that have good programs:

Cougar Mountain Academy: Good emphasis on nutrition and physical health and a fantastic elective program. High scores on tests. Students get to interact with animals and nature (since it's next to a zoo and has 5 acres of trees). Good academic program as well that really caters to the individual. Know several people with children here that are very happy with it. Located in Issaquah.

Eastside Christian School: Have heard good things about the academic program, teachers and environment. Has good enrichment program and a good variety of things while still being a Christian school (for those of you that want a religious education that doesn't fall behind the quality of our public schools). Located in Bellevue.

The Overlake School: Fantastic technology programs, offers both Mandarin AND Japanese (on top of Latin, French and Spanish), great extracurriculars, good class size, up to date technology, very unique nature-oriented campus, good environment program, etc. One of my friends moved her son to this school after 2 years at St. Monica and says this school as a much better academic program (St Monica did not challenge her son enough). Overall a very good school. Located in Redmond.

If anyone has anything to add, just add it along!

[Ira500]

Some other well regarded private elementaries include the Bush School, University Prep, The Northwest School, and the Seattle Country Day School.

[Inkpoe]

I've heard lots of negative things in RE: Cougar Mountain Academy.

Parent Map magazine usually has an independent School Fair, which introduces and provides a lot of information about private schools in the area.

Right now, they're covering homeschooling in the Seattle area: LearningMap - Publications - ParentMap

[tobester]

Seems you want a technology emphasis (programming, advanced math/science, robots ...) - why not try Lakeside - it's got a few grads known in the technology world. My kid's went to St. Joe's on Capitol Hill for middle school and thrived.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by tobester

Seems you want a technology emphasis (programming, advanced math/science, robots ...) - why not try Lakeside - it's got a few grads known in the technology world. My kid's went to St. Joe's on Capitol Hill for middle school and thrived.

Lakeside starts at middle school, not elementary, doesn't it?

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Lakeside starts at middle school, not elementary, doesn't it?

Same as The Overlake School. They both start at 5th grade (and go through 12th).

[GlossyCPA]

I love the idea for a private elementary school thread. I might be moving this summer to the Bellevue area, so I already began the school research. My daughter currently goes to St. Michael School in Olympia. They are very technologically advanced (they have Macs that are less than 3 years old and kids can use iPads for reading and math practicing), so finding a similar school would be great.

I checked out the Eastside Christian School website and found that they are having an Open House in January 31st from 6-8pm.

[evergreentori]

These are the elite ones I always hear about. I have looked into one (Betschi) and thought it was fantastic:

Bertschi School - good math/science program, wonderful facilities, whole-child centered
Bush School - extremely rigorous academics, elite status
Giddens - focus on social justice, whole child
UCDS - collaborative learning, social responsibility, extensive individualized theme studies

I don't hear as much about stellar private schools on the Eastside, maybe b/c people tend to move there to enroll their child in the higher performing public schools in those areas (Bellevue, Issaquah, Redmond, etc). I have heard that the Little School in Bellevue is good as is Woodinville Montessori in Woodinville.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by evergreentori

Bush School - extremely rigorous academics, elite status

HAH! I taught briefly at Bush School. Rigorous? Puh-LEEZE! They maintain their reputation ("elite"), but what goes on on the inside is far from rigorous. (When I was there, the Latin class read Winnie-The-Pooh.) And btw, it's an alternative school. Always has been. They told me it was a well-kept secret in the 60's and 70's, when conservative parents would have disapproved, but they started to be more upfront about it by the 90's. That has a lot to do with why the academics are actually a bit soft, in certain subjects, anyway.

[evergreentori]

Hmm. I know someone who went there in the 90's and then attended UW. He said many of his classes at Bush were harder than some of his classes at UW. I have no idea as I have never visited the school at all.