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Old 03-07-2008, 10:36 PM
 
13 posts, read 45,738 times
Reputation: 13

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My husband has been offered a position at Microsoft, and our children currently attend a French Immersion school. Unbelievably (which is great, but makes for a hard decision) there are 2 to choose from:
French Immersion School of Washington, which is in Bellevue and
French American School of Puget Sound on Mercer Island.

Anyone know anything about these schools?
If they are both on par and bearing in mind hubby will be working in M/soft, and we are thinking of buying in Bellevue, is Mercer a pain to get to commute wise for school?

Am very excited, but also terrified about the move, we haven't moved in many years and now with kids, it's a different ballgame.
Thanks a million in advance for your answers.
-Lee
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Old 03-07-2008, 10:47 PM
 
Location: Cosmic Consciousness
3,871 posts, read 17,049,421 times
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Mercer Island, hands down. I know a wealthy family whose little girl is in school there. Both the husband and wife are very selective in almost every aspect of life, and they are very pleased with the school and so is their daughter. The school is a mecca for the area's more elite and/or more internationalized families.

BTW, only outsiders would say "Mercer" because it could mean many things, including a street and a high school. We always call Mercer Island "Mercer Island".

Why choose to feel "terrified"? Life is calling you! Don't you feel the very best reply you could give, as a gift to yourself and your family, is to smile, make the lists, enjoy your own excellence in planning and execution, and live the joy? :-) I wish you joy!
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Old 03-07-2008, 11:11 PM
 
13 posts, read 45,738 times
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Thanks for the quick response - from a "where to live" perspective, would the commute to Mercer Island (see, I'm a quick learner ;-) ) be "ok" from Bellevue?
Terrified - would perhaps be an overly dramatic phrase of mine, once one has lived in a place for many years, change is always great, but when you have children, one wants to make the best decisions possible.
Again - thanks for your help.
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Old 03-07-2008, 11:17 PM
 
9,618 posts, read 27,230,268 times
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Mercer Island is a very easy commute from Bellevue, especially those parts of Bellevue near I-90.
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Old 03-08-2008, 12:48 AM
 
Location: Cosmic Consciousness
3,871 posts, read 17,049,421 times
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You're funny! I love funny posters!! I'm so thrilled for you and your family!! Life is calling to you all to breathe different air and be new!!! That is so wonderful!

Ira, as always, is spot on. The French American School
( FASPS Home )
is about 450-500 feet south of I-90 on E. Mercer Way, at the first exit on Mercer Island going from Bellevue. (If you enter the school's street address on Mapquest, you can follow along with the rest of this post!) Almost every workday morning, at that area of I-90 going toward Seattle the traffic is moving smoothly and quickly. So you should have very smooth access to the school. (There is no other way, except by boat, to get onto Mercer Island besides the I-90 freeway.)

If you live in the west side of Bellevue, that would mean you'd enter I-90 at the Bellevue Way entrance and thus travel west on I-90 for only about 30 seconds. So far we have a drive to school of about a minute and a half. Do you love C-D or what?!! :-)

The residential area in west Bellevue closest to I-90 at that location is a varyingly upscale area, on the shore of Lake Washington. "Varyingly" means older upper middle class to upper class, if you will, to Bill Gates billionare class. (Yes, Billy lives there.)

The neighborhood names, going north from I-90, are Beaux Arts, Moorland, Clyde Hill, Medina (Meh-DINE-ah). Billy lives in Clyde Hill, right at the water. Most of the homes in those neighborhoods are not shore properties as there are only so many lake properties to go around. Many homes in that whole area have beautiful views. The entire area is beautifully treed, quiet, safe, clean, well policed, and an easy drive in a few different directions to excellent grocery and other shopping. And the only driver we know of who speeds there is -- what was his name again? :-)

Following along on the map, the closer to highway 405, the less "upscale" the houses. But there is almost no area in Bellevue that would be considered "downscale". And that entire area between Lake Washington and 405 would give you a pretty short drive to school.

For your husband's commute, he can drive on the arterials and be at the main MS campus in 15 to 25 minutes or so from any of those neighborhoods.

This is working out well, isn't it? :-)

Last edited by allforcats; 03-08-2008 at 02:09 AM..
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Old 08-10-2011, 06:39 PM
 
73 posts, read 268,481 times
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Hello!

I realize this is an old thread but can anyone tell me if there is something wrong with the French Immersion School of Bellevue? Does is suffer only in comparison to the Mercer Island school?

Thanks!
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Old 08-10-2011, 10:38 PM
 
3,117 posts, read 4,567,460 times
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The commute from Bellevue to Mercer Island is OK right now. There's about to be a major traffic shift which leaves those of us on the island unsure of what sort of traffic nightmare it is going to cause, however. In short, the state has somehow gotten approval to toll one of the 2 bridges that lead into Seattle, and when that starts, a huge amount of traffic will undoubtedly find its way to the other one, which is free to cross (that being, I-90, which is the only way to go on or off the island via car).

That said, pretty much everything is better here, though the private schools in Bellevue are nothing to sneeze at, either.
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Old 06-07-2013, 01:35 AM
 
2 posts, read 4,444 times
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FISW in Bellevue is great. Our two children are thriving there. It provides a high-quality education with a welcoming feel. Very different "vibe" than FASPS on Mercer Island - I'd highly recommend that prospective families visit both schools.
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Old 09-29-2015, 10:43 AM
 
1 posts, read 1,867 times
Reputation: 10
Default fees

I'm too considering a job in Seattle but like mentionned above, the final decision has to do a lot with the well being of the kids.

As far of the school mentionned in this thread, would anyone know the fees of attending these schools?

thanks

acheo
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Old 09-29-2015, 10:54 AM
 
764 posts, read 1,648,383 times
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Bellevue is Pre-K to 5th
Tuition and Financial Aid - French Immersion School

Mercer Island is Pre-K to 8th
Tuition & Financial Aid
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