Schools

The mission of the Technology Access Foundation is to prepare all under served children, particularly children of color, for higher education and professional success by providing a rigorous and relevant K-12 curriculum.

Program offerings emphasize building confidence, having fun while learning, providing a gateway to higher education, and creating opportunities for young people to work alongside technology professionals.

TechStart offers a free after-school program for children in grades K-8 that strives to improve problem solving skills, to empower students to use technology as a learning tool, to increase math literacy and reading competency, and to prepare students for advanced opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.

TAF also offers a Technical Teens Internship Program and a Higher Ed Bound program.

Summer camps offerings (for children entering sixth through tenth grade) include Sports Tech I and Sports Tech II, and Wild Rides Skills and Thrills. Each of the camp programs integrates fun activities and physical fitness with science and technology. Teens can play sports while learning about the physics of body movement, learn boating skills while gaining an understanding of the science of the human body and boats, and enjoy amusement park rides while learning about the engineering of the machines. Summer camps are fee-based, but limited scholarships are availble.

TOPS is one of the alternative schools in the Seattle Public Schools and serves kids in grades K through eight.

Alternative School #1 is part of the Seattle Public School system. The school specializes in hands-on and visual learning styles and is one of the few schools in the district that serves grades kindergarten through eight.

All classes at AS 1 are multi-age and multi-grade. Recent experiential learning projects have included the construction of a 40-foot Haida canoe from a 700-year-old western red cedar, building scale model airplanes and boats from blueprints, and hiking 30 miles of Olympic Coast wilderness on a six-day Rite of Passage for eighth graders.

Parental and student involvement in decision making is an important value at the school and social activism is encouraged.

The school's scores on standardized tests are among the lowest in the state, but after some investigation we learned that this is the result of the large number of families who decline to take the tests (more than 60%). Students who do not take the tests are given a zero score and these scores are included in the school's average.

Our daughter began attending AS 1 as a first grader after an unhappy year at a more conventional school and she enjoys it immensely. She is excited about what she learns and she is more self-confident, assertive, and socially aware.

We have found the social climate at the school to be warmer and more close-knit than the school our daughter attended last year. The other kids, including the middle-schoolers, are quick to lend our daughter a hand when she needs it or to comfort her when she's upset. She's also thrilled with the number of field trips she's been able to take and with the elective courses that are offered to students.

An orientation at the school is required of all applicants and a ticket confirming the orientation must be attached to the application. New students are accepted in grades one through seven only. The school offers free full-day kindergarten, but can accommodate half-day students. Free transportation is provided to AS 1 for students from throughout the city who live more than one mile from the school.

The Clearwater School is part of the international network of Sudbury Schools, based on the 35-year-old Sudbury Valley School in Massachusetts. The school uses a self-directed approach to learning; children are guided by their own interests and move at their own pace. There are no grades, groupings by age, or mandatory tests.

Tuition assistance and bus service are available.

KidLinks offers affordable school-based before and after school care, school holiday care, and summer day camps for elementary age students.

Indoor and outdoor free play time and a variety of enrichment classes (computers, drama, gymnastics, karate, and more) are offered in a familiar school setting. Staff is stable and experienced. During the summer, kids go on field trips to the zoo, beach, and other local kid hotspots.

Families have a choice of before school only, after school only, or before and after school care. Kids can attend two, three, four, or five days per week.

Hiawatha offers before- and afterschool care, music and movement for pre-schoolers, family music classes, sports programs for school-age kids, and day camps, among its many family-friendly programs. The Center also features a playfield, lighted running track, tennis courts, a large wading pool (open daily during the summer) and kids' playground, and a batting cage.

Learning Ladder Preschool and Co-op Playgroup programs are available - download a current brochure from the website.

Perkins' elementary students work at their own pace, often above grade level. Core teachers instruct reading, math, language arts, and social studies; specialists teach music, art, drama, science, character education, technology, PE, French, and cooking. Music, art, cooking, technology and social-studies classes are integrated to allow in-depth exploration into various cultures, historical periods, and concepts. The school emphasizes character education with community-service activities.

Before and after school care is available. Additional activities include private piano lessons, creative carpentry, art classes, homework room, chess club, basketball, soccer, and baseball.

The summer program offers opportunities to explore other cultures through the arts, language, sports, cooking, music, drama, and more.

South Seattle Community College is part of the city's community college network, which includes North Seattle Community College and Seattle Central Community College.

The Jerry Brockey Center, the college's student center, is a frequent site of family-oriented shows and events. It's located on the south side of campus, just northeast of the south parking lot. [206.768.6613]

Events include the annual Rainbow Fest, a cultural diversity festival; College Night, an educational fair; and Garden Center plant sales.

The campus has several retail amenities open to the public, such as Bernie's Pastry Shop with baked goods created by students in the Pastry Program; cakes and other special items can be ordered. There are two restaurants on campus as well: Alhadeff Grill and Cafe Alki.

Tours of the college's airplane hangar, which houses three planes and different types of airplane and jet engines, can be arranged by calling the aviation department. [206.764.5373 or 5394]

SSCC is home a popular Parent Cooperative Preschool program and APPLE Parenting Program.

Edmonds Community College hosts a variety of family-friendly arts and cultural events throughout the year. Performance schedules and ticketing information are available online at artsandculture.edcc.edu or by calling 425.640.1313.

Edmonds CC offers summer camps in music, arts, theater, sports, and technology for children ages six and up. Visit www.edcc.edu/summerlearning for details.

Seattle's in-city campus offers a wealth of educational opportunities for families with kids, both in and out of the classroom. It's also a great place to walk around and explore, with lawns and climbable trees, open spaces to run around in, and vistas of Mount Rainier.

Good places on campus to take kids include the Burke Museum for fossils and dino bones; the vintage Campus Observatory for a view of the skies; the Waterfront Activities Center for canoe rental; and Red Square's huge brick plaza, good for running around. In the springtime, the Liberal Arts Quadrangle's old cherry trees burst into frothy pink bloom, making a perfect photo op (it's also a nice place to rest and run any time of year).

The Sylvan Theater, a natural amphitheater hidden from campus by a tall hedge of trees, is another fun place to explore. Drumheller Fountain, located near Sylvan Theater, is also popular with children, given its 100-foot jet of water and resident ducks. Bring your camera on clear days if you visit the fountain: you'll have a clear view of Mount Rainier. (See "Getting There", below, for instructions on finding locations on campus.)

If you'd like to tour campus, click on the link above, go to "About the UW", and then to "Campus Tours" for online tours.

Educational opportunities abound here, including summer day camps at the Arboretum for kids ages six-11; Middle School Academy, two-week summer programs in various disciplines; and opportunities for high schoolers to earn college credit. Go to the UW Summer Youth Programs website for more information. Additional UW summer programs are listed online as well. Also, browse the K-12 Resource Guide, a database that lists all educational opportunities on campus.

Students can also take SAT and GRE prep courses coordinated through the UW Women's Center at Cunningham Hall.

The Robinson Center for Young Scholars offers programs for academically accelerated middle- and high school students.

Whirlwinds is a drop-in childcare/playcare facility. Parents can drop kids off for two to four hours of play time while they do errands, go to appointments, shop, or exercise. Children are supervised by an educated and responsible staff.

Whirlwinds also offers evening and weekend birthday parties for children up to age five. Party packages for up to 15 children are available; prices range from $145-$199.

The church hosts Phinney Ridge Lutheran Child Development Center, a National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)-accredited Christian preschool and pre-K program for kids ages two-and-a-half (and potty-trained) to six.

A Christian center that includes a preschool, academy for grades K-6, and daycare. Serves children ages 12 months-12 years. Before- and after school activities and summer day camps are also available.

Hearts is a Seattle-based Christian homeschool co-op that strives to provide support, accountability, encouragement, and fellowship to homeschooling families and to provide a variety of educational and social opportunities for homeschooled children. Classes are offered in a variety of subjects, including drama, music, art, science, and Spanish.

WHO is a statewide, nonprofit, nonsectarian, nonpartisan group that offers support for homeschooling families, along with advocacy, information, and other resources. This is a good first stop for families who are considering homeschooling or who want to form homeschooling groups.

WHO. also offers seminars, lectures, and workshops for homeschooling families, along with at least one major convention per year.

Formerly known as Building 47 or the "recreation building," Magnuson Community Center has a gymnasium and an auditorium. Activities and events include family movies, sports (badminton, basketball, fencing, flag football, soccer, volleyball, ultimate frisbee), arts and crafts, music classes, nature classes, home school enrichment programs, day camps, indoor playpark, and language classes.

The Brig (originally a military jail) is also used for classes and events.

The center is located in Magnuson Park.

St. John provides a strong academic foundation for preschool through eighth grade students in an environment that fosters a sense of community. The school offers two classes per grade and a Montessori preschool program for students ages three to five. Uniforms are required.

Specialists teach art, music, foreign language, drama, PE, and library and information skills. Technology is used for connecting between home and school and to a sister school in Peru, and for the Accelerated Reader program. Students in grades four through eight use laptop computers.

Before- and after-school child care is available. Extracurricular activities include chess club, choir, band, math club, speech club, science club, sports, middle-school study program, middle-school drama, a support group for children living with loss, and scouting.

Students participate in sports through the Catholic Youth Organization, including soccer, cross country, basketball, volleyball, and track and field.

Tuition: (2008-09) K-8 Fair Share Tuition Program: In-parish families encouraged to pay $4,380 for one child, $7,358 for two children, and $9,749 for three or more children, or, if possible, pay the actual cost to educate: $6,132 per student. Out of parish tuition: $6,132. Preschool Tuition: 5-day program $3,476; 3-day program $2,185. Additional fees may apply.

Hiawatha offers before- and afterschool care, music and movement for pre-schoolers, family music classes, sports programs for school-age kids, and day camps, among its many family-friendly programs. The Center also features a playfield, lighted running track, tennis courts, a large wading pool (open daily during the summer) and kids' playground, and a batting cage.

Learning Ladder Preschool and Co-op Playgroup programs are available - download a current brochure from the website.

Perkins' preschool students attend classes four mornings per week in pre-reading, basic skills, science, geography, physical education, and music and movement. Preschool students spend one morning each week at the "Lodge," where they receive hands-on instruction in cooking and art. Preschoolers also receive introductory piano lessons three times a week and daily French lessons.

Before and after school care is available. Additional activities include private piano lessons, creative carpentry, art classes, homework room, chess club, basketball, soccer, and baseball.

Perkins' summer program offers preschoolers small groups, a relaxed atmosphere, and both indoor and outdoor activities. Children practice social skills and expressing their creativity.

St. John provides a strong academic foundation for preschool through eighth grade students in an environment that fosters a sense of community. The school offers two classes per grade and a Montessori preschool program for students ages three to five. Uniforms are required.

Specialists teach art, music, foreign language, drama, PE, and library and information skills. Technology is used for connecting between home and school and to a sister school in Peru, and for the Accelerated Reader program. Students in grades four through eight use laptop computers.

Before- and after-school child care is available. Extracurricular activities include chess club, choir, band, math club, speech club, science club, sports, middle-school study program, middle-school drama, a support group for children living with loss, and scouting.

Students participate in sports through the Catholic Youth Organization, including soccer, cross country, basketball, volleyball, and track and field.

Tuition: (2008-09) K-8 Fair Share Tuition Program: In-parish families encouraged to pay $4,380 for one child, $7,358 for two children, and $9,749 for three or more children, or, if possible, pay the actual cost to educate: $6,132 per student. Out of parish tuition: $6,132. Preschool Tuition: 5-day program $3,476; 3-day program $2,185. Additional fees may apply.

Living Wisdom School is an independent school with programs for students in preschool to grade three. The curriculum is based on the book Education for Life by J. Donald Walters and its main focus is on balancing mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of development.

Perkins' preschool students attend classes four mornings per week in pre-reading, basic skills, science, geography, physical education, and music and movement. Preschool students spend one morning each week at the "Lodge," where they receive hands-on instruction in cooking and art. Preschoolers also receive introductory piano lessons three times a week and daily French lessons.

Before and after school care is available. Additional activities include private piano lessons, creative carpentry, art classes, homework room, chess club, basketball, soccer, and baseball.

Perkins' summer program offers preschoolers small groups, a relaxed atmosphere, and both indoor and outdoor activities. Children practice social skills and expressing their creativity.

Adams is one of more than 40 elementary schools in the Seattle Public School system. The school's ethnic diversity comes closer than most Seattle schools to accurately representing the diversity of the local community. The school is also unique in its focus on arts integration. In addition to offering a full-time choral music program and instrumental music for intermediate students, the school uses arts to assist in teaching every academic subject.

Coe is part of the Seattle Public Schools, and features a large bilingual program, before and afterschool Spanish language classes in Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese, and test scores that are among the highest in the district. Coe offers both full-day Kindergarten program; full-day Kindergarten tuition is $200 per month.

Olympic Hills is a public school serving grades K through five. The school offers the Advanced Learning Opportunities (ALO) program for gifted students and both full-day and half-day kindergarten are available, with no fee for full-time students.

A Christian center that includes a preschool, academy for grades K-6, and daycare. Serves children ages 12 months-12 years. Before- and after school activities and summer day camps are also available.

St. John provides a strong academic foundation for preschool through eighth grade students in an environment that fosters a sense of community. The school offers two classes per grade and a Montessori preschool program for students ages three to five. Uniforms are required.

Specialists teach art, music, foreign language, drama, PE, and library and information skills. Technology is used for connecting between home and school and to a sister school in Peru, and for the Accelerated Reader program. Students in grades four through eight use laptop computers.

Before- and after-school child care is available. Extracurricular activities include chess club, choir, band, math club, speech club, science club, sports, middle-school study program, middle-school drama, a support group for children living with loss, and scouting.

Students participate in sports through the Catholic Youth Organization, including soccer, cross country, basketball, volleyball, and track and field.

Tuition: (2008-09) K-8 Fair Share Tuition Program: In-parish families encouraged to pay $4,380 for one child, $7,358 for two children, and $9,749 for three or more children, or, if possible, pay the actual cost to educate: $6,132 per student. Out of parish tuition: $6,132. Preschool Tuition: 5-day program $3,476; 3-day program $2,185. Additional fees may apply.

The church hosts Phinney Ridge Lutheran Child Development Center, a National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)-accredited Christian preschool and pre-K program for kids ages two-and-a-half (and potty-trained) to six.

The Seattle Public Schools' website offers almost all the info you need regarding schools and standards; you can even get a .pdf lunch menu.

The Elementary Enrollment Guide and Middle & High School Enrollment Guide provide information on the application and enrollment process, in addition to a modicum of information about each school. Most schools also have their own websites, which you can access from the "Schools" button on the home page.

Check the site for summer camps run under the public school aegis, as well.

A school directory that lays out in clear, easy-to-understand fashion all the public schools in the state. Not only does it provide brief profiles of each, it enables you to compare salient features of one school against another.

The force behind this website, GreatSchools, Inc, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the best, most comprehensive information about schools. Its mission is to not only help parents choose schools for their children, but to help parents and community members understand, support, and improve public schools in particular.

For each school, the site includes class size, test scores, demographics, and teacher qualifications. What we like best are the tools, which allow you to refine your own search for the right school. It lets you look by district, type (charter, public, private), and specialty (gifted, special needs). We're slightly less enthusiastic about the service articles, which address various ways of coping with problems parents might encounter along the way. Topics include "Homework Horrors," and "How to Choose the Right School for Your Child." You're likely to still be looking for the answers after you've finished reading these.

There's only so much detail the site can go into in describing each school. It's not clear, for instance, how involved the parent body is, nor how effectively particular programs are implemented. (And the site that can figure out how to do that is a truly great one.) But if you're just beginning the search for a school and need an overview, you might want to start here.

Seattle Times School Guide is a print guide, as well as an online guide, to public and private schools in Seattle, most of Snohomish County, the South Sound, Bainbridge and Vashon Islands, and the Eastside. Schools are dissected and ranked, and the site also offers tips to choosing a school.

The print guide can be purchased at Bartell Drugs or through the Seattle Times [206.464.3113; resale@seattletimes.com]