The Northwest School

1415 Summit Avenue

Seattle, WA 98122

19 Reviews

School District
Grade

6-12
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 13, 2025

The Northwest School has been fabulous for my kids -- I have found the high school to be rigorous enough for my advanced science/math student while offering an interdisciplinary approach across all subjects. He has used math in art classes and critical thinking skills of humanities in his science classes. The arts program has pushed him to explore many new areas, some have become deep interests he wouldn't have explored. The experiential learning extends to an international boarding program, international trips, and outdoors challenges. These bring a broad global perspective to my kids and their peers. And one key criteria for success has been the excellent teachers -- these are experts in their fields with sincere learning/growth mindsets even as experts! Perhaps the most important thing for me as a parent is that the faculty have truly learned what makes my kid tick and helped him to learn to become a college student. Highly recommend this community and education.
Submitted by other on January 09, 2025

Highly recommend the Northwest School- it is a premier independent school in the Seattle area. Excellent education, superb educators and leadership, and kind and caring community.It is a wonderful school!!
Submitted by parent on December 20, 2024

The Northwest School has provided an outstanding high school experience for my student, who really values the challenging academics with ample support and encouragement to be successful. It has been easy to obtain academic accommodations, easy to find supportive teachers willing to provide extra guidance, and easy to find challenge when more challenge is desired. The arts focus is a bonus for an academically rigorous program. The very best part of the academic program is the humanities department, which both prepares students to be outstanding readers and writers, but also explores important topics of history and social studies in ways that allow students to deeply appreciate the world we live in today and the way we got here.
Submitted by parent on December 19, 2024

Northwest is an amazing school. My two children and three nephews all attended and - while they are all very different people - they all had a wonderful experience. The teachers are excellent and the academics are engaging and challenging (in a good way). The arts are top notch. The community has wonderful values that help kids grow to be curious, ethical, engaged people who know themselves, know how to contribute to their community, and want to do good things in the world. The boarding program adds a wonderful dimension to the student and family experience. And, my neurodiverse kid has gotten strong, effective support that's helped her understand herself as a learner and know how to advocate for herself in the future. All my kids and nephews have gone to/are going to wonderful colleges and have been very well prepared. A+
Submitted by parent on December 19, 2024

Our two daughters attended NWS from 6-12. They both went on to graduate from excellent higher educational institutions and are now both working in a service industry supporting our society. I learned a lot while they attended NWS, and they clearly benefitted from a great education!
Submitted by parent on December 19, 2024

I am a parent of a high school student at NWS who has been there since 6th grade. Our son is thriving at this school in every way. The high academic expectations, combined with the personalized support and substantive feedback from teachers, challenge him to excel and grow. He feels a strong sense of belonging thanks to the school's diversity among students, teachers, and administration, which creates an inclusive and welcoming environment. He's also formed a close group of friends who both support and challenge him in meaningful ways. Additionally, he has found a valuable outlet in sports, which has become essential to his physical and mental well-being. We couldn’t be happier with the positive impact this school has had on him.
Submitted by parent on December 18, 2024

Our child attended NWS 6th-12th grade, though part of MS was during COVID. There are many manners in which to rave about Northwest School and I will focus on two: teachers and college prep. I am not typically focussed on college prep, but at NWS it's a natural part of the student's learning journey. Every senior takes a class to help prepare them for the process and an incredibly gifted set of college counselors support students in the manners in which they ask for (or need) the adult reinforcements from junior year thru college acceptances. My favorite part of my student's experience is each faculty member with whom she's had the good fortune to learn. Read the teacher bios on the school website - they speak for themselves. Each teacher has met my child where they are and have supported them in delving more deeply into the subjects. Whether a child needs extra support from the (amazing!! - with no additional fees assessed!) Academic Resource Center or whether they are working ahead of many of their peers, faculty support a student's curiosity and desire to be seen. The Northwest School special sauce is that each student - as different as they are - feels seen and valued by their faculty and community.Oh, and the food. Students RAVE about the amazing lunches served daily!Students and parents who chooses NWS will come to see that it's one of the best decisions they will have made for the growth of their student.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2024

The Northwest School has both a Middle school (6-8) and an Upper School. Our student joined The Northwest School in 9th grade, so this review is really focused on the Upper School experience.The Northwest School was recommended by a friend who also had two students there (now graduated). When we toured, we were very impressed with the breadth of studies as well as the level of care for students, especially coming out of the pandemic. The faculty was PREPARED to help students regain confidence in the classroom and re-engage with peers.Our student's experience with The Northwest School has been excellent. The interdisciplinary approach - intertwining history, literature, writing, with a strong undercurrent of social justice - has pushed our student to explore topics in depth, prepare analyses, and speak/write knowledgeably on a wide range of topics. In addition, the arts curriculum is unparalleled. Students can explore different modes of artistic expression and go deep on ones that resonate. Our student, now a junior, has been well supported in the classroom, in the art studios, and on the athletic field, with both encouragement and constructive feedback, enabling them to achieve their potential and prepare for a college experience. I would highly recommend The Northwest School for any family interested in a multi-disciplinary approach to learning.Also - per our student - the food is GREAT.
Submitted by parent on November 25, 2024

I'm the parent of a college freshman who attended The Northwest School from 7th to 12th grade. Unlike my two other kids (who attended different schools), my daughter absolutely loved her middle school and high school experiences. She was challenged academically, supported emotionally, and developed into an incredible leader who knows who she is. I can't recommend the school highly enough!
Submitted by parent on November 25, 2024

I am the parent of two recent graduates. Both went on to highly selective colleges on the east coast and have been extremely well-prepared for that experience by the academic rigor of Northwest. One child is studying engineering and entered a hyper-competitive program a couple of years ahead of most of his peers in math. He says that Northwest gave him the conceptual ability to thrive in advanced mathematics and physics. The math program in particular was great. The other child goes to an Ivy league liberal arts program and continues the love of learning that Northwest instills. Socially, Northwest was an extremely healthy environment for my teens. The peer group was great and there was a lot of fantastic adult mentoring. I was grateful that I found this amazing community. Both kids report their favorite things were the orchestra and the FOOD, which is amazing.
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2023

We've been extremely happy with NWS. Our son is in G9 now. There is a lot that can be said, but I would boil it down to these points:1) The core academic subjects are very strong. The faculty is great (especially the math department), the work is challenging, but the environment is supportive. In math, kids can advance as far as their ability will take them. G11 and G12 students can take advanced calculus, statistics and mathematical modeling.2) The teachers really care and have given a lot of individual attention to our son. He is a strong-willed kid, so occasionally needs it.3) Our son is a little off-beat too. He's not athletic and is a late bloomer, but bright with a caustic wit, and plays the piano. He has experienced zero bullying or other negative behavior on the part of other students.4) We've been impressed with the arts faculty (visual, dance, drama, music). Virtually all of them are active professionals in their fields, in addition to being faculty members. They walk the talk.5) There are no grading surprises. The assignments, rubrics, grades and cumulative grades are constantly available on line for all courses for parents to review. They use an app called Canvas. It's great.I know that everyone has a different experience at schools, but I would totally recommend NWS to prospective parents. I saw the negative review below and I'd love to know the background on that. It does not at all represent what we've experienced at the school. That one was three years ago and during Covid, so perhaps that was part of the issue. The current state of the school (and we are very involved parents) could not be more positive.
Submitted by parent on February 22, 2020

Northwest had a stellar reputation academically, which is why we chose it. It's really sad to see all the amazing reviews on this page. Unfortunately NW has changed dramatically over the last few years (this has been confirmed by other parents) - and it's the academics that have suffered. If you care about your child learning the core skills they will need in high school (being able to memorize material, take notes, write a coherent paragraph, and know that Japan was not one of the Allies in the first world war) this is no longer the school for you.
Submitted by parent on November 22, 2017

The Northwest School is a stellar academic institution. It has the perfect balance of brains and heart. Kids come out with passion and purpose and a strong sense of social (global and local) responsibility. A+
Submitted by parent on November 07, 2017

The Northwest School helped my husband and I raise our two children and prepare them for not only college but for life. Both individuality and community are valued. The teachers are extraordinary. The sense of belonging and acceptance of all students and families is strong. The school truly lives up to its mission and lives by its values. If what you read about the school on its website resonates with you and your family, you've found a good fit. The school walks its talk!
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2017

Our family has two children attending the Northwest School. Both girls started at 6th graders, the oldest will graduate this spring, the younger will enter the upper school this next Fall. Our family are firm supporters of the school for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, is the excellent caliber of both the administration, and more importantly the staff. Each and everyone of the teachers we have experienced at the NWS have been stellar. The focus on academics is strong, but infused in the cross curricular studies are social justice, inclusion, and self-expression. We couldn't be happier!
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2017

The Northwest School is a rare find. Idealism about the role and purpose of education is a distinguishing quality of the school. It is an intentional community that values individual contribution and intellectual courage. Kids are celebrated for who they are and encouraged to try new things. They are scholars, athletes, artists, explorers, and activists – one and all. This approach develops critical thinkers who know themselves from the inside out. The faculty are brilliant! Not only great teachers, they are mentors and guides who care deeply about each and every child. We are grateful that both of our girls have had the opportunity to learn and grow in this magical learning environment with caring, compassionate faculty.
Submitted by parent on October 25, 2017

The Northwest School has been a great academic home for my two children. They are developing a great skill set for life long learning, and a strong moral compass with a foundation in environmental stewardship, social justice and global awareness. The community at the Northwest School is one that nurtures individualism while celebrating the power of working together.
Submitted by parent on October 25, 2017

The Northwest School wasn't even on our radar but we threw in an application because we were urged to apply to 6 schools (yikes). When we did more research and visited, we were blown away by how intentional they were, how they walked their talk, how they think about EVERYTHING, how our daughter would be appreciated for both her strengths and weaknesses AND bolstered by experts who knew what was appropriate/inappropriate for her age group. This is a place that knows child development and the way the faculty cares for each student is admirable. Our oldest daughter (who started in 6th grade) is now a senior in college and her sister is also at NWS. Truly a find. Do your own research - I'm confident you'll be amazed.
Submitted by parent on April 15, 2015

This school has been the best thing that could have happened to my son. It is supportive and has allowed him to enjoy things like poetry, theater and social dance that he would have NEVER done in another environment. My son has been an elite athlete all of his life and when we transferred to NW in 8th grade he just got to be a kid. No one knew his background or that he was competing on the weekends. He is now a Junior and still loves it. The teachers have been supportive and we could not have asked for a better school. It is a true blessing to have found this school. The supportive environment is the best thing about this school. It is a college prep school with an empahsis on the arts. They do not have AP courses but my son is in Calculus and the humanities teachers are known in colleges for turning out great writers. This school has kids accepted to the top schools in the country every year. It is a very special place and I am so pleased we have been a part of it.