Westside School

10404 34th Avenue Southwest

Seattle, WA 98146

58 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 23, 2024

Our kids were at Westside grades 2-8. We had a great experience at Westside throughout, however, I’m inspired to write a review now that they have moved onto high school. We have 2 kids in very different high school settings and both are thriving. They are academically ahead of their peers and feeling confident about themselves as learners. Well done Westside! Thank you!
Submitted by parent on September 21, 2024

The teachers and staff are outstanding. This school is the right place for my boys, and I love that they are getting such a strong curriculum that sees them as whole people and supports them as learners and as a human beings. However, our family receives a scholarship, and my spouse and I are new to private school culture. We feel extremely uncomfortable around the other parents who are predominantly clique-ish and wealthy. The school tries to encourage community which is great, but we usually feel too uncomfortable around the other parents to want to participate much. With that said, there are intentional times for BIPOC and LGBTQ families to come together, and those are much more comfortable spaces for us.
Submitted by parent on May 24, 2024

I cannot speak highly enough about my child’s time at Westside. He was there 6-8th grade and the foundation he built, socially, academically and athletically set him up for success in HS as well as his soon-to-be college career. I found the staff to be invested in my son and his peers and highly responsive to our needs as a family. One of his teachers has stayed in touch and tutored him through some of his challenges in HS math. They are “those” kind of teachers who respect, engage and care for your kid, just like you want them to. To be candid, he was in a far better situation at Westside than he would have been in SPS (public HS has been a major step down). I am grateful, immensely grateful that Westside set him up for success and instilled in him a sense of community, critical thinking as well as giving him a space to explore his world in a supportive manner. As a former middle school teacher, this is where you want your child, especially in those middle school years. Those years are so foundational to the adults they are becoming; Westside gets that.
Submitted by other on May 23, 2024

Westside School is no longer the educational institution that it claims to be. They repeatedly need to put the students first and, instead, focus on what looks progressive to the outside world and on social media. They are unwilling to adapt to the changing needs of students, especially in the upper grades. Teachers are free to dismiss a student's struggle with material as unwilling to learn and quickly label them as a "problem." Teachers do not communicate with parents when they see that a student is falling behind, and worse, they take no interest in wanting to help; they are okay with failure. Teachers need to do better in teaching, and they are supported by an ever-changing administrative staff that lacks stable leadership. A few exceptions exist to the Westside School teaching mindset, but unfortunately, they all leave. Talented, caring teachers do not leave a school if they are supported and feel like a difference can be made. Teachers leaving is a huge red flag.In addition to this, there is a disturbing problem with bullying, sexual aggressiveness, and physical altercations at Westside School. They are either naive in dealing with these issues or unwilling to admit that long-time Westside students are capable of such behavior. For a school that states on their website that they "view inclusiveness as a fundamental value", they sure are selective about whom they include. Every student has a right to be taught, protected, supported and made to feel like they matter. That is not the case at Westside, and it's a huge disappointment. Find a school that values your students.
Submitted by parent on April 16, 2024

I wish we had seen and taken seriously the review from October 2023 before joining this school. It perfectly captures our experience as well. Our advice is to read that review carefully before considering enrollment at Westside.
Submitted by student on February 15, 2024

Westside is a good school the facility is mid though.
Submitted by parent on December 05, 2023

Our family has two children at Westside and we could not be more happy with our experience. The teachers and the leadership team know my kids, and have helped them discover who they are as learners so that they can help direct their own learning. We have been pleased with the academics and feel both kids are challenged appropriately. But what makes Westside so strong in our view is the joyous culture that permeates the whole school. We heard Westside has not always been this way. When the current head of school, Steve de Beer, joined 5 or 6 years ago, he brought such a positive, upbeat energy to the school and everyone who teaches our kids has been so positive. Steve greets every child and parent by name every day and that continues with several staff and teachers before they even get to their classroom. Our kids get theater, great sports, music, art, two languages (Spanish and Mandarin) and so much more. More recently the school has focused more on diversity and equity, which is so important in our kids’ education. Our children LOVE school and we recommend Westside highly.
Submitted by parent on November 15, 2023

We have been at Westside for 3 years now and have really loved our time here. My kids are happy to go to school each morning, LOVE their teachers and classmates, and their confidence and independence has soared. We really feel at home at Westside and the community we’ve been able to build here feels very special. There are always ways for parents to be more involved, including serving as Class Reps, joining the Westside Family Association, or even just planning or participating in the parent and family social events throughout the year. Overall, our kids are thriving at Westside and for that we are so grateful and excited to be a part of this community all the way through 8th grade.
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2023

We had high hopes for Westside- their website, tours, and administration talks a good game, but the reality is much darker. I have never dealt with a more unprofessional set of school administrators. Parent concerns and criticisms are ignored or the school administrators become incredibly defensive, rude, and dismissive. The head of school has responded to our concerns with unprofessional, even hostile, language. Student support staff refuses to respond to requests for meetings. There is no one holding the school administration accountable. Families are made to feel isolated and ultimately some are pushed out if parents push back or assert themselves to get their children help. We tried for 3 years, but the open hostility of the administration towards certain families has only increased and soured the whole experience. If you're looking for an inclusive, supportive, professional school environment, it is not at Westside.
Submitted by parent on October 11, 2023

My child is now in his second year at Westside and he adores it. The early learning program is appropriately play-based. They spend much of their day outdoors, building with all sorts of materials, playing dress up, and listening to stories. He gets age appropriate exposure to art, music, Mandarin and Spanish, and his social development has improved leaps and bounds. He has grown so much in his ability to play with and resolve conflict with peers, and he gets to interact with older students (they have 8th grade reading buddies!) All of the teachers we've worked with so far have been spectacular, with a special mention for his preschool teacher who really went the extra mile with some emotional challenges when his sibling was born. All of the administrators know us by name and greet us warmly in the morning. He wakes up excited to go to school every day -- we couldn't ask for anything more.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2023

We love this school and stretch our finances to make it work for our family. The teachers have been the absolute best part of the experience. They are passionate and dedicated to their students. We love the outdoor learning program and appreciate how much the school curriculum encourages independence. We are sensitive to the privilege inherent in sending a child to private school and we appreciate how the curriculum teaches empathy and social Justice. Highly recommend this amazing school!
Submitted by parent on July 20, 2023

Wouldnt recommend this school even if I was paid to. They attempted to be the first to mandate "the" vaccine for children and offered to segregate those that didn't chose to vaccinate. When my son came home and asked if he should be a boy or a girl, that's when I knew it was over. When I received his school work for the entire year, it was shocking how little work they actually do at this school. He was so far behind and I'm happy I was able to catch this and get my son into a school that actually educates children, and doesn't focus solely on being "woke." Their fundraising is atrocious and all they focus on. Money money money. Good riddens West Side, you should be embarrassed.
Submitted by parent on May 22, 2023

Our family chose Westside in Pre-Kindergarten because of the incredible teachers and early childhood approach to joyful learning. Nine years later, we have a 7th grader who is a year away from 8th grade graduation. While there has been some transition in leadership over our time at Westside (where hasn't there been?), we have stayed put because of the fabulous teaching faculty and student/family community. The combination of strong academic preparation along with core values of promoting social justice and raising caring, confident humans has made Westside a great fit for our family. Westside students are taught to challenge the status quo, ask hard questions, practice joy every day, and respect one another and our planet. While no school is perfect, Westside has been an overall great experience. Our child is well prepared for high school and we have Westside teachers, leaders, and staff to thank for that.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2023

In my perspective as a parent whose child has attended Westside for several years, it is reasonable to say that they value your child's uniqueness and blind less inclusion more than genuine education. I'm very concerned about the students who study here. One reason is due to the rotating staff factuality; every year for about 3-4 years, they have changed the middle school head and many teachers have departed. My student has been unable to form a connection to almost any teachers, and the constant rotation of faculty has caused them to be very confused about who they can trust and talk to. Another factor is that they leave bullying and taunting unchecked until they become much more serious issues. One instance of this came in my child's second year, when bullying went unchecked and eventually led to the culprit drugging another student. And typically, when things get bad enough, instead of making any significant changes to prevent it from happening again, they call an assembly to discuss it.Last but not least, my student has fallen far behind in their studies and has turned to self-teaching through Google after being left to their own devices during class. When students try to complete their work in class, it is frequently way too noisy for teachers to hear them while they are at their desks. When it comes to their ideas on gender, ethnicity, and politics in general, most children seem afraid to speak up or ask questions, despite the school's claims that it provides a "safe and understanding learning environment."I won't be sending any of my other kids to this private school overall because there are others with better ratings and test results in general. The school is ideal for you if you appreciate inclusivity and equality, though.
Submitted by other on March 28, 2023

Curriculum and student activities appear outstanding. Friendly, welcoming administration and staff. DEI program appears well intended and is expanding. However, the diversity statistics are arguably inflated. This becomes evident by visiting the school and observing the student body. DEI is only as good as there is real representation and measurable impact. I am rooting for this school to do better.
Submitted by parent on March 04, 2022

Our daughter has attended Westside for eight years and we wouldn’t want her to go anywhere else! Westside has been the best place for her due to its small class sizes, focus on an advanced, quality education, and teaching the importance of social and emotional learning. Westside’s teachers and staff proactively support and educate, not only students, but the local community, around impactful issues including Black Lives Matter, LGBTQIA+, and other social justice issues. When Covid hit, the school’s staff developed a comprehensive remote curriculum days after in-person attendance was no longer an option. This allowed for a mostly seamless transition to continued learning. We strongly recommend Westside!
Submitted by parent on January 31, 2022

We have been at Westside for seven years. It has been such a wonderful experience for our son. The teachers and administration are outstanding.
Submitted by parent on January 30, 2022

Westside has been a second home to our children for five years. The small community allows for each child to be known and supported. Westside creates a space that sparks curiosity and nurtures creative thinking. My children don’t sit at a desk in front of a workbook. Instead they collaborate with peers at table groups and move around their space during integrated learning. Math, science, literacy become one as the second graders navigate their way through the salmon life cycle by making charts, hypotheses, stories, observations and art. The hands on learning and excitement of seeing a tank of salmon eggs hatch and witnessing what they are learning in class firsthand creates a love of learning unlike what I experienced as a second grader. This is one small example of what Westside offers. Westside has put remarkable effort into maintaining a safe space during the pandemic. They move and adjust along with the science and recommendations of CDC. The leadership is thoughtful and communicative with their decision and I can’t imagine sending my kids into any other space.
Submitted by parent on January 28, 2022

We had moved to the US from Canada when our son was 3 years old. When he started the first grade, I started researching schools in the Seattle area. We specifically moved to West Seattle to be part of the Westside Community. He is now in the 5th grade, and we couldn’t be happier with his development! His emotional & academic growth has far exceeded our expectations. Westside offers an amazing curriculum for the students from learning Mandarin & Spanish for their languages, to arts, theatre, and programs. Our son loves it so much he attends the Westside after care program out of personal choice. The teachers and staff are like family and love the students. We are so very blessed to be part of the Westside Community!
Submitted by parent on January 27, 2022

Both our kids are in Westside School, and we love this exceptional school. The teachers are caring, believe in hands-on learning, welcoming and incredibly supportive. The class size is small, and so every child gets the attention, and that's important. The leadership is doing an exceptional job, in how they've been tackling everything during Covid times. This school is doing a fantastic job to make the children well-rounded, focusing on their social emotional skills too. Our kids wake up in the morning, always excited and happy to go to school. We made the best decision to send our kids to Westside.