School type Private Founder Helen Taylor Bush Grades K to 12 Founded 1924 Number of employees 45 | Established 1924 (1924) Head of school Percy Abram Phone +1 206-322-7978 Motto Experience Education Faculty 85 | |
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Enrollment 580K-5: 1856-8: 1609-12: 235 Accreditation Northwest Accreditation Commission Similar The Northwest School, University Prep, Seattle Academy of Arts an, Bertschi School, Lakeside School | ||
The Bush School is the only independent private K-12 school in Seattle, Washington. The Bush School enrolls 630 students.
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History
Founded in 1924 by Helen Taylor Bush in her home on Dorffel Drive E., the school moved to its present location on Lake Washington Boulevard E. in 1930. This land had previously been occupied by Lakeside School, which moved to Haller Lake in the north end of the city.
Helen Bush–Parkside, as it was then known, was coeducational through 6th grade. 7th through 12th grades were girls only. In 1970, the Upper School began accepting boys, and the school changed its name to The Bush School.
During the 2005-06 school year, Bush began a remodel of the Lower School (Grades K-5) campus; the project was called "Build Bush Phase 2." The original Lower School buildings were torn down and grades 1-4 were housed at the Spruce Street School campus for the majority of the 2005-06 year. The 5th grade was located in a portable classroom, for about half the year, then moved up to the Upper School for the second half. Originally, grades 1-4 moved to ICS, but relocated when concerns about the air quality arose. The remodel was officially finished in November 2006. The new campus includes modern brick buildings, a new library, a turf playfield, a new gymnasium, a fitness center, and new K-5 classrooms.
Description
The school's mission is "To spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities."
Students are given the opportunity to do homestays in various countries, and can apply to do a Senior Project during the last month of their high school career. Students may also play on various sports teams, and take part in school plays and musicals. Bush offers a wide variety of sports, including soccer, track and field, cross country running, cross country skiing, golf, tennis, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and ultimate frisbee.