Applying To Westside

Welcome

Students in science class looking in microscope

We are delighted you are exploring Westside School as a place for your child to begin or continue their educational journey. We know choosing the right school for your child is one of the most significant things you'll do for them. In the process some big questions come up. Where will my child be happy? What exactly determines a good fit? How do we apply? What comes next?

We're here to help you with the process and to help you understand if Westside School is the right place for you.

We invite you to explore our campus, meet our students and faculty, and learn about what makes us West Seattle's premier option.

Please contact our Director of Admission, Ted Holmes, for more information.

Create your account now on Ravenna

Our Application Process

Step 1. Visit Westside

Step 1 for Preschool/Pre-Kindergarten
Discover Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten

Families interested in learning about our Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten programs are invited to attend one of our Discover Preschool Days scheduled for Tuesdays, October 29, November 12 and December 10. Parents of prospective pre-Kindergarteners are invited to campus for an observation of our preschool and pre-Kindergarten classrooms, a chance to meet the teachers, and a tour of our lower school and campus.

Step 1 for Lower School (Kindergarten through 4th Grade)

Lower school tours for families interested in the 2020-2021 academic year begin in October. Our parents-only 90 minute tour is your best way to see the school, hear about the program directly from our educators and see us in action on a typical school day. We keep our tours small so you get an exceptionally close look at the school. You'll have the chance to speak with students, teachers and administrators. Tours for families interested in first through fourth grade are customized to your child's grade level. Register for a tour via our online application system, Ravenna.

Step 1 for Middle School (5th through 8th Grade)

Tour: Parents and guardians and your prospective students are invited to tour our middle school. These intimate tours will offer a look at the broad range of our offerings, including core classes such as math, language arts and science, as well as our elective offerings such as theater and visual arts, physical education, and tech. Register for a tour via our online system Ravenna.

Experience Middle School Night (November 7): Prospective students and their families will experience Westside in a series of hands-on demonstration classes. In addition to this sampling of our academic and co-curricular offerings, visitors to Experience Middle School Night will see Westside arts in action. We’ll showcase our music, theater and visual arts programs.

Step 2. Complete an Application

Westside School uses the Ravenna online application system for all grades including preschool and shares a common PSIS (Puget Sound Independent Schools) application. The Ravenna System will guide you through all of the steps outlined below, as well as keep you updated on the status of your child’s application.

APPLICATION STEPS
1. Submit a student and family photo
2. Submit Parent/Guardian Statement
3. Submit Student Activities and Interests form (middle school only)
4. Submit one teacher recommendation per student for preschool, pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten applicants. Submit two teacher recommendations per student for grades 1-8.
5. Submit transcripts. For grades 1-8, please submit first semester of 2019-2020 and all of 2018-2019. For preschool, pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten please submit if available.
6. Submit administrator evaluation form (first through 8th grade only)
7. Middle School Only: Submit test scores (SSAT preferred)

Step 3. Parent/Guardian Conference

Step 4. Student Visit

You will register for a student visit through your Ravenna account.

PRESCHOOL THROUGH KINDERGARTEN APPLICANTS

The student visit is a valuable step of the Admission process for our preschool, prekindergarten and kindergarten. During the regular admission season we will meet prospective students on a Saturday in early February. Visiting prospective students will be placed in small groups, where they will go through a short “day” of school. We invite parents and guardians remain on site during the observation. While waiting, you’ll meet our Head of School, faculty and current
parents/guardians for coffee and conversation.

If you have applied for admission outside of our traditional season, we will arrange a class visit for your child on a date that is mutually convenient.

FIRST THROUGH FOURTH GRADE APPLICANTS

Candidates for first grade will attend a 60-minute visit with other prospective first grade students. Students applying for second through fourth grade will be invited to spend a half day on campus. These visits allow us a chance to get to know your child and to assess their readiness for our program., At the same time, these visits give prospective students a real sense of what it would be like to attend Westside School.

FIFTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE APPLICANTS

Fifth, sixth, and seventh grade applicants will come to campus for a visit that will include a schedule of sample classes with our current fifth and sixth graders. Following their classroom experience, our visitors will join a group of up to six applicants to work on a project, respond a short essay prompt, and participate in a group session. We invite parents and guardians to join us for a question and answer session with our Head of School, Middle School Division Head, a teacher, and other members of our school community. For eighth grade applicants, we will arrange a full day visit to Westside on an individual basis.

LEARN ABOUT LOWER SCHOOL

Discover Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten

We accept students who turn age three and four by September 1 for our preschool and prekindergarten programs. If you are interested in enrolling your student for the 2020-2021 academic year, we encourage you to learn about the school at one of our monthly Discover Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten events. Parents and guardians of prospective preschool and pre-Kindergarten students to observe the classrooms, visit with our teachers, and take a tour of the school. Adults and babes in arms only, please. To register, create an account on Ravenna, select Westside School, and choose your visit day.

Kindergarten Tours

The best way to learn about our kindergarten and lower school program is on one of our weekly tours. These intimate tours will ensure a close look at classrooms in action (including all specialists) and a chance to meet students, teachers and administrators. To register for a tour, create an account on Ravenna, select Westside School and choose a tour.

Lower School Tours (Grades 1-4)

Many families are interested in looking at Westside for later grades and for this reason we offer customized tours. You’ll have a chance to get a close look at your grade of interest, the grades that follow, and of course our many specialists. Along the way you’ll meet teachers, students, and administrators. To register for a tour, create an account on Ravenna, select Westside School and choose a tour.

LEARN ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL

Experience Middle School Night (Grades 5-8)

DATE: TBD for our 2020 Experience Middle School Night
Thursday, November 7, 2019. 5:30-7:30pm
Prospective students and their parents and guardians will begin the evening in our middle school classrooms, where they will take part in short, engaging, hands-on lessons designed to highlight our curriculum. Following classroom sessions, visitors can partake in our Middle School Arts Showcase. You'll see fine examples of our renowned music, theater, and visual arts programs.

Middle School Tours

Tours are an ideal complement to our Experience Middle School Night (even if you can’t make that event!). You’ll see our classes in action, meet teachers and students, and talk with administrators. You’ll see daily life at school, explore or facility, and learn about why Westside Middle School may be right for your child. Both fifth and sixth grade are excellent entry points for your student, and we often have space in our seventh and eighth grades as well. To register for a tour, create an account on Ravenna, select Westside School and choose a tour. Create your account on Ravenna.

Our Diversity Statement

Westside School is committed to promoting inclusiveness, diversity, and cultural competence in its education, employment practices, school community, and governance. It views inclusiveness as a fundamental value, diversity as a key element, and cultural competence as a vital skill necessary to prepare students to participate in and contribute to a global society. Westside uses the term diversity broadly to encompass differences in the attributes of individuals, families, and communities.