Applying To Westside

Campus Tours

Our campus tours are an ideal way to experience Westside School in action. Via our tour, you'll learn about our unique program and get an up close look at our classroom and specialist spaces. We will share details about your grade of interest and answer your questions. Tours are a required part of our admission process. Out-of-town families can contact our Director of Admission, Ted Holmes, to arrange a virtual tour.

Tours for families with students eligible for the 2023-2024 academic year will be offered October through January. We will offer small group tours presented for specific grade levels.

Early Learning: Learn about our play-based program. We’ll share about program philosophy, daily schedule, specialist offerings, and much more.

Kindergarten-2nd Grade: There is still plenty of time for play and community, as students take their first steps in our Lower School. We’ll describe our literacy, math, science, and social studies as well as how specialists complete a robust and enriching schedule. You’ll also learn how our students’ academic and social emotional journeys progress as they advance through our lower grades.

3rd & 4th Grade: This specialized tour highlights the progression of our major content areas in our upper elementary grades, including the importance of joyful learning and student engagement for children of all ages. As students get older, they begin participating in our outdoor program and school sports.

Middle School (5th through 8th Grade) Tour: Parents and guardians along with your prospective students are invited to join our tour of Middle School. We’ll address the transition from lower school, what it’s like to join Westside in Middle School, and core classes, such as math, language arts, world language and science. We’ll also describe our specialist offerings, such as theater and visual arts, physical education, and tech. You’ll hear about after school sports and our renowned outdoor program.

REGISTER FOR A TOUR HERE

Virtual Information Nights

Early Learning (PS & PK) and Lower School (K-4th Grade) Virtual Information Nights:

• Tuesday, November 8, 2022, 6:00-7:15pm
• Thursday, January 5, 2023 6:00-7:15pm

Learn about our Early Learning and Lower School programs from teachers and school leaders in this Zoom session. The evening will feature breakout sessions for you to meet with representatives of your grade(s) of interest. Register via our online system Ravenna.

Middle School Virtual Information Night

• Tuesday, December 6, 2022, 6:00-7:15pm

Learn about what makes our Middle School program unique from teachers, specialists, and school leaders in this 75-minute Zoom session. You’ll have time at the end to ask questions.

REGISTER FOR AN INFORMATION NIGHT HERE

Open House

Early Learning and Lower School On Campus Open House

• Saturday, December 3, 2022, 10am-12pm

We are excited to open our doors for prospective families to visit our campus in-person. Whether you are looking for Fall 2023 or further down the road, you’ll get the chance to investigate our entire Early Learning and Lower School spaces, including grade-level and specialist classrooms. Families with prospective preschool students are invited to visit our recently renovated preschool building.

REGISTER FOR THE OPEN HOUSE HERE

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 at least two teacher recommendations per student for grades 1-8.
5. Submit transcripts. For grades 1-8, submit the first semester of 2022-2023 and all of 2021-2022. (For preschool, pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten, please submit if available.)
6. Register for an in-person student visit for your child. Out-of-town families will have a video option.

A Note About Testing: Westside does not require testing of our middle school applicants. To ensure an equitable process for all, we will not review any submitted scores. 

It is important to us that we meet all prospective parents and guardians. We’ll use this 20-minute Zoom conversation to get to know you better, learn more about your child, and answer any remaining questions you have about Westside School. You will use the Ravenna system to sign up for a parent and guardian conference after you formally apply.