Seattle view
April 28, 2020 Posted in City Guides
Kate Holland

A true grunge and rock music fan born in Seattle, Kate has moved across the country and started writing about her experience

How Good Are Seattle Public Schools

Have you decided to relocate to the Emerald City? However, you’re still having second thoughts because you’re not sure how good Seattle public schools really are? We have some good news for you – Seattle’s schooling system is highly rated as one of the best districts in the state of Washington. Whether you’re looking for a good preschool, elementary, middle, or high school, you can be sure you’ll find it somewhere within the area.

A high schoolers There are plenty of great public schools

Moving to Seattle comes with a wide range of benefits, which makes it a rather popular destination among many. Not only is there a wide range of things to do in Seattle, but you can also count on other reasons to move here such as the high quality of life and excellent education for your offspring. Ranked highly among the best and most diverse school districts in the state of Washington, this district is sure to meet your needs and expectations. To see for yourself just how good a district this is, we believe it might be best you first learned a bit more about how the entire system works before you start house-hunting around it. So, let’s look into that matter for a start.

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How Seattle Public Schools Work

No matter if your relocation was a last-minute or planned decision when moving with kids, one of the crucial things to consider is how good the schooling system is and how the entire system works. This probably is not something you considered before when you were moving alone to another state, so if this is your first relocation with children, make sure to take notes to avoid common moving mistakes. Additionally, if you and your partner are moving in together and planning a family, this is a place to be.

Luckily, you will be moving to one of the best cities to raise a family in the US, and you’ve got nothing to worry about when it comes to how good Seattle public schools are. With them, everything is quite straightforward when it comes to organization.

It is the largest district in the state of Washington, overseeing  113 public schools and serving about 50,000 students. If you’re trying to figure out how to find a job when moving to another state, you should know that there are plenty of employment opportunities here, too. There are currently close to 6,000 educators employed within the district.

The primary goal is to prepare the students for college and every further step in life. They also pay special attention to early learning and preschool programs.

When it comes to enrollment, you should know that candidates are assigned to an institution based on where they live. Thus, if you set your eyes on a particular educational institution, keep its location in mind when you choose between the best neighborhoods in Seattle. If you’re not satisfied, you can file an appeal through School Choice. Be sure you contact Admissions for more information about assignment inquiries and appeals.

Speaking of finding the right neighborhood to move to, we should also remind you that you can use tools to check how safe your community is when relocating with children.

No matter if you are moving during holidays or in summer you will still need to gather some documents to enroll your kids in school, luckily that can be done online or in person. It’s up to you to choose the more suitable option. To complete the online registration form, you’ll need to provide the following:

  • Photo ID/ Passport
  • Birth certificate (applicable to those entering kindergarten or 1st grade)
  • Address verification
  • Certificate of Immunization Status or Certificate of Immunization Exemption

Now, let’s move on to some of the top-ranked educational institutions to consider depending on your child’s age.

empty classroom Before you pack your bags, it is a good idea to learn more about the education system and how it works to get ready and know what to expect.

Best Elementary Public Schools Operated by the District

If you’re looking for an elementary school, there are plenty of options, regardless of whether you’re creating a budget for moving to the suburbs or staying closer to the center. There are, in fact, so many that we can’t possibly cover all of them. That’s why we singled out only some of the best institutions to take into consideration if you have a child of this age.

Adams Elementary School Will Improve Your Kid’s Critical Thinking

This arts-infused institution offers a chance to learn in an engaging and challenging environment. There are various student activities to take part in, not just when it comes to arts, but also languages, theater, and sports. For those with an aptitude for art, there’s Reflection Arts Contest. The competition encompasses various art categories, such as music, literature, film, dance, as well as photography and visual arts.

There are 55 staff members at Adams whose primary concern is to teach children the best they can, fostering critical thought and problem-solving skills along the way. Another thing you’ll probably like is community involvement. Adams PTA is there to provide daily support and enrich children’s learning experience in every way possible.

Beacon Hill International Elementary Celebrates Diversity

Beacon Hill International graduates are taught how to think critically and take action to make the world a better place. Being an international institution, this is a place where your child can learn how to celebrate diversity and meet children of various backgrounds. There are over 400 pupils enrolled and over 30 classroom teachers.

When it comes to state tests and year-over-year academic improvement, the pupils of Beacon Hill International have shown above-average results. Thus, you can be sure that your kid, as a student here, can acquire strong academic skills.

Fairmount Park Elementary Gives Superb Results

If you’re not satisfied with the above-average results, but you’re looking for extraordinary, you should consider Fairmount Park Elementary for your child. According to GreatSchools, both test scores and student progress results show far above-average achievements.

Fairmount Park Elementary offers an advanced learning program for those identified as highly capable. When teachers recognize an advanced student, they tailor special instructions to ensure further improvement.

The entire area of Fairmount Park is suitable for families, so it’s worth considering. You’d live in an urban, yet safe neighborhood with top-notch schooling in your vicinity, and plenty to do both for your little ones and you alone.

kids in school Choose from a wide range of Seattle's excellent elementary public institutions that every student will love.

Top-Ranked Middle Schools

Before you start thinking about how to pack books when moving, how to create a photo inventory or household inventory list, and move on with the process, you should make sure you’ve picked the right middle school, it will help your kid avoid getting relocation depression. Luckily, if you have a child this age, you’ll have several excellent options. Some of these are listed below.

Hamilton International Middle School Is Where You Celebrate Diversity

The main goal of Hamilton International is to teach its students how to “contribute in a diverse world.” Since it serves over 1,000 pupils from the surrounding area, you don’t have to look for home precisely in the Wallingford neighborhood for your kid to be admitted here.

At Hamilton International, they pay equal attention to the academic and social success of future graduates. When it comes to academic skills, you can be sure your child will get a top-notch education in math, language arts, social studies, and science, among other fields. There is also a program for advanced learners (Spectrum and Highly Capable Cohort).

Other highly successful programs it features include the outstanding international arts program and music program. It’s enough to say that there are more than 600 participants in daily music classes.

Choose Jane Adams the Ensure Both Academic and Emotional Growth

Opened as a comprehensive neighborhood middle school in 2014, Jane Adams has quickly become one of the top-ranked institutions in the area. With its team of highly-skilled and devoted educators, Jane Adams has engaged a great number of students over the years. Their dedicated staff works hard to engage learners and help their academic, emotional, and social growth.

Students can also take part in JAMS athletics and a variety of other after-school programs. Among others, there are Art Club, Math Club, ASB (Associated Student Body), and T.A.J.A (Theater at Jane Addams).

Jane Adams has a clear vision: “Everyone achieving, everyone accountable, everyone growing and learning — all the time.”

If You Move to Beacon Hill, Pick Mercer

One of the ideal scenarios would be to move to Beacon Hill. If you compromise and move into a smaller home, you’d be close to excellent elementary and middle schools, so you could stay put when it’s time for intermediate education. The same goes if you have one child entering elementary and another middle school. If so, be sure you choose Beacon Hill and kill two birds with one stone. And even if none of this is the case, Mercer is still worth considering.

Their primary mission is to make every student “a reader, writer, mathematician, scientist, and thinker.” They also have an out-of-school time program through which students can take part in various recreation activities. There are also extra-curricular activities organized by the Associated Student Body (ASB), which take place during school hours.

teacher reading The city encompasses some highly-ranked middle public schools, too, so be sure you do some research before you pick one.

Best High Schools Within the District

We’re sure you’ll be happy to hear that last year, four Seattle high schools ranked among 20 best in Washington. So, the best time of the year to move here is now and you can be sure there are excellent options no matter what part of the city you eventually relocate to. Let’s take a look at some of the top-ranked institutions you should consider first.

James A. Garfield Attracts Applicants From the Entire City

Often recognized as a rather diverse learning community, James A. Garfield is a popular choice among locals and newcomers alike. Their main mission is “to encourage critical thinking and compassion as a means of creating future leaders.”

This is one of the two options for highly gifted learners at this level, so there are several college-level classes. Students can also become part of various clubs and organizations. Some of the programs include drama, languages, robotics, and newspaper.

Roosevelt Is the Second-Largest High School in the District

Serving close to 1,700 students, Roosevelt is an above-average institution with a long history of superb results. Their mission is “to help all students build a strong educational foundation for success in life.” Roosevelt graduates are well-prepared for further education, but also for work. They are taught to be responsible citizens.

One of the best programs Roosevelt High offers is Hands for a Bridge program. Those who sign up for this one can choose to travel to Northern Ireland or South Africa, where they do some research about diversity and prejudice.

Students Learn Through Various Activities at Ballard

At Ballard, they believe that “engaging students in school through academies, pathways, performing arts, athletics and activities increases their learning opportunities.” So, if you pick this highly-rated institution for your teenager, you can be sure they’ll get access to a variety of activities to learn through them.

Some of the clubs include art club, 3D games club, Advanced Physics, Gender Studies and Beyblades, Debate Club, etc. In addition to the already established clubs and organizations, students can also give their own ideas for starting a new one.

kids in school With some of the best high schools in the entire state, the Emerald City is an excellent choice for teenagers.

Summary

Moving to a big city means that you don’t have to worry about the quality of education anymore, but you’ll have to find a way to reduce costs when moving. When you have decided where you should move, get started with your search for the best places to live in Seattle and find the cheapest way to move out of state. You can even move on to think about the best restaurants in Seattle to check out. Start planning your new life and look forward to it. If you’re wondering how to make friends in a new state, you can be sure that won’t be a problem either for you or your little ones. When you start planning, be sure you also consider the cost of living in Seattle, which can be somewhat high. With all of this information, adjusting to a new place won’t be hard.

Relocate With the Help of the Best Cross Country Moving Company

For any help with the relocation process alone, feel free to contact highly recommended professional Seattle movers to give you a hand, it will help you cope with stress when moving, or check out some moving day tips. Why would you waste your precious time on obtaining packing materials for moving when cross country movers who know every packing tip and trick can provide you with packing services and save you the trouble?

If you’re planning on looking up how car shipping works and transporting your vehicle across the country, too, you can also ask for auto transport services besides the standard moving services and have your vehicle delivered to the new address. There is always an option to pay less for professional services – sell and donate unwanted items or just ask what would be the cheapest time of the year to relocate and have an affordable and safe move.

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