Our School
Helen Taylor Bush, Founder
History, Mission & Philosophy
Mission & Philosophy
To spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities.
Our unique strength lies in our organization as a kindergarten through twelfth grade school. At Bush, children develop long-term relationships with adults and peers. Under the surface of an environment that teems with energy and change, the kindergarten through twelfth grade structure provides a sense of continuity, stability, and safety. Traditions form benchmarks where children both look ahead with anticipation to more complex roles and look back and support younger students taking roles that they once performed.
The three divisions of the school are organized around the developmental milestones reached during early childhood, young adolescence, and emerging adulthood. The Lower School spans grades kindergarten through five, the Middle School serves grades six through eight, and the Upper School educates grades nine through twelve.
Lower School
The Bush Lower School is committed to providing a challenging learning environment where child is nurtured academically, artistically, socially, emotionally, and physically. Teachers help students reach learning benchmarks by integrating the demands of a well-designed educational program with the needs and interests of individual students. An understanding of developmental differences and learning style differences informs the structure of our Lower School program, providing solid mastery of basic skills as well as hands-on learning experiences that broaden and stretch each student’s abilities and talents. The program emphasizes cooperative learning, as well as individual and competitive learning situations. Teachers are dedicated to the overall development of each child, offering a challenging program that provides opportunities for students to take risks, learn from successes and failures, and develop self-confidence based in achievement.
Middle School
The Bush Middle School program has been designed to meet the educational and personal developmental needs of students in grades six through eight. The goals of the program are to foster in students an enthusiasm for and skill in learning, self-confidence, a willingness to take responsibility for their actions, the capacity to cope with life circumstances, and the skills needed to develop productive personal relationships. The program of the Middle School is challenging, yet mindful of the remarkable changes that early adolescents undergo. Teachers are committed to the intellectual, emotional and social growth of students, and they interact with them in a variety of learning settings, establishing rich teacher-student relationships that transcend the classroom. For example, the Middle School “Activities” program provides a broad array of experiential and enrichment learning opportunities, designed to encourage in-depth pursuit of current interests and exploration new ones.
Upper School
Upper School students must develop a clear sense of their own identity, interests, skills, values, and character, as well as develop new relationships with families, friends, and school. Academically and intellectually, students must make the transition from concrete to abstract thinking, from trial and error to the testing of ideas and hypotheses. Upper school classes require problem solving skills, require students to utilize original sources, expect them to design experiments, apply acquired skills to new situations, and learn to work in groups and independently. The curriculum at Bush is rich in opportunity and choice. Our graduation requirements provide an introduction to a wide range of disciplines. At the same time, they leave substantial room for choice, for specialization, and for development of individual strength and talents. The Upper School gives students the responsibility and freedom to move from following rules to understanding and internalizing values. Students are asked to make real choices, and are allowed to make mistakes in an atmosphere of high expectations and general support so they can learn to deal with the conflicts between freedom and interdependence that will continue throughout adult life. They develop the skills, values, and confidence needed to balance the demands of competition and college preparation with the inherent values of intellectual curiosity and personal interests. They learn to be ethical members of a community.
History
In 1924 Helen Taylor Bush began a school in the playroom of her Denny Blaine home in Seattle. She sought to create an environment of beauty and hominess, rich in experiences and challenge, that fostered the overall development of her students. She trusted children. She believed that children become able to govern themselves. Her aim was to develop their self-confidence, and to spark a passion for learning and accomplishment. Her program embraced both family and community, in the belief that school must be the integrating force between the children's life in their families and their life in society.
We don't use that word [can't] at this school.
Sis Pease '41
Today The Bush School is an ongoing tribute to the beliefs and vision of its founder. Although we have expanded to a K - 12 student body of more than 500 boys and girls, we stand firm in the conviction that both the quality and quantity of learning grows dramatically in a rich and aesthetic environment; one where students are respected and valued; where students take an active role in their own education; and where challenges and hard work are tempered with communication, caring and humor. We continue to engage both family and the community in the development of our students as active and responsible citizens in a pluralistic democracy and global community. In the tradition of Helen Taylor Bush, the school continues to bring joy and academic challenge into harmony.