ETA: The new leadership team is amazing. The school went through some challenging times, but it's back to feeling like a home away from home again. read more

Think hard, don't lie to yourself... Does your child need a bit of support academically? Do you think they might? Do you want small class sizes? Are they on meds that need to be administered at school? Are they Neurodiverse (Dyslexic, Anxiety, ADHD, Autistic, Dyscalculia, etc.)? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, this school probably isn't for you. We really loved the school when the kid was younger. But, partway through the lower school, supports and amenities suddenly got a lot more scarce! The Middle School is even worse. Were the staff at fault? Usually not. Decisions were made and the kids that needed a bit of help paid the price. There isn't a school nurse. They have remodeled some of the specialist-type classrooms to convert them into classrooms. There has been quite a bit of staff leaving in the last 5 years. There isn't a real 9:1 kid to teacher ratio in practice, they use alternative accounting practices including counting staff members like the librarian (kids see the librarian for an hour or less per week while most teachers rush back to their rooms for preparation time leaving the librarian often alone with the kids). Teacher assistants in the lower school are not necessarily full time and are often pulled from class to cover teachers and things like playground duties. The administration is actively trying to add more students per class, and more classes overall, as all administrators are prone to do. In short, while it is a beautiful school, it isn't for everyone. Try not to be dazzled and ask the hard questions. See if this is right for your family. It is an expensive question to get wrong. read more

I can speak to the outdoor facilities, which are impressive. The campus is surrounded by lush green trees. Lots of parking available. We have been attending track and field events at Charles Wright this season. My kid loves competing at CWA. Beautiful campus. read more

See all

DeMeSHee Pye has been great in lower school admissions with CWA. My wife and myself are looking forward to meeting with her and our son to explore the campus and see if they are a fit for our family. We are excited for our sons future with CWA. read more

There are so many wonderful reasons why our family has chosen for our kids to be at CWA. The reasons include a strong sense of community, academics, inclusive sports program, continuous Spanish from K-12, comprehensive arts program and responsive, caring leadership. CWA has small class sizes which is conducive to supporting kids in the variety of ways they learn. read more

Trusting a school, the teachers, staff, other children and their families, is huge. In our decades of experiences with CWA, multiple generations have attended, thrived and considered Charles Wright a second home. I was disheartened to read some of the less positive reviews, as I can attest to the fact that most families are beyond grateful for the educational, social, emotional and experiential opportunities CWA fosters with the integrity enthusiasm and absolute dedication that a dream school could offer. The evolution of CWAs programming, including the growth and changes in leadership and faculty have all been beneficial and wonderful as the program just gets better and better each year. I've never known a more wonderful community than what CWA has created and fostered and I am so grateful to be able to have my children attend. If you're looking for the unicorn of educational institutions from PreK-12, you'll be more than impressed with Charles Wright Academy. read more

Love this school. I was skeptical as I was a public school kid & to be honest me and the wife battled about it. But now both our kiddos are there, and we will try our best to make ends meet so they can always be there. Faculty, the students, the campus & even other parents, they are vested at the very least monetarily & I am yet to meat a "meany mom" this being our fourth year there. Very thankful for this school. read more

The teachers are really terrible. We had a teacher that gave all the students mediocre grades because as you know in a private institution a teacher not on their probationary period gets reviewed every year to see if they retain their jobs or get "let go". One way they do this is give all the children average grades and then in the 2nd semester give them all great marks. It shows that the teacher took them from a low level and advanced them tremendously. Our particular teacher was on cruise control the whole time I started to guess she was nearing retirement and just did not care at all. We would ask her about the progress of our student and what we should be doing at home and she was extremely standoffish always asking people to make an appointment to speak with her. You couldn't ask her a direct question because she would hold back, give you a vague answer or would flat out give you a one worded answer like "good" or "great". She would send a worksheet home to fill out for homework for the whole month. However, she would send it home halfway through the month like she forgot to hand it out. We would ask her about and she would say "ohhhh it's not that important just something to fill out". The teachers are a hit or miss. Some are really great like any other school but they have to give up the grade levels they teach to other teachers with more tenure. Diversity is very limited and the kids are very snobby, most of them believe they earned their parents money. I would stray far from here for a good education. It's mediocre for the price. Definitely inquire as to how many of their students actually have gone to ivy league schools in the past five years and ask what ivy leagues they have gone to, I guarantee the staff will try to push you off to a private meeting with someone who can "better answer your questions". Lastly, it says their class sizes are 9:1 ratio, it's more like 18:1 ratio for most grades. Don't be afraid to ask parents "offline" about what Charles Wright is reallllly like. read more

Outstanding teachers. 100% college bound students. Very well rounded students who spend their years traveling abroad, participating in athletics, community service, hiking and camping trips, and art programs. The great environment was worth the tuition and long daily commute from kitsap county. read more

I have attended Charles Wright Academy since I was four years old. Now I am a Sophomore in Highschool, excited each day to wake up and advance in my education. Everyday I am thankful for the opportunity my parents have provided me with through CWA, from the independence to the teachers, I couldn't be happier. From my first day at CWA, I was given choices, a freedom to make my own decisions to further my understanding and create a more realistic environment of the "real world" I was being prepared to set foot in. This positive approach led me to find fault in my actions and remarkable fulfillment in my success; like Albert Einstein said, "A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new." As I matured and advanced each grade, new freedoms were introduced. Little glimpses into the "real world" like making my own decisions appeared to be normal as educational journeys to the Pioneer Farm, L'Arche (communities made up of people with disabilities) and Washington DC approached. We explored, made connections, and furthered our curiosity in the world. Then, I entered Middle School, we studied more and harder, we developed time management and persistence. We increased our stamina for our packed daily routines full of questions, classwork, competitive sporting events, and preparation for tests and quizzes. Our teachers I know are who kept us working. Of course they assigned us the strenuous academic work load, but it came down to the fact that we had a choice to do the work or not and 9 times out of 10, they were the ones encouraging and pushing us to make us succeed and live out our individual potentials. They didn't want to see our success for the hope of next week's paycheck or a promotion, they wanted to see their hard work pay off and more importantly, they wanted to see ours. That is something, I believe, you only find at Charles Wright. I entered last year as a Freshman with those same nervous yet, overly ecstatic feelings I remember on the first day of Middle School. My ambition had never been higher. Last year, I put my knowledge to the test and all my preparation from the previous years. I became Freshman Class President, joined Debate Club, Relay for Life, and Economics Club. I played soccer, basketball, and track and field. I was the captain for the JV basketball team and qualified for districts in track in three events. I received the Presidential Gold Community Service award and the BJ Award (an english award) and I submitted an art piece relating the functions of a plant cell to the Holocaust to the Holocaust Museum. Then summer came along, I spent one week learning parliamentary debate from the top coaches in America at Stanford University. I also was accepted into a three week long marine biology voyage in the Caribbean and earned 5 scuba diving certifications and 2 collage credits. At the age where I can actually apply my knowledge to the world, I know these success wouldn't have been possible without Charles Wright. The teachers, the freedom, the strenuous curriculum, the other students and the competitive sporting events as a whole pack could not be found anywhere else. It is a lot of fun and I would recommend it to everyone who wants the most well rounded preparation for life. read more

Charles Wright provides a nurturing environment where inspirational teachers meet kids at their academic level, instilling resilience and the love of learning. Students are happy in small, academically challenging, fun and emotionally safe classrooms. In addition to top-notch academics, unencumbered by standardized testing and common core issues, Charles Wright offers a huge menu of extra-curricular options that will keep your student excited, engaged and passionate about coming to school each and every day! Don't miss the best investment in your child's future. read more