This school has been a game changer for my kids. Public school wasn't working for us, and private school tuition was out of reach. Neurodivergent and gender fluid kids and their families can find a welcoming and loving community here. My oldest transferred here to finish out their 5th grade year, as they were being beaten down by a public school setting that could not accommodate her needs. On day one at Bridge School I saw her relax and become themself again. Now our kindergartener goes to school at Bridge and loves it! The outdoor education component is especially important to us, as we spent their pre-K years at an outdoor preschool, and I wanted to continue fostering that love and connection with nature. All the teachers and staff care so deeply for each child, and do their best to meet them where they are at. Then there is the community of families here. I can't imagine facing the world and raising my children with a better, more open, and loving group of people. It's the chosen family of our dreams. If you are looking for a fresh start for your kid(s), and want to be part of a great community that loves and supports each other, join The Bridge School! read more

The Bridge School - Seattle, WA Our family joined The Bridge School with a deep belief in its mission: a cooperative learning environment grounded in restorative justice, clear communication, and community involvement. Sadly, our actual experience was far from what was advertised. From the beginning, we faced repeated challenges with understaffing, unclear expectations, and inconsistent communication. As caregiver volunteers, we often found ourselves performing janitorial work and covering critical supervision gaps with little support. These staffing issues culminated in a deeply troubling incident where our child was denied access to the bathroom during recess due to a lack of available adults -- resulting in a completely avoidable and traumatic accident. When we tried to address this respectfully with the teacher, we were shut out. Despite multiple attempts to reconcile, we were denied a conversation and told we could no longer volunteer in the classroom -- a painful blow, especially for a school that claims to value cooperative engagement. Even more disappointing was the school's failure to follow the very standards and principles it promotes. The leadership later acknowledged, in writing, that they lacked clear policies around volunteering, communication, and accountability. While they publicly promised relationship repair and structural improvements, none of those efforts were ever extended to our family. Out of concern for our children's well-being, we made the difficult decision to withdraw them from the classroom on most days and pay out of pocket for private tutoring to ensure continuity in their education. We sincerely hope The Bridge School takes its own commitments seriously moving forward -- but families deserve a school that operates with transparency, safety, and follow-through. Ours simply did not get that. -- A Bridge School Parent Family read more

The Bridge School is a fantastic school - both my kids go here. My seven year old is in five days a week, and my three year old is in the Friday half day program. It's a cooperative school - the first one we've been a part of - and the school has a high degree of parental involvement. So long as that works for you, and you are willing to put in the time needed (each family has a certain number of volunteer hours per month) this is a wonderful way of involving the parents in the day to day functions of the school. It helps us as parents meet other parents, and see what the school does first-hand. The co-op aspect helps keep costs down, which helps a great deal. My kids love going to school, which matters a lot to us. Both my wife and I believe play-based learning is the best way for kids to connect with the subject matter and The Bridge School excels at this. Every Wednesday my seven year old gets to spend most of the day at Seahurst Park, exploring and learning about the natural world. Sparking his curiosity is such a great first step for future learning! We would not hesitate to recommend The Bridge School to other families. read more

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Our family is starting our fifth year at the Bridge School Coop. When we were first looking at elementary schools for our young son, we had just experienced coop preschool and wanted to find a place with a similar sense of community and parent participation. Looking back on our experience so far we realize that we are lucky to have found this unique gem. The pandemic only confirmed that we had made the right decision to be part of this community. The school navigated the lockdown with a lot of grace and sensitivity. The teachers and staff made a great effort to keep the kids learning and engaged using outdoor classrooms and the outdoor education at Seahurst; while keeping safety at the forefront. In addition to learning math, reading and writing, our son has experienced a variety of learning opportunities from the outdoor education, Friday enrichment classes, musical theater, art projects, community events and summer camps. A strong foundation has been laid for our son, he truly enjoys learning and growing at the Bridge School and we all have a strong sense of being part of a rich and caring community. read more

It is our third year at the Bridge School and we are so grateful to have found it. My son is in 3rd grade and my daughter just entered Kindergarten. The small classes allow for individual attention from teachers and the multi-age classrooms provide children to learn at their own speed. Spending 1 day a week at Seahurst Park for outdoor education is amazing. I love how my children learn biology and geology literally with their hands while they are outdoors.  The school requires significant volunteer hours, but it creates an amazing sense of community. I know all my children's friends and their parents, which is wonderful. I would highly recommend this school for families wanting community engagement, small class sizes and personalized education. read more

My wife and I have been teaching in private and public schools for 13 years. The Bridge School is where we send our son. After a few years teaching abroad, we actually returned specifically to this area so he could go to The Bridge School. We love the child-centered approach, the small classes, the art, the music, and especially the dedicated outdoor education time. The approach to social-emotional development is also aligned with how we want our boy to develop into a compassionate, caring, curious human. At The Bridge School they allow kids to learn like kids, and we are able to be a part of that process. read more

This is our family's fourth year at Bridge. I cannot imagine my kiddos attending any other elementary program after being here. Yes, it is a labor of love and families run this school...but that's what makes it great! We have an amazing paid staff and the partnership between them, the parents, and the students is what makes Bridge what it is. We are all invested in all of our children. This school understands how children learn and what children need. Our outdoor program and theater program are both huge highlights of the Bridge experience. If you want a high quality experience for your child and are able to invest your heart and soul but cannot afford one of the more expensive private schools then this may be your spot. Tuition is kept low because parents share much of the work and financial aid helps fill in the gaps for a number of dedicated families. Come take a tour and see what this school is all about!! We'd love to have you join us. read more