Spruce St. School in Seattle | Military Town Advisor

Posted: December 28, 2024

Our daughter has attended Spruce Street School since kindergarten; she is now half-way through 4th grade. She charges into school each morning, fired up for the day's activities and doesn't want to leave in the afternoon (the school offers an extended-day program once the school day ends). She reports enthusiastically on what she did that day on the ride home. And she enjoys the summer camp which Spruce Street hosts. Teacher and staff retention is extraordinary: something on the order of ~15 years, with the head-of-school and several teachers past the 20+ year mark. The school has a robust intern / training / student teacher program, in which aspiring teachers can work in the extended-day program, as support staff in the classrooms, and as a student teacher assigned to a particularly level. This plus in-service training keeps new ideas flowing into the curriculum. [Each grade level consists of two classrooms plus two senior teachers, sharing a student teacher between them.] From a parental perspective, the school presents as a highly-organized, tightly-knit team: consistent messaging, consistent curriculum, consistent communication. We particularly appreciate their execution on their diversity value: in our understanding, within the independent school community, Spruce Street stars in terms of income, ethnic, academic, and neurodiverse students, with highly-capable students rubbing shoulders with kids accompanied by in-class helpers, students whose parents pay the entire bill rubbing shoulders with parents who qualify for nearly 100% financial support.

When we were touring schools looking for a kindergarten for our daughter, a current parent wryly remarked to us: "My advice: of course you are looking for a school which fits your kid ... but also ask yourself: can you stand being around these parents you are meeting for the next handful of years?" When we toured Spruce Street, our answer was a resounding "yes": there is something low-key, informal, and upbeat about Spruce Street parents which appeals to us. You spend a lot of time with other parents -- at play dates, at school events, volunteering -- we enjoy the time we spend with the parent community.

Posted: February 16, 2024

We've been at Spruce Street several years now, and I finally feel qualified to leave a review. Spruce Street is a great school, and here's why:

- Competent administration. The staff at this school seem very organized. They don't miss much, and they communicate well. Many admin staff have been with the school a long time. They are also genuinely pleasant, and always thoughtful about what they're doing.

- Swiss army knife programming. For such a small school, Spruce Street does a lot. Every year and in every grade, Spruce Street offers music, art, class plays, camping trips, fun electives, Spanish, PE, field trips, and weekly walks to a local park. There are several charming school traditions, like celebrating the 100th day of school. And even though they don't have a dedicated makerspace, they still do plenty of STEM projects like egg drops and propulsion challenges.

- Low homework load. The kids discuss books at school together in small groups, like a book club, so they are required to read books at home with their parents. They are also supposed to have playdates with every kid in their (small) class. When it's time for the class play, they're supposed to practice lines at home. That's pretty much all their homework.

- Curriculum. One thing I like is that they use themes, like birds or boats or ancient Greece, to help bring together different subjects. I like that they teach phonics, and that they teach cursive. Students don't use computers at all until 4th grade, and then only minimally.

- SEL. This school was doing SEL before SEL was cool. It won't make your kids perfect angels, but it does get them used to dealing with other kids in a largely respectful way.

- Looping. Kids stay in the same classroom for two years at a time, so the teachers have a chance to really get to know each kid.

- Wonderful teachers. Several of them have been at the school 20+ years, and they are truly lovely people.

- Small class sizes.

- Great, active parent community.

- Inclusiveness. The school offers financial aid, and a wide variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds are represented at the school. Families are invited to share their culture at school, through classroom visits from the parents, through presentations by the kids, through snacks, and through putting their own twist on volunteer opportunities.

No school is perfect, and I do have my quibbles, but this one is a gem.

Posted: January 23, 2024

Talented, and genuinely devoted faculty who have been with the school for 12 years+! A good handful including the head has been at Spruce for over 20 years! The community at this school is supportive, kind and fun. Communication from the school is transparent, regular and clear. In my time as a staff member at Spruce, families would report how much their children looked forward to being at school. This is a special, magical place.

Posted: November 2, 2023

Spruce Street School has been a fantastic educational and community experience for our family. We have three very different children and they each found a home at Spruce Street School. The teaching staff is exceptional and there has been very little turnover in our decade-plus experience. The project-based learning expertly fostered our childrens intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. There is a huge emphasis put on social-emotional learning which provides the students with a common language to work through the ups and downs of friendships and understand their role in the broader community. Two of our children have special learning needs and the teachers were great at communicating with us on what accommodations they could provide and what outside assistance we might need. We always felt like we were in a partnership with the teachers in working through these challenges. The administration is small but mighty. Communication between staff and families is excellent. Nothing happens by chance; everything is well thought out and intentional. There are numerous opportunities for parent/guardians to volunteer and socialize with other families. At Spruce Street School you are not just sending your child to school, you are joining a community. Our kids went on to both private and public schools based on their individual needs. The lessons they took from Spruce Street School continue to serve them well.

Posted: June 26, 2022

Our child wants to go to school almost every single day. And each day, once we arrive, she barges into school in the morning, and drags her feet when we leave in the afternoon. She is so enthuasiastic that we enroll her in the after-school program and the summer camp program; when we pick her up, we take advantage of opportunities to walk a few blocks to Triangle Park and extend the day even further with an ad hoc playdate. At the end of the day, her enthusiasm is what makes this place so attractive to us. When we walk into the school at drop-off or pick-up, or for volunteering opportunities, the place is full of excited chatter, happy kids works on this or that project -- it is hard to quit grinning, the energy levels are so upbeat.

We attend many of the ad hoc playdates-in-the-park organized by parents on weekends, at playgrounds around the city and particularly appreciate the opportunity to share the highs and lows of child-raising with other parents. The school provides plenty of volunteering opportunities and organizes numerous events where parents get to spend even more time together -- marimba performances, theater productions, family meetings organized at the grade-level or even the all school level.

We particularly appreciate diversity -- frankly, this is hard in Seattle, at an independent school, but as of this writing, Spruce Street does particularly well compared to its peer group, from neurodiversity to skin tone diversity: we have dark skin color in our family. And our daughter acquired an ADHD diagnosis in her second year at Spruce Street: the teacher team shifted gear effortlessly, as far as we could tell, adjusting their teaching techniques and integrating with the combined coaching and medication program we introduced.

The administrative and teaching team have been together for years -- in some cases, decades -- and the tight team dynamic which results shines through clearly: this is a highly-effective team, reslient to the face of novel conditions (e.g. COVID), effective at communicating weekly via newsletters, parent-teacher conferences, and ad hoc encounters with parents in the school.

Posted: June 26, 2022

Posted: November 18, 2020

This school is the bee's knees. After having cycled through both public and private schools with our two children in Seattle, I feel uniquely qualified to write this objective review! What makes Spruce Street School unique is the fact that the staff are skilled at balancing high academic standards for the kids with a solid emotional/social curriculum. The students here are known (and dare I say loved). Their unique talents and differences are celebrated. Our son is bright, and he is stretched academically but also allowed to be the creative, silly, fun-loving child that he is at his core.

The school does fabulous project-based learning, as well. For example, last year in 4th grade our son participated in a mock trial at the federal courthouse with an actual judge presiding. The kids were lawyers, witnesses, jury, etc. It was mind-bending to comprehend the level of engagement and instruction the teachers undertook to choreograph the experience for the kids. As a parent observing the trial, I was blown away. The kids at Spruce rise to these challenges and expectations, but always while having fun along the way. Our son has grown exponentially in all the right ways at this school, and we will be forever grateful to have landed here.

While this part of the review may eventually (hopefully!) become dated, during the pandemic Spruce Street School has managed their response in such a thoughtful, communicative and supportive way. The school quickly pivoted to online learning in the spring of 2020, with the teachers maintaining an incredible degree of positivity, creativity and focus. It is far from ideal to have elementary school kids learning via zoom, but we felt lucky to be at Spruce, where so much work went into making the program work. And then in the fall of 2020, our kids went back to in-person learning, following strict covid safety protocols. The head of school has worked closely with the health department throughout the return to school, and things have thus far (12 weeks in) been seamless. My son is so happy to be back in the classroom learning alongside his peers. I'm not sure that every school could pull this off, but the staff are dedicated and the families are committed to making it happen in a safe and healthy way.

Posted: November 18, 2020

Posted: August 12, 2020

Spruce street has been a great school for our family. The leadership is incredible and always one step ahead of any challenges facing the school (this especially evident when covid hit us). The teachers show so much passion and excitement for their trade and for the success of students. Teacher churn is minimal (once again 100% of the teaching staff returned). The mixed grade classrooms provide opportunities for the student to be both experts and novices so they can practice both giving and taking advice. Students learn a wide range of skill, both academic and social which is so critical at this age. Spruce has been a great fit for our family. I have recommended Spruce Street to several of my friends and the ones that took my advice are so happy they did.

Posted: January 29, 2019

The social-emotional learning program ends up making the kids very aware of the idea of bullying, but averse to doing it themselves.

Posted: January 29, 2019

I have two children at Spruce Street- one in first grade, one about to graduate- and I am very happy with the experience we have had as a family. The level of insight the teachers collectively have into each student, their sharing of that insight with parents (through really detailed and thoughtful report cards as well as formal and informal meetings), and their use of that insight to shape each child's experience is incomparably better than anything my wife or I have experienced ourselves- and we went to schools that were and are considered very good private and public schools.

Posted: January 29, 2019

Spruce Street School has two types of homework: Reading & playdates (which children are strongly encouraged to have with every person in their class at least once per school year). Both complement Spruce Street's focus on building social & emotional skills.

Posted: January 29, 2019

Teachers are effective both because (1) they are individually competent (2) the low student:teacher ratio and (3) all teachers are observing, discussing, and helping each student learn and grow.

Posted: January 29, 2019

This is what sets Spruce Street School apart: Its focus on social & emotional skills. The processes in the school, from how they choose each entering class to the graduation ceremony, are set up to impart these skills to students.

Posted: January 29, 2019

Spruce Street School selects students who have a wide variety of strengths and challenges, which include learning differences. The teachers are experienced with helping students who have these challenges- in fact, Spruce Street helped us discover that one of our children has ADHD.

Posted: January 28, 2019

With the social/emotional training, the students are taught how to handle unwanted comments or physical contact, but on the rare occasions that this happens, they have a solid foundation of being able to stop and think, "What made them behave this way?" and then they have a conversation about the situation like tiny adults. It is incredible to witness.

Posted: January 28, 2019

My eldest daughter has ADD, so there a few obstacles in the way that she learns. The teachers not only recognize it, but work with her individually and use multiple strategies to help her understand and learn. Not only do they give spectacular individual attention in an academic capacity, but they care about the students as humans and want to help them. One of my children has a people-pleasing issue and can become a doormat quickly. Her teacher has noticed this and recognized it and regularly encourages her to stand up for herself, reminds her that her feelings are important and she shouldn't feel obligated to do something just because someone tells her to. I appreciate this so much because it does worry me having a child with "victim" written on their forehead. It is immensely helpful having a respected adult reinforce the ideas and lessons that we already have at home.

Posted: January 28, 2019

Briel, the head of the school, has such a clear and strong vision for the methods with which the students' whole beings are nurtured and supported. She seems to have the goal to instill every child with the strongest sense of self, to go forward with confidence in their own skills and abilities and each member of the staff works arduously to see this through. One of my favorite parts of this school's curriculum is the social/emotional lessons that they have every day. They teach things like empathy, sympathy, understanding and handling their emotions, and coping mechanisms for stress or anxiety. They fully encourage every child to have patience and understand their peers before dismissing them or squabbling. The emotional lessons help each child see where the other students are coming from and these lessons of compassion help everyone thrive harmoniously every day. I have yet to hear of any instances of bullying or exclusion and this is our third year at the school. I'm unbelievably grateful for the way they are shaping my children as the future of this world.

Posted: January 28, 2019

Every single staff member at Spruce Street is professional, caring, confident, competent, and compassionate. The number one priority for every team member is the children. They all sincerely value the students' academic success as well as their emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

Posted: January 28, 2019

As a parent of a child with a slight learning challenge, I can say they go above and beyond to support the students in every way possible. The attention to different learning requirements and styles is outstanding.

Posted: January 28, 2019

I love Spruce Street more than I can express and my children do, too. This school changed our lives. My children were miserable at their last school, dreading every single day of school and me dreading every day after school. Then they went to Spruce where the classes are half the size with twice as many teachers and they are thoroughly nurtured as humans.
Now my kids are sad when they have to miss school and are excited every Sunday night at the thought of returning. We have so much more free time for family activities and playing because kids just need to be kids.

Posted: January 28, 2019

At the previous school that my children attended, they each had multiple sheets of homework beginning in Kindergarten. For two small children just starting to learn these concepts and having multiple sheets, the time that it consumed *after* they got home from school was usually over an hour. Add this to the fact that they didn't get home until 4pm and the result was zero time for family, fun, or just being children. At Spruce, they believe in, support, and encourage the concept of children being children. There is no homework except for a tiny bit of reading a few weeks during the year and I cannot stress the difference this made in our lives.

Posted: January 24, 2019

Excellent all around. Spruce Streets multiage classrooms, social emotional foundation, and small size were the initial draw for our family. With each interaction we felt more a part of the community. Authentic. Intentional. Kind. My son LOVES learning and I love that.

Posted: January 24, 2019

No homework for elementary students yes!

Posted: January 24, 2019

Spruce Street has built thoughtful, caring, cohesive, strong, and community focused staff.

Posted: January 24, 2019

They are focused on supporting the growth and development of global citizens.

Posted: January 24, 2019

Posted: January 23, 2019

School follows Second Step social/emotional training. Kids learn effective methods for combatting bullying and how to treat each other with respect from the first day on.

Posted: January 23, 2019

School committed to diversity and that includes neurodiversity. Only place I know that ACTUALLY walks the walk on this. They are willing to partner with outside specialists if needed. Really accepting of kids with learning differences.

Posted: January 23, 2019

Very high - I would highly recommend this school

Posted: January 23, 2019

very little homework assigned (backed by data that shows it is not effective)

Posted: January 23, 2019

Teachers stay up on continuing education, all have education backgrounds, teachers truly know each and every student at the school. Teachers willing to work with outside specialists if that is best for the student

Posted: January 23, 2019

School does Second Step for social/emotional learning, integrates it in all they do. Great place for your kids to receive this kind of support/teaching

Posted: January 23, 2019

Leadership is very engaged, every decision is made intentionally

Posted: October 17, 2018

The school implements a social-emotional learning curriculum that addresses many social dynamics that kids deal with at school, including bullying. The kids learn skills around how to deal with these situations and they also develop a sensitivity towards being inclusive to all community members.

Posted: October 17, 2018

We loved being members of the Spruce Street School community. The staff and leadership clearly love what they do and that sets the tone for a very positive school environment. My son thrived here both academically and socially.

Posted: October 17, 2018

There is minimal homework given at Spruce Street School. This policy allows kids to work hard during the school day and then go off to explore other aspects of life as a kid. Overall this worked well for our family. There can be an adjustment to the demands of daily homework when students transition to middle school.

Posted: October 17, 2018

We loved the teachers at each level at Spruce Street School! They are positive, energetic, and creative. My son learned a lot and had a great time here.

Posted: October 17, 2018

The students learn to take responsibility for their actions and words and to care about the feelings of others.

Posted: October 17, 2018

The school leadership team is very strong and well-organized. It's a solid institution that feels healthy and transparent.

Posted: October 17, 2018

The teachers pay close attention to the students and are aware of the signs of learning differences. They communicate well with parents on these issues and they provide a supportive learning environment for students to try out strategies that will help them succeed.

Posted: October 15, 2018

Social emotional growth of and well being of children are at the core of Spruce Street. Its unlike any school we have ever been a part of; where children are universally kind and treat one another with respect.

Posted: October 15, 2018

Our entire family loved being a part of this very special community. Our daughter blossomed under the caring, exceptional teaching staff. We would have stayed forever if it had been an option.

Posted: October 15, 2018

Spruce Street advocates for kids working hard during the school year and playing hard afterwards. Homework is meaningful and manageable.

Posted: August 8, 2018

This school prioritizes the right things for the right reasons (and at the right time).

Posted: August 8, 2018

The teachers take great care in understanding each child- their motivations, their character, their stregths and weeknesses. Then they teach to each child, not to some amorphous group.

Posted: August 8, 2018

This school focusses a lot of energy on social emotional issues, and it shows- the kids learn how to treat each other and how to work out differences. The oldest kids (the kids that will be "moving on") are so kind in their dealings with the youngest kids- it is really lovely to watch!

Posted: August 8, 2018

The leadership are caring and down to earth- they get to know every incoming student as an individual, and then stay involved in their development throughout their time at this school. They really set the tone and make this school the gem that it is!

Posted: August 8, 2018

The multi-age classrooms mean that for each skill, the kids are in small mixed-age groups- so each student is met where they are on each skill; kids that are ahead are able to be challenged, and kids that are behind get the help they need without being made to feel bad. This has been a huge benefit for my little- she would otherwise hold herself back on skills she is ahead on (and beat herself up over skills she needs extra work on).

Posted: August 8, 2018

Kids that may otherwise be inclined to bully, are instead supported in their learning of compassion and working issues out together through the social-emotional learning focus of this school.

Posted: August 8, 2018

Our little one is thriving at this school- she is excited about going to school and we are so glad she is there! Our whole family appreciates how supportive this school is; the administration is extremely intentional about creating a community among the families and staff members inside of which these kids are blossoming- both academically and socially. The multi-age classrooms mean that for each skill, the kids are in small mixed-age groups- so each student is met where they are on each skill; kids that are ahead are able to be challenged, and kids that are behind get the help they need without being made to feel bad.

Posted: January 17, 2018

Our daughter attended Spruce Street School kindergarten through fifth grade. SSS creates a nurturing, supportive, and intentional learning experience. Our daughter's transition to Middle School was stellar in part due to the care and attention from the whole SSS team!

Posted: December 6, 2017

Both my kids attended SSS and as a result were both well prepared for middle school. The school provided the small classes and individual attention that they needed. They loved going to school and there were regular things each year they looked forward to (electives, Arts Week, the plays, Elder's Tea, etc). It really was the perfect start for their social-emotional learning journey. Academically it could have been more challenging but I feel the elementary school years are really about developing the foundation of confidence, compassion, and kindness.

Posted: February 11, 2014

If I could give Spruce Street School an extra star, I would. We love the school! The teachers are thoughtful, creative, engaging and fun. The curriculum is top notch. Most importantly my 2 children love going to school. They routinely come home excited about a project they are working on, an elective they just joined, or a new song they are learning in music. The teachers and administration are communicative and responsive. We have found it easy to get time with the teachers face-to-face, by e-mail and when needed, by phone. We are routinely blown away by the thoughtful report cards and in-depth conferences. It's clear that the teachers have a good sense of each child's strengths and weaknesses and work hard to support their learning styles. Lastly we really appreciate the parent body and the collective effort the entire school puts forth to make Spruce Street School a great community.

Posted: January 17, 2014

I can possibly call this the worst school ever. I have so many bones to pick with this school, I can't fit them all into one review. I enrolled my daughter in 2nd grade. She was in a class with many 3rd graders that were taking over the class. During math, my child (with a few others) was declared as 'not able'. She would sit in a small group at a separate table from the class. While other kids (mostly 3rd graders) would work on long division, my child would be adding simple numbers. Equations like 20+4= or 13+3=. I was/am still disgusted. The teachers left behind my child while others where thriving in class. Never got called on to read in class, not given the same work, told that she wasn't trying hard enough. These are the stories that would come home from my child, friends, and other parents. In conclusion, DON'T BE FOOLED. When I saw the marimba playing kids or the impressive playground on the roof, I thought my child would some day be alumni of Spruce Street School. But instead, I got no eye contact during the car ride home, with no smiles and laughter. Please, spare your kids.

Posted: June 25, 2012

Spruce Street is an incredible, gem of a school. Everything positive said here, I completely agree with and more! They do accept more "kids with challenges" than other private schools (meaning they accept a few, maybe one or less per class), but this only serves to add an element of diversity that all kids benefit from, and opportunities to learn and develop social skills for a diverse world community. While my kid isn't considered "challenging," I've only heard positive things from those with challenging kids, and have seen a lot of individual attention and planning directed to those kids. My only complaint would be around dealings with lice: we have gotten it from school more times than friends I know at other schools, and the school doesn't do much in the way of curtailing it--they only rarely even report its existence when notified. A once or twice annual school-wide check, easily and cheaply conducted by a local lice removal company, would do the trick.

Posted: June 6, 2012

Spruce Street has excellent teachers and leadership. It really does attract a diverse student body, in every sense of the word. My child excelled there. Best thing was the experience based learning that is the total opposite of the test factory we see in ALL public schools. Instead kids are given the space to develop true lifelong learning and pursue things that are truly interesting. My child is now a middle schooler and is doing great. Thank you Spruce Street!

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Manette	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	13.1 mi
2	Blueberry Meadows	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	13.9 mi
3	The Carriages at Fairwood Downs	Apartment Complex	Renton	WA	14.6 mi
4	The Reserve at Bucklin Hill	Apartment Complex	Silverdale	WA	15.8 mi
5	Meredith Heights	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Poulsbo	WA	15.8 mi
6	Caldart Cottages	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Poulsbo	WA	16.3 mi
7	Kitsap Lake	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	17 mi
8	Fairway Lane	Apartment Complex	Bremerton	WA	17.2 mi
9	The Ridge at McCormick Woods	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Port Orchard	WA	17.5 mi
10	McCormick Woods	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Port Orchard	WA	18 mi
11	Whisper Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	18.5 mi
12	Woods and Meadows	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Poulsbo	WA	19 mi
13	Mukilteo	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Mukilteo	WA	22.8 mi
14	Stadium District	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Tacoma	WA	24.2 mi
15	North End	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Tacoma	WA	24.6 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Downtown Seattle	Seattle	WA	0.4 mi
2	Bainbridge Island	Bainbridge Island	WA	8.7 mi
3	East Bremerton	Bremerton	WA	13.5 mi
4	Port Orchard	Port Orchard	WA	14.7 mi
5	Ridgetop	Silverdale	WA	16.3 mi
6	Silverdale	Silverdale	WA	16.9 mi
7	Poulsbo	Poulsbo	WA	16.9 mi
8	Naval Base Kitsap	Poulsbo	WA	17.8 mi
9	Lakeness Meadows/ Vinland Area	Poulsbo	WA	20.1 mi
10	Maple Valley	Maple Valley	WA	21.9 mi

Base	Distance
Coast Guard Seattle	1.2 mi.
Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton	14.7 mi.
Naval Base Kitsap Bangor	19 mi.
Everett Naval Station	26.9 mi.
McChord AFB	34.3 mi.
Fort Lewis	37.8 mi.

Spruce St. School

Seattle, WA 98101

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