Choice Schools

Discovery Community School

12801 84th Avenue NE, Kirkland 98034
Grades K-5

Visit website for information.

Emerson K-12

10903 NE 53rd Street, Kirkland 98033
Grades K-12
Choice school, not lottery-based

Contact school for more information.

Mission statement: Emerson K-12 is a community of families working in collaboration with the Lake Washington School District to ensure that each student will be prepared to lead a rewarding, responsible life as a contributing member of our community and greater society. 

Overview: Emerson K-12 is a Parent Partnership Program (PPP) designed to engage families interested in being active partners in their child(ren) instruction. Core and enrichment/elective classes are generally offered two days per week, with parents delivering instruction on the other days in partnership with certificated staff. Each student has an individualized learning plan that meets LWSD and state standards. We operate under the Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) part of Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 392.550. Many high school students also participate in WANIC, Running Start and/or their neighborhood school’s academic program. Our small size allows us to focus on individual student needs – and be responsive with interventions and/or accelerations as needed.

Mead STEM Program

1725 - 216th Ave NE, Sammamish 98074
Grades 1-5

This program is only open to students who reside in the Mead Elementary School attendance boundary.

Visit website for more information.

Environmental & Adventure School

8040 NE 132nd Street, Kirkland 98034
Grades 6-8
Choice school, lottery-based 

Mission statement: Students achieve academic, personal and social goals in a challenging educational program. The environmental focus encourages students to participate in creating and maintaining healthy environments for learning and living. Students benefit from a sense of belonging, purposeful learning, and opportunities to develop as leaders, stewards, and responsible citizens. 

Overview: EAS provides a challenging program based on an environmentally-focused, thematic and integrated curriculum infused with outdoor adventure-learning and community stewardship. EAS students apply skills and concepts from all subjects to investigating local watershed and global issues. They develop confidence and skills to work effectively as leaders, mentors and team members through a wide variety of outdoor activities and projects. This focus encourages purposeful learning. It provides connections to the community and opportunities to develop as leaders, stewards and responsible citizens. Students also participate in three, week-long adventure-education experiences built around school and academic goals. Parents apply their expertise and partner with EAS teachers to create and lead engaging elective offerings, challenging adventure-education rotations and other learning events.

Northstar Middle School

10903 NE 53rd Street, Kirkland 98033
Grades 6-8
Choice school, lottery-based 

Mission statement: To meet student learning objectives in an atmosphere that focuses on academic excellence, character and creativity. 

Overview: At Northstar, we believe students learn best in a small, caring community where individual talents can be recognized and nurtured, academic growth encouraged, and social development fostered. Northstar has four full-time teachers and a student body of nearly 90, with approximately 30 students per grade level. Students develop the positive perceptions of self, school and life that are the foundation for continued success. We emphasize academic excellence, personal responsibility and creativity. Experienced teachers work as a team to lead multi-age, theme-based classes. Parents participate by working cooperatively with teachers to sustain a cohesive learning community, provide enriching experiences and promote a love of learning.  We foster the unique aspects of each student and appreciate individual differences. Students are encouraged to connect to people in their community through service learning.

Stella Schola

13505 NE 75th Street, Redmond 98052
Grades 6-8
Choice school, lottery-based 

Mission statement: To provide an inclusive, comprehensive, challenging and engaging learning environment with high academic standards and character development through extraordinary school – family - community partnerships. 

Overview: Stella Schola encourages parents and community members to assist students in developing skills to become independent and self-sufficient adults who will succeed and contribute responsibly to a global community. The rich, comprehensive learning environment is based on historical themes with an emphasis on mastery learning for all students. By integrating as many subjects as possible into year-long historical themes, students learn from the past to make better choices and decisions in the future. Students have the same teacher for most of the school day, which enhances opportunities for integration of subject matter, helps promote curricular continuity, and increases the students’ sense of belonging during early adolescence. In-depth studies of the core subjects are emphasized. Students participate in a student-to-student mentoring program. Stella Schola’s unique schedule allows teachers to create a highly personalized environment for students. 

Cambridge Program

10601 NE 132nd Street, Kirkland 98034
Grades 9-12
Choice school, lottery-based 

Overview: The Cambridge Program at Juanita High School provides rigorous academic curriculum and assessment administered by the University of Cambridge in England, with an emphasis on development of higher-order thinking skills, problem solving, investigative and research skills. The Cambridge Program provides a rich, collaborative environment in which scholarship is the norm, with a focus on transition to competitive post-secondary institutions. Examinations in mathematics & sciences, languages, arts & humanities, and global perspectives lead toward the globally recognized Advanced International Certificate of Education.

Emerson K-12

10903 NE 53rd Street, Kirkland 98033
Grades K-12
Choice school, not lottery-based

Contact school for more information.

Mission statement: Emerson K-12 is a community of families working in collaboration with the Lake Washington School District to ensure that each student will be prepared to lead a rewarding, responsible life as a contributing member of our community and greater society. 

Overview: Emerson K-12 is a Parent Partnership Program (PPP) designed to engage families interested in being active partners in their child(ren) instruction. Core and enrichment/elective classes are generally offered two days per week, with parents delivering instruction on the other days in partnership with certificated staff. Each student has an individualized learning plan that meets LWSD and state standards. We operate under the Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) part of Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 392.550. Many high school students also participate in WANIC, Running Start and/or their neighborhood school’s academic program. Our small size allows us to focus on individual student needs – and be responsive with interventions and/or accelerations as needed.

International Community School

11133 NE 65th Street, Kirkland 98033
Grades 6-12
Choice school, lottery-based 

Mission statement: International Community School cultivates integrity, curiosity, complex reasoning, problem solving, and global awareness in every student with a rigorous, signature program of arts and sciences. 

Overview: The school’s focus is on six core integrated content areas with an emphasis on depth of understanding and interconnected learning: humanities, international studies, art, science, mathematics and foreign language. ICS emphasizes global awareness and having the capacity to incorporate the attitude, knowledge, and skills necessary to feel empathy for the human condition all over the world while acknowledging our perspective as one among many, realizing how we impact and are impacted by larger systems.