Students in the Lower School delve into a highly personalized, inquiry-based program under the guidance and care of talented teachers who honor and cherish childhood. Students learn in an environment of inquisitiveness and connectedness. At Bush we believe that learning through building, tinkering, creating, and playing opens a world of imagination and a passion for discovery that carries students through their entire lives.
School has started! This week we welcomed Lower School students back to campus for the 2021-2022 school year. We are so excited for all the learning, growth, play, and discovery that lies ahead!
The Bush Middle School program harnesses the growing capacity for critical thinking and self-awareness in young adolescents, meeting all students where they are and enabling them to find success in a progressive and demanding educational program.
Each student is provided a wide variety of opportunities in experiential learning that balances the pursuit of individual interests with risk-taking in new arenas. Learning extends beyond the classroom walls to encompass the collective goals of exploration, interaction, investigation, and service to the larger community.
Middle School faculty are expert guides on the journey from childhood to adolescence. During this time in life, the brain is more tuned to new experiences and more sensitive to change. At Bush, this is an opportunity to support student growth through positive challenges. Our Middle School faculty model trusting adult-student relationships, help students respond to stress, and create caring environments that support emotional and academic skill development.
Welcome back, Middle School! We are thrilled to have all grades on campus again and to welcome the Sixth Grade Class of 2028 and new students to Seventh and Eighth Grade. Students and teachers spent time in a special outdoor advisory, focused on community building, and prepared for the school year ahead.
In the Bush Upper School, students are asked to participate actively in learning, communities, and the world because we believe deep learning takes place inside and outside the classroom. Students are called upon to consider the greater good and learn about themselves in relation to others. They take risks, have real responsibility, and engage in service learning. These experiences are powerful tools for developing values, building confidence, and charting a path toward a life of purpose.
The best learning results from genuine connections between faculty and students. Through these critical relationships, students learn the art of collaborative work, independent research, advocacy, and authentic leadership. Faculty are encouraged to bring their full selves to the job, teaching their passions inside and outside of the classroom to create a program that is balanced and academically fulfilling.
The Upper School prepares students exceptionally well for college and for life, inspiring involved, active citizens who want to make a difference in the world.
Upper School students started the school year by heading off on grade-level retreats. Ninth Grade students traveled to the Olympic Peninsula for community building and planning for the start of Upper School, Tenth Grade students explored Seattle on day trips, Eleventh Grade students visited the University of Puget Sound campus before traveling to Vashon Island for an overnight stay, and the Class of 2022 traveled to the Bush Methow Campus in Mazama, WA for the start of their senior year.
