Listed below are important Opening Days in August and early September. 
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the name listed or contact communications@seattleacademy.org. 
 

monday, august 30, and Tuesday, august 31

6th Grade Student Orientation 

• 9 AM - 2 PM
• 6th grade athletes will turn out for fall trimester sports on Tuesday afternoon.
• More details to come!
• Questions? Contact Danae Howe, Assistant Head of Middle School

wednesday, september 1

7th Grade Student Orientation 

• 9 AM - 2 PM
• 7th grade athletes will turn out for fall trimester sports in the afternoon.
• More details to come!
• Questions? Contact Danae Howe, Assistant Head of Middle School

wednesday, september 1

Middle School New Family Kick Off

• Doors open at 6:30pm; presentation begins at 7:00 PM
•  

• On campus in Middle School and Upper School Gyms

• Please join us for the new family kickoff where we will share some details about what to expect as your student transitions to Middle School. We will touch on developmental changes you may notice as well as some practical information about what to expect in the first days of school from rising the bus to lunch and after-school study hall. *We will be recording this event for those parents who prefer not to attend in person gatherings at this time. 

• Questions? Contact Danae Howe, Assistant Head of Middle School
   

thursday, september 2

8th Grade Student Orientation 

• 9 AM - 2 PM
• 8th grade athletes will turn out for fall trimester sports in the afternoon.
• More details to come!
• Questions? Contact Danae Howe, Assistant Head of Middle School

thursday, september 2

9th and 10th Grade Student Orientation 

• 9 AM - 2 PM
• More details to come!
• Questions? Contact Jarad Gifford, Assistant Head of Upper School

thursday, september 2

9th Grade Parent Meeting

• Doors open at 6:30pm; presentation begins at 7:00 PM

• On campus in Middle School and Upper School Gyms

• Please join us for the 9th grade Parent/Guardian Meeting. We will introduce you to members of the Upper School team and other faculty who will be supporting your student as they navigate through the Upper School, talk with you about what to expect as your student transitions to 9th grade, and share some logistical nuts and bolts you need to know. We also hope you will be able to talk with some other parents as you begin this chapter together. *We will be recording this event for those parents who prefer not to attend in person gatherings at this time. 

• Questions? Contact Jarad Gifford, Assistant Head of Upper School

friday, september 3

11th and 12th Grade Student Orientation

• 9 AM - 2 PM
• More details to come!
• Questions? Contact Jarad Gifford, Assistant Head of Upper School

Monday, September 6

NO CLASSES – Labor Day Holiday

Tuesday, September 7

NO CLASSES – Rosh Hashanah Holiday

wednesday, September 8

First Full Day of School – ALL GRADES 

• 8:15 AM - 3 PM
• Middle School and Upper School sports continue at 3 PM. 
• Questions? Contact communications@seattleacademy.org.

Seattle Academy’s academics pair traditional areas of study with innovative curriculum, projects, and performances. Across classrooms, students take an inquiry-based approach to learning, allowing questions to drive both teacher-led and student-led investigations.

SCHEDULES WILL BE AVAILABLE ON SEPTEMBER 2.
 

Textbooks

• Textbooks for the fall trimester will be mailed to students’ homes the last two weeks of August. Please verify that your address is correct in MyBackpack and make any necessary changes by August 11. If your family would like these books delivered to another address because you will be out of town, please email registrar@seattleacademy.org by August 11 at 3 PM.

Learn More About the CURRICULUM At Seattle Academy.

The Arts Department—consisting of Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual & Media Arts—believes that all students are intrinsically creative, and our goal is to create the environment and curriculum that develops that creativity. Through instruction that integrates learning across all departments, the Arts Department champions the school's Culture of Performance and teaches the skills and mindsets that prepare students to confidently approach and creatively solve the complex problems and opportunities of today’s world.

Learn more about the ARTS Program at Seattle Academy.

Seattle Academy Athletics offers an inclusive, no-cut program that invites students of all skill levels to participate in our team sports offerings. At the same time, we’re just as passionately committed to supporting excellence, fielding teams that operate at the highest level of competition or performance.

The 2021-22 plan is to have three traditional seasons; Fall, Winter and Spring. We are required to follow all state health guidelines keeping the health and safety of our student-athletes as our number one priority. 

Department of Health guidelines were released earlier this week regarding potential testing requirements for non-vaccinated athletes participating in high-risk indoor sports. Information will be forthcoming about those requirements. Families should submit proof of vaccination status or request an exemption through safety@seattleacademy.org by August 1 to be able to participate in athletics. 

August 23 - September 7 calendar for athletics will be available next week.

QUICK NOTES:

• Both Middle School and Upper School students MUST have an updated physical on Magnus Health account in order to begin participating in Athletics.
• Upper School athletes must complete 10 practices before competing in a contest.
• Individual sports emails will be sent home to students that have requested to be on the interest lists with OPENING DAY practices.

The Athletics Department is happy to answer questions. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of our team members. 

Onward Cardinals!

Cathy Schick, Athletic Director
Shaun Burl, Middle School Athletic Director
Marc Moquin, Assistant Athletic Director
Hilary O'Dougherty, Assistant Athletic Director

Learn more about the ATHLETICS PROGRAM at Seattle Academy.

9th Grade College Communication (July 2021)
10th Grade College Communication (July 2021)
11th Grade College Communication (July 2021)
12th Grade College Communication (July 2021)

VIEW COLLEGE ADVISING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS HERE

Learn More About the College Advising Program At Seattle Academy.

All current Seattle Academy students will have their school photo taken during orientation days on campus. This school picture will be used for: 

• SAAS ID Card - distributed at school after picture day
• SAAS Yearbook - smile and look your best! 
• School Records - must adhere to standards: no hats, sunglasses, etc.
• Your Personal Use - share with friends & family!

FALL PICTURE DAYS

• 6th Grade - Tuesday, August 31
• 7th Grade - Wednesday, September 1
• 8th, 9th, and 10th Grade - Thursday, September 2
• 11th and 12th Grade - Friday, September 3

HOW TO PREORDER

1. Visit https://RowlandStudio.GotPhoto.com/prepay
2. Enter your school’s name (Seattle Academy), then your information to login.
3. Add student's information and confirm it matches the record found.
4. After adding all students, click "Shop Products" to complete your purchase.

Please note: All picture orders will be shipped directly to you at the address entered on the order. Please ensure accuracy.

ORDERING AFTER PICTURE DAY

Your student will receive a card when they have their photo taken. The card will have a code and instructions to order online, along with a QR code you can scan to take you right to the site. Please note that it may take up to a week for all photos to be processed and uploaded for viewing and ordering. All print packages, photo products, and digital copies will be available to purchase through the site.

For any questions, please contact our Rowland Studio at info@rowlandphoto.com

or SAAS Communications at communications@seattleacademy.org.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR TRANSPORTATION PAGE

We will have a two staggered drop-off times for the Fall Trimester. Drop-off times are by grade, not by alphabet.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Middle School students will be dropped off along 13th Avenue between 7:50 and 8:00 AM.
• 6th grade students will enter through the main Middle School entrance on 13th.
• 7th and 8th grade students will enter through the garage Middle School entrance. 

UPPER SCHOOL

• Drop-off times for Upper School are from 8:00 - 8:10 AM.
• Upper School students can be dropped off along 13th Avenue, in front of the Madison Building, or in front of the Temple Building depending on the location of their Block 1 and 2 classrooms.
• Upper School students should enter the main door of the building of their Block 1 or 2 classes. 

BUS RIDERS (SAAS and PUBLIC), CARPOOLS, AND STUDENT DRIVERS

• SAAS buses will arrive on E Spring Street around 8 AM. Students will exit the bus, check in, and then proceed to the building where their first block will be held.
• Those students riding public transportation can arrive according to their bus schedule. 
• Carpools should drop off students on 13th at 8 AM.
• Juniors and seniors with parking permits should plan to arrive at 8 AM and proceed to their first block classroom.

Classes will end at 3 PM for all students. 

• Middle and Upper School students not participating in after school activities or taking SAAS bus transportation will be picked up from 13th Avenue (if student’s 7th or 8th block is on the 12th Avenue block) or from Temple-15th Avenue (if student’s 7th or 8th block is in the Temple) or Madison (if student’s 7th or 8th block is in Madison) between 3:00 and 3:15 PM.
• Middle and Upper School students riding the bus will remain in their 7th or 8th grade block until 3:15 PM. At 3:15 PM they should go to 13th Avenue and check in before loading on the buses. 
• Middle School athletes will go directly to the Middle School gym with the exception of volleyball players who will be assigned a team room where they should report. Once in the gym, students will divide into teams, have attendance taken, and then proceed to 13th Avenue to load buses for practices/games.
• Upper School athletes will receive further instructions from their coaches regarding meeting locations.  
• Those students participating in other after-school activities (such as rehearsals, clubs, or student halls) can proceed directly to that location.  

Please visit our Safe at SAAS webpage for the most up to date information. 

The lessons we all learned from engaging in combinations of fully remote, hybrid, and on-campus learning in the 2020-21 school year have shown that as a SAAS community we are adaptable and resilient when it comes to teaching and learning. As we approach the 2021-22 school year, our primary goal is to provide learning experiences that are meaningful, engaging, and consistent for our students in the physical classroom setting. 

We are committed to delivering our academic program established in our guiding principles: Prepare Students for College and Life, Know the Kid, Culture of Performance, and Inclusive Community. We know that clarity of academic expectations, availability for instructional support, and access to teachers and adult mentors are critical for students to be able to experience scholastic success and emotional well-being.

Growing our relationships in the classroom and providing a safe, predictable, and supportive environment for students is essential in this time of uncertainty. We continue to live and learn against the backdrop of a global health crisis, and we understand that although we expect the majority of students to return to campus, this may pose a particular hardship for some families in our community resulting in the need for remote attendance. While it may be tempting for SAAS to offer a model of hybrid education with teachers instructing in-person and remote students concurrently, we have learned in the last school year that this mode of teaching has major limitations for both students and teachers. 

This fall we are prioritizing how to deliver the best classroom experience for all of our students. Our utmost goal is to have our community whole and on campus, using Zoom intentionally to our advantage to enhance our curricular and co-curricular program, but not using it as a replacement for the learning and community engagement that happens on campus. With these principles in mind, we have designed a limited remote learning option for those students for whom remote attendance is necessary at specific times during the school year. 

Please review the following information regarding our expectations for student attendance In-Person as well as our Remote Learning Option for the 2021-22 school year:

In-person Attendance Expectations:

Students are expected to attend school in-person each school day in accordance with the regular SAAS attendance policy. This means that students should attend classes daily, in-person, five days per week on campus. 

• Students are required to be in attendance at school by 10:00 AM in order to participate in after school activities that day (productions, sports matches, practices, etc. Student Handbook, p.22).
• Students who are feeling unwell should remain at home and not expect to Zoom or attend class remotely. Any student missing in-person classes due to typical absence (appointments, illness, college visits, etc.) should follow the regular pathways as described in the Student Handbook of meeting with teachers to review missing work or assignments. (Handbook, p.20) 
• Students who need to take an extended absence for any reason should follow the regular SAAS leave policy for students (Handbook, p.20-21).

Remote Learning Expectations:

Our goal to have all of our students attending fully in person means that we are balancing the desire for remote learners to have access to the regular curriculum of each class in which they are enrolled with the recognition of the necessary limitations and variability of remote access, depending on each student's unique schedule and grade level. Specifically, remote learners should expect to engage in a cohort model of fully remote learners organized by grade level. The remote cohort may be a combination of grades at each division level (Middle School 6-8 and Upper School 9-12), depending on the number of students present from each grade level. We want to differentiate the experience for younger and older students in order to best meet their developmental and academic needs.

• Remote learners will be supported academically in the core course areas of Math, Science, English, History, and World Languages. Due to the unique nature of our World Languages, Arts, Innovations, and American Studies courses, these classes may only be available on a limited basis, and we may have to make adjustments to students' course selections for the fall trimester.
• Remote learners will engage in primarily self-paced, asynchronous work administered through our Schoology Learning Management System, and they will also experience weekly synchronous check-ins with teachers to receive instructional support. Based on the number of students engaged in remote learning, we will develop a schedule that is age-appropriate, centers student connection, and prioritizes skill development and growth in the core academic subject areas. The daily schedule for remote learners may vary by grade level or division as the remote cohort evolves. 
• Remote learners should expect to have more limited access to those activities outside of the school day such as sports, rehearsals, and other after-school clubs. Those remote learners who wish to attend grade level retreats should be in touch with their respective Division Head for further information and expectations (Middle School - Julia Kassissieh and Upper School - Catherine Ezzo). 
• Remote learning for each student will be evaluated at the midterm and final marking periods with every family so that students have clear entry points for the most natural times to return in person to classes and activities as they are able. 
• Remote learners can expect to experience regular weekly synchronous check-ins with their advisor. 

We are confident in our ability to provide meaningful instruction and feedback to students that deepens their learning and builds capacity, both for in-person classes and for the remote cohort  learning environment. We will continue to prioritize learning plans that provide opportunities for students to receive and engage with feedback and have access to teachers. 

If you have any inquiries about the process for participating in the cohorted remote learning option, please contact Giselle Furlonge, Assistant Head for Academics, and include the student’s Division Head as well (Middle School - Julia Kassissieh and Upper School - Catherine Ezzo). You can expect Giselle Furlonge and the appropriate Division Head to reach out to schedule a follow-up meeting to discuss course schedule implications and to determine next steps in the remote learning cohort process. We are dedicated to supporting each student and family as we navigate the 2021-22 school year together.  

REMINDER: MAGNUS HEALTH FORMS DUE 

In preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, we ask that you log on to Magnus Health, our secure, online student health records database. Please complete any outstanding items no later than August 1, 2020.

COVID-19 Vaccinations

All schools are required to confirm vaccination status of all students as well as faculty, staff, service providers, and visitors who are on campus and/or in contact with those students. In addition, SAAS is requiring all students, faculty, and staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before they return in the fall. There will be exemptions to this policy including students under the age of 12, who due to their age, are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine. In addition, exemptions due to medical and religious reasons are supported and are required by law. As is the case with most vaccinations in our state, a qualified philosophical exemption will also be allowed. Please email a copy of your COVID-19 vaccination record or card — or request an exemption form — to safety@seattleacademy.org by August 1, 2021. Faculty, staff, or students who have not provided proof of vaccine or request for exemptions will not be able to participate in SAAS activities whether on campus or not. Students who are under the age of 12 do not need to request an exemption. 

If you have any questions or need help logging on to Magnus, please contact Safety. 

There are a variety of ways parents can help at Seattle Academy while supporting and getting to know faculty/staff, students, and other parents. Please consider volunteering. You will be contacted and supported by staff or the chair of each activity. 

We hope you'll consider participating. All potential volunteers should individually complete this form. The entire survey takes no more than 3-5 minutes to complete.

If you have any questions, please contact Anne-Marie Guerrero.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PARENT VOLUNTEER SIGN UP FORM

Learn More About the Parent Association At Seattle Academy.

Over the summer, Seattle Academy students read specific course-assigned books. Teachers will integrate summer reading into the course work during the first weeks of class and likely throughout the term. For each grade-level, teachers have provided a link to a reading guide to accompany the reading assignment, which will provide any needed instructions. As students will use these texts at the beginning of the year, they should purchase a new or used copy to bring with them for the first days of classes.

For general questions, please contact Jason Gough, Chair of the English Department

View Required Summer Reading Grades 6-12