Booth Location: Room 100

Join us for a conversation on financial aid where we'll cover the application process, eligibility, and resources available to support students enrolled at Lakeside. 

Booth Location: Dining Hall

The Parents and Guardians Association (PGA) is made up of all parents and guardians of current Lakeside students. The mission of the PGA is to support Lakeside School by building community, facilitating communications, and fundraising. 

Stop by the Dining Hall to chat with a current Lakeside parent/guardian about their experiences at Lakeside and ask any questions you may have!

Booth Location: Library

Every Lakesider makes our community stronger by bringing their distinctive set of knowledge, experiences, and accomplishments to the table. As different as we all are, we share some important things in common: love of learning, desire for authentic relationships, and belief in striving for excellence.

Clubs are a fun way for Middle School students with similar interests to explore topics ranging from math and engineering to visual arts and languages. Clubs range in size from four to 50 students, and Lakeside faculty and staff serve as club advisors.

Clubs are based on student interest. Students who are passionate about a topic can start a club by writing a mission statement, finding other students who are interested in participating, and partnering with an adult willing to sponsor the group.

Examples of recent clubs include a Maker’s Club, Ultimate, Chess Club, GO and Tea Club, and Students Taking Action Club, in which students work together to make a positive difference at Lakeside and in the world.

Clubs meet once a week, either during lunch or after school. They may last all year or for one semester (fall or spring). At the start of each semester, families are emailed a complete list of club offerings for the semester and students can sign up for clubs of their choosing.

Booth Location: Brain and Learning Lab (Academic Wing, Second Floor)

The Brain and Learning Lab is at the heart of the Middle School's academic and learning support program. Learning specialists help students develop skills to be successful in the classroom by working with them on study, test-taking, and organizational strategies. The Brain and Learning Lab also offers short-term skills instruction, tutoring, and a place to study.

Booth Location: Dining Room

Lakeside Athletics focuses on what is most valuable about sports: development, teamwork, and pride. Lakeside’s student athletes are creating incredible memories, building lifelong friendships, and graduating with a set of skills that will strengthen their ability to lead successful, enriching lives. Go Lions!

Lakeside School has been engaged in diversity work for over a half-century, and our mission articulates our commitment to sustain a school in which “individuals representing diverse cultures and experiences instruct one another in the meaning and value of community.” We recognize diversity alone does not lead to inclusion, and we take active steps to create an environment in which the identities and cultural backgrounds of our families, students, and employees are valued and respected.

We believe that diversity is essential to achieving educational and academic excellence, and that students’ learning experiences are enriched by the diversity of the curriculum, student body, and adult community. Lakeside is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable community in which all individuals can participate in and contribute to the life of the school, regardless of race, gender, class, religion, sexual orientation, or any other aspect of their identity. We actively work to gain a deeper understanding of difference and how we honor it in our daily lives at school. Members of our CEB team will be present at the event to talk with families. 

The Middle School English department is dedicated to nurturing a lifelong love of reading and writing. We strive to create a community of readers and writers who inspire each other to experiment with different written forms and support and learn from one another. Teachers help students learn how to read deeply, to consider the sound and meaning of words, and to use language effectively and artistically. We believe that developing writers flourish when they have time, choice, and regular feedback. By providing these three important elements, we hope to unleash the authentic voice of each adolescent writer.

Booth Location: Dining Room

Experiential learning is an engaged learning process whereby students “learn by doing” and by reflecting on the experience. Lakeside's experiential education program includes Service Learning, the Outdoor Education Program, and Global Service Learning. 

The primary goal of the Middle School history and social studies department is to prepare students to live in a global world by developing their understanding of the past and its relationship to the world today.

The Middle School history program focuses on three themes: humans and the environment; humans interacting with other humans; and humans and ideas.

Every student in the Middle School takes a human development course each year. While each course has a central theme, all levels include students learning how to take care of their brains and bodies, reflecting on their own identities and the identities of others, and developing skills to navigate relationships.

Students in grades 5 through 8 benefit from the expertise of librarians and technology specialists in digital and information literacy classes. The grade-level classes teach students digital literacy (everything from basic computer skills to how to be ethical, responsible users of technology) and information literacy (how to sift through, evaluate, and synthesize information).

Digital and Information Literacy is also the place where students are introduced to technologies they will use in classroom projects, such as programming languages like Scratch and Logo; 3D software like SketchUp and 3-D printing; podcasting software; and physical computing hardware like Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Librarians and the technology team provide continued support and training to teachers and students as they work on projects in the classroom.

The goal of the Middle School math program is to provide a strong foundation in mathematics through challenging courses that are appropriate to the ages, abilities, and needs of our students. In addition to preparing them for future math endeavors, we want students to be excited by math’s potential for fun and creativity.

We aim to equip students with the mathematical skills of a competent citizen in today’s world.

These skills include the ability to model situations mathematically; to estimate and compare magnitudes; to interpret graphs and statistics; to calculate probabilities; to evaluate numerical and spatial conclusions; to solve problems mentally as well as with paper, calculator, and computer; and to communicate findings effectively. At all levels, students learn to work collaboratively as well as on their own.

Through outdoor education, students learn new skills, gain self-confidence, reflect on their responsibility to the natural world, and build meaningful relationships in a way rarely possible in a traditional classroom setting.

Students bring diverse experiences and skills to their trip – whether they are first-timers or experienced outdoorspeople. They are tasked with real responsibilities that carry immediate consequences, such as practicing leave-no-trace, preparing meals for everyone on the trip, and deciding who should carry what gear. Guided by experienced trip leaders, students work cooperatively with their peers in a challenging setting to make decisions that impact the entire group.

Drama courses at the Middle School are active, thoughtful, and fun. Students are introduced to a wide variety of theatrical forms and experiences, including multiple types of acting (improvisation, solo performance, Shakespeare, and sketch comedy); design for sets, costumes, props, lighting, and sound; playwriting; and directing. Students are taught to reflect on the qualities of good storytelling, and how stories evolve as they move from a script to a staged production – as well as the important role of a careful observer in giving constructive feedback.

The faculty creates a safe classroom space where students can take creative risks, and engage in questions about art, identity, and expression.

Starting in 6th grade, Middle School students choose which performing art they would like to study each year, choosing between yearlong classes in band, choir, drama, or orchestra. Performing arts classes take place four times a week, which gives students a meaningful amount of time to learn and develop new skills. In addition to regular performances related to classwork, the Middle School drama program offers co-curricular productions for which rehearsals take place outside of school hours.

Booth Location: Gymnasium

The goal of the Middle School PE program is to help students develop a positive attitude toward physical activity that leads them to adopt a lifelong healthy, active lifestyle. Play, sports, and games become vehicles to teach students important life skills about teamwork, competition, and ethical behavior.

With classes four times a week, students have a regular opportunity to move and play in a fun, grade-level environment. Students practice skills and learn the basics of traditional sports (including soccer, basketball, and volleyball) as well as less traditional activities, like yoga, pickleball, and wall climbing. Faculty members promote a growth mindset, emphasizing the importance of hard work rather than talent in achieving individual goals.

Faculty in PE and personal development collaborate on issues related to health and social-emotional skills, including nutrition and the role that fitness plays in being healthy. Students set personal fitness goals and develop fitness plans. They use personal technology to track their activity, providing themselves and their teachers with data and information about how they are improving over time.

A wide variety of “hands on, minds on” science and engineering activities engage students’ curiosity in Middle School science classrooms. “Hands on, minds on" means not giving students the answers but rather having them engage in the scientific process by asking questions, designing experiments, analyzing data, interpreting results, and drawing conclusions based on their own laboratory work. Students work together on projects and activities in which they apply their developing knowledge of physical science, life science, and earth science.

Life as a middle-schooler is never smooth sailing, as students are developing rapidly and defining their identities in new ways. An integrated student-support system that addresses every student’s academic, social, and emotional needs is a core part of the Middle School experience. Lakeside’s faculty and staff are experts in working with middle-schoolers and can support them (and their parents and guardians) throughout all the changes of adolescence.

In addition to dedicated faculty and advisors, students and families have access to experts in learning resources, mental health, and social services. Services are free and available to all students and families on a short-term basis.

The Brain and Learning Lab is at the heart of the Middle School’s academic and learning support program. Learning specialists help students develop skills to be successful in the classroom by working with them on study, test-taking, and organizational strategies. The Brain and Learning Lab also offers short-term skills instruction, tutoring, and a place to study.

Booth Location: Dining Room

Lakeside offers five different summer programs that nurture and develop students' passions. Each summer, over 600 students from the greater Seattle area spend between one and six weeks on campus, enjoying thoughtful and engaging classrooms, fun outdoor activities and sports, and quality time with their peers and teachers.

Booth Location: Dining Room

Students and families travel to and from Lakeside Middle School in multiple ways, including Lakeside’s custom bus program, link light rail, walking, biking, carpooling, and getting dropped off and picked up. The Middle School library and dining room open at 7:30 a.m. for students who arrive early, and breakfast is available for purchase.

Lakeside’s custom bus program is a partnership with University Prep and Evergreen schools. We contract with King County Metro to provide specially designed custom bus routes for our students. Families can register for semester or yearlong passes. Students in the custom bus program receive an unlimited use ORCA pass which can be used on the custom bus and anywhere else ORCA is accepted—including Metro, Sound Transit, or Community Transit—any day of the week. Visit the transportation page to learn more and view routes. Light rail riders can take advantage of the Lakeside Transfer Bus for free to come to and from the school.

Middle School students learn how to harness fundamental elements of design – color, line, value, shape, pattern, and texture – as they create a wide range of art forms, including drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture, ceramics, and felting. The faculty teaches students the basics of the creative process and technical skills, as students channel their natural creativity towards finished work.

Students learn how to take creative risks, reflect on their process, evaluate their own work and the work of others, and give and receive constructive feedback.

Classes are grade-based and grow more sophisticated and challenging as students mature. Students study different artists, cultures, and artistic traditions including Polynesian sculpture, Asian and European watercolors, and American portraiture. Interdisciplinary projects create links between the arts and students’ other classes, such as designing and coding a website that highlights their visual arts portfolio and felting wool to depict astronomical bodies they study in science.

Visual arts classes meet twice a week, and students are able to work in the art studio during free periods and lunchtime. Student artwork is displayed throughout the building, and the library hosts rotating exhibits. Eighth graders display pieces of artwork in a culminating exhibit that is part of Middle School graduation.

Our Middle School language program is designed to instill a love of language and an appreciation for the cultures from which it springs. Students engage in a wide range of energetic activities and games designed to make learning fun, with the goal of students being able to write and speak effectively in that language. Our program is unique at the Middle School because students from multiple grades can be placed in one class, which promotes friendships across grades.

Booth Location: T.J. Vassar ’68 Center for Sciences and Humanities, Seminar Room on the 1st Floor

Join us for a conversation on financial aid where we'll cover the application process, eligibility, and resources available to support students enrolled at Lakeside.

Booth Location: Fireplace Room

The Parents and Guardians Association (PGA) is made up of all parents and guardians of current Lakeside students. The mission of the PGA is to support Lakeside School by building community, facilitating communications, and fundraising. 

Stop by the fireplace room to chat with a current Lakeside parent/guardian about their experiences at Lakeside and ask any questions you may have!

Booth Location: Student Center

Every Lakesider makes our community stronger by bringing their distinctive set of knowledge, experiences, and accomplishments to the table. As different as we all are, we share some important things in common: love of learning, desire for authentic relationships, and belief in striving for excellence.

Stop by the student center to chat with a current Lakeside student about their experiences and ask any questions you may have!

Booth Location: Paul G. Allen Athletics Center

Booth Location: Wright Community Center

Lakeside School has been engaged in diversity work for over a half-century, and our mission articulates our commitment to sustain a school in which “individuals representing diverse cultures and experiences instruct one another in the meaning and value of community.” We recognize diversity alone does not lead to inclusion, and we take active steps to create an environment in which the identities and cultural backgrounds of our families, students, and employees are valued and respected.

We believe that diversity is essential to achieving educational and academic excellence, and that students’ learning experiences are enriched by the diversity of the curriculum, student body, and adult community. Lakeside is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable community in which all individuals can participate in and contribute to the life of the school, regardless of race, gender, class, religion, sexual orientation, or any other aspect of their identity. We actively work to gain a deeper understanding of difference and how we honor it in our daily lives at school. Members of our CEB team will be present at the event to talk with families. 

Booth Location: T.J. Vassar ’68 Center for Sciences and Humanities

Inspiring students to love literature and helping them become great writers are the two highest goals of Lakeside’s English departments. Our English faculty is a group of gifted writers and incisive analytical thinkers who share a passion for designing and teaching courses that are innovative and interesting to young people. Classes are brainy, thought-provoking, and fun. Teachers create an environment where literature becomes a path to talking about topics of personal, national, and global importance.

Booth Location: Wright Community Center

Experiential learning is an engaged learning process whereby students “learn by doing” and by reflecting on the experience. Lakeside's experiential education program includes Service Learning, the Outdoor Education Program, and Global Service Learning. 

Booth Location: Bliss Hall

History, geography, religion, psychology, philosophy, economics, culture, politics – they’re all on the table in Lakeside’s history and social sciences classes. Our teachers bring a diversity of styles, methods, and perspectives to the classroom that help build students’ abilities to think critically about the past and understand how the past created the world we live in today.

Teachers use a wide range of materials in the classroom, including historical documents, films, literature, current news and media, and guest speakers from around the world. Students learn how to acquire, evaluate, and interpret historical information and to communicate their knowledge and ideas effectively. Working individually and in teams, students produce research projects, present to peers, write analyses, lead class discussions, and engage in simulations.

Booth Location: Wright Community Center

The Upper School learning resources program is based out of the Upper School study center, located in Pigott Memorial Library. The program provides a range of services designed to support students in their learning, academic growth, and success in Lakeside Upper School coursework. Students can use the study center to work on their own; collaborate with classmates; or get help from learning resources coordinators or tutors in specific subjects, general study and organizational skills, and test prep. The learning resources coordinators can also make tutoring referrals (both peer and professional), arrange initial screenings for learning difficulties, and provide support for students with disabilities that affect learning, including those that require accommodations. 

Booth Location: T.J. Vassar ’68 Center for Sciences and Humanities

We offer a wide range of math and computer science courses at the Upper School so that students can be challenged at a level appropriate for them at every grade. Each course emphasizes collaboration, problem-solving, and clearly communicating mathematical ideas and concepts. Since 2015, computer science concepts and principles have been embedded in the math curriculum, reflecting Lakeside’s belief that programming is an important 21st-century skill. Every Lakeside student gains experience with computer science and programming, even if they never take a computer science class.

For the majority of math courses, we offer regular, accelerated, and honors levels. Students work with their teachers to determine the right level for them each year, and students can move between levels. While only three years of mathematics are required for graduation, the majority of Upper School students take a four-year sequence of algebra 2, geometry, precalculus, and statistics or calculus. All levels of courses at Lakeside provide a firm foundation in mathematics and will prepare students for college math courses.

Booth Location: Wright Community Center

From the top of Mount Baker to the gullies of the Grand Canyon, Lakeside students expand their understanding of who they are and what they can accomplish. Through outdoor education, students learn new skills, gain self-confidence, reflect on their responsibility to the natural world, and build meaningful relationships in a way rarely possible in a traditional classroom setting.

Students bring diverse experiences and skills to their trip – whether they are first-timers or experienced outdoorspeople. They are tasked with real responsibilities that carry immediate consequences, such as practicing leave-no-trace, preparing meals for everyone on the trip, and deciding who should carry what gear. Guided by experienced trip leaders, students work cooperatively with their peers in a challenging setting to make decisions that impact the entire group.

Booth Location: McKay Chapel

Both beginners and experienced performers can find a place in Lakeside’s drama and technical theater program, where faculty place an emphasis on personal growth through taking creative risks. In classes and in productions, students engage in a feedback-driven process where they learn the importance of experimentation, play, and attention to detail. Our faculty consists of inspiring, expert teachers with deep connections to the Seattle arts community.

In addition to theater-specific skills and knowledge, students learn life skills in public speaking, interpersonal communication, creative problem-solving, and collaboration, as well as develop social-emotional skills such as empathy, focus, and resilience. In the process, students gain a greater knowledge of themselves, and develop deep relationships with friends and teachers that often continue long after they graduate.

Booth Location: Paul G. Allen Athletics Center

Lakeside Upper School’s physical education program focuses on fitness, health, and wellness. Upper School students take two yearlong PE classes. The 9th-grade wellness course integrates fitness activities with health and wellness instruction. The course aims to teach students about physical, personal, and social development with the goal of empowering them to be healthy, safe, and active.

Booth Location: T.J. Vassar ’68 Center for Sciences and Humanities

The Upper School science department offers a broad range of rigorous classes designed to encourage curiosity about the natural world and build skills in scientific thinking and research. Our faculty is an experienced group of lab and field scientists who help students learn to think like scientists: coming up with meaningful questions, analyzing data, identifying patterns, and applying their understanding to different situations. In the process, students take intellectual risks by engaging in a process of experimentation and revision. We strive to develop in students a deep understanding of scientific history, process, and content in the life and physical sciences.

Much of our coursework focuses on laboratory and real-world experiences and allows students to learn in different ways. Recent examples include: designing mountaineering oxygen sensors; synthesizing biodiesel and test driving it in a teacher’s car; analyzing acceleration data from NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander; and monitoring gene expression in genetically engineered worm strains.

Booth Location: Wright Community Center

The Upper School’s thriving clubs and activities are evidence that Lakeside students are passionate (and just plain curious) about a wide range of topics. Clubs and activities give students in grades 9 – 12 opportunities to collaborate with peers on pursuits ranging from configuring an open-source Web server to mastering the rules of dodgeball.

More than 70 clubs and activities run every year. Most take place during activity period, which occurs once a week. Upper School clubs and activities are responsible for some of Lakeside’s new and classic traditions, including May Day (organized by Student Government), the GLOW dance (sponsored by Gay, Lesbian, or Whatever Student Club), and the annual yearbook release celebration (featuring the work of the Numidian staff). 

Booth Location: Wright Community Center

Student and family support at Lakeside Upper School takes many forms: from advisors – who are students’ advocates and mentors throughout their high-school years – to experienced learning specialists, tutors, and mental-health counselors.

Students and families access the support program for a variety of reasons, including illness or injury; difficulty transitioning to a new school; family changes such as divorce; and challenges related to parenting teenagers. Support is coordinated through the student support team, which includes administrators, counselors, learning resources staff, and the athletic trainer. Services are free and available to all students and families.

Booth Location: Wright Community Center

Upper School students travel to and from school in multiple ways, including Lakeside’s custom bus program, link light rail, driving, walking, biking, carpooling, and getting dropped off and picked up. With activities and practices scheduled before and after classes, students may incorporate multiple types of transportation into their day. For students who arrive early or stay late, multiple campus buildings are open early and close late.

Lakeside School contracts with King County Metro and ZUM, a private school bus provider, to provide specially designed routes that students can use for traveling to and from school. Our custom bus routes are commuter-style, running on major arterials with occasional stops to serve the greatest number of families in the shortest amount of time. Students enrolled in the custom bus program receive a special bus sticker, which serves as proof of their ridership eligibility. Light rail riders can take advantage of the Lakeside Transfer Bus for free to come to and from the school.

Visit the transportation page to learn more and view routes.

Booth Location: Pigott Family Arts Center

Upper School visual arts classes allow students to both experiment and specialize in a variety of visual arts including ceramics, drawing and painting, photography, and sculpture. Students work closely with inspiring faculty who are themselves working artists. In addition to a strong grounding in the creative process, students learn basic design principles and artistic techniques (both traditional and digital) of increasing sophistication. They also learn how to conduct a thoughtful critique of their own work and others, and collaborate with their teachers and classmates to discover new ways of engaging with their art.

Booth Location: Bliss Hall

We believe that the ability to communicate across cultures is an essential part of being a global citizen. Lakeside offers four languages – Chinese, French, Latin, and Spanish – at both the Middle and Upper schools; our dynamic courses emphasize immersion in languages and cultures around the world.

Students collaborate with their peers, teachers, and members of the larger community, and use video, podcasts, interactive Web-based software, and even good old-fashioned letter writing, on projects that increase their written and spoken abilities as well as their cultural competency. The majority of our students are enthusiastic language learners who choose to go beyond the two years of Upper School study that are required for graduation.