The Bush School was founded in 1924 by progressive educator Helen Taylor Bush who believed that children learn best by doing and that children should be trusted to take ownership of their own learning. In 1930, Mrs. Bush acquired the property adjacent to Lake Washington Boulevard, where the present Bush campus is located. The school used to be coeducational for Kindergarten-Eighth Grade; the Upper School was for girls only until 1970 when the school became coeducational for all grades.

Mission and Philosophy

School Mission Statement

To spark in students of diverse talents and backgrounds a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities

Educational Foundations

• Critical, independent, and creative thinking
• Ethical judgment and action
• Global citizenship and cultural competence

Statement of Educational Philosophy

Our students live in a world where the challenges are complex and multidimensional and which requires them to be talented problem solvers, clear and articulate thinkers, caring and skillful in engaging with people different from themselves, and capable of resisting conformity and self-interest. For these reasons, we value and teach:

• Critical, independent, and creative thinking
• Ethical judgment and action
• Global citizenship and cultural competence

These foundations of Bush School education are taught intentionally from Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade in all areas of the school program. Education based on these foundations prepares our students and graduates to make a meaningful difference in the world.

The quality of our educational program is founded on a culture of trust and respect between the adults and the students in the school community. The quality of our students' educational experience depends upon the development of meaningful relationships with caring, talented, and skillful teachers and staff. These relationships nurture our student's desire and ability to take responsibility for their learning. Faculty respect individual differences between students, and they engage students in a joyful curiosity about the world and how it works. They address all aspects of student development-intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, social, and physical.

We hold students to high expectations. We believe the process of education is as important as the products of it; we teach students how to think and how to learn. This prepares them for college, and more importantly, for a lifetime of learning.

Experiential education is a distinguishing element of the school's educational philosophy. It promotes a complex, integrated understanding of the world, develops leadership, builds self-confidence, and empowers students. Students learn from direct experience with real issues and problems, taking risks and engaging actively in and holding authentic responsibility for their learning. Experiential learning takes place on campus, in the city and the outdoors, across the country, and internationally.

We emphasize collaborative learning to teach leadership and followership and to take advantage of the different backgrounds and talents of our students. We believe multiple perspectives and a range of world views enliven and promote learning, educating students to be empathetic, curious, and open-minded about others and the world.