A Sudbury school where kids (ages 4-19) direct their own education with undiluted freedom and democracy.
Kids decide how to spend their time, govern their community, and assume responsibility for their lives, becoming self-confident, articulate, and resourceful adults.
TCS is currently enrolling for the '22-'23 school year. Please explore our website to learn more about our school.
We can be reached by filling out the contact form online, by phone, or by email.
Quick Stats (2024-25)
- School Type: School with Special Program Emphasis
- Grades: Nursery/Preschool-12
- Enrollment: 88 students
- Yearly Tuition: $10,000
- Acceptance rate: 98%
- Application Deadline: None / Rolling
- Source: Verified school update
School Overview
School Type
School Membership(s)School Assoc.
Religious Affiliation
Grades Offered
Grades Nursery/Preschool-12
ADD/ADHD Support
Yes
Learning Difference Programs
Yes
Learning Programs Supported
Mild Learning Differences
Year Founded
1996
School Calendar
Student Body
Total Students
88 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
% Students of Color
6%
State avg.: 29%
Academics and Faculty
Total Classroom Teachers
6 teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
National avg.: 13:1
% Faculty w/Advanced Degree
20%
Matriculation DataMatric. Data
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Tuition and Acceptance Rate
Admission Deadline
None / Rolling
Yearly Tuition Cost
$10,000
Tuition Notes
Tuition assistance available. Part-time enrollment available for students under age 8. Sibling tuition discounts available.
% on Financial Aid
40%
Acceptance Rate
98%
National avg.: 85%
Admissions Associate
Stephanie Sarantos
School Notes
(As of10/13/2021, Clearwater students are required to get the
COVID-19 vaccine. Medical and religious exemptions are accepted,
philosophical exemptions are not. Full vaccination is defined as
two weeks after the second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the
Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose
vaccine, such as the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.)
- The Clearwater School is a Sudbury schoolfor kids from ages 4-19 and is located on North Creek, in Bothell, Washington. Our spacious four-acre grounds provide endless opportunities for discovery of wildlife, outdoor play and explorations of open fields, woods and creek frontage.
- Without class assignments or mandatory tests, Clearwater students explore the world guided by their own inspirations. They are the authors and directors of their education, drawing from school staff and resources as well as the offerings of the local community. They think, decide, play, talk openly with friends, investigate the world and dream. They freely pursue basketball, jewelry making, game design, role playing games, poetry or natural habitats. Learning is truly limitless.
- Like adults in the greater community, Clearwater students each have a vote. They learn how to make decisions that affect their lives. In the weekly School Meeting, students use their voices to directly influence school governance. They create rules and policies, solve problems that arise and determine the school budget.
- Clearwater students participate in a judicial system that enforces school policies and determines what to do when rules are broken. They learn to balance their individual actions with the needs and rights of the whole community. Students are required to act responsibly-including, at times, experiencing the consequences when one`s actions violate community expectations.
- Freedom is always accompanied by responsibility. From the earliest age, children make decisions about how to spend their time-reading or running, building or composing. Through simple decisions like when and what to eat or who to hang out with, children gain an internal understanding of their inclinations, preferences and abilities.
- Over the years, responsibility and freedom become habit, the foundation of action. Through self direction, Clearwater students internalize a sense of mastery. By graduation, they are prepared to take on challenges in the world at large, equipped with essential skills that are sought in today`s workplace. They trust their own voices to influence the course of their lives.
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does The Clearwater School cost?
The Clearwater School's tuition is approximately $10,000 for private students.
What is the acceptance rate of The Clearwater School?
The acceptance rate of The Clearwater School is 98%, which is higher than the national average of 85%.
When is the application deadline for The Clearwater School?
The application deadline for The Clearwater School is rolling (applications are reviewed as they are received year-round).
School Reviews
5 1/25/2018
What my kids have learned at Clearwater:* how to engage fruitfully with people of all ages and backgrounds* how to figure out what they care most about and how they will spend their time * how to solve problems for themselves and their community* how to respect others' boundaries and stretch their own* how to enter any new situation and assess the local norms, expectations, offerings and structure - and then use this understanding to get the best experience they can* how to be a member of a democracy* how to make meaningful decisions that affect not only their own lives but the lives of others around them* what drives them, moves them, inspires them, engages them - and how to spread that passion around and find others already passionate about the same thingsYou can have your 3Rs and test prep and following rules. My kids create rules and test themselves every single day.
5 1/25/2018
Very happy with this school. The staff are engaged and very knowledgeable. It's a wonderful feeling leaving my son with people I so completely trust, in an environment where I know he is thriving.
5 1/25/2018
i wholeheartedly & without reservation recommend the clearwater school. my son has been a student there since he was 4 & a half (he`ll be 10 in a couple of weeks). i have loved experiencing him being so seen & intimately known by staff & fellow students, and seeing him grow ever more comfortably into his skin. clearwater has so very much to offer; i can`t imagine our lives without it!
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