Cascadia serves Pre-K through 5th Grade with full-day programs designed to meet each developmental stage. We believe consistency throughout elementary years builds strong foundations, which is why we don't offer half-day options: every child benefits from our complete daily experience.

• Pre-K students must be age four by September 30th.

• We don't accept new 5th graders to preserve the culminating year experience, where students practice leadership and mentorship.

Our five core values guide everything we do:

• Bold Belonging: Students practice inclusion, celebrate differences, and create a community where everyone feels valued

• Finding Your Voice: Children learn to express themselves confidently, advocate for their needs, and contribute meaningfully to discussions

• Empathetic Inquiry: Students ask thoughtful questions and consider multiple perspectives

• Wonder & Experimentation: Learning happens through exploration and creative problem-solving

• Growth Mindset: We celebrate effort over perfection and learn from successes and setbacks

Our staggered schedule helps ensure the flow of traffic is manageable in the neighborhood as we strive to be good neighbors. Our staggered schedule is:

• Pre-K & Kindergarten: 8:45 AM–3 PM

• 1st & 2nd Grade: 8:30 AM–3 PM

• 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade: 8:15 AM–3:15 PM

We include before-school supervision from 8 AM and after-school care until 6 PM because we aim to support working families with reliable, stress-free transitions.

We maintain an average 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio because meaningful relationships drive learning. Small classes ensure your child feels truly known and valued, while teachers can adapt their approach to different learning styles and respond to individual needs throughout the day.

Our whole-child philosophy recognizes that learning looks different for every student. We provide multiple ways for children to engage with content, express their learning, and develop their strengths while building foundational skills. Learning happens through exploration, collaboration, and real-world connections rather than just traditional instruction.

Families provide packed lunches, giving you control over your child's nutrition and dietary needs. We provide healthy snacks during the school day and aftercare because proper nutrition supports learning, but lunch decisions belong with families who know their children best.

We ask families to limit absences to 10 days per year because consistent attendance supports your child's academic progress and classroom relationships. This 10-day limit is designed primarily to accommodate typical childhood illnesses throughout the school year.

When planning discretionary trips, remember that this limit includes sick days your child may need later in the year. Our collaborative learning approach builds on daily discoveries that students share together, so extended absences impact not just your child's learning but the entire class dynamic. For families facing extended illness or unusual circumstances, we will work with you to support your child's continued connection to our community.

We're all PNW kids here, so pack the Gore-Tex because we play outside rain or shine! We believe fresh air and outdoor play are essential for children's development, so students go outside for recess and PE in typical Pacific Northwest weather. When conditions become particularly stormy or unsafe (heavy winds, ice, severe thunderstorms), we transition to indoor activities.

Each grade's schedule reflects research-based best practices for that age group. Younger students need more movement and exploration, while older students benefit from longer focused work periods. All grades receive weekly art, PE, Spanish, and theater because we believe creativity and physical development are as important as academics.

A Typical Day at Cascadia

• Morning Arrival: Students arrive and transition into the day with quiet activities, morning work, or informal conversations with classmates and teachers. This gentle start helps everyone feel welcomed and prepared for learning.

• Morning Meeting/Community Circle: Each day begins with a community gathering where we share news, discuss our learning goals, practice social skills, and set positive intentions for the day ahead.

• Academic Learning Blocks: Our morning is dedicated to focused academic learning, with integrated blocks that allow for deep exploration of topics while honoring natural attention spans and learning rhythms.

• Lunch and Recess: Students enjoy lunch together and have time for free play, fostering social connections and providing necessary physical activity and relaxation.

• Afternoon Learning: Our afternoon continues with academic learning, often incorporating more hands-on, creative, or collaborative activities that benefit from community building.

• Reflection and Preparation: Each day ends with time to reflect on learning, organize materials, and prepare for home activities or after-school programs.

Specials Classes (All Grades)

• Art: 1x per week

• PE: 2x per week

• Spanish: 1-2x per week

• Theater: 1x per week

We meet every student where they are and help them grow from there. Our small classes allow for individualized attention, and we collaborate with families to create support plans that honor each child's unique needs while building confidence and skills. We believe all children are capable of amazing things in their learning journey, and we provide specialized, individualized assistance outside of the classroom to kids who need it.

Homework reinforces learning by allowing students to practice independently and share discoveries with families. Assignments encourage curiosity through family discussions and real-world connections rather than repetitive practice. We believe homework should complement and strengthen the learning during the school day, not create stress.

We focus on individual growth rather than comparison to others. Through portfolios, conferences, and ongoing observation, we celebrate progress, identify next steps, and help students develop self-reflection skills. Assessment helps us understand how each child learns best so we can adapt our teaching.

We teach digital citizenship and responsible use. Students in grades 2–5 receive devices as learning tools, with guidelines that balance digital literacy with healthy boundaries and face-to-face connection. Technology enhances learning but doesn't replace human interaction.

We create environments where children feel safe to take risks and make mistakes. Students learn to communicate inclusively and respectfully and persevere through challenges. 

We use restorative practices that help children understand the impact of their actions, repair relationships, and grow from mistakes. When conflicts arise, we guide students through reflection and problem-solving rather than just imposing consequences.

Conflicts become learning opportunities. We guide students to understand different perspectives, express their feelings respectfully, and work together toward solutions. This builds social-emotional skills while strengthening relationships in our community.

Drop-off begins at 8 AM regardless of class start time, and pickup is available until 6 PM. This flexibility supports working families without the stress of precise timing.

No registration needed—all students are automatically enrolled. We eliminate administrative barriers because reliable childcare should be seamless for busy families.

Before and after school care is included in tuition because predictable costs support family planning. Optional enrichment classes from outside vendors do have additional fees, but we provide advance notice so families can choose what works for them.

Aftercare balances structure with relaxation because children need both after a full school day. A typical day includes snack and outside play for all grades, crafts and friendship time, quiet homework time with staff support, and optional enrichment classes available Monday through Thursday.

We don't offer programming during staff development days or holidays because our teachers need dedicated professional growth time. We do provide summer camps to support families during the extended break.

Early Commitment is for families who already know Cascadia is their first choice—you apply earlier (December) and get an earlier decision (February) with a 25% enrollment deposit, while Regular Decision follows the standard timeline with decisions in March and a lower 10% deposit.

You will either be placed in our wait pool and then be reconsidered in our regular admissions process with March decisions, or if it isn’t a good fit, you will receive a deny, in which case you won’t be reconsidered. There's no penalty for demonstrating early interest—we appreciate families who know they want this type of education for their children.

Once you receive an offer, you will have 4 days to decide, sign, and pay the deposit for Early Commitment decisions, and 7 days to decide, sign, and pay the deposit for regular decisions. This timeline ensures admitted families can make thoughtful decisions while allowing us to offer seats to waitlisted families promptly.

Tuition is $30,430 for 2027–2028. After your enrollment deposit, you choose payment timing that works for your family:

• Option 1: Full balance due May 1st

• Option 2: Split into two payments (May 1st and December 1st)

• Option 3: Ten monthly payments (May through February)

No surprise fees. Ever. While most independent schools list one tuition rate and then add costs throughout the year, Cascadia's $30,430 covers your complete annual investment:

• All field trips (including overnight camps for grades 4–5)

• Personal device for each student in 2nd grade and above

• Software, textbooks, and materials

• Transportation fees

• Daily snack

• Unlimited after school care

Older siblings receive 10% tuition reduction while enrolled with younger siblings. This discount recognizes families who choose our community for multiple children.

Tuition insurance is required for payment plans but optional for full payment. It protects families from unexpected circumstances that might require withdrawal, acknowledging that life sometimes brings unforeseen challenges. This insurance is offered during the enrollment process and the cost is approximately 2% of tuition. 

Tuition insurance provides financial protection if your child needs to withdraw after attending at least 14 days of school. If withdrawal is necessary due to medical reasons or school dismissal, the insurance covers 70% of unused tuition. For other circumstances like family moves, financial hardship, or voluntary withdrawal, coverage is 60% of unused tuition. Families remain responsible for the remaining 30–40% respectively. This safety net helps ease the financial burden during already difficult situations while acknowledging the real costs schools face when students withdraw mid-year.

Waitpool families are strong candidates we'd offer admission to if we had space. As a small school with minimal year-to-year attrition, seats are naturally limited. Each year, we have more applicants than we have seats available, so inevitably, exceptional students are placed in the waitpool. While waitpool placement doesn't guarantee admission, family plans do change, and we typically admit several waitpooled students each year.

We don't rank waitpool students. All are considered strong candidates who we reconsider as seats become available. Our decisions focus on creating balanced classes rather than simple ranking.

Waitpool seats can move anytime after decision notifications. We'll contact you immediately when seats become available—no need to follow up with us.

We understand waitpooled families may need to secure backup options. If you need to commit elsewhere before we are able to offer you a spot, let us know your situation and we'll discuss timing flexibility where possible.

Secure your backup choice—we encourage waitpooled families to accept offers at other schools rather than wait without alternatives. If we later offer you a spot, you can make the best decision for your family at that time.