The Northwest School

Real life is layered and complex, with intersecting experiences marking every day. We believe learning should be that way, too. Integrated, multi-dimensional, and sometimes a little messy. That’s the idea. At The Northwest School, students experience the exhilarating chemistry between academic disciplines and the arts. They learn to see the interdependence of all aspects of life in the real world. A bigger picture comes into focus. The school day becomes less about isolated subjects—and more about dynamic, interwoven concepts and ideas.

If you’re fortunate enough to attend a Northwest School home basketball game this winter, you might do a double-take when our mascot—The House—takes the floor. But The House, modeled after our iconic main building, is not an accident. Rather, it’s a symbolic reminder that this wonderful old edifice is the intellectual home of an idealistic community of scholars who embrace learning, both for its own sake—and for its promise to change the world for the better. And the moment you walk in our massive but welcoming front doors you’ll find the joy in learning here is palpable.

You’ll also discover that Northwest is a demanding place. It has to be. The world is shrinking, its challenges increasingly complicated. The pace of change is unprecedented. Here, we believe the kind of education that will prepare our kids to thrive in such a world must reflect these complexities. So we embrace paradox. Because the world is never merely one thing or the other, life in the House is both intimate and intense; supportive and challenging; improvisational and exacting; intellectual and playful; academic and creative. We celebrate the power of both individual and community. Here, among a truly diverse group of peers from around the world, students are encouraged—and feel safe—to wrestle with new ideas, express bold opinions, and take on novel challenges. Our interdisciplinary approach and unique interplay of academic and creative experiences are intentional. We believe this is how real learning happens—the kind that develops thinkers, activists, and innovators. These values are foundational to The Northwest School and guide our behavior:

• Excellence in education is determined by the quality of the faculty.
• The Humanities, Sciences, and Performing and Fine Arts are the appropriate areas of concentration in secondary education.
• Ethnic, racial, religious, gender, and economic diversity are essential for the highest quality of secondary education.
• The development of a sense of responsibility for the immediate environment and concern for the larger community are fundamental to the education of responsible citizens.
• All interactions in the School community can and should be directed toward the development of courtesy, common sense, mutual support, the creative spirit and independence.

We believe a successful life is an engaged life—and the key to staying engaged is staying curious. Our faculty inspires students to continually ask questions, to remain open-minded about outcomes, and to see connections in the world at large. In turn, students are prepared not just for college, but to live with meaning and joy—wherever life takes them.

The Northwest School offers a faculty who engage each student in sequential, cross-disciplinary study in the Humanities, Sciences, and the Arts. We are a diverse community of people who challenge each other to learn in a healthy, creative, and collaborative atmosphere of respect for ourselves, others and the environment. We graduate students with historical, scientific, artistic, and global perspective, enabling them to think and act with integrity, believing they have a positive impact on the world.

At The Northwest School, students and faculty come from multiple regions and backgrounds. We speak different languages and follow different cultural paths. And through these differences we learn and grow. Since its founding in 1980, we have embraced diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential to a robust and quality education. The Northwest School cultivates an inclusive, authentic, and positive experience for its students, faculty, and extended family. In doing so, we provide a home for academic, social, and personal growth and model our values for the larger community. We believe that the education of responsible citizens happens best when a diverse group of students studies a variety of perspectives in an atmosphere of respect.

At the Northwest School, students learn the important life skill of stepping forward and participating in ways that are both personal and meaningful. It starts with a courteous and supportive community, in which students are safe to express opinions, ask questions, and try new skills. It continues with a faculty dedicated to helping each student discover his or her individual learning strengths and style. Students see that intelligence and creativity aren’t fixed; they can be nurtured and developed. As students learn more about how they learn, they become strong self-advocates—identifying what they need to continue growing intellectually—and using that self-knowledge to make powerful, personal contributions to their community.