Campus

West Sound Academy is located on a wooded, twenty-acre campus overlooking Liberty Bay in Poulsbo, Washington.

The school's four buildings include classrooms, a library, a computer lab, three science labs, three teaching studios (art, dance, and music), an art gallery, and a Commons.

The outdoor setting and the magnificent views of the Olympic Mountains inspire students and staff. Outdoor facilities include an amphitheater, a playfield, and a sports court.

WSA by the Numbers

Student to teacher ratio

Typical class size

Average class size

      

Library volumes

Research databases

 

7 to 1

7 to 18

11

      

13,000

18

 

Faculty Profile

16 full- and part-time faculty members

70% of faculty have advanced degrees

7 administrative and support staff

Students

WSA has 91 students in 2012-2013

30 in Middle School and 61 in Upper School

46 girls, 45 boys

34% are students of color

21% are international students

8 countries represented

West Sound Academy's domestic students typically come from all parts of the Kitsap Peninsula and Bainbridge Island, as well as from eastern Jefferson County.

Tuition & Financial Assistance

Tuition for the 2013-2014 school year:

Domestic Middle School:

Domestic Upper School:  

      

International Students:

$14,600

$16,120

       

      Click here

WSA's robust financial assistance program provides grants to local students to help make an IB Diploma education affordable.  Financial decisions are made independently of the admissions process.  For more information, see

College Placement

100% of the Class of 2012 admitted to college

Average merit scholarship per student applying to American institutions, Class of 2012:                    $52,000

WSA graduates, 2008-2012, enrolled at 36 four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad, including: California Institute of the Arts, Colorado College, Georgia Institute of Technology, Gonzaga University, Hampshire College, Mt. Holyoke College (2), Parsons New School of Design, Quest University (Canada), Rhode Island School of Design, Seattle University (3), Umeå University (Sweden), University of Washington (3), University of Wisconsin-Madison, Western Washington University (7), and Willamette University (2)

Technology

A wide variety of hardware and software is available at West Sound Academy to assure that students learn appropriate use of technology to help them communicate effectively; collect, analyze, process, and present information; as well as master the technical skills necessary to succeed in college and later life.

   

Students are provided Google Apps accounts which include email and other online collaborative tools.

   

To best utilize online resources the school has a state of the art 10 MB+ fiber connection to the Internet with a campus-wide LAN and WiFi service.

Campus Life

Co-Curricular Activities:   Clubs, committes, and teams spanning a wide range of interests, including:  Knowledge Bowl, National History Bowl, Math team (Middle School), Performance Club (dance and singing), Yearbook, Mudpie (WSA's literary magazine), Diversity Club (Gay-Straight Alliance), Robotics Club, Debate Club, and Music Performance Ensemble.

Creativity, Action, Service (CAS):  All WSA students are encouraged to engage in CAS activities alongside their academic studies, followed by documentation and reflection.   Click here for more details on CAS.

Friday Night Student Activities:  Monthly evening activities - dances, movie nights, live music performances - planned for and by WSA students

Frodel Gallery:  WSA's own gallery hosts work by local professional artists each month; artists speak at school assemblies and appear at evening receptions

Performance Art:  Annual school drama productions; presentations by documentary film and music students

Unique to WSA

Advocacy Program: A small group of students is paired with a teacher for one or more years. The advocacy groups meet on a weekly basis to discuss important issues and work together on service projects for the school. The advocate meets with students and their parents for occasional conferences during the school year.

Jan-Term:  During Jan-Term the normal class schedule is suspended and students study just one intensive class of their choice for three weeks.  Past Jan-Term offerings have included Money Management, French Language Immersion in Montréal, Rube Goldberg (invention creation), Outdoor Photography,  Cajun Culture and Cuisine, Polystyrene 3-D Sculpture, and Music Ensemble.

Experiential Education:  Fall and Spring Trips take WSA students into real world settings from remote wilderness sites, to working ranches, to urban museums all the while teaching leadership, environmental ethics, and technical skills. These challenging outdoor adventures are opportunities for both environmental education and personal growth. 

Admissions

West Sound Academy admits students of any race, color, or national or ethnic origin. Qualified students are those who have sound academic records, a sense of individuality, are motivated toward discovery, demonstrate integrity, and have an abiding interest in their world.

West Sound Academy is a diverse community that affirms and values people's differences. We have a multiplicity of backgrounds and perspectives within our school family, and mutual appreciation and respect is encouraged in our students.

Accreditation

International Baccalaureate World School, Diploma Programme

Northwest Accreditation Commission

Subscriber School, Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools