Lakeside School (Seattle)

Lakeside School is an independent, co-educational day school in Seattle, Washington. It has about 900 students from grades 5 to 12, split into a Middle School for grades 5–8 and an Upper School for grades 9–12.

The school was founded in 1919 and has grown to have a large amount of money to support its work, reaching $260 million as of March 2024. Lakeside started one of the first free summer learning programs in 1965 to help bring in students from different backgrounds. The school also offers help with payment for families who need it.

Some well-known people who went to Lakeside include Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the co-founders of Microsoft, as well as other leaders and artists who have made important contributions in their fields.

History

The Moran-Lakeside School started in 1919 as a school for boys in Seattle, near Lake Washington. It was created by Frank G. Moran to prepare students for his other school on Bainbridge Island. In 1923, parents took over and renamed it Lakeside Day School. It moved to a new place in Washington Park.

In 1929, a bigger campus was chosen in northern Seattle because the old place was too small. Four buildings were built, and the new campus opened in 1930. More buildings were added in the 1930s, even during tough economic times.

In the 1950s, the school made its admissions harder. In 1965, it started a special summer program with Seattle Public Schools to help more students learn. The first Black students joined through this program. In 1969, students voted to stop wearing school uniforms. By 1971, the school stopped having students live there and became a school for both boys and girls by joining with St. Nicholas School. Three new buildings were built to finish this change.

Academics

Lakeside School keeps classes small, with about 17 students each. Many classes use a special way of learning called the Harkness method. Students get grades using both letter grades and a special point system.

All students must take classes in English, math, science, history, foreign languages, physical education, health, and art. They also need to finish a one-week outdoor program and spend at least 80 hours helping their community. Students can also study special topics with a teacher’s help.

Student life

Lakeside School has more than 90 clubs for students to join. The upper school has a newspaper called the Tatler, which also publishes a literary arts magazine named Imago. The school supports many groups for students who share similar backgrounds or interests, such as the Black Student Union, a club for LGBTQ+ students and their allies, and groups for Asian, Pacific Islander, multicultural, and Latin American students. Some clubs, like the Chess Team, take part in competitions such as Model United Nations, Quiz Bowl, Ethics Bowl, Science Bowl, VEX Robotics, and Science Olympiad.

Athletics

Lakeside School has many sports teams, including golf, football, soccer, volleyball, crew, wrestling, baseball, basketball, ultimate frisbee, tennis, swimming and diving, cross country, and track and field.

Some of these teams have won important state competitions. The boys' swim team won the state championship in the 2011–2012, 2012–2013, and 2023–2024 seasons. The boys' soccer team won in 2013–2014, and the girls' swim team won in 2014 and 2015. The volleyball team won in 2016, and the girls' soccer team won again in 2021.

Notable alumni

Lakeside School has many famous graduates. Wilber Huston, who graduated in 1929, was a director for NASA missions. Adam West, who finished in 1946, became well-known for playing Batman in an old TV show. Paul Allen, from the class of 1971, helped start Microsoft. Bill Gates, also from 1973, co-founded Microsoft and started a foundation to help people around the world. Other graduates have become writers, athletes, and leaders in many different fields.