Schools are truly the heart of any neighborhood, and in Wallingford, we’re lucky to have some wonderful options. When my family was deciding where to put down roots, finding the right schools quickly became a priority. At the time, we were told to look at the high school rankings first and assume the elementary and middle schools feeding into it would be solid. Others suggested focusing on elementary schools, given how much can change in the years between now and high school.
Our family is zoned for Green Lake Elementary (which sounds like a great school), but we chose to take advantage of Seattle’s option school program and enrolled our kids at John Stanford International Elementary which is much closer, just two blocks from our home and with the benefit of a dual language program where students learn half-day in English and half-day in either Spanish or Japanese. It’s been an incredible experience for our kids—especially as it allows them to engage with their Japanese heritage.
But beyond the academics, it’s the school community that has truly made an impact. We’ve connected with amazing teachers, mentors, and families who are dedicated to nurturing the whole child — scholastically, socially and emotionally. It’s one of the many reasons we love living in Wallingford.
If you’re considering John Stanford International Elementary or want to learn more about the option school enrollment process, there are a couple of open houses coming up this week. Here are the details:
- In-Person: January 30 from 9:00-10:30 am or 6:00-7:30 pm at the school: 4057 5th Avenue Northeast, January 30
- Online: February 4, 9:00-10:30 am
I highly recommend checking it out if you’re exploring school options in our neighborhood! 
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