Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences

Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences
The Vanderbilt Building in 2022
1201 E. Union

Seattle
,
Washington

United States
Information
TypePrivate
Established1983
LocaleUrban
Head of school
Rob Phillips, Giselle Furlonge
Faculty291
Grades6–12
Enrollment1358
Color       
MascotCardinal
TuitionUS$52,940
Websiteseattleacademy.org

Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (commonly known as Seattle Academy or SAAS) is a mixed-sex education private school serving grades 6–12 in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1983, the school serves middle and upper school students on an urban campus in Seattle. As of 2026-2027 school year, there are 1,358 students at SAAS, and the student-teacher ratio is 8:1.

History

Seattle Academy was founded in 1983 by a group of students, parents, trustees, and teachers associated with Northwest School who had concerns regarding the school's financial viability.

As of 2026, the campus had expanded to consists of seven main buildings located within the Capitol Hill neighborhood. In 2017 the school began construction of a $48 million, five-story middle school building, and in 2025 opened the school building.

Governance

Seattle Academy is governed by a board of trustees. The school has a 21-member board, which consists of current parents, alumni parents and alumni of the school. As of 2026 the head of the schools are Rob Phillips and Giselle Furlonge.[citation needed]

Extracurricular activities

As of 2025-2026 school year, Seattle Academy has 64 Upper School clubs and 20 Middle School clubs.

Notable teams and their accomplishments (from the 2024-25 school year) include:

Campus

Seattle Academy STREAM Building
Seattle Academy Orvis Theater

Seattle Academy's campus consists of seven main buildings located within a single block in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Campus facilities include middle and upper school academic buildings, athletic facilities, arts spaces, and instructional spaces for science and technology programs.[citation needed]

Major facilities include the five-story, 105,000-square-foot Upper School building, the Arts Center, which houses the 250-seat Orvis Theater, athletic facilities, and the STREAM building, which contains science and technology classrooms and laboratories. The campus also includes a rooftop playfield above the Middle School gym.[citation needed]

Awards and recognition

As of 2026, school review website Niche gives SAAS an A+ Overall Niche Grade, with strengths in Academics, College Prep, and Diversity. Niche ranks SAAS as #2 Best High School for the Arts in Washington, #12 Best Private High School in Washington, and #12 Best College Prep Private High School in Washington.[citation needed]

Notable alumni

Former headteachers

References

  1. 1 2 "Seattle Academy 2023 SAAS In Focus Magazine". Issuu. February 21, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Explore Seattle Academy". Niche. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  3. ↑ "SAAS starts $48M middle school". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  4. ↑ Cohen, Bryan (January 17, 2016). "Seattle Academy plans new $48 million middle school at 13th and E Union". Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Board of Trustees Profiles". Seattle Academy. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Seattle DJC.com local business news and data - Real Estate - LMN refines design for new SAAS high school". Archived from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Seattle Academy in Seattle, WA". Niche (company). Archived from the original on November 28, 2025. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Joe Puggelli: A Story of Chance, Challenge, and Change". The Cardinal. Retrieved September 13, 2018.

47°36′50″N 122°18′45″W / 47.61389°N 122.31250°W / 47.61389; -122.31250