A Vision for Our Campus
Bertschi has always created an educational experience that inspires wonder–for academic learning, for play, for building friendships, and for the world beyond our campus. We seek to preserve the cozy, intimate, child-centered feel of our village-style campus, which is such an essential aspect of the Bertschi experience. Our project plans will further enhance the ways that our students and teachers learn together, and will create more opportunities to explore and connect as a community on our campus.
Campus Project Update
Our campus plans center around building a new Schoolhouse building to provide our students and teachers with larger, more flexible classrooms in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. The new building will allow us to locate both kindergarten classrooms next to each other as well as provide a shared collaborative space at each grade level to even better support our program’s focus on differentiated learning and small group work. Our plans also include a new Spanish classroom, flexibility for extended day to use new classrooms after school, a new faculty/staff lounge, and a new main office and health room that fully support our needs.
The new building will also significantly lessen the environmental impact of our campus overall with improved mechanical systems and new solar panels.Other features of this project include preparing the first floor of the Annex as a home for a second pre-K classroom, updating some of our outdoor play spaces, and expanding universal accessibility for our 10th Ave E entrance and across campus.
Timeline for Construction
In May 2024, Bertschi submitted an initial Master Use Permit (“MUP”) permit application to the City of Seattle.
We are working very closely with architects at Mithun and general contractors to create the shortest possible window of construction on our campus and neighborhood. The new Schoolhouse will be constructed using mass timber, an environmentally sustainable option that uses layered wood beams, columns, and decking. Mass timber also has the added benefit of being faster, quieter, and cleaner to construct. We continue to make very intentional choices to efficiently build a very high quality learning environment while minimizing the impact on our students, teachers, and families.
Construction is tentatively planned for the 2026-27 school year. Please note these plans can shift and change. We will continue to update the community and neighborhood as we move further through the planning process.
Future Updates & Questions
The Bertschi School board of trustees will continue to meet to assess the status of our strategic financial plans and project planning milestones.
Questions about the project from Bertschi School families can be directed to the head of school.
Questions from our neighbors can be directed to CFO/COO Mike Gardner. We also host periodic neighborhood information sessions. To be added to our email list for invitations, updates, and announcements, please contact Mike Gardner.