Annie Wright Schools

Tacoma

Washington

United States

Overview

Annie Wright Schools offer the best of both worlds with a coordinate program for boys and girls in Grades 9 through 12. Our separate Upper Schools offer single gender academics with some co-ed activities and social opportunities. IB academics, arts and athletics—students can do it all at AWS. Annie Wright Upper Schools prepare students extraordinarily well for college, offering small classes, independent-minded peers and an exceptional faculty. An International Baccalaureate World School, Annie Wright has offered the rigorous Diploma Programme, considered the gold standard in international education, for Grades 11-12 since 2009. At the heart of Annie Wright's Upper School programs is the belief that risk-taking, development of passions and shared experience are essential for growth. With these ideas at the center of every offering, students participate in a variety of meaningful activities, clubs and co-curricular experiences. Students gain independence, become meaningfully engaged and have a tremendous amount of fun. Beyond these learning experiences, students engage in a variety of single-gender and co-ed social events and celebrate Annie Wright's numerous traditions, some more than 100 years old, throughout the year.

Academics

Summary: Since 1884, Annie Wright Schools have offered excellent academic programs that challenge students to reach their full intellectual potential. Annie Wright is an International Baccalaureate World School. Emphasis on inquiry, communication, meaningful action, global-mindedness, development of the whole child and measurable outcomes for students and teachers are common throughout IB programs. The International Baccalaureate, founded in 1968, is an educational nonprofit organization that aims to develop intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to prepare students for a rapidly globalizing world. IB students, particularly at the Diploma Programme level, meet rigorous international standards of academic excellence. Annie Wright Upper Schools prepare students extraordinarily well for college, offering small classes, independent-minded peers and an exceptional faculty. Our challenging curriculum appeals to motivated students with a variety of learning styles, with learning support experts to address individual needs. Most importantly, Annie Wright prepares students for a lifetime of learning, instilling in our students genuine curiosity and the courage to ask questions, seek creative answers and meet the challenges of a rapidly-changing, complex and culturally-diverse world. The Upper Schools are committed to helping each student identify and define their particular passions within a context of service to someone or something beyond themselves, turning learning into meaningful action.

Department Director

Student/Teacher Ratio: 6:1

Average Class Size: 12

Summer Programs: Offered

Full Time Teachers: 36

Number of AP Courses Offered: 0

Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 85%

Number of IB Courses Offered: 45

Learning Support

Evening Study Assistance
Peer Tutoring
Study Skills Assistance
Subject Tutoring
Technology Center

English

Classics
Creative Writing
Honors
Literature
Playwriting
Poetry

History

European History
Honors
United States History
World History

Foreign Languages

Chinese-Mandarin
French
Spanish

Humanities / Social Sciences

Anthropology
Economics
Psychology
Sociology

Sciences

Anatomy
Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
Ecology
Environmental Science
Genetics
Physical Science
Physics
Sports Medicine

Math

Algebra
Calculus
Functions
Geometry
Probability
Statistics
Trigonometry

Computer Studies

Computer Applications
Multimedia
Computer Programming
Web Design

Performing / Visual Arts

Acting
Art History
Debate
Design
Directing
Drama
Drawing
Film and Video
Journalism
Painting
Photography
Portfolio
Printmaking
Production
Publications
Screenwriting
Sculpture
Stagecraft
Studio Art
Theater Arts
Theater Design

Special Programs

Study Abroad
Community Service
Exchange Programs
Independent Study
Leadership
Outdoor Education

Distinctive or New Programs

International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB) (s)Electives & (a)Electives: robus activities program Student leadership Trips & retreats

Campus Life

Dorm Life

Number of Dorms: 2

Average Students Per Dorm: 50

Number of Girls Dorms: 1

Number of Boys Dorms: 1

Dorm Amenities

Game Room
Laundry Facilities
Lounge
Wireless Internet

Other Dorm Amenities

pool gyms climbing wall field gardens walking distance to shops and restaurants student store with snacks and supplies

Student Life

Students from around the state, country and world love to live and learn at Annie Wright Schools, where they develop deep friendships that last a lifetime. Boarding at Annie Wright is fun, safe and educational and a lot like living in a giant family. Our community makes up around half of the Upper School population, and the eight residential faculty – dorm parents – are dedicated to each student's well-being and academic success. Annie Wright Schools are nestled on a beautiful campus in the North End neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington, overlooking the Puget Sound. Shops and restaurants are a short walk away, and the city is near majestic national parks and Mt. Rainier. Tacoma is about 45 minutes south of Seattle and just 30 minutes from Sea-Tac airport. Dorm rooms are each unique, comfortable and spacious. Students enjoy shared kitchen facilities, media lounges and study spaces around the dorm. Its location right in our main building makes access to the dining hall, classrooms, library, gym and other campus facilities as easy as walking down the hall. Boarding prefects are selected in their senior year to work closely with resident staff to build a vibrant and nurturing dorm community. Each prefect is responsible for leading a specific dorm group, by way of facilitating weekly check-ins, planning community-building activities, designing “All-Dorm Fun” programming, and being an active listener, role model and advocate for all resident students. Residential life offers a wide variety of fun and engaging activities. Examples include: ice skating, skiing and snowboarding camping, hiking and rock climbing museum and city tours theater shows and sports events sushi making, tie-dying and even a real trapeze class spontaneous and planned game nights, movie nights, cookie baking, parties, shopping trips and more "All-Dorm Fun” events, organized by the prefects, which have included a Halloween murder mystery, a spring carnival, roller-skating, and more!

Facilities

Basketball Court
Fitness Center
Indoor Basketball Court
Indoor Climbing Wall
Indoor Pool
Pool
Technology Center
Volleyball Court

Other Facilities

Clubs & Organizations

Asian Club
Chess Club
Community Service
Debate Club
Diversity Club
Dorm Proctors
Drama Club
Environmental Club
Fencing Club
Foreign Language Clubs
Gardening Club
Habitat for Humanity
Honor Council
International Club
Literary Magazine
Math Club
Model UN
Newspaper
Outing Club
Peer Tutoring
Pep Club
Photography Club
Quiz Bowl
Sailing Club
Science Bowl
Sexualities Club
Student Activities
Student Government
Student Publications
Theater Club
Yearbook
Yoga Club

Arts & Athletics

Summary: ARTS Creative arts in Annie Wright’s Upper School thrive because art is a vital component of the human experience. We believe ALL of our students can and must create—and we offer a range of opportunities for every student to practice, analyze, imagine, design and perform. All Upper School students choose an honors arts focus in music, visual art or film in Grade 10. Most girls continue in that focus in a two-year IB course in Grades 11 and 12, potentially earning college credits for that work. Ungraded arts activities are built into the regular school day schedule, allowing students to experiment or deepen expertise in film production, ceramics, photography, acting, print-making and more. Annie Wright also offers on-site music lessons in voice, piano, stringed instruments, drum and flute, including twice-yearly recitals. The Kemper Center Theater provides opportunities to be on or behind stage for major and minor productions—or just for fun! ATHLETICS Annie Wright's Upper School athletics program stresses competitive team play, physical fitness and good sportsmanship. Our dedicated faculty and coaches identify and support each girl's individual aptitude and skills, whether she is an elite athlete or has never played a team sport. Upper School athletes have represented Annie Wright at the state level in volleyball, tennis, cross-country, track and golf. The varsity volleyball team was ranked #1 in our league in 2013. In addition to our own athletics program, students are given the time, space and flexibility to pursue outside athletic passions. In recent years we have also had national and world champions in a variety of sports including crew and speedskating.

Arts Department Director: John Weir

Athletics Department Director: Mike Finch

Notable Achievements: Volleyball undefeated seasons in 2012 & 2013, Girls basketball went to state in 2019 & 2020, Basketball player on track to beat WA scoring rec

Arts

Acting
Art History
Debate
Design
Directing
Drama
Drawing
Film and Video
Journalism
Painting
Photography
Portfolio
Printmaking
Production
Publications
Screenwriting
Sculpture
Stagecraft
Studio Art
Theater Arts
Theater Design

Interscholastic Sports

Baseball
Cross Country Running
Golf
Lacrosse
Soccer
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball

Recreational Sports

Camping
Cross Country Running
Fencing
Golf
Hiking
Kayaking
Lacrosse
Martial Arts
Outdoor Education
Rock Climbing
Sailing
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee

Graduates

Summary: Annie Wright students can go anywhere and do anything after high school. No matter their goal - large research institution, small liberal arts college, international university, visual arts conservatory, service academy - the college counseling team is here to support them every step of the way. Preparation for the college admission process is embedded in the curriculum starting in Grade 9, allowing students to participate in activities that not only prepare them to be competitive for the process, but also to empower them to be strong students and engaged community members. College Counselors know and care deeply about each student as an individual, and can help them discover colleges where they will thrive. Year after year, an overwhelming number of recent graduates tell us they are happy with the support for the college process, as well as the outcome.

College Information

Precentage of graduates who attend college: 100%

Middle Percentile of SAT Scores	Reading	Math	Writing
25th percentile
75th percentile

College attended in the past 5 years by our graduates:

Yale-NUS College: 1

Williams COllege: 1

Whitworth University: 2

Whittier College: 1

Western Washington University: 3

Wesleyan University: 1

Wellesley College: 1

Washington University in St. Louis: 3

Washington State University: 7

Wake Forest University: 3

Vassar College: 1

University of Wisconsin (Madison): 4

University of Washington (Tacoma Campus): 1

University of Washington: 12

University of Vermont: 1

University of Toronto: 2

University of the Pacific: 1

University of Sussex: 1

University of Southern California: 6

University of San Francisco: 4

University of San Diego: 3

University of Rochester: 2

University of Redlands: 7

University of Puget Sound: 1

University of Portland: 2

University of Oregon: 2

The University of New Hampshire: 1

University of La Verne: 1

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: 2

University of Idaho: 2

University of Chicago: 2

University of California (Santa Barbara): 2

University of California (Riverside): 1

University of California (Los Angeles): 2

University of California (Irvine): 3

University of California (Davis): 5

University of California (Berkeley): 1

University of British Columbia: 1

Tulane University: 1

Tufts University: 1

Trinity College: 1

Suffolk University: 1

Stanford University: 1

St. Olaf College: 2

St. John's University: 1

St. John's College (Santa Fe): 1

St. Mary's College of Maryland: 1

St. Lawrence University: 1

Southern University and A&M College: 1

Southern Oregon University: 1

Skidmore College: 1

Seattle University: 6

Scripps College: 2

School of the Art Institute of Chicago: 2

Savannah College of Art and Design: 1

Santa Clara University: 1

San Diego State University: 2

Rhodes College: 1

Rensselaer Polytechnic University: 1

Reed College: 2

Purdue University: 1

Princeton University: 1

Pomona College: 2

Pitzer College: 3

Pacific Lutheran University: 4

Oregon State University: 1

Occidental College: 3

Oberlin College: 1

NYU Shanghai: 1

Northeastern University: 1

New York University: 3

The New School: 4

Montana State University: 1

Mills College: 3

Middlebury College: 2

Michigan State University: 1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 1

Loyola Marymount University: 2

Lewis and Clark College: 2

Lehigh University: 1

Lafayette College: 1

Johns Hopkins University: 2

Hult International Business School: 1

Hamilton College: 1

Gonzaga University: 2

Georgia State University: 1

Georgetown University: 1

George Washington University: 3

Florida Atlantic University: 1

Emerson University: 2

Durham University: 1

DigiPen Institute of Technology: 1

Cornish College of the Arts: 1

Colby College: 1

Clark University: 1

Chapman University: 1

Carnegie Mellon University: 1

Carleton College: 1

California Polytechnic State University: 1

California Lutheran University: 2

Bryn Mawr College: 6

Bandeis University: 2

Boston University: 8

Bates College: 1

Barnard College: 1

Art Center College of Design: 1

American University: 2

Notable Alumni

Sally (Peterson) Atherton

Class of 1966

ED, Assoc for Research in Vision & Ophthalmology

Diane (Dapper) Freeman

Class of 1959

NASA aerospace ops dev, integration & support

Betty Garrett-Parks

Class of 1936

Actress, comedian, singer & dancer

Damani Leech

Class of 1994

COO, International, National Football League (NFL)

Amy Paulose

Class of 1995

President, AMES International, Inc

Merrill (Wagner) Ryman

Class of 1953

World-renowned artist

Lee Skinner

Class of 1986

Dean, Newcomb-Tulane College; Latin Am lit scholar

Erin (Fletcher) Slayton

Class of 1997

Vice President, HDR

Pamela Hyde Smith

Class of 1963

United States Ambassador

Merit

Merit Scholarships: Offered

Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: 15%

Average Merit Scholarship: 5,000

Current Endowment Amount: $17,238,333

Interested in Annie Wright Schools?

Vital Information

Student Body Type: Coed

Total Boarding: 109

Total Day: 84

Total Enrollment: 193

Boys: 49

Girls: 144

Boarding Grades Offered: -

Day Grades Offered: -

School Type:

Dress Code: Uniform

Applications Accepted: SAO

Application Deadline: Rolling

Tuition & Financial Aid

7-Day Boarding: $63,270

5-Day Boarding: $44,150

Day Tuition Fee: $29,920

Need-Based Aid: Offered

Payment Plans: Offered

Students Receiving Aid: 35%

Average Awarded: $8,500

School Finances