The richness and diversity of the surrounding community is reflected in the faces of the students who fill the classrooms. Over 86% of our students are students of color and over 32% speak English as their second language. More than two thirds of the students are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs. Many of our parents are new immigrants to the United States. They come from Vietnam, China, Laos, Mexico, Guatemala, Somalia and other places and sometimes struggle to understand this new and complex culture. To many, this level of diversity, poverty, and language and cultural barriers might seem overwhelming. Certainly, Beacon Hill International faces unique challenges not present at most schools. But it is this richness of diversity that lies at the core of the Beacon Hill family. PTA meetings are simultaneously translated into Chinese and Spanish. Multiple generations live under the same roof. Grandfathers walk hand in hand with their grandchildren to school. Dragons dance through the halls on Chinese New Year bringing luck and prosperity. Newsletters and parent notices are translated by a hard working bilingual staff, dedicated to reaching out to all members of our community. Beacon Hill's diversity is not a hurdle; it's the heart of our global family. Beacon Hill International School (K-5) is located in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle offering full-day Kindergarten, Spanish and Mandarin immersion programs, team teaching in an Open Concept space, and English-as-a-Second language specialists, as well as many other support services.
