Seattle Jewish Community School

Seattle Jewish Community School, referred to as SJCS, is an independent, egalitarian Jewish day school from Kindergarten through 5th grade located in North Seattle, Washington, USA. Established in 1991 as Seattle Jewish Primary School, the school later expanded to 5th grade and changed its name to SJCS. SJCS was located at Congregation Beth Shalom, then Temple Beth Am, and the school purchased its current building on October 24, 2008.

SJCS has had four Heads of School in its 19-year history. Debra J.G. Butler was the founding principal and served until 1995, establishing the school's primary division. Joyce Shane was head for a decade, and led a period of growth that included expansion through the 5th grade. Upon Shane's retirement, Butler returned to SJCS to lead the transition to SJCS' current Northgate-area campus. From 2010-2018, Shoshana K. Bilavsky was Head of School. SJCS welcomed Ron Waldman as Head of School in summer 2018. SJCS will be moving in the fall of 2019 and will be opening a new campus in the Green Lake neighborhood on Woodlawn Ave N.E.in the building formerly occupied by Billings Middle School. THe newly renovated building will be home to K-5 grade students in three mixed-age cohorts and will include a state-of-the-arts science and art lab.

In addition to tuition, SJCS receives funding from individual and institutional donors including The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and the Samis Foundation.

43% of SJCS graduates continue their educations in public schools, and about half of those enter advanced learning programs – including Seattle Public School’s Spectrum, Advanced Progress, and International Baccalaureate programs. 32% of graduates continue at selective, private schools; and, 25% go to Jewish day schools.

Alumni have attended middle school at: Billings Middle School, Brookside, Eckstein Middle School, Evergreen School, Hamilton Middle School, Highland Terrace, Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle, Lakeside, Lake Washington Girls Middle School, Northwest School, Northwest Yeshiva High School, Phillips Andover Academy, Salmon Bay, Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences, Seattle Girls School, Seattle Hebrew Academy, and University Prep.

Accredited by the State of Washington
NWAIS (Northwest Association of Independent Schools), Accredited Member
Washington Federation of Independent Schools, Member

       PRIZMAH Center for Jewish Day Schools, Member

SJCS families come from eleven zip codes and speak English, Hebrew, and Russian as first languages in their homes. There is a broad socio-economic range, and families are both affiliated and unaffiliated with a synagogue or havurah.

Art
Before- and After-School Enrichment
Creative Dance/Movement
Learning Specialist
Library
Music
Physical Education
School Counselor
Science