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Seattle Public Schools Japanese Immersion

By Misa Murohashi The North American

Seattle Public School (SPS) currently has two elementary schools, John Stanford International School and McDonald International Elementary, offering Dual Language Immersion programs teaching half-days in Japanese. If enrolled in one of these schools, students can begin this extraordinary immersion academic journey for grades K-12. Hamilton International Middle School and Lincoln High School offer continuing Japanese immersion programs until graduation. 

Students don’t have to begin SPS dual-language immersion programs in kindergarten. With appropriate language proficiency, students may be able to join a pathway in upper elementary grades, or even at the middle or high school levels.

For Seattle residents, the Seattle Public Schools Option School application for academic year 2022-2023 is open from February 1 to February 28. Students living outside Seattle city limits may apply from as early as June 1 but no later than August 31.

For more information, visit individual school websites or contact listed principals. You may also contact the school’s PTA and ask to speak with a parent who speaks Japanese.

John Stanford International School

4057 5th Ave NE, Seattle 98105
stanfordes.seattleschools.org
Contact: 206-252-6080; Sarah Jones, sajones1@seattleschools.org

McDonald International Elementary 

144 NE 54th St, Seattle 98105
mcdonaldes.seattleschools.org
Contact: 206-252-2900; Zoe Facilla, zvfacilla@seattleschools.org

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Misa Murohashi is Editor-in-chief of The North American Post and general manager of North American Post Publishing Inc. Born and raised in Japan, she moved the Seattle area in 2005. She earned a master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Washington in 2016 and has been at the current position since 2017. She often writes about urban issues and Japanese American early immigration history in the Seattle Area.