Lake Union Pre-School

«Lake Union Preschool at Greenlake (LUP) is an enriching, cozy, safe, and calm place. You get the sense, «It’s going to be ok.» I feel like I’ve found a hidden gem in Greenlake! The children thrive socially and emotionally through play.
I have an adventurous dynamo, and I wasn’t sure how he’d fare at LUP. The less-​is-​more approach and nurturing environment sooth him so he can get down to the important business of playing. I’ve witnessed such a change in my son since he started at LUP. He looks forward to going to school in the morning and is beaming every time I pick him up. He eased right into the class beautifully, which I attribute to the warm, welcoming community. He really cares about his teachers, Cheryl and Vicky, and his classmates.
Other wonderful things about LUP:
* Strong reputation in the preschool community (opened in 1981).
* Research-​based curriculum.
* High quality, experienced teachers who make it look easy. We all know it’s not easy.
* Vicky and Cheryl are available and accessible to parents.
* Small class sizes.
* Smooth, thoughtful transitions.
* Tight-​knit community with nice parents. (Meals trains, parents’ night out, coffee hour, sibling play dates, all school gatherings, scheduled play dates over the summer, etc.)
* Many of the benefits of a co-​op preschool without the extra work.
* Easy drop off and pick up with enough parking which is a sanity-​saver if you’re hauling around other children.
* Secure building.
Even if a parent feels hesitant about transitioning their child to a new school after September, like I mentioned earlier, «It’s going to be ok.»

Lake Union Preschool has turned out to be exactly what I had searched for in a school for my son. Prior to preschool he was apprehensive in new situations, very shy around other kids, and mostly observed quietly from the sidelines. Vicky and Cheryl created a community in which my son was valued, felt safe and knew he was loved. My son is now in his second year at LUP and he has blossomed in ways I couldn’t have imagined a year ago. He loves school, engages in many different types of activities, and enthusiastically shares stories about what he has learned and the friends he has made. Most of all, he loves Cheryl and Vicky. Their patience, kindness, nurturing, and compassion have been instrumental in my son’s growth and development.

Lake Union Preschool is a wonderful program located near Green Lake in Seattle, WA. It’s small program, with only 14 students in the class, it seems to have created a community both in and outside the classroom. They offer half day preschool for 3 and 4 year olds. The 3s class is T/​Th (9am-​noon) and the 4s class meets M/​W/​F (8:45−12:15pm).
Their facilities are on the newer side, well-​kept and share space with St. Andrew’s but have no religious affiliation. They have both indoor and outdoor space, which is great on a rainy day they still can run in an open empty room. The teachers have worked together for over 16 years. And their experience shows. They have developed a creative curriculum that is engaging and helps students grow. They have a fun way of incorporating play and learning. For example, one day the theme was camping, and when the students arrived to class there was a tent set up. They read books, sang songs and made s’mores. There are periodic field trips to places like the Zoo, Discovery Park, Tilth Gardens and the Seattle’s Children’s Theater. All of those school trips are included in the tuition, no surprise fees in the middle of the year.
Lake Union has an incredibly effective and detailed way of communicating to the parents. Each day at pick up there is a short but detailed one page summary of what happened that day. So you can ask your child what they did that day and get more than, «I don’t know.» And at the beginning of the year there is an information package (calendar, student roster, etc.,), a yearbook introducing students to each other. — a great tool for your new preschooler to brag about his/​her new buddies. In November the teachers hold conferences to assess your child’s development.
I’ve toured and enrolled my sons in several different schools across Seattle and this is the only school that has ever felt like a match for us. Lake Union offers a very unique teaching experience for students giving them the skills they need on the way to Kindergarten. LUP helps build confidence and focuses on «the whole child». (Academics, social emotional learning, physical outlets, it’s all there.)
As a sign of their quality, I’ve been noticing this is where local teachers are sending their own kids. And we’re in classes with several second and third born kids whose older siblings already completed the program and their families consider Lake Union (LUP) an institution. My eldest son, completed LUP and is now in first grade and thriving. My middle is completing his second year with Lake Union Preschool and loves Teachers Vicky and Cheryl. And my youngest is waiting his turn patiently.
LUP encourages parents to play an active role in the school, if they have the bandwidth to help out. But never assume that parents will be able to. We’ve been attending LUP for the past four consecutive years and the group of parents group is really active and has several get togethers outside of school both with and without kids in tow.
Amazing teachers, amazing students, amazing families, amazing fun.

Lake Union Preschool, in the Greenlake neighborhood, is as good as traditional preschool gets. Way back when our eldest (now age seven) was around two years old, I started seeking a creative dropoff preschool with nurturing teachers, a pleasant environment and a simple schedule to get him used to the idea. We heard of LUP through a neighbor and haven’t looked back since. Our second child is now in the 4’s class and our youngest will start in the 3’s next year.
Cheryl and Vicky have been working together for more than 16 years and it shows. They KNOW each of these children and have dedicated themselves to fostering a creative, collaborative, engaging, problem-​solving, fun environment for the children. In each of my son’s classes, it is amazing how quickly the children have melded and formed friendships. The schedule is unique for Seattle and was perfect for my stay-​at-​home-​mom status — two mornings a week for three hours when the kids are three, and three mornings a week for three and a half hours when they are four. My kids — and basically all of their classmates — come out of the classroom glowing each day and can’t wait to see what awaits them on the next school day. There’s ample art, reading, introductory board games, puzzles, baking, sensory activities, music, puppet shows. I really could go on and on.
As for me, as a SAHM, I was able to meet and foster long-​lasting friendships with the other parents because of our similar values in how we are raising our children. It’s a real community. The schedule was a great fit for our lifestyle because it gave our children a place to call their own and boosted their confidence and self-​sufficiency, while also allowing them to stay home several days a week or pursue other activities with mom.
This preschool is an absolutely GEM.