About
On behalf of the faculty, staff, parents, and students, we are delighted to welcome you to the Chestnut Hill Academy website.
Chestnut Hill Academy is a private, secular, coeducational day school recognized for providing an exceptional learning environment that emphasizes high academic standards, a low student-to-teacher ratio, and a strong emphasis on leadership. The school caters for approximately 375 Kindergarten through Fifth Grade students.
Our students typically matriculate to leading private secondary schools including The Bush School, Eastside Preparatory School, Eastside Catholic, Forest Ridge, Lakeside, Overlake, Seattle Academy, and University Preparatory, as well as the local public schools.
We aim to give you a glimpse into the workings of our school in these pages, and as you explore the site we hope to give you an appreciation of what makes our school unique. If you have any questions, large or small, do not hesitate to contact me. Holly Senaga, Head of School. My staff and I look forward to welcoming you to our community for a tour, an Open House or a virtual visit.
"My children have attended Chestnut Hill Academy since Kindergarten.
You will not find a more inclusive, rigorous, and character building primary education provider in the greater Seattle area.”
Holly Senaga, Head of School
Some things I love about CHA
- Dedicated, excited and professional teachers and staff
- Everything is perfectly organized
- Small class sizes
- Guaranteed before and after school care
- Great extracurriculars
- Amazing administration
- Beautiful facility and grounds.
- Big beautiful library
- Classrooms are well stocked. Interactive boards. All kids get a tablet
- Big tech lab that each class goes to weekly
- Healthy/tasty food
- Ski program!
- Focuses on the whole child, not just academics. Provides art, music, library, Spanish, PE and tech lab
- Lots of ways for parents to be involved
- Encourages students to respect each other and treat each other well. Provides the framework for good behavior, with tools like Leader In Me and Bucket filling, and then provides lots of positive reinforcement
Fun Facts about CHA
- Opened by Bill Alsdurf and Susan Peterson in 1998
- Chestnut Hill was chosen by Bill as the name because he liked the metaphor of children being nurtured and growing like trees
- Started with only 2 mixed-age level classrooms with grades 1-4 and an Art specialist
- Lunch was prepared in the kitchen and served family-style
- The school was year-round with 3 three week vacations between trimesters
- There were 5 computers, all named after flowers, and our intranet is still called The Garden, although we now have about 400 computers on it!
- Musicals started as an intersession activity with all students who attended the intersession participating
- In 1999, a 3rd classroom was added, along with 5th Grade, Tech and PE specialists were hired, and CHA got a school bus for field trips
- In 1999 the school year became a traditional September – June year, and summer camp was added
- By 2006 CHA had outgrown the original campus and the Factoria Campus was opened
Mrs. Senaga with former students enjoying the old playground