A Home Away From Home by Chris Bayley

It is an honor to reflect on the life and leadership of The Bush School during the two decades when I served on the Board of Trustees–four of which I served as President–and it really all boils down to how the school became an extension of our family life. My daughters Elizabeth ’92 (Kindergarten through Sixth Grade) and Kate ’96 (a lifer) attended Bush, and we lived and breathed the everyday experience of the community. This was a pivotal time when the school needed to “lean in” to its identity, core values, and strategic plan for the future.  

My tenure overlapped with the tail end of Les Larsen’s headship, as well as the transition to Fred Dust (recruited from the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago). With Les at the helm, we held a major retreat for faculty, Board, and staff.  Our objective: come together and share what we love about our school, how we want to serve our community into the future, our strengths and weaknesses. It was a remarkable, rare opportunity for all of us to discuss the school’s magic, how to foster a greater emphasis on academic excellence, as well as important details like the daily schedule and independent study. 

Over time, I became impressed by the faculty in regards to their excellence as teachers and how they care for each student. Middle School Science teacher Peggy Skinner exemplified this: She was an advisor to the College Board; she recruited several students to the Fred Hutch Human Genome Project; and, in 1996, she was named Outstanding Biology Teacher for Washington State. The art teachers have been working artists (Dennis Evans during the 1980s and ’90s and, now, Bill Baber). Our teachers have a history of living and practicing what they teach—what a gift of inspiration for our students. 

Caring for each student manifests vis-à-vis teachers going the extra mile with key concepts to solidify not only a student’s understanding, but also their confidence. From her teachers, Kate learned self-advocacy; she met before and after school with Janice Osaka or Peggy Skinner for Q&A (and remains grateful to this day for their time). Formal academic counseling expanded: In 1986 the school had one part-time learning specialist for all 530 students; by 1994 there were three, one for each division. Rather than pulling a student out of class, counselors support classroom teachers, forming small study groups and suggesting strategies for students who learn differently. 

During my tenure, families didn’t have the array of independent school choices that exist now. Parents like Cynthia and I wanted our children to go to public school, but in the time frame before John Stanford became superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, many schools struggled with classroom size and a dearth of teachers. Among the elementary schools near us, Bush felt like an inspired choice for its history of community, teaching excellence, and progressive mission.  

Now we live in an era where there are at least a dozen local independent schools for families to consider. Most have serious scholarship programs and work hard to recruit families from all parts of our greater Seattle community.  When I look at Bush now, I see an incredible, positive shift in being more inclusive. With two granddaughters who are students at Bush, I love that they are now my teachers—I’m one of those “elders” who still has much to learn when it comes to everyday linguistics vis-à-vis the diversity, equity, and inclusion lens.  I’m also quite envious of current students who have an array of opportunities to learn outside the classroom (such as local experiential opportunities, travel programs, and the Methow education program).  

Since my tenure on the Board (a time when our main independent school competitor was Lakeside), Bush has solidified its core mission and expanded its reach to a broader community while remaining an academically competitive school choice among a greater pool of independent schools. I have always been proud of how Bush has remained true to its ethos. Yes, it is the more “alternative/artsy” school, but our academic rigor is remarkable. Bush is a community of strong individuals that want to help make a difference. Now more than ever, we can use that.  

My granddaughters are currently in Eighth and Fifth Grade. This home away from home is still a huge part of our lives and will be long after they graduate—the friends and teachers you meet at Bush remain steadfast in your life forever.  I’m thankful that Helen Bush had the foresight of creating a progressive space. I’m thankful that our capable current Head of School Percy L. Abram and his team have taken this mission on—we continue to push ourselves by a) asking the hard questions and b) working together in our 100th year. Seattle has become a busier city than I could have ever imagined; having a community like Bush right in the middle of it all brings me great pride.