The Forest Ridge Advantage


Why all girls?

All-girl learning environments create a culture of achievements. When girls feel known, understood and challenged, they have the power to be their very best selves. Students in all-girl classrooms confidently voice their opinions, ask thought-provoking questions and embrace new learning experiences and opportunities.

Simply put, at girls' schools, girls thrive.

In an all-girls' environment, girls can transcend gender stereotypes and take center stage. They embrace new learning experiences and opportunities. They are given time and space to develop deep friendships that will last a lifetime. Forest Ridge is proud to lead the way in providing an enriching independent school experience for middle school and upper school girls in the greater Seattle area and Western Washington. We draw girls from all over the area including Medina, Sammamish, Snoqualmie, Woodinville, Kirkland, Renton, North Bend and beyond. 

"In an all-girls' school, a girl can comprehend her value and her capabilities in ways that have nothing to do with how she looks or whom she dates. She can be free to experiment and explore, trying on new roles. She can follow her ambitions without wasting a second thought or a backward glance on how her male counterparts might perceive her." - National Coalition of Girls Schools

girls in class
girls leadership infographic

Why Sacred Heart?

Forest Ridge is a proud member of the Sacred Heart Network of Schools which has a long history of educating young women around the world. Our shared history and mission connects us to our sister schools in over 40 countries, and opens up opportunities for Exchange and travel opportunities for our students.

Forest Ridge is one of 25 Sacred Heart schools in the United States, and the only one in Washington state - located in Bellevue, WA. Together, we commit ourselves to educate our students to explore their spirituality, think critically, create a more just society, build community, and develop a clear sense of self. Our girls are inclusive, intellectual, socially aware, kind and confident. 

Why Forest Ridge?

At Forest Ridge, we know girls. 

Our small size ensures that each girl is known personally – both her strengths and her weaknesses. We support our students both in and out of the classroom, always challenging them to perform at their full potential. Each student is assigned an advisor who oversees her academic and social-emotional needs and collaborates with all of her teachers to ensure her success. Our small class sizes promote deep connections and life-long friendships, while our House program gives girls a sense of belonging, allowing students to build camaraderie across grade levels. 

Our association with the Sacred Heart network of schools, the National Coalition of Girls Schools and the Northwest Association of Independent Schools ensures that our faculty and staff receive high-quality professional development and adhere to best practices in education. Our teachers are experts in their fields and are given the time and space to share their expertise with their students.  

Forest Ridge gave me so much confidence that I have carried with me into medical school. It was more than a school, it was a community. I still feel part of that community today. Yassi M., Class of 2008