Executive Functioning Skills: “Try Harder” Isn’t the Answer When an iron rod pierced railroad worker Phineas Gage’s frontal lobe in 1848, he survived an accident that should have killed him. But survival was only the beginning of the story. In the months that followed, people who knew Gage noticed significant… Read more
How to Choose a College Consultant Who Is the Right Fit for Your Student The college application process can feel overwhelming, even for organized students and experienced parents. There are essays to write, deadlines to track, recommendations to request, and financial details to understand. On top of that, families need… Read more
How 1-to-1 Learning Helps Students Catch Up and Move Ahead Even five years after COVID-19 first disrupted schools, many students are still struggling to reach pre-pandemic levels of achievement. A recent article in Education Week highlighted sobering news: reading has inched closer to recovery, but math performance remains significantly behind…. Read more
(updated May 6, 2026) When summer school emails from local school districts begin, Academy families should know they have another option: flexible, one-to-one summer school and credit recovery in Issaquah and Sammamish. Instead of being locked into a fixed schedule, students can complete courses on their own timeline, whether that’s… Read more
Is your family considering summer school, but worrying that it’ll ruin your summer plans? Good news – summer school doesn’t have to be stressful! One-to-one summer classes at Pacific Learning Academy help students push themselves forward academically by recovering credits from last year or jumping ahead for next year, all… Read more
Education by Design during the Pandemic Ready or not, families and schools across the country suddenly have found themselves trying to figure out “school” in a time when getting together puts students and teachers at risk. Even after the chaos of the spring of ’20, many educators are still scratching… Read more
Transitioning to Remote Learning This year, many students and their families have lost the ability to choose how they would like their education structured. Instead, most students are required to attend remotely, in virtual classrooms with other online students, whether or not the environment suits their learning needs. Districts, schools,… Read more
As the reach of the Coronavirus outbreak spreads, communities are beginning to grapple with how to best respond to the virus and the respiratory illness it causes. COVID-19 is a new disease (identified in humans as of December ’19), and we are learning more about it every day. Patients with… Read more
When a student struggles, or even fails a school subject, the stress is felt for everyone in the family. [Students wishing to take a class at the Academy should consult their school’s counseling office for information on drop deadlines and permission to take an outside credit] Missing homework, a sports… Read more
Pictured: Head of School, Kirsten O’Malley, English teacher, Susan Dix, Yeunsoo, Jihae (2019 graduate) and Edward Choi, History teacher, Dr. JD Wyneken A day to celebrate – proud of our 2019 graduates! One of the yearly highlights at Pacific Learning Academy is our Graduation Day, which is a truly unique… Read more
