What Kennedy Catholic High School does

Kennedy Catholic High School is a four-year Archdiocesan co-educational Catholic college preparatory institution located in Burien, Washington, serving 850+ students in grades 9-12. Founded in 1966 and named in memory of President John F. Kennedy, the school operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit under the governance of the Archdiocese of Seattle, with the Archbishop appointing school leadership though providing no financial support. The institution serves four primary customer segments: domestic Pacific Northwest families, over 70 international students from more than a dozen countries, students requiring differentiated learning support through the St. Teresa of Calcutta Program, and high-achieving students pursuing Aquinas Honors or Frassati Scholars tracks.

The academic platform is built on a tiered curriculum architecture featuring 29 Advanced Placement, dual-credit, and advanced courses, with the Matteo Ricci Program enabling Seattle University dual credit and the Frassati Scholars Program layering AP Seminar/AP Research on the honors track. Technology infrastructure consists of standard educational SaaS integrations—PowerSchool for student information, Schoology as LMS, Naviance for college readiness, SmartPass for hall monitoring, and a 1:1 Apple MacBook program for freshmen—without proprietary AI components. The school maintains accreditation through Western Catholic Education Association, Cognia, and Washington Association of Independent Schools.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition ($23,652 for 2026-2027 academic year, $26,508 for St. Teresa Program), mandatory enrollment and activity fees, the KATCH Auction, and the Annual Fund donation campaign. A $6,616 per-student gap between tuition and actual education cost is covered by fundraising, with 45% of students receiving some form of tuition assistance. The institution's go-to-market relies on admissions-driven enrollment through Open Houses, Lancer Visit Day shadow programs, personalized campus tours, and a self-serve online application portal, with marketing channels spanning multilingual website (36+ languages), social media, and weekly Friday eNews newsletter.

Name

Kennedy Catholic High School

Legal name

John F. Kennedy Catholic High School

Website

https://kennedyhs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kennedy Catholic High School is a 501(c)(3) Archdiocesan Catholic college preparatory institution in Burien, Washington, serving 850+ students in grades 9-12, including 70+ international students, through tuition, fees, and Annual Fund donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Annual tuition for 2026-2027 school year: $23,652 for 1st and 2nd student, $5,208 for 3rd student (no charge for 4th+). Saint Teresa of Calcutta Program tuition: $26,508 per student. School receives no financial support from Archdiocese of Seattle, parishes, or state.
2. Annual Fund Donations: Annual Fund campaign with suggested donation levels of $58, $158, or $1,058 (corresponding to 58th anniversary). The $6,616 difference between tuition and actual cost to educate each student is partially covered by donations.
3. KATCH Auction: Major annual fundraising auction with $350 family obligation if submitted by procurement deadline, increasing to $400 after deadline. Parent volunteer requirements: 20 hours per family (10 hours for single parent households) if receiving tuition assistance.
4. Enrollment and Activity Fees: Enrollment fee: $550 for grades 9-11, $750 for seniors (includes $200 senior fee) if paid by deadline, $50 late fee thereafter. Class and Activity Fee: $300. Technology Fee: $400.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Kennedy Catholic High School is a four-year co-educational Archdiocesan Catholic college-preparatory high school serving grades 9-12 in Burien, Washington. It delivers a comprehensive secondary education program featuring honors, Advanced Placement, and dual-credit coursework, an international student program, specialized learning support, daily academic support periods, college and career counseling, and a 1:1 Apple MacBook technology program. The school charges tuition and fees, supplemented by an Annual Fund, the KATCH Auction, and enrollment fees.

Product overview

Kennedy Catholic High School is a four-year college-preparatory Catholic high school offering a comprehensive educational program through multiple integrated academic programs and support services. The core academic offerings are organized under the Thomas Aquinas Honors Program umbrella, which includes honors, AP, and dual credit courses. Students can pursue advanced pathways through the Frassati Scholars Program (requiring AP Seminar and AP Research) or the Matteo Ricci Program for Seattle University dual credit. Specialized support is provided through the St. Teresa of Calcutta Program for differentiated learners, while over 70 international students participate in the International Student Program. Academic support includes daily Lancer FOCUS periods, peer tutoring through National Honor Society, and comprehensive college and career counseling. All students receive Apple devices through the 1:1 Technology Program and access learning management through Schoology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Thomas Aquinas Honors Program A college-preparatory honors umbrella program offering designated honors, Advanced Placement, and dual-credit classes, with students recognized as Aquinas Scholar or Aquinas Scholar with Distinction upon graduation.
• Frassati Scholars Program An elite scholars cohort requiring Aquinas Scholar qualification plus AP Seminar in Grade 10 and AP Research in Grade 12, integrating academic learning with lived experience through student research projects.
• Matteo Ricci Program (Seattle University Dual Credit) A strategic partnership with Seattle University offering dual-credit courses in English (HUMT1500, HUMT1850), Math (MATH 1334, MATH 1335), Social Studies (HUMT1315), Theology (HUMT2020), and World Languages (FREN1250, CHIN1250, SPAN1250), enabling students to earn college credits before graduating high school.
• St. Teresa of Calcutta Program A specialized program offering differentiated learning support for students with diverse learning needs, ensuring accessibility to a quality Catholic college-preparatory education. Charges separate tuition of $26,508 per student annually.
• International Student Program A comprehensive program hosting over 70 international students from more than a dozen countries, providing housing/homestay, international dormitory, visa support, English language assistance, and cultural integration services.
• Lancer FOCUS Academic Support A daily 40-minute support period (8:00-8:40am) for tutoring, test retakes, and makeup class activities, with required attendance for students with failing grades.
• Peer Tutoring Program Tutoring provided by National Honor Society members to support student academic success across all subjects.
• College and Career Counseling Comprehensive post-secondary planning including college applications, financial aid support (FAFSA), and career exploration services.
• Integrated Service Learning Experience (ISLE) A required community service program where students perform over 17,000 collective hours annually as a graduation requirement.
• Apple 1:1 Technology Program A 1:1 Apple device program providing each student with a MacBook for technology-enhanced learning, including a $400 annual Technology Fee.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45% of new student population received need-based tuition assistance during 2025-2026 admissions season
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Seattle UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle University partnership through the Matteo Ricci Program offering dual credit courses. Students can earn college credits through Seattle University in English (HUMT1500, HUMT1850), Math (MATH 1334, MATH 1335), Social Studies (HUMT1315), Theology (HUMT2020), and World Languages (FREN1250, CHIN1250, SPAN1250). Dual credit courses allow students potential to earn a full year of college credits before graduating high school.
• Archdiocese of SeattlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKennedy Catholic is an Archdiocesan Catholic high school under the governance of the Archdiocese of Seattle. The Archbishop appoints school leadership. School receives no financial support from the Archdiocese but operates under its educational standards and Catholic identity framework.
• University College Admission PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership network of 20+ universities and colleges for college admissions support. Alumni destinations include Berkeley, Colgate, Cornell, Georgetown, Gonzaga, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Santa Clara, Seattle University, Stanford, UCLA, U.S. Air Force Academy, University of Michigan, USC, UW, WSU, and West Point.
• Office for Catholic SchoolsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployment applications processed through the Office for Catholic Schools website (applitrack.com/seattlearch) for Archdiocese of Seattle affiliated schools. Email applications accepted at [email protected] with rolling review until positions are filled.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bishop Blanchet High School: Archdiocesan Catholic co-educational college-prep high school in Seattle, WA serving grades 9-12 with similar tuition-driven model and academic programming, directly competing for the same Seattle-area families.
• O'Dea High School: Catholic boys' high school in Seattle, WA operating under the Archdiocese of Seattle with comparable college-prep curriculum, athletics, and tuition-driven revenue model targeting overlapping Catholic-preferred families.
• Seattle Preparatory School: Jesuit Catholic co-ed college preparatory high school in Seattle, WA; comparable size, academic rigor (AP, dual credit), tuition scale, and Archdiocesan-adjacent Catholic identity in the same metro market.
• Holy Names Academy: Catholic girls' college-prep high school in Seattle, WA operating under the Archdiocese of Seattle; matches Kennedy Catholic on tuition model, college-readiness programming, and Seattle Catholic-market dynamics.
• Eastside Catholic High School: Catholic co-ed high school serving the Seattle Eastside area with similar AP/dual-credit academic offerings, athletics, and tuition-driven revenue model.
• Archbishop Murphy High School: Catholic co-ed college-prep high school in the greater Puget Sound region operating under the Archdiocese of Seattle; comparable governance, tuition model, and academic/athletic programming.
• Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart: Independent Catholic girls' school in Bellevue, WA (grades 5-12) sharing Catholic identity, college-prep mission, and Puget Sound regional market overlap with Kennedy Catholic.

Broad incumbents

• Bellarmine College Preparatory: Larger Catholic Jesuit college-prep school in San Jose, CA with similar AP-heavy, dual-credit, and tuition-driven revenue model; broader geographic peer with comparable mission but materially larger scale.

Others

• Lakeside School: Highly selective independent (non-Catholic) college-prep school in Seattle, WA competing for the same affluent Seattle-area families but serving as an adjacent rather than overlapping competitor given its secular identity.

Regional players

• Gonzaga Preparatory School: Catholic Jesuit college-prep high school in Spokane, WA; comparable Jesuit/Catholic academic programming and tuition model, but operating in a distinct inland Northwest geography relative to Kennedy Catholic's coastal Puget Sound market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jfkcatholic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/1516960
• Instagraminstagram.com/kennedycatholiclancers
• Xx.com/KennedyCathWA

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kennedy Catholic High School