What St. Alphonsus Parish School does

St. Alphonsus Parish School is a private Catholic PK-8 parish school located in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, founded in 1907 and operated under the Archdiocese of Seattle as part of Parish Family 14. The school enrolls approximately 185 students drawn from 20 zip codes, with an average class size of 17 and a faculty averaging 14 years of teaching experience. The school's core educational offering is a sequential program spanning Preschool/Pre-K (ages 2.5-4), Elementary (K-6), and Middle School (7th-8th grade with single-sex classes), delivered through the Core Knowledge Curriculum and benchmarked using MAP testing that consistently exceeds public, national, and Archdiocesan averages. Extracurriculars include CYO athletics, drama, robotics, coding, beekeeping, Model UN, a competitive House System, and Extended Care. The school is also the first and only Catholic school in Washington state registered with the Wait Until 8th smartphone-free pledge, and runs an Innovative Housing Project providing on-campus affordable housing for nine teachers, funded in part by a $30,000 Fulcrum Foundation grant. St. Alphonsus won back-to-back Archdiocese of Seattle Academic Decathlon championships in 2024 and 2025.

The school's business model combines recurring tuition from enrolled families, Annual Fund donations, and active Parents' Club fundraising — total Parents' Club contributions reached approximately $165K in 2023-24, with the 2024-25 commitment targeted at $105K plus an additional $56.8K Fund-a-Dream project. Tuition amounts are not publicly disclosed but are positioned as 'affordable and competitive,' with financial aid referenced. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on Open Houses, a Parent Ambassador program, family referrals, social media, the 'Angels' Angle' weekly newsletter, and earned media coverage on KING 5 New Day NW, Good Day Seattle, Catholic News Agency, and the Fulcrum Point podcast. The Admissions Director (Melissa Rodriguez-Murphy) manages a direct-admissions funnel via the school's website and in-person tours. The institution operates as a 501(c)(3)-equivalent nonprofit, with no equity ownership or venture financing in place; recent revenue diversification efforts include the Fall 2025 launch of a half-day preschool program targeting non-Catholic early-childhood families.

Name

St. Alphonsus Parish School

Legal name

St. Alphonsus Parish School

Website

https://stalseattle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Alphonsus Parish School is a Catholic PK-8 parish school in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, serving 185 students with a Core Knowledge curriculum, faith formation, and community-driven programs under the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Catholic Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Catholic K-8 education
• Private parochial school
• Preschool pre-K programs
• Faith-based learning
• Elementary middle school

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Tuition payments from enrolled families constitute the primary revenue stream for the school. The school offers preschool through 8th grade enrollment.
2. Fundraising events (Auction, Jog-a-thon, Bingo, Trunk-or-Treat): Parents' Club organizes major annual fundraisers including an Auction (~$61K), Jog-a-thon (~$33K), and smaller events. In 2023-24 fiscal year, total Parent's Club fundraising reached $165K, with $161.5K directed back to the school. Additional Fund-a-Dream projects raised $56.8K for security doors and AED devices.
3. Annual Fund donations: Annual fund campaign accepts monetary donations from families and community members to support school programs and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

St. Alphonsus Parish School delivers a Catholic PK-8 education (preschool through 8th grade) to 185 students in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, structured around three sequential programs: Early Learning (Preschool and Pre-K for ages 2.5-4), Elementary Education (K-6), and Middle School (7th-8th grade with single-sex classes). The school combines Core Knowledge curriculum instruction, faith formation, and enrichment programs (CYO Athletics, Drama, Robotics, Coding, Beekeeping, Model UN) with an average class size of 17 and faculty averaging 14 years of teaching experience.

Product overview

St. Alphonsus Parish School offers a unified Catholic education program spanning preschool through 8th grade (PK-8), serving 185 students with an average class size of 17. The core educational offering consists of three sequential programs: Early Learning (Preschool & Pre-K for ages 2.5-4), Elementary Education (K-6), and Middle School (7th-8th grade with single-sex classes). These are supported by supplementary programs including After-School Programs (Spanish, CYO Athletics, Drama, Clubs), Summer Programs (Day Care, Camps, Learning Guide), and a Learning Resource Center. The school uses the Core Knowledge Curriculum with MAP testing to track academic progress, and emphasizes whole-child development through faith formation, performing arts, and competitive athletics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Learning Program (Preschool and Pre-K) Licensed preschool and pre-kindergarten education for children ages 2.5-4 featuring multi-age classrooms, lead teacher and aide, and hands-on experiences in art, music, and PE with full-day and half-day options.
• Elementary Education (K-6) Knowledge-centered Core Knowledge curriculum with coherent, content-rich instruction building across grade levels, average class size of 17, MAP testing exceeding public and Archdiocesan averages, and Walk-to-Math program for gifted students.
• Middle School Education (7th-8th Grade) Single-sex classes for 7th and 8th grades with enrichment in performing and visual arts, programming, beekeeping, Model UN, and a competitive student house system with 4 houses.
• After-School Programs Extended care for preschool through 6th grade, plus after-school Spanish program, clubs and activities (Art, Coding, Robotics, Chess), CYO Athletics, Drama Program, and the House System.
• Summer Programs Summer day care and camps (June-August, ages 2.5-5, max 20 students), Core Classics Summer Camp featuring classic literature reading with art enrichment, and a summer learning guide with reading assignments.
• Learning Resource Center Academic support services for students with different learning needs, providing one-on-one help and differentiated instruction to ensure all learners can succeed.

Quantifiable outcome

• MAP test scores consistently above state, national, and Archdiocesan averages
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Fulcrum Point PodcastminorOthers · 3 November 2025Featured on the Fulcrum Point podcast (episode 'A Day in the Life at St. Alphonsus Parish School') discussing the school's innovative programs including the teacher housing project, Wait Until 8th initiative, and whole-child education approach.
• Seattle Public Library, Ballard BranchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2025St. Alphonsus Parish School partnered with the Seattle Public Library, Ballard Branch to display a Class Art Showcase featuring student artwork themed around 'wonder.' Nearly 200 students produced 8 collaborative art pieces that were publicly displayed at the library before being auctioned at the school's annual fundraiser.
• KING 5 TelevisionminorOthers · 21 February 2025St. Alphonsus School, in partnership with the Fulcrum Foundation, was featured on KING 5's New Day NW show spotlighting student Victoria Acosta, a talented drummer and rising leader in the school's House System.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• University Prep: Independent 6-12 school in Seattle drawing from the same academically rigorous, values-oriented family segment; represents an upper-school pipeline alternative for families graduating from St. Alphonsus.
• The Bush School: Large, well-resourced Seattle independent PK-12 school with secular mission but comparable emphasis on whole-child education and progressive pedagogy; serves as a higher-priced alternative for the same academically-oriented Seattle families.
• Forest Ridge School: Larger, well-endowed Catholic independent school serving grades 5-12 in Bellevue, WA; competes for faith-based Seattle families willing to commute east and offers broader extracurricular and athletic programming.
• Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences: Independent 6-12 school in Seattle serving academically ambitious urban families; competes for the same middle-school feed that St. Alphonsus currently retains through 8th grade.

Direct peers

• Assumption-St. Bridget School: Catholic elementary school on Seattle's Capitol Hill serving PK-8 with comparable Archdiocesan oversight, academic programs, and parent community engagement model.
• St. John School: Catholic PK-8 school in Seattle also operating within Parish Family 14; shares institutional governance, faculty hiring market, and competitive catchment with St. Alphonsus.
• Our Lady of the Lake School: Catholic PK-8 school in north Seattle with similar parish-school structure, faith-based curriculum, and tuition scale; competes directly for Catholic and values-oriented Seattle families.
• St. Benedict School: Seattle Catholic PK-8 school that is part of the same Parish Family 14 under the Archdiocese of Seattle; essentially a sister school sharing governance, fundraising dynamics, and operational model.
• Holy Family Bilingual School: Catholic PK-8 school in Seattle serving a similar urban, faith-based, academically rigorous mission; directly comparable in scale, curriculum approach, and tuition profile to St. Alphonsus.

Regional players

• Eastside Preparatory School: Independent 5-12 school on Seattle's Eastside (Kirkland) with comparable small-class philosophy and whole-child emphasis; serves as a regional alternative rather than direct Ballard competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stalseattle
• Instagraminstagram.com/stalseattle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-alphonsus-parish-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 St. Alphonsus Parish School