Close Reach Academy
Elementary School
Charting The Course for Academic Success
Close Reach Academy Elementary School charts the course for academic success by developing curious thinkers and confident possibility finders. Our supportive community equips and empowers students to integrate their faith while pursuing academic excellence, leading to impactful relationships that inspire a heart that yearns for God and service to others.
About Our Educational Model
At CRA Elementary, children learn best by experiencing learning hands-on. This educational approach is engaging and entirely immersive as students interact with each subject using their senses, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity to arrive at comprehensive solutions. Giving students the experience of learning helps them gain confidence through their failures and successes.
Why It’s Effective
The CRA experiential model excels at cultivating strong cognitive, intellectual, creative, and social-emotional skills. By focusing on each learner, this model enables teachers to lead engaging lessons tailored to meet diverse student needs. When students are consistently challenged and immersed in stimulating material, they become deeply engaged, which supports their academic, personal, and spiritual growth.
By leveraging inclusive environments that value neurodiversity and accommodate learning differences, we ensure a positive educational journey for every student. The CRA model actively moves away from the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach by customizing instruction, fostering flexible learning environments, and employing adaptable lesson plans.
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Our Story
Experience an educational model where children will truly develop a love for learning! The current typical educational model is malforming our children and creating barriers to creativity, topic mastery, and diverse learning abilities. The Pelissero family, who are the founders of Close Reach Academy, have experienced the frustration and struggle of the educational system with their own children, who all learn differently. The Pelissero’s started as a homeschool family that enrolled their children in the local school system. They were disheartened by the lack of engagement their children were experiencing and the loss of their children’s creativity and love for learning.
While finishing their doctoral degrees, Craig and Jennifer opened early childhood education schools around Lake Washington and North Shore. While they began with Early Childhood Education, they have always planned to expand into Elementary, Junior High, and High schools. The Pelissero’s are excited to create an elementary school for their children and yours. A school that invokes a love for learning, creative possibility finders, and experiential learning that immerses students into a wonder-filled educational experience.
Dr. Jennifer and Dr. Craig Pelissero have created a school that will allow each student to thrive and teachers the ability to be innovative. A dream over a decade in the making, Craig and Jennifer get to launch this school in Fall 2025. Working with children, youth, and families for 15 years has given them keen insight into the needs of modern learners. Join us for an incredible educational experience as we embark on the academic journey that charts a course for future success by bringing differentiated, experiential, and Christian education to the Bellevue community!
Theological Foundation
At Close Reach Academy Elementary School, we’re an interdenominational Christian community dedicated to creating a culture of embodied theological education. Our God-centered environment focuses on teaching Christian beliefs and practices, with the goal of developing action-oriented disciples of Christ. We aim to help students become naturally aware of their role in God’s plan, constantly reflecting on the Holy Spirit’s work around them.
Our intentional Christian community supports students in solidifying their identity within God’s narrative, while also encouraging them to explore their unique gifts. We foster a vibrant faith life through daily discipleship, weekly chapel services, a student-led chapel team, Christian rites of passage celebrations, and community service projects. This multifaceted approach allows our students to experience God in a transformative way, nurturing a lifelong commitment to their faith. Our emphasis on deep Christian expression, practical application, and empowering students sets CRA Elementary apart from other Christian schools.
Deep Christian faith and traditions are central to the Close Reach Academy Elementary experience. We celebrate our faith in an invitational and welcoming way for people from all religious or non-religious backgrounds. We teach all members of our community to honor and respect the diverse religious traditions of others, while staying true to their own beliefs. At Close Reach Academy Elementary, we come together to pray, reflect, and serve as one school community, united as beloved children of God.
Culture and Environment
Driven to build the most positive and collaborative educational environment possible, CRA Elementary is anchored in faith, service, and academic excellence. Students and parents will experience genuine care and support through each age and stage of development. Prioritizing the connection and partnership between home and school, we commit to coming alongside each student to meet their academic, spiritual, and emotional needs.
Teacher Qualifications
Building the best educational team requires our teachers to be passionate about teaching and educated in the most comprehensive instructional practices and approaches to learning. We prioritize higher education and a commitment to teachability for all of our educators as they learn, grow, and evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of our students.
Educational Philosophy
Researched and proven, we take the best parts from each academic approach, combining them into our experiential model of learning. Hands-on, engaging, experiential, solutions-based, creative, and differentiated, we meet the State of Washington learning standards while also applying our model as an overlay to each subject. Teacher-led and student-immersed, our curriculum meets the needs of each learner, developing students in a thoroughly engaging and mindful process as they learn intellectually and grow spiritually.
Community
Outcome and Results
Our comprehensive teaching strategy helps students feel confident and empowered in their educational journey. By ensuring students experience daily success, we aim to strengthen their academic abilities and promote personal growth. We recognize and value each student’s unique talents, providing support in areas where they face challenges. Students feel Seen, Known, and Valued each day. Our holistic approach focuses on nurturing the qualities that make each student special, helping them develop into confident, intellectual, and mindful individuals.
Events
Accreditation
Close Reach Academy is an independent, interdenominational Christian school approved by the State of Washington, where every student is seen, known, valued, and supported.
Close Reach Academy Elementary School is accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and Christian Schools International.
The approvals and accreditations that have been earned demonstrate our commitment to excellence in education and support of our educators.
