Our Mission

To inspire students to cultivate their own intellectual and artistic voices in a supportive community grounded in knowledge, creativity, and critical thinking.

Our Vision

We envision Northwest Academy as a hub of educational and community activity in downtown Portland, celebrated for blending
academic challenge, artistic expression, and civic experience for each and every student.

Core Values

Northwest Academy’s core values guide the Board, administration, faculty, and staff in their efforts to provide students with a challenging and unique education. It is the school’s understanding that a student culture with these important values must be strategically developed and upheld.

List of 6 items.

  • Academics & Arts

    An education in both academics and the arts results in a more complete and balanced individual who, while being productive, also leads an inspired and meaningful life.
  • Talented faculty

    Our teachers are passionate about their subject areas, and their support of free and open inquiry motivates students’ interest in learning and creative thinking.
  • Student engagement

    A student's curiosity and creative thinking expand when nurtured by accomplished and energetic faculty who promote participation and welcome debate.
  • Thriving Environment for Students

    Students thrive in an environment where both individuality and collaboration are encouraged and fostered.
  • Proficiency-based placement

    A focus on proficiency-based placement enhances students’ motivation and initiative while allowing a student to work through education at a relatively accelerated or more leisurely personal pace.
  • Creativity

    One of the cornerstones of our school, creativity is one of the most important human qualities and must be nurtured if a student is to become adaptable during change.

List of 4 items.

  • Diversity & Perspective

    Intellectual and artistic courage grow from a culture that stimulates fascination with ideas and diversity of perspective.
  • Motivation & Advocation

    Students achieve more when they are guided to be self-reliant, intrinsically motivated, and to advocate for themselves.
  • Nurturing & Supportive Environment

    The school intends to recognize talent in its faculty, students, and administrators. It will be an environment that nurtures and supports achievement, curiosity, risk-taking, hard work, and questioning.
  • Psychologically Safe Environment

    Students reach higher personal levels when they work in a psychologically safe environment, devoid of put-downs, ridicule, and social cliques. 

Diversity Statement

A commitment to equity and inclusion lies at the heart of Northwest Academy’s culture, and we strive to carry it out through our arts and academic partnerships. We value the uniqueness of each student, family member, teacher, and staff member; their diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives create a culture rich with mutual respect and authenticity. The Northwest Academy community values all ethnicities, races, cultures, religions, economic backgrounds, family structures, sexual and gender identities, and abilities. Ongoing efforts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to our staff and to our students’ abilities to develop into thoughtful and creative global citizens. Reach out to the DICE team at dice@nwacademy.org.