Designed for Every Mind
Who We Serve
Yellow Wood Academy serves students in grades 4-12 who need a more flexible, individualized education. We are an inclusive and vibrant school of students who may be gifted and talented, twice exceptional, globe-trotting, or deeply interested in specific disciplines. We also specialize in creating a neuro-affirming education for students who may have diagnoses such as specific learning disabilities, autism, and chronic medical conditions.
The Yellow Wood Approach
At Yellow Wood, our highly-trained teachers create engaging 1:1 and small group lessons tailored to each student’s needs and interests. Our education team collaborates closely with families to design a program to engage every mind! Our courses are offered in a 1:1 or small group setting with no more than 5 students in a class. For students desiring more flexibility, we also offer online courses and can accommodate a hybrid in-person/online schedule, as well as dual enrollment with other schools and programs.
Our Mission:
We provide a collaborative, accessible learning environment that uniquely engages each student, embraces their potential, and prepares them for their future.
Our Vision:
Provide every child with the tools and encouragement to pursue their own personal journey, wherever it may lead. Each child can achieve their unique destiny, whatever it may be.
Our History:
Yellow Wood Academy opened in 1981 on Mercer Island as Eastside Tutoring Center. In 2014, we changed our name to better reflect our individualized approach to education. Yellow Wood Academy’s name is inspired by the Robert Frost poem, The Road Not Taken (all of our graduates receive a copy). We moved to Bellevue in August of 2025 to provide enhanced opportunities for students, including a fully equipped science lab, robotics lab, wellness space and music and art studios!
Student Testimonials
"YWA is honestly a great school. I've been able to grow and learn in the past 2 years more than I have for the previous 10 grades, and been able to find friends I feel like I fit in with. I'm given the chance to lead and support others and advocate, and have a more personalized curriculum that suits my needs and learning style well."
— Bucky
“The freedom that the class schedules offer is one of my favorite parts about Yellow Wood. The ability to go into an environment that is one-on-one with your teachers and the class itself is very flexible- that’s so helpful.”
— Jet
Parent Testimonials
A Welcome from our Head of School
I am thrilled to welcome you to the vibrant and unique learning community at Yellow Wood Academy. Please learn more about our community through our website, but also don’t hesitate to reach out with questions on how we can serve your student. We pride ourselves on creating an individualized learning experience for every student that honors their strengths and builds intentional academic, interpersonal, and emotional skills.
Since its inception in 1981, Yellow Wood Academy (formerly Eastside Tutoring Center) has served students who are exceptional in every sense of the word. Our outstanding service is rooted in understanding every student’s educational journey through partnerships with students and families, while weaving in the expertise of a wider educational community. This partnership includes embracing neurodiversity, striving for authentic inclusion, and building trusting relationships where students feel valued and safe.
As I enter my 20th year of education, I am grateful for the opportunity to lead an organization that can empower students to have agency in their own education. As a former high school science teacher and Assistant Principal in local public schools, I have experienced the joys and limitations of the prevailing school models. Seeing the growth that our students can achieve through our 1:1 and small group model, learning from educators who are attuned to their needs, is truly inspiring.
I look forward to collaborating with your family- please reach out any time!
Sincerely,
Tyrell Hardtke