Join us for an info session, and see firsthand why Alpha is ranked among the best private schools thanks to its groundbreaking learning model.
When choosing a school, nothing matters more than hearing from families just like yours.
These Alpha parents share how their children gained confidence, learned faster, and rediscovered their love of school.
In one evening, you’ll see how Alpha kids learn twice as fast, meet guides, and talk with parents whose kids are already thriving. Walk away knowing whether Alpha is the right fit for your child.
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Alpha Kirkland
Dr. Tasha Arnold is a dynamic educational leader with extensive experience in American and international schools across the US, Europe, and Asia. She has spent her career transforming schools, implementing innovative learning models, and fostering personalized educational experiences that empower students to reach their highest potential. She has taught at the Elementary, Middle, and High School levels, specializing in IB/AP Sciences and Learning Support across various curriculums (USA, UK, IB, and AP).
I joined Alpha because I believe in redefining education. Personalization, hands-on learning, and skill development are the pillars of a truly impactful education. Alpha’s approach aligns with my vision of ensuring every child thrives academically, socially, and emotionally in a way that is uniquely suited to them.
Qiuhong “Q” Tang is a trusted advisor who has helped families and clients navigate some of life’s most important decisions across family advisory, wealth management, and complex stakeholder environments. She brings a holistic, long-term perspective to admissions at Alpha, helping parents feel heard, understand what their child needs to thrive, and explore Alpha’s innovative learning model with confidence, clarity, and care.
Education should help children discover who they are becoming and what they are capable of — not someday, but now.
I’ve been with Alpha since 2021. I spent my first four years as the Lead Guide at our flagship Austin campus before opening one of our sister campuses just outside of Austin last year. This fall, I’m thrilled to be launching Alpha Kirkland. Even though I’ve spent the last several years in Texas, this move feels a little like coming home since I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Before Alpha, I spent seven years teaching in New York City after earning my degree in Psychology from Sacramento State, where I also played Division I basketball, and my Master’s in Education from Fordham University.
Outside of Alpha, you'll usually find me at a park with my daughter, Eloise, getting outnumbered by our three dogs, reading, or training for my next marathon.
Hello! Born and raised in the greater Cleveland area, I now hold multiple teaching credentials across Ohio and Washington as an elementary educator and intervention specialist for children with complex needs. I taught third and fourth grade at a nontraditional private school built around highly student-driven approaches to learning and, beyond classroom teaching, have worked as a behavior technician supporting young students with autism as they navigated the school day with greater independence. I also spent two years as a shared living mentor, living full-time with two adults with intellectual disabilities and supporting them as a stepping stone towards, again, greater independence. Working with individuals with special needs across ages and settings showed me firsthand the power of meeting each learner where they are, making Alpha’s personalized learning approach and emphasis on life skills immediately stand out to me. I’m excited to be part of a community reimagining what school can be for kids.
The arts have always been a major part of my life, specifically acting, singing, and competitive dancing. I’m fascinated by the ways film and recorded music immortalize moments in time, serving as cultural artifacts that trace the evolution of society across generations. I’m also interested in government and politics, from global affairs to the workings of local communities, and enjoy exploring new cities and discovering the distinct character and identity of each one (e.g., ready for a new adventure, I moved from Ohio to Seattle without ever having set foot in the Pacific Northwest).
Hi everyone, I’m Esther!! I was born in Virginia and raised in Texas, where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Texas A&M University. My background has given me the chance to work in both research and education, but working with kids has always been especially meaningful to me. I’ve coached and developed youth basketball programs, mentored through Big Brothers Big Sisters, and worked in my hometown public school supporting students in special education and behavioral intervention classrooms. Through each of these experiences, I’ve loved getting to know kids as individuals, encouraging them, and helping them discover just how much they’re capable of.
Outside of school, I love watching football and basketball, traveling, trying new foods, and spending time outside, especially by the water! I’m also really into wellness, whether that means staying active, taking time to recharge, or finding new ways to take care of myself. I love a good mystery, but I’m just as likely to be watching a documentary or learning about something new that I can actually use in my everyday life. Since moving to Seattle, I’ve also been having fun exploring my new city and discovering everything the Pacific Northwest has to offer!
Washington born and raised, I am thoroughly invested in bettering the education system in my community. My teaching journey began internationally, starting with immersive ELL environments while living in orphanages and homestays, traveling through South East Asia. After graduating from Grand Canyon University with my BS in Elementary Education, I was placed in an International school in Diosd, Hungary teaching Kindergarten. Returning home, I spent the last three years in a homeschool setting, tailoring individualized instruction to a wide range of learning needs. I have loved school for as long as I can remember, and am beyond grateful to find an education system that is exceeding student needs!
Outside of teaching, I love being outdoors, exploring new places, and deeping my relationships with the people I care about. I value joy, adventure, and lifelong learning, and I’m always looking for something new to discover. You’ll find me camping with my husband, in a plane seat with my sister, or enjoying good food with good friends. I adore a good book, a challenging puzzle, making any kind of craft, and exploring new worlds. And forever and always-Cheering on the Seahawks!
I’ve spent my whole career working with families, just from two very different angles. For nearly twenty years I was a financial planner, sitting with families through their biggest decisions and mentoring the young advisors on our team. Along the way I realized the mentoring was the part I loved most, so I left that career to work directly with young people. Since then my wife and I have become foster parents, I homeschooled our kids for a couple of years, and most recently I drove a school bus for special-needs students. Between the three, I’ve learned how to earn a kid’s trust and then help them do more than they thought they could. At Alpha, that’s the job. My wife and I have lived in Kirkland for 13 years and are raising our three kids here, so I’m thrilled to be doing this work in my own community.
Outside of Alpha, you'll usually find me doing a sweaty workout with my kids (often some "1% better every day" fitness challenge), on the slopes with them in the winter and in the pool in the summer, or with our church community. We also have two Ragdoll cats who follow us into every room and then pretend we aren't there. I'm still chasing my first Ironman finish. I was fully trained and two weeks out from race day when I broke my leg, so that one is unfinished business.
I taught for 27 years before Alpha. I’ve taught every grade from kindergarten through twelfth, though most of my years were in middle and high school. I have also taught many different subjects, but the second half of my career was spent teaching Spanish and AVID. I’m originally from New Jersey and have lived in Florida and now Washington. I earned my Bachelor’s in Spanish and K-12 Education from Flagler College and my Master’s in Teaching and Learning from Nova Southeastern University, and I’m a National Board Certified Teacher in Spanish. In 2020, I left the classroom to become Director of Programming at the Washington State Leadership Board, creating programs for students across the state. I came to Alpha because I missed being with kids every day, and because Alpha is built around the parts of education that matter most to me and that I never had enough time for in a traditional classroom.
I've been a foster parent to more than 20 children over the years, some for a few days and some for a few years, and I have six adopted children. I studied abroad in Salamanca a long time ago and have been going back to Spain ever since, sometimes with students and sometimes on my own. Getting to hand that love of Spain to other people is one of my favorite things I've done. I also love coffee and living somewhere I can walk or take a bus to a new coffee shop.
Hi, my name is Kris and I’m from Chicago. I studied Secondary Social Science Education and spent years tutoring everyone from second graders to high school students, plus working as a research assistant studying how civic education shapes political polarization. By the time I finished, I had taught every age from Pre-K to high school. Surprisingly, I didn’t always love school, so I know exactly what it feels like when learning seems pointless and boring. It took one amazing educator to show me how fulfilling being a lifelong learner could be, and now my goal is to do the same for my students by making learning so enjoyable that the love for it sticks long after they leave my room.
When I'm not guiding, I'm usually nerding out over how people actually learn. I'm also a hopeless history nerd, the kind who plans trips around history museums and reads constantly to stretch how I see the world. When I need to unplug, you'll catch me watching or playing sports, or relaxing with my dog Finn.
My background spans education, coaching, and technology. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a Humanities focus and began my career as a Software Engineer at Google. Alongside that work, I taught Math, Computer Science, and AI to students from elementary through high school and continue to mentor students in AI research. I’m also a Certified Life Coach with experience tutoring, teaching abroad, and supporting youth through counseling work. I’m excited to be at Alpha, where innovation and whole-child growth go hand in hand.
Outside the classroom, I consider myself a lifelong learner and love reading, spending time in nature, and traveling (especially if there’s a beach). I enjoy yoga, aerial arts, and creative projects like diamond art painting. If there’s good food involved or something new to explore, I’m usually in!
After growing up in Bellevue, I attended Boston University and loved living on the other coast. However, I love the Pacific Northwest more and returned home. I have spent the past 30 years living and serving in Seattle’s Rainier Valley. I love the diversity of my neighborhood – the people, the languages and the food. After earning a degree in Social Studies Education I began working with students who struggled to read and write, so I earned endorsements in Reading and English. Some teaching highlights have been helping teenagers discover they could still learn and love to read and creating and teaching STEM projects that facilitated collaboration among high school students who learned and achieved more than they could have imagined. In addition to being a teacher, literacy coach and reading interventionist I have also worked for the YMCA with youth exiting foster care, at Seattle Pacific University in the John Perkins Center for Leadership Development and at my church as the Director of Ministry and Operations. I’m thrilled to join the innovative Alpha team as we pursue building community, knowing kids and loving to learn – together!
If you can’t find me check the mountains, the lakes, the library, the garden or the kitchen! I spend most of my free time in those places, often with family and friends. Cultivating relationships is at the center of my life. My biggest privilege in life is to notice and call forth the unique gifts each person already possesses and to walk alongside people as they explore, nurture and grow those gifts. I love to do anything outdoors - especially in the Pacific Northwest! I have spent time working/volunteering in both Glacier National Park and Mt. Rainier National Park. I enjoy traveling primarily for the purpose of seeing the places that are important to people I love. Those people have taken me to each of the 50 United States, 10 countries in Europe, South Africa, Mozambique and most recently the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. I’ve always loved to read and lately have been enjoying historical fiction based on women who have had unrecognized impact.
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Washington State Board of Education
Alpha Kirkland is approved by the Washington State Board of Education to operate during the 2026–2027 school year.
View approval certificate