Summer Learning at Evergreen Crest Academy
Learning loss is real, especially in math and ELA, where students can lose months of progress over the summer. Evergreen Crest Academy’s small‑group program is designed to prevent that slide through intentional instruction in reading, writing, math, and science‑infused learning. Students strengthen core skills while exploring weekly themes through hands‑on projects, and each week ends with a Friday Gallery Walk that celebrates their growth. Our personalized approach and carefully prepared classroom reflect the same care and educational philosophy that guide our year‑round vision.
Building Strong Connections Through a Caring Community
We believe students thrive when they feel deeply connected — to their learning, to their teachers, and to a community that knows them well. When children experience purposeful relationships and a sense of belonging, they engage more thoughtfully, understand the significance of what they’re learning, and make meaningful connections across subjects.
Within this attentive, high‑quality environment, students develop resilience, clarity, and the confidence to meet new challenges. Supported by a community that nurtures both their growth and their inner steadiness, they rise with purpose and curiosity.
Founder & Program Director of Teaching & Learning
Joyce Verango
Evergreen Crest Academy
Dear Families,
Evergreen Crest Academy began with a belief I’ve carried throughout my career: children grow when their learning feels purposeful and when the adults around them work together with intention. After many years in education, I’ve seen how much more confident students become when their learning connects to the world beyond the classroom and helps them understand how people and places shape one another.
Our Field Study program reflects that belief. Each week in the summer, students explore locations across the Puget Sound region and use observation, measurement, and inquiry to understand the environments they study. These experiences help them see how local ecosystems relate to broader global patterns, giving them a grounded sense of how the world works. Families join us every Friday for Gallery Walks, where students share their findings and the thinking behind them. These gatherings create a welcoming rhythm that brings families into the learning process and builds a community that feels both supportive and academically serious.
This approach continues during the school year. Evergreen Crest Academy will open as a K–1 independent school in 2027–28, and Field Study Outings will become a monthly part of each grade level’s learning. Students will continue exploring how local environments connect to global systems, and families will join us for Gallery Walks that keep learning visible and strengthen the partnership between home and school.
Our summer cohort is small by design, and seats fill quickly. Families who want a focused academic experience that builds readiness for fall often enroll early. Evergreen Crest Academy is growing with purpose, and I’m grateful for families who choose to grow with us.
Committed to Student Growth,
Mrs. Verango ECA Founder & Program Director of Teaching & Learning
Instructional Expertise in Humanities
Raised on the islands of Guam & Hawaiʻi, Mrs. Verango brings over 25 years of experience to her work, including 12 years teaching Montessori Pre-K and 10+ years teaching grades 6–12. She holds a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees in education, is endorsed in ELA, and is WA State certified in secondary education. She is a devoted wife and mother of three adult children and a proud grandmother.
Co-Director, ECA Director of Operations & Finance
Ms. Hirose
Dear Families,
My mission is to instill the confidence and perseverance students need to fearlessly become the best version of themselves. Too often, learners give up when discouraged. In our caring, small-group environment, we help students tackle challenges, build problem-solving skills, and strengthen their reading, writing, and math fundamentals.
Learning never stops—I still love challenging myself as a lifelong learner. Summer is the perfect time to exercise young minds, build academic fluency, and make new friends along the way.
Above all, we desire to nurture kind, responsible, and well-rounded individuals. By celebrating each student's unique spark, we meet them exactly where they are on their learning journey.
Committed to Student Growth,
Ms. J. Hirose, Co-Director, ECA Director of Operations & Finance
Instructional Expertise in Math
Raised on Oahu, Hawaii, Ms. Hirose brings over 20 years of international and domestic education experience as both a classroom teacher and administrator. She brings a Masters in Teaching and BA in International Business. Having worked on the front lines in schools, she understand parents' concerns and value true partnerships. She deeply believe every student can thrive when they feel safe, valued, and heard.