Kingston Middle School

Kingston is a small ferry town on the northwestern tip of Puget Sound, where the pace is slower and the community ties run deep — but the middle school here is a bit of a mixed bag academically, sitting in the middle of the pack statewide with stronger showings in math and science than in English. Families who love the outdoorsy, small-town feel of Kingston and are okay trading some academic intensity for a tight-knit community and easy access to the water will likely feel right at home here. It's the kind of place where kids grow up knowing their teachers and neighbors, which counts for a lot even if the test scores don't tell a standout story.