McAlder is the rural campus of Cascade Christian Schools, sitting on Highway 162 about five miles north of Orting in unincorporated Pierce County. The campus serves Kindergarten Prep through sixth grade and is one of three elementary campuses in the Cascade Christian network, alongside Puyallup Elementary and Frederickson Elementary. The Cascade Christian system collectively educates roughly 1,700 students across early-learning, elementary, junior high, and high school sites — among the larger Christian K-12 networks in Pierce County.
Cascade Christian Schools was founded in 1992 from the merger of three church-affiliated schools, giving the system a relatively recent administrative founding despite older constituent histories. Within the Pierce County Christian school market, the closest peer system is the Pierce County Christian School Association schools and Lighthouse Christian (Gig Harbor); for K-6 specifically, McAlder competes for enrollment with public elementary schools in Orting and South Hill more than with other private options. Tuition runs in the low five figures.
The McAlder site emphasizes a biblical worldview integrated across academics, with specialist instruction in PE, vocal music, band, library, and computers in addition to the core elementary program. Enrollment runs around 300 students with a 17:1 student-teacher ratio. The system is accredited by ACSI in partnership with Cognia, approved by the Washington State Board of Education, and a member of the Washington Federation of Independent Schools.
Open this school on the live map