To the disappointment of many young people, summer has ended, school has begun and homework, tests and getting up early are once again the way of the world.
Fortunately, the Queen Anne and Magnolia neighborhoods have reportedly good schools — both public and private — according to many parents, and kids are privy to quality education.
“The community is the schools’ greatest strength,” said Jason Karas, parent of a second-grader and a kindergartner at John Hayes Elementary School on Queen Anne. “I appreciate the great community of families.”
Public schools
Kimball Mullins, co-president of the McClure Middle School PTSA and parent of two students — a seventh-grader at McClure and a fourth grader at Lawton Elementary School on Magnolia — said the schools fit the bill.
“People enjoy that the schools are nearby. It makes it easier to volunteer, pick up your kids and see what’s going on in class,” Mullins said. “I like that I know who my kids’ friends are — that’s important to me.”
“For a middle school, McClure is small and comfortable,” she added. “It’s a good way for kids to transition to high school. Other middle schools are quite big, but McClure has a nice feel.”
Mullins said the facilities are adequate, so that any extra dollars should be channeled to teachers and learning.
However, Mullins said she wishes class sizes were smaller, especially at Lawton, which can have 27 to 28 students per class.
She also expressed frustration with both schools for employing a system where teachers are hired based on seniority and size of class enrollment. If a class size shrinks, a senior teacher might leave the class or school.
“We lost a very popular math teacher at McClure. The number of enrolled students was not enough to support a senior staff member so we had to find someone else,” she explained.
At one point, she said, Lawton had an assistant principal. But enrollment later decreased, and the school let the staffer go. When enrollment went back up, the school had to rehire the vice principal.
“The predictability around staff can be confusing and disappointing,” she said.
Still, Mullins gives the schools high marks overall.
“We’re fortunate in Queen Anne and Magnolia to have good schools. We have a lot of engaged parents and some really fantastic staff and great administrations.”
Private schools
Like those in public schools, parents of students in private schools also say that a strong sense of community provides fulfillment.
“At St. Anne School, we enjoy an overarching feeling of community as most of our parents are also members of St. Anne Parish,” said Mary Sherman, principal of the Catholic St. Anne School, through Amy Cunningham, school commission chair. “Parents also experience a feeling of satisfaction through volunteer opportunities.”
“We have very involved parents who enjoy volunteering in the classroom, chaperoning on field trips, participating in our award-winning speech program or working together on school fund-raisers,” she added.
Cunningham said St. Anne is in a five-year process of school improvements, instigated from a collection of feedback from parents and teachers. Additionally, the school’s parents association is aiming to enhance parent involvement.
Parents also enjoy St. Anne for the emphasis on Catholic education, including spiritual, intellectual, psychological and physical development.
"A key advantage [to the school] is one class per grade, creating a nurturing environment and a focused effort on each child's learning,” said Regan Hurley, chair of the parent association, via Cunningham. “With a focus on community involvement, our children have a deep sense of understanding what it means to give back.”
High academics, but differences
Test scores at the Queen Anne/Magnolia public schools rank among the highest within Seattle Public Schools (SPS). At Lawton, which has an enrollment of 440 students, 93.8 percent of third-graders met MSP (Measurements of Student Progress) reading standards, while 84 percent met math standards, according to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
At McClure, which has an enrollment of 481 students, 80.3 percent of sixth-graders met MSP reading standards while 74.5 percent exceeded MSP math standards, according to OSPI.
The MSP scores of SPS students overall were lower: 74 percent of third-graders met reading standards during the 2011-12 year, while 70.6 percent met math standards.
The demographics are different, as well. Significantly fewer students in Queen Anne/Magnolia schools receive free or reduced-price meals, compared to the SPS average, and there is less ethnic diversity within the Queen Anne/Magnolia student body.
Derryl Rawlings, a parent of a second-grader and kindergartner at John Hayes, said he can’t complain. He likes the teachers and the community. “But it would be great if we had a high school,” he said.