Research Montlake Elementary School public Schools in Seattle, Washington

“This is an outstanding elementary school due to its hands-on leadership, active parent involvement, and excellent experienced teaching staff. The physical plant of the school is old and insufficiently refurbished. However, the people who bring this school to life are the key to its magic. The PTSA underwrites an art teacher, a greenhouse program, and much more. Parents of kindergarteners pay to bring the schoolday up to full-day from the state-funded (and inadequate) half-day model. The community is supportive. It would benefit from a bit more racial diversity and an active music program.”

“My kids loved walking to thier neighborhood school, having classmates live nearby. There's strong parent involvement, but very little enrichment or higher vision. The teachers very nice and do a fine job-curriculum and teaching methods very straightforward and standard, if caring - art is the most inspired, though you get it once a week and it shares a classroom with a core. No language, little PE, same old field trips. They really seem to be teaching to the test, and the homework was ridiculous - always the similar 4 sheets of problems, many written in 1984!. My daughter refused to read in first grade - too boring! And no one caught that she doesn't respond to phonics and is a sight reader, now excelling. We actually left for an alternative school, despite the trade-offs. If you are looking for anything beyond the 'best of the basics', you might want more.”

“This is truly a neighborhood school. Kids walk to school, mom's chat on the playground. Terrible facilities - but we don't care. Great teachers with lots of added educational experiences.”

“Excellent parent support. Old building, but great core support for upgrade, to keep students together.”