McGilvra Elementary School in Seattle

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	10/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 Smarter Balanced Assessment data from Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and using 2025 Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science data from Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Student Growth	6/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student growth data from Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Posted: February 23, 2026

Weve had two kids at McGilvra Elementary (one who started in 1st grade), and our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The school community is warm, welcoming, and deeply supportive of students and families alike. The teachers are thoughtful and engaged, and the PTA does an incredible job enriching the school with programs, events, and resources that truly elevate the experience. Its also just a cute, beautiful campus in the heart of the neighborhood a place our kids genuinely love going to every day.

I should also add that the school aftercare program is excellent and well managed. Our kids love going there 2 days a week, get annoyed if we pick them up early, and come home with their homework done.

Posted: January 28, 2026

The Kindergarten teacher Mrs Poole is the most incredible teacher my kids have had. She goes beyond and makes sure the family's are aware of daily performance. She is creative and takes the kids on frequent field trips. The principal Anderson is one of a kind - memorizing all the students and their siblings names. She's attentive and responsive. Couldn't say anything negative. We are thrilled with our experience.

Posted: November 15, 2025

Weve had a wonderful experience at McGilvra Elementary. The long tenured teachers truly know and care about each child, and our daughter in second grade has grown so much academically and socially.

One of our favorite things is the principal greeting every student each morning, whether theyre arriving by car or walking up, which creates such a warm, positive start to the day.

The sense of community at McGilvra is incredible. Families, teachers, and staff all know one another, and theres a genuine feeling that everyone is invested in each childs success.

The PTA is extremely supportive and helps fund programs and resources that make the school feel even more enriching and connected. The on-site aftercare is so convenient and caring, and the after-school enrichment programs give kids wonderful opportunities to explore new interests.

Our child feels happy, safe, and excited to go to school, and as parents, that means everything. Were so grateful for McGilvra and highly recommend it to other families.

Posted: November 4, 2025

McGilvra staff is invested in your child's academic and social emotional well-being. Kids are thriving because the environment is supportive and every child is known, my child is blossoming at McGilvra. If you are looking for a comprehensive elementary school that balances strong academics, social emotional learning, community, extracurriculars, outdoor space, and after school care, McGilvra is the right choice. This is backed by students' test scores (91% of kids are at grade level or above) and student climate surveys, where kids rate their schools in areas like inclusionary practices, 95% of McGilvra students say the school is inclusive.

Final note, if academic rigor is your top priority above all else, research tutoring options now. Why? Because based on experience, most parents who prioritize academics above other dimensions will supplement their child's learning, even in private school. Just get ahead of it and you'll feel more prepared.

Posted: June 22, 2025

Not happy with the principal + faculty. Id choose a different school if given the opportunity.

Posted: June 5, 2025

My child loves going to school. The principal is very responsive, the teachers are highly experienced and effective.

Posted: January 24, 2023

My two kids go here and we all love it. The teachers, faculty, and community are all top notch.

Posted: January 24, 2023

We love McGilvra. Weve had a positive experience with the teachers, the principal and the curriculum. The staff is very engaged, the kids are kind and the specialized academic programs have helped our dyslexic son make huge progress in reading. The families are very involved and we have a wonderful community of parents.

Posted: September 20, 2022

I can only speak to my child's one year at this school. The primary teacher used humiliation in the classroom which most educators would agree does not get results. My husband and I had to really work with our child to help them to be able to trust educators after their experience at this school.
Unfortunately, some students referred to our child as "poor" and asked that others not talk to them. I want to be sure to say that there were some very sweet kids too. Overall, I really liked the Seattle School District's curriculum but this school left my child who normally loves school feeling very sad and uninspired.

Posted: April 25, 2022

We have LOVED our experience at McGilvra Elementary School. We have two boys at this school and cannot imagine a better community to make them feel safe, cared for, and free to be themselves. All the teachers have been with the school for a long time, the staff rarely turns over, and they know every kid. The communication from the teachers and staff is incredible. The principal is extremely invested in every child and works tirelessly to do so much more than her role requires. Even through covid shut downs our kids have been happy, especially our Kindergartner who's incredible teacher knocked online learning out of the park!!! We were worried but he entered in-person first grade completely prepared. The school's focus on social-emotional support through these insane covid years has been above and beyond. We feel so lucky to have this adorable, neighborhood school right down the street!!

Posted: April 25, 2022

Our two children have attended McGilvra for the past two years, and we feel so grateful to be part of this community. Both kids are excited to see their teachers and friends every day, and they are happy, challenged, and supported in the classroom. Dr. Breuder, the principal, knows all the kids by name, and she is an excellent communicator direct, clear, organized, and honest. We have really appreciated her leadership during the pandemic. The community is very engaged, with park clean-up events and an active but not overbearing PTA. Every morning, you can see kids walking, biking, and running to the school its very integrated into the community.

Posted: March 9, 2022

Our two children current attend McGilvra and we love the teachers and other staff and the community, and we feel like our kids are getting a great education there! The principal, Maria Breuder, is a strong leader and has her teachers' backs, and there is very low staff turnover and a great sense of community and support among staff. The teachers care about their students and work hard to meet them where they are and help them develop into great learners and people! We've met new friends and neighbors through the school community. Our kids will be well prepared for middle school, and more importantly life, from their time at McGilvra.

Posted: March 9, 2022

My two children currently attend McGilvra and we have been part of this amazing community for the past 4 years. McGilvra has incredible teachers and support, including academic interventionists, tutors, a counselor as well as art and music programs. The parent/ family community is so welcoming and has increasingly focused on inclusion and service, modeling this for our students. Our principal Dr. Breuder brings so much experience and sets the tone for the school's values, promoting equity, kindness and hard work.

Posted: March 9, 2022

Weve had two kids at McGilvra for the past four years and had nothing but a great experience. The parent community is active and engaged but not in a weird Nice White Parents way. The teachers are truly wonderful and dedicated to the kids and their learning. There is a huge focus on social emotional learning.
I have nothing but the utmost respect for the principal and the values she radiates through the school. They deal with the complexity of current events in an age appropriate way across grades and always communicate with parents about the conversations going on.
I was worried that when my kids started school they would lose their natural curiosity and live if learning but weve had the opposite experience at McGilvra and are so grateful to be part of the community.

Posted: March 9, 2022

Posted: June 20, 2019

Two kids and six years at Mcgilvra so far. I love the responsiveness of the teachers and their willingness to work with us on ways to support our kids with varying and specific needs. They make learning fun and create a comfortable atmosphere both for parents and the kids. Love McGilvra!

Posted: April 26, 2019

We've had a wonderful experience at McGilvra. The teachers and staff are warm and caring and my children love going to school.

Posted: April 26, 2019

Posted: March 7, 2019

McGilvra has been a great school for us. We love that it is a small school that has such a strong sense of community. The staff and teachers care about the students and the parent community is very active which makes a big difference.

Posted: March 7, 2019

Posted: November 1, 2017

My child has been at McGilvra for four years. I didn't know much about the school when we began but I was worried that it would be a school full of entitled children and families due to the location. What I found was the opposite. McGilvra is a very community focused school: aware of and mobilized to engage with its community (Mad Valley Clean Up is a McGilvra filled event), concerned about its own students in need (multiple opportunities to provide support and be inclusive) and aware of larger world events (recent student driven and led fundraiser for a school in Puerto Rico). Parents are always pitching in - their time before, during and after school - and their support. And there is a wide understanding that not everyone can give their time or financial support and there are opportunities shared for everyone to get involved. Every single one of my child's four teachers have been accessible, kind, concerned and aware of my child for all of his strengths and challenges. We have felt fully welcomed at this special school! I cannot say enough good things!

Posted: November 1, 2017

My child is now in third grade at McGilvra and he's had a fantastic experience. He never wants to leave school, he has so much fun! The academics here are really excellent, when we came in at kindergarten, he had gone to a private (expensive for us) preschool and we were surprised to find that he was behind. But with the great direction from our kindergarten teacher and continued support and direction on what he needed to work on, he is now among the top percentile in reading. The kids are really sweet, he got upset one day since he thought he lost his backpack, and everyone in his class were super supportive and caring, so that it wasn't a big deal. Very supportive parent community with a lot of attention to socio-emotional health. Very excited for the new green building!

Posted: June 24, 2016

I have found Principal Maria Breuder to be excellent. She has always been responsive to any concerns I've brought her way, and she is smart as a whip. She is an asset to the school. I am in total agreement that the community is great -- parents pitch in and there are fantastic events at the school, most of the teachers have been great (one awful exception -- I'm sure there is a mix of good and bad everywhere) and that the relentless fundraising is a bummer. The funding goes to support teachers and kids, so it it a great thing, but it is relentless.

Posted: October 25, 2015

Some teachers are great about fostering honestly, integrity and fairness while others couldn't care less. I don't think the principal has much integrity, so it would be impossible for her to foster it. She's more concerned with test scores than students feeling safe and appreciated. Safety is barely addressed on any level, from bullying to the aggressive drop-off and pick-up mess on either side of the school. The principal all but ignores parent concerns about safety.

Posted: October 25, 2015

Too much pressure on kids for fundraising every week.

Principal is detached and test score driven.

Cares more about teachers jobs than educating students.

There are some great teachers, but a few horrible teachers.

Great parent involvement.

Terrible traffic jams on both sides of the school.

The school district should hire traffic guards for safety of the kids from aggressive driving parents..

The principal is more worried about her orange cones being touched than to be outside to monitor traffic.

The principal is a poor communicator. Sends horrible emails to the parents every week, ranging from hostile to ineptly written.

Most parents have written her off as useless, over her head and a poor leader.

Great teachers for most grades, but a few bad ones with bad reputations.

Posted: October 25, 2015

The kindergarten and first grade teachers are exceptional and well respected. Second, fourth and fifth are great and easy to work with. There's a drop-off in student numbers that start to show in third grade and extend after third grade. It's common to hear that third grade is the least enjoyable year at McGilvra for kids.

Posted: October 25, 2015

The homework amount is just right, but the math is especially ridiculous involving complex, unnecessary writing and drawn out process that take 5 minutes for a problem most could solve in 10 seconds using methods parents learned. For those of us who became attorneys, executives, engineers, doctors or almost any profession, we did it using non-Common Core math. Our kids could focus on so many other things if not spending 40-60 minutes a night on common core math.

Posted: May 29, 2015

The Principal (Mrs. Brueder) is horrible. She is very unprofessional and unwilling to hear parents concerns. She rules the school with an iron fist and is not well liked by the teachers. There is a mix of good and mediocre teachers at this school. Test scores have degraded over the past several years with more parents in the area sending students to private schools. Parent involvement is high in the schools with parents paying for the extra teachers and support resources

Posted: January 26, 2015

My child attended McGilvra for only one year, 5th grade. It was her worst year of school thus far. Her home room teacher, although a very nice person, had no control over her students. The class was in constant chaos which detracted from other children learning. She was also unable to challenge or raise the bar academically for my child often saying in frustration "what am I supposed to do with you?". The students were very "clicky" and alienating. The other staff were helpful and attentive to concerns raised save for the current principal. There was an incident last year where there was a bank robbery in the neighborhood. Following protocol the school went into lock-down. My child was in the restroom when this happened and had to bang on the door to be let into her classroom. I address this concern to the principal via email multiple times--suggesting that a sweep by an adult through obvious places like restrooms should be part of the protocol. She never responded to my concerns and when she saw me in person, she was cold and dismissive. My child's teacher quit after last year having taught for many years. Overall, one year at McGilvra Elementary was huge disappointment.

Posted: November 3, 2014

McGilvra has been a wonderful neighborhood school for my children to attend. As a small school, robust parent volunteer pool, dedicated and hard working PTA along with all of the wonderful teachers and principal at McGilvra, it has proved to be a top notch school. As the school district continues to struggle with budget constraints and cuts, schools are faced with larger fundraising needs to help supplement all of the wonderful specialists and programs that we have. While there are a few asks throughout the year, it is comparable with that of other area public schools as we all face similar challenges. All of our teachers have been dedicated, kind, energetic and able to meet my children's needs and we are pleased that our Principal (in her 2nd year) has our student's best interests in mind and as top priority. As the demographic of our school community has continued to change, she is working hard to help meet the needs of all students and families.

Posted: October 29, 2014

McGilvra Elementary is blessed with some of the most dedicated teaching staff I've ever experienced. To augment this (and ongoing School District budget constraints) the school also has extremely active parent and PTA bodies. I sometimes flinch at the number of fund raising initiatives, then I walk by a brand new computer cart containing 30 add laptops recently purchased by the PTA for in classroom technology training. I'm not sure what this investment entailed however, it has been confirmed that all of these funds came directly from PTA contributions. Kind of takes the sting out of the various fund raising asks when you see these proceeds going directly to support your child's educational needs. I frankly wish that McGilvra was a K thru 8 as I can imagine a number of parents opting for private middle school whereby I can't imagine teacher engagement could be that much better. In summary, we are extremely satisfied with McGilvra!

Posted: October 28, 2014

Great community, and so far very fortunate with teachers and supplemntary staff services. k,1, 2 classes are small (about 20 children each) and 3,4,and 5 while large have team teaching which puts them in smaller groups where they get individualized instruction. great pre and after school child care and enrichment activities. My family is fortunate to have this as our neighborhood school.

Posted: October 28, 2014

One of the best public elementary schools in the city. Agree with active parent community. My experience with the teachers has been nothing but positive. While the principle is in her 2nd year (she was formerly a teacher at the school) she is passionate, results drive and a community builder. While all schools have mix of teacher quality our direct experience with teachers has been nothing but positive. As with any school you have to be your child's top advocate but we couldn't ask for a better neighborhood public school. We have many friends who have gone the private school route and have similar highs/lows with there schools. Regardless of the decisions (public, private, APP, Spectrum, etc) you make for your children you will likely second guess it along way. We have loved our McGilvra experience so far but continue to focus with making it better community for all kids.

Posted: October 28, 2014

McGilvra is a charming school with a dedicated staff and strong parent involvement. While some of the teachers are wonderful and enthusiastic educators, a few are less than desirable. This is probably typical for a school, particularly as veteran teachers burnout. I was disappointed when the current principal was selected, and continue to be unimpressed. Her method of leading is to be "stern" and expect everyone to fall in line. The problem is that she does not communicate well. It is hard to "fall in line" when you do not know what the line is. The teachers in grades 3, 4, 5 demonstrate bias or indifference to the kids who learn differently than their chosen teaching style. There seems to be an attitude that kids who cannot adjust to the teacher should move on to a different school or repeat the grade. I recommend the school for families who want to be involved in their kids education, just expect to be extra involved in providing the missing effort in teaching.

Posted: October 27, 2014

Active parent community. Parents fund a good portion of the extra programs offered at this school. Principal is below average with very poor communication and conflict resolutions skills. Mix between exceptional teachers and marginal teachers.

Posted: August 20, 2014

Mcgilvra has excellent parent involvement, as well as dedicated volunteers and staff. I am very happy having my kids at this school.

Posted: June 14, 2014

Supportive community, teachers dedicated to enriching children's experience, excellent leadership. Very happy to be at McGilvra!

Posted: June 13, 2014

Committed parent support sets McGilvra apart from so many there public school options. Where the district and state funding falls short, McGilvra parents work hard to offer necessary resources to provide children with comprehensive support, With these efforts, teachers are supported with arts, recreation and academic support, special education support, before and after school options and a myriad of activities. While striving to meet benchmarks set forward by National guidelines, the teachers teach with the learning style of the students in mind, not a standardized testing cookie cutter method. Their efforts are fully supported by an attentive and caring administrative and support staff that is exceptionally devoted toward the success of the students, not the reputation of the school. There's a wonderful effort to involve parents and the local community in many events through the year. The efforts placed into helping the students feel successful, creative and included is of paramount importance. McGilva is a great example of things that should happen in public education. We couldn't be more pleased that our son is nurtured every moment of his time at McGilvra.

Posted: April 1, 2014

One of the best public education schools in the district. The student-teacher ratio is perfect and the staff is very involved in the overall education of students. The school understand the relationship of arts, academia and physical activity to stimulate the minds and creativity of the students. There are a lot of extracurricular options for the students, and the parent involvement is fantastic. They not only celebrate the students achievements, but the parents raise work hard to provide the funds needed that are always needed due to overly-burudensomebudget cuts. Many local businesses are also very engaged and encourage the children to use their storefronts to showcase their art. This is truly a community school worthy of distinction. The curriculum is carefully constructed to incorporate federal and state mandates like Common Core, but really go above and beyond when it comes to engaging learning. I've talked with almost all of the teachers and staff they all seem to love their jobs more than any other teacher I've met. We have long-time community volunteers who still stay involved with things such as the garden, long after their own children have graduated.

Posted: May 15, 2013

Strong sense of community. Fantastic integrated arts program. Real teacher engagement. Plus an ejection of fun.

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	The Carriages at Fairwood Downs	Apartment Complex	Renton	WA	14.8 mi
2	Manette	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	15.8 mi
3	Blueberry Meadows	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	16.3 mi
4	Meredith Heights	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Poulsbo	WA	17.1 mi
5	Caldart Cottages	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Poulsbo	WA	17.5 mi
6	The Reserve at Bucklin Hill	Apartment Complex	Silverdale	WA	17.9 mi
7	Kitsap Lake	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	19.6 mi
8	Fairway Lane	Apartment Complex	Bremerton	WA	19.8 mi
9	Woods and Meadows	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Poulsbo	WA	20 mi
10	The Ridge at McCormick Woods	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Port Orchard	WA	20.4 mi
11	Whisper Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bremerton	WA	20.9 mi
12	McCormick Woods	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Port Orchard	WA	20.9 mi
13	Mukilteo	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Mukilteo	WA	21 mi
14	North Everett	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Everett	WA	24.4 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Downtown Seattle	Seattle	WA	2.9 mi
2	Bainbridge Island	Bainbridge Island	WA	11 mi
3	East Bremerton	Bremerton	WA	15.8 mi
4	Port Orchard	Port Orchard	WA	17.6 mi
5	Poulsbo	Poulsbo	WA	18.2 mi
6	Ridgetop	Silverdale	WA	18.3 mi
7	Silverdale	Silverdale	WA	19.1 mi
8	Naval Base Kitsap	Poulsbo	WA	19.6 mi
9	Lakeness Meadows/ Vinland Area	Poulsbo	WA	21.3 mi
10	Maple Valley	Maple Valley	WA	22 mi
11	Black Diamond	Black Diamond	WA	26 mi

Base	Distance
Coast Guard Seattle	3.9 mi.
Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton	17.5 mi.
Naval Base Kitsap Bangor	20.7 mi.
Everett Naval Station	24.8 mi.
McChord AFB	36.6 mi.
Fort Lewis	40.2 mi.

McGilvra Elementary School

Seattle, WA 98112

School Ratings

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McGilvra Elementary School

Seattle, WA 98112

School Ratings

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