Madrona Elementary School

Posted: September 18, 2025

I am extremely disappointed with Principal Carter. Over several years, I repeatedly advocated for my daughter’s appropriate placement and early grade advancement, but my concerns were ignored or deflected. She misrepresents facts, fails to communicate clearly, and does not follow through on serious issues.

During kindergarten, my daughter faced multiple safety incidents in her classroom—being choked, slapped, and nearly losing a tooth. These incidents were not addressed properly, yet my daughter was penalized while the other children were not. When I requested a transfer for her safety, Principal Carter minimized the situation and failed to provide real solutions.

Now, my daughter is placed in a K/1 split classroom with a first-year teacher, despite being academically and socially ready for a full first-grade classroom. Principal Carter’s explanations about class composition were inaccurate and misleading.

Overall, she is rude, deflects responsibility, and avoids solutions. Interacting with her feels like dealing with one of her students rather than a school administrator. I do not trust her to act in the best interest of the students, and I strongly caution parents who expect transparency, accountability, and advocacy for their children.

Posted: September 18, 2025

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Posted: June 21, 2024

My family has been attending Madrona for the last four years, and I have nothing but positive things to say! My eldest child receives a lot of social emotional support from the staff at Madrona - something I appreciate greatly. Both of my children are excelling in their studies - exceeding their learning goals in both ELA and Math.

As someone who has worked as an educator for over a decade, I see the importance of an elementary school where students want to attend regularly - that is something I see here at Madrona. My children want to be there, and they enjoy school. That’s truly all I can ask for, but I am so happy that they are also learning a LOT and feeling supported.

Posted: June 21, 2024

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Posted: June 14, 2021

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Posted: June 14, 2021

My kids have been at this school for five years now. They have had an exceptional education and the community feeling of the school is warm and supportive for all children. I just recommend this school so much for your child's academic and social and emotional growth, and the warm and supportive environment.

Posted: August 17, 2020

Our son recently completed Kindergarten at Madrona and I couldn't be happier with our decision to send him to our neighborhood school. After touring private and public schools in the area, we picked Madrona because of the strong sense of community, academic/enrichment opportunities, racial and economic diversity, and focus on equity. We found the staff engaged and welcoming, the principal even gladly took my phone call when I wanted to learn more before enrolling. Our kid learned a ton and made fast friends. The Reading Partners program also made him a strong reader. The after school enrichment program through the PTSA is one of the best of the nearby SPS schools: our kid's favorite classes there were Capoeira, pottery, and LEGOs. He loves his school is a proud wearing his Madrona uniform. Through my many tours of other schools in the area last year, deep dive into test scores by demographic, and audit of enrichment programs, I've sadly learned that these Great Schools Scores are more indicative of how White a school is, versus necessarily how good a school is. As an Asian, I have since learned to recognize and check my own bias, and choosing Madrona has been one of the best decisions my family has made. We love Madrona!

Posted: August 17, 2020

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Posted: June 5, 2019

Kindergarten at Madrona has been a wonderful start to my son's school career. He has learned a lot - reading, writing, math, as well as music, art, and phys. ed. - and made many new neighborhood friends. He absolutely loves going to school and never rates a day lower than "great." When we first moved to Madrona, I had some trepidation about sending my kids to their assigned school. I had seen the Greatschools rating and heard that it was supposed to be a "bad" school. Fortunately, I also heard enough positive things from neighbors with direct and current knowledge to feel comfortable giving it a shot. I have not had a moment of regret about sending my son there, and I am so grateful that our family is now part of this incredible school community. We think Madrona is a very special place and are looking forward to many more years there.

Posted: June 5, 2019

My child is in K. No homework.

Posted: June 5, 2019

The teachers here are skilled, dedicated, and caring.

Posted: June 5, 2019

Posted: June 5, 2019

I don't have any insight into this.

Posted: June 5, 2019

I don't know. My child does not have any learning differences that we are aware of.

Posted: June 5, 2019

Posted: April 9, 2018

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Posted: April 9, 2018

We love Madrona! We opted in four years ago and now have two children at the school. The teachers are wonderful, and the focus on social emotional development is reassuring. I encourage all families who are unsure about Madrona to tour the school and see for themselves.

Posted: April 9, 2018

Posted: April 9, 2018

Posted: April 9, 2018

We love this school, and feel lucky to go to a school with so much diversity.

Posted: April 9, 2018

HW is optional for our K and 2nd graders. Works for our family, and is in line with current research.

Posted: April 9, 2018

The teachers are passionate and committed to their students.

Posted: April 9, 2018

This school has a long and proud history of civic engagement and social justice.

Posted: April 9, 2018

Posted: April 9, 2018

I have no idea why this has got such low ranking on this forum. My kid's transition from a different country's education system to Madrona has been one of the most satisfying experiences for me. The school teachers and staff are some of the most caring, wonderful and most co-operative set of people I've come across. One of the key highlights of their program is the involvement of the fellow parents. Regular, constructive feedback and interaction with students' family are one of the highlights of their wonderful program. Best part, my daughter is really looking forward to see her friends each day. I have no second thoughts about recommending Madrona to fellow parents and friends who are seeking for educational options for their beloved kids.

Posted: April 9, 2018

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Posted: April 8, 2018

Our son is in his first year at Madrona in the first grade. We had a very difficult time deciding whether or not to send our child to Madrona. The personal reviews that we received from parents were very positive but the greatschools.org score was a bit intimidating. As a former public school teacher I was nervous because I have seen plenty of schools that I would not want my own children to attend. However, we also felt compelled to support the public schools so we decided we should give it a shot, and we are so happy we did. The community is warm, the teachers are talented and dedicated, and the principal is caring and committed. The cohesiveness of the school is remarkable, especially considering the wonderfully wide diversity. In terms of academics, I find the literacy, math, and art to be strong, while science is a bit lacking. The after school programs at Madrona are new this year and quite cool. Most importantly, our child is very happy there and we plan on having our younger child begin kindergarten there next year.

Posted: April 8, 2018

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Posted: April 8, 2018

We do not have child that requires these services and are not knowledgable about them

Posted: April 8, 2018

Posted: June 28, 2017

Was a little nervous going in as I had seen the rating and wasn't sure what to expect. We LOVE Madrona! The teachers, Principal, students, and the small but mighty PTSA all really care and you can feel a shift in the energy of the school. I think great things are just around the corner for this school, but that isn't to say that great things haven't already begun! The play this year was amazing, we enjoyed helping out at Garden work parties in the school garden, the after school programs, once they were implemented, are awesome. There is a healthy snack program, Multicultural night is an amazing annual event that really showcases the diversity and community of the school. We may be moving in the next year, but Madrona will always have our hearts.

Posted: June 28, 2017

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Posted: March 24, 2017

We selected Madrona because we had heard from friends in the neighborhood that it was an active community and that the school was really underrated. Madrona is a vibrant and diverse elementary school. We have a child in the 1st grade, it is his second year at the school. As with many schools, so much of the experience comes down to the teacher and parent involvement/follow up. This year, we are so happy with our teacher but I haven't had time to be involved. From this I learned how critical the teacher truly is. As a new family to Seattle Public Schools (SPS), I'm never sure if the major issues we have encountered are due to the school or the mismanagement and under-funding of SPS. We have frequently had no substitute teacher in the classroom and have had insufficient IAs for the children who really need help (and with some pretty serious behavioral issues which impact classroom management.) But there is an amazing and dedicated group of parents who keep the PTSA running and an engaged and beautiful community that turns out for the very popular "Multicultural Night". One recent highlight at Madrona was the musical "Jungle Book" which was put on by 3rd-5th graders and was OUTSTANDING! We are happy to be a part of this community.

Posted: March 23, 2017

My child is in her 2nd year at Madrona and we have been very happy with our choice to send her to the school. The school is not perfect, but most of the issues stem from lack of funding and support from SPS. The teachers are caring and kind, the principal knows every student by name, the support staff is always friendly and helpful and my child is thriving both academically and emotionally knowing that the adults around her care about her well being. Could she be getting a better education somewhere else? Possibly-- I have nothing to compare the school with. I wish there was more focus on the arts at the school, but things are changing. We have an amazing and dedicated art teacher. We need a music teacher but in lieu of a staff music teacher the principal is committed to bringing in outside providers so our kids get exposure to music.. We are happy with our choice to put our child (and our support) into a diverse, neighborhood school, and I trust that our child is doing fine (and by that, I mean great), She is supported by her teachers and learning about our beautifully diverse and varied world from her peers--what more could you want!?. Plus, the school has great community events (multi-cultural night and the school musical) and there is on-site after care which is convenient We are active in the PTSA and there is an incredibly committed and supportive group of parents who dedicate their time and energy into making the school the best it can be.

Posted: March 23, 2017

We have had no major issues. The one time we had a concern about a taunting incident, it was dealt with immediately before it turned into a bigger issue. I do not have enough experience to comment more.

Posted: March 23, 2017

I do not have enough experience with this yet to comment.

Posted: March 23, 2017

Our principal has a lot on her plate, but she is dedicated and committed to the school.

Posted: March 23, 2017

The students follow the Panther PATH (Professional, Attentive, Thoughtful and Hardworking). Admittedly, I was apprehensive about it at first, but I do believe it gives kids a clear "path" about what it means to be a good citizen int he world. In addition, the school uses RULER which teaches kids to identify and name their feelings and encourages strong social and emotional health.

Posted: March 23, 2017

We have had 2 teachers at the school. Both have been great for our child.

Posted: March 23, 2017

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Posted: March 23, 2017

My son is in his 5th year at Madrona. He has been attending since kindergarten. He is thriving academically and we love the community at Madrona. I am constantly puzzled that our neighbors aren't sending their children to Madrona, but instead going out of their zone to attend over populated schools with portable classrooms and large class sizes. We have a wonderful art teacher, garden class taught by Green Plate once a week, technology, PE, long lunch and recess and a dedicated principal and PTA. Our student population is diverse and our parents are supportive and involved. We love Madrona!

Posted: March 23, 2017

My child is in 1st grade and we do not do homework. I talked to the teacher about our choice to spend time together as a family rather than fighting about homework and she was fine with that.

Posted: February 8, 2017

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Posted: February 8, 2017

Leadership doesn't seem to have a long-term vision. Principle is defensive and they seem to be putting out fires most of the time.

Posted: February 8, 2017

Posted: February 8, 2017

We have had one great teacher and one we didn't love. Not enough data for an accurate response.

Posted: February 8, 2017

our Kinder and 1st grade teachers have allowed us to treat homework as optional. we focus more on dinner as a family and time together in the evening.

Posted: November 18, 2015

Posted: November 18, 2015

Posted: November 18, 2015

Posted: November 18, 2015

I have two daughters at Madrona k-8 in 1st and 2nd. To be honest, we almost didn't go here when we saw how low the school score and the test scores were. But, we met with the new principal some teachers and the parents that were trying to turn it around ...we gave it I try. We are happy with the choice we made. This school is getting better every year. It is not easy, public schools in Seattle are criminally under supported. It takes a long time to make a struggling institution better. But when the parents/teachers/principal are working together it is possible. And it is happening here. Madrona is in a wonderful neighborhood with so many caring families. My experience with the principal Mary McDaniel has been amazing, she knows every child by name; she is there when I get there at 8am and I have seen her in her office often at 8pm, she is empathetic and proactive. The school still has a lot of work to do but it is at the tipping point. It just needs a few more families in the neighborhood to believe in it, to take a chance and make an investment in where they live. If you believe in diversity give it a try before sending your kids to one of the private schools. My daughters are growing up in an environment of different people and cultures that I know will help make them well rounded and ready for our new multicultural world. It is a difficult, difficult choice, We all want the absolute best for our children. Come here if you are ready to be involved with your child your school and your neighborhood. Good luck all.

Posted: March 22, 2015

This is a terrible school. The principle Mary McDaniel is a cold and very harsh person. She has no place to be with children. We took our students out a month after being there. The teachers are all unhappy and the classrooms and hallways are in constant chaos. No structure and no order. When we went to meet with McDaniel, she was hostile, defensive and rude.

Posted: September 17, 2014

I live across the street from the school & have 2 children there in 5th grade. They have been there since kindergarten. I have been an officer in the PTSA. I am a board member of the neighborhood community council and I have been a coach for Little League baseball my own kids and many of the kids at Madrona K-8. I love this school and this neighborhood. Madrona (the school and neighborhood) has all the wonderful charms that living in a city can offer: a great school, a great public library an amazing park and playground and a bustling little business district of shops, great restaurants and cafes all exist within a walking distance of a few short blocks and convenient to downtown. I am a firm believer in neighborhood schools and Madrona has everything I wanted when my wife and I looked to buy a house and start our family. We have been in Madrona almost 12 years. My children (one boy, one girl) love school and have made neighborhood friends that have become family friends. The school is safe, warm and friendly. We treat the school as an extension of our home and regularly volunteer and attend all events we can. I strongly encourage all to visit the school and judge first hand.

Posted: August 13, 2014

My son just completed his first year in kindergarten and I saw sophisticated and comprehensive teaching during kindergarden. I tutored one-hour per week and saw a lot of incredible classroom management. I was especially impressed with the kids doing jumping-jacks while spelling their weekly words. For the volunteers, the teachers set up kits with directions and fun/leason activities to direct the students through. They were prepared! Our child enjoyed school and developed a lot of friendships. One thing that was striking to me as a volunteer was how bright so many of the kids are. I also appreciate the positive-discipline that is used to coach students into attentive behavior. Besides a gentle but firm voice they had cards on the wall like penalty cards in a soccer game and everyone started with green and if a child got too chatty or disruptive they would have to change there card to Orange and then Red (meaning a talk with the parents). It was an effective tool because the kids were active in the process and could get back to green with respectful behavior. I attended a mostly white school growing up and I greatly appreciate the true diversity of kids and parents.

Posted: August 9, 2014

My son is entering 5th grade this fall and has been at Madrona K-8 since kindergarten. He has had a great experience throughout - excellent teachers and supportive staff. We look forward to four more years at Madrona before he heads to Garfield.

Posted: July 29, 2014

We begin our 3rd year at MK8 this fall and simply love the school, the students, the staff, and families. We are welcomed by numerous teachers and families everytime we walk into the school. Our child struggled academically and behaviorally, and MK8 gave the extra individual help with core subjects and did weekly small group work to build his social skills....but he didn't feel singled out, nor did he look to be. They just know every child by name and need! The attitude is that every child will succeed and our kid believes he will. We do too! He has great friends and is caught up. The school is diverse and knows how to individualize the education for its students.

Posted: July 29, 2014

We just finished kindergarten and felt fortunate to have one of the most amazing teachers we could ask for in public or private school. She had a command over her students while being soft spoken, gentle and loving. My child's experience was positive and the diversity is one of the greatest assets at the school, teaching real relationship building and understanding of similarities and differences without judgement.

Posted: July 29, 2014

My children have been at Madrona since kindergarten and have loved it each and every year. They are challenged academically, have great friends, and wonderful enrichment programs during and after school (music, art, field trips, etc.)

Posted: June 19, 2013

My kid loves this school, and so do we (the parents). The teachers are exquisite, the principal is a star, and the families we've met are wonderful. This place cultivates a love of academic learning and provides an exposure to the richness of real life.

Posted: June 13, 2013

Madrona K-8 is a WONDERFUL school! Our daughter is there and was in Mrs. Innocents Kindergartens class this year and had an amazing year. The staff are all great with the kiddos, they really care about each and every student, parents are very involved and the art, science, music, PE, field trips, computer lab, reading, writing, musicals, talent shows, park trips, family picnics, library trips all have overwhelmed us with their greatness! We love this school!!!!

Posted: March 7, 2013

My son and daughter attend this school and we could not be happier with their experience. The school is small enough that they are well known by the staff and teachers, even those they have not had. All the teachers we have had have been passionate about the school and the students. I feel my students are challenged to learn, not over looked. Also the school feels like a community - people really care about it and they students. I also appreciate how this school has truly racially integrated classrooms, especially given that almost all the other schools in the central cluster are highly segregated by program (APP or Montessori verses general ed). I believe the experience they are having making friends with people who are different then them will serve them well throughout their lives.

Posted: February 28, 2013

As someone who allowed herself to be persuaded to think extremely negatively about Madrona K-8 by on-line reviews, I would strongly urge parents of prospective students to take tours and make up your mind FOR YOURSELF. Our experience at Madrona has been wonderful. All of my son's teachers have been good disciplinarians with excellent teaching skills; and they are supported in continuing teacher education by a strong & knowledgeable principal, instructional support staff, and a team that knows each child by name and by need.

Posted: March 18, 2012

A wonderful school that is a hidden gem. Many folks judge it based on limited exposure. The staff is dedicated and the students wonderful. Does it have students that can cause challenges? Yes, of course it does. All schools do. This is one of those times where you need to go in and judge for yourself. Don't listen to reviews on a website, go visit the school. Take a tour, then decide. Most parents that tour are wonderfully surprised! My kids have had a wonderful experience and are challenged everyday! They also feel comfortable and loved at Madrona K-8.

Posted: May 21, 2011

I used to volunteer at this school through a Practicum class that I was taking at the University of Washington. It was a very difficult school to volunteer at because the majority of the students were disrespectful and everyday I was constantly breaking up a fight. I would watch children on the playground from inside, while a supervisor was outside and a fight broke out with everyone chanting "Fight, Fight, Fight" but the supervisor did not do anything and let the kids continue to fight. Discipline is horrible at this school because they have these things called Madrona moments, which do not help at all. Lots of the children cuss and are bullies to other students. The teachers complain about working there and I have seen them blow up in front of the kids. Part of the problem is that a lot of these children come from families that have lots of stress and violence. Madrona does not provide a safe, welcoming environment for students to work in. If I had children, I would never let them go to school here.