North Beach Elementary School

9018 24th Avenue Northwest

School District

Seattle Public Schools
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:14
Type

public

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 05, 2024

My family loves this school. Excellent communication between teachers, PTA and parents. This school really feels like a small town private school and my kids are thriving.
Submitted by parent on January 15, 2023

This is my child’s second year at North Beach. She has excelled past expectations thanks to her teacher and all the resources available to her provided by the school district and provided by the extra funds raised by the PTA. I want to move house, but I don’t want to remove my child from this school. I feel so fortunate that we are in such a good community with excellent schools.
Submitted by parent on October 25, 2017

Very positive. This is a public school that feels like a private school with all of the support from the PTA and sharp attention to detail from the Principal.
Submitted by parent on October 09, 2017

Our child was bullied by a first grader as a Kindergartener (K/1 split class.) When our child brought this up to us, we were first shocked the school didn't contact us first. When I brought it up to her teacher and principle, at first it was passed around like a baton - the issue that is. Then I was approached that the child who had hit my child for no reason was jealous and I should invite the child into our home (like she was the victim.) Sadly this was the last straw in our limited time at the SPS school. We really wanted it to work and sadly - it didn't.
Submitted by parent on January 05, 2017

I did a lot of research before choosing North Beach and really wanted to believe that public school could provide a staff of qualified, empathetic, enthusiastic and caring individuals. Unfortunately, my experience is that a handful of teachers and staff actually enjoy being there and are capable of being positive role models for the students and effective peers for parents. The principal sounds great on paper and knows how to give a convincing speech, but when it comes to being available for parents to discuss and resolve student issues, Ms. Cox shuts down and isn't open to working with the parents or finding solutions for the students. You get the feeling that she has already made a decision before the conversation has started, which is very disappointing. Also, there are many, many children who need individualized attention and are simply not getting it because they are integrated in the general classrooms with teachers who haven't been trained in special ed and who just don't have classroom support to give individualized attention, so kids who act out or need help or additional attention get sent to the office. I understand that many of the weaknesses of this school may be due to lack of public school funding, but it is the students who suffer. When a kindergartener is depressed and scared to go back to school, there is a real problem. Children at that age should enjoy their educational experience and the adults behind the scenes should have a genuine desire to create a positive experience everyday. On the upshot, the ladies in the office are AMAZING: helpful, kind and respectful. Some of the staff should be taking lessons from them when it comes to interacting with families and kids.
Submitted by parent on May 26, 2016

North Beach Elementary, with its exceptional teachers, parents and Principal Cox, is just what a quality public elementary school education experience should be. We believe our children are not only being well-educated, but extremely well-socialized in a fun, professional and realistic manner. We wouldn't want to be anyplace else.
Submitted by parent on December 20, 2014

So lucky to be the parent at North Beach. Great staff and our New Principal Cox has only complemented an already awesome school!
Submitted by teacher on May 02, 2013

Hi, this is the, proud Principal of North Beach Elementary School. If you are interested in coming to our school then please feel free to contact me. I will be happy to meet with you, give you a tour and answer your questions about our learning community this might help you gain a better sense of our school-wide plan, goals and support infrastructure along with a plethora of afterschool clubs for all students. I actually rated us 4/5 because we have a growth mindset and will not settle for complacency by thinking that we have nothing to improve on. Our Building Leadership Team read the book, Good to Great and the Social Sectors 2 years ago and this quote continues to drive many of our conversations today, Greatness is an inherently dynamic process, not an end point. The moment you think of yourself as great, your slide toward mediocrity will have already begun. Again, please feel free to contact me to schedule an appointment to see our wonderful gem in the north. All the best, Principal (since fall of 2010)
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2013

The Pros: The PTA works hard to provide a lot of extras the budget won't support. PE teacher is awesome. The Cons: The principal is an ineffectual leader and I would be hard-pressed to say what he does with his days other than morning announcements. He does endear himself to the kids, so the kids like him and because the kids do, the parents follow along. If you have any concerns, though, he completely shuts down and you're on your own. The PTA pretty much runs the school, which isn't necessarily a good thing. The teaching staff is very hit and miss - some are amazing, dedicated and caring. Others are frazzled (not entirely surprising given the 25:1 classroom ratio) and snippy. Best advice is to speak to someone who has experienced multiple grade levels.
Submitted by parent on February 22, 2013

Wonderful neighborhood feel, great activities, art, pe and library. Hit and miss with great and well less than great teachers. Great parent involvement. Sadly, principal and most staff follow districts decades behind non-compliance of federal special education laws. Over the years, many families have sought legal assistance, ombudsman's assistance or left for private to get childs federally protected needs met. So if you have an "easy" cookie cutter kid it may be a good experience.
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2012

We are just completing our 4th year at North Beach. The addition of RJ Sammons as principal has made the school even better than when we started. There's a strong sense of community, a lot of parent involvement and you can tell that the staff really cares about the kids' growth. Even though my daughter tests into Lowell we're going to stay at North Beach because she is challenged and feels so comfortable.
Submitted by parent on November 21, 2010

Great News! Beginning with the 2010-11 school year, North Beach has a new principal, a young man who seems very enthused to be there. This has been great for staff, parents, and students, as for the previous 3 years the school had suffered under a principal who simply wasn't a good fit. We've got wonderful teachers who support innovative programs such as our "Walk to Math" and "Walk to Reading" blocks in which students leave their classroom to walk to the Math class or Reading class that best matches their current level and needs. This means a precocious kindergartner might go read with the 2nd graders. For math, if your kid is at grade level they go to one math class, if they are struggling, they walk to another, if they are advanced, they go study math with the older students. VERY innovative for a public school. Huge parental involvement too, and it is welcomed and used well by the teachers.