Catharine Blaine K-8

This school is the best school ever . Every day i walked in to school the princable was there greating every one with a smile . Altho I no longer go to this school my to best friends are still there they are now fith graders Abby and Olivia.This school will alwayes be my favorite school.

Despite living only a block away, we pulled our two youngest kids out of this school due to the behavior of teachers and administration. They were inflexible, autocratic, refused to communicate in any way other than e-mail (which we had told them was not a reliable way to contact us) and made changes to our son's education plan without our consent or knowledge. We eventually had to go through the courts to get any remedy. Home schooling is preferable to this place.
—Submitted by a parent

I have 2 young kids in the school and I am there every day. And I see that Heather Swanson, Catharine Blaine's principal is in the hall way EVERY morning and EVERY afternoon. She knows many of her students names and she also knows many parents. She responds to parents emails and she is creative in finding solutions to any problems in the class rooms. She cares deeply about the students. She even lets the kids dunk her in a dunking booth at a school carnival/fundraiser. Many parents have responded to her leadership and now parental involvement in the school is very high. Every single day there is a parent in my son's class for at least part of the day. My kids and I have found the school very warm. The older kids look after the younger ones. My kids love it. And they are learning.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has the potential to be a great school, but sadly falls short. Many of the teachers are good but they operate on their own. No real benefit to having a child transtion through from elementary to middle school. Lack of consistency and standards makes the middle school particularly challenging. Principal is not accessible and faculty is not responsiive in a way one would expect from a small K-8 school.
—Submitted by a parent

We have two children at this school. Many, many good things to say about this school. Love the new principal who previously was the assistant principal. Strong academics, arts and extracurricular offerings.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a kindergarten Blaine mom. Because the Magnolia/Queen Anne cluster has excellent schools Blaine offers slots for children from other neighborhoods. Our local school is under performing, so we drive from south Central District to Blaine. We love our teacher. She was previously in special ed , is excellent with all achievement levels, awesome with squirmy boys and positive. The principal is very accessible, available every morning in the hallway. The PTSA is committed to supporting Blaine. There are many optional fund raisers, which can get expensive, but provide curricular support. This school teaches at the level our child needs. In contrast our local school, which faces many challenges. Great fieldtrips, lots of take home activities (which do take commitment) and friendly kids/parents. We have been impressed by the positive behavior and assuredness of the older students at Blaine. The after school program is excellent.
—Submitted by a parent

we love Catharine Blaine! This will be our family's 4th year at Blaine, after we transferred here from Coe. Every teacher we have had at Blaine has been fantastic. I feel like they are aware of how my kids are doing and work hard to make sure they understand and meet my kids' needs. The parent community here is unmatched -- everyone is really involved in the school, whether by helping in the classrooms, working on fundraisers, or weeding the flower beds. I felt instantly welcomed when we moved here and was surprised by how easy it was to fit in. The leadership at Blaine has had a history of high turnover, but the current principal is a strong leader and relates especially well to the middle school kids. I also love the K-8 aspect of this school. The older kids are great leaders and really kind to the little ones.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been a parent at Catharine Blaine for 7 years. We have been blessed with excellent teachers who care deeply about the academic abilities of all students. They are also very connected to the parent community at this school. My children are challenged academically and have participated in several Advanced Learning Options. We have a very dedicated and effective PTA and due to their hard work the students are able to enjoy art and music. It is however sad that this has to be provided out of private monies Catharine Blaine however has had a few rough years where a prior principal in her two year tenure dismantled the art and music program and demoralized the teachers. Thanks to the powerful supportive parent/teacher community our school is back on track and parents, teachers and students are much happier. I look forward to spending many more years at Catharine Blaine
—Submitted by a parent

I have been involved at this school for the past 7 years with more than one child. We have had some ups and downs, but nothing bad enough where a little work and communication couldn't set things right. The quality of teachers are top notch, they care deeply about the academic needs of all the students. They provide a safe structured fun filled learning environment for these kids. We have had numerous principal turnover, but in my mind this is a fault of the district i.e Seattle Public Schools, not the school.
—Submitted by a parent

My kids have been at Blaine for 6 years, during which we have had mostly excellent teachers, but no great principal. The environment is safe, the parents are great, and the teachers are commited, but we're all burned out with the 'career-minded' principals who come to our school to build. My kids are bright/normal, and their teachers have tried their best to challenge them.
—Submitted by a parent

Due to the tireless efforts of the PTA group, Blaine has managed to provide music & art, chess club & many other clubs & programs that have been lost in the public Seattle Schools. The leadership of the school however seems disjointed. The school has it's 3rd principal in 5 years, and classroom staffing keeps changing. The building is also in a much needed state of refurbishment. But, also due to the financial crisis of the Seattle School district, this too will have to wait.
—Submitted by a parent

We are not that happy this year. The school is disorganized, and leadership is constantly changing. Music and art are very low on the priority list, and that is so sad for my kids. Parent involvement is high, and I feel that with the right principal, this could be a great neighborhood school. We have been very disapointed, and I know many parents who are switching schools for next year. I would also add that we loved our teachers this year, but their is not a good program for ALP kids and I feel the teachers are extremely frustrated with the principals leadership.
—Submitted by a parent

The principal does not use good decision making method. Parents and teachers are shut out of decision making process. Test scores down! No options for advanced learners, although they tell you there are! Be sure to ask about the reading program. They have two in place, one in K and 3rd another in 1st. They promote it as a 'balanced reading program.'
—Submitted by a parent

There have been a lot of program changes in the last year with the new leadership. Moving away from grouping by skill set in reading and math. Advanced students cannot progress at their capability. The 'advanced learning options' program is very weak.
—Submitted by a parent

Catharine Blaine k-8 is a great neighborbood school that allows kids to stay close to home for middle school. The teachers are all very responsive to parents and warm to the students. As a small middle school, 60 student per grade, there is not a lot of extras such a band, electives and honors classes. For these things you must choose McClure or Whitman. But this school is still a great option for many types of students. Leadership has changed about every 2-3 years for the past six or so years and many programs have been started then dropped. As a result, the school is lacking in program continutity.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a former student of Catharine Blaine. I have lived in Magnolia all of my life, the suburban community that draws from the diverse communities of Seattle. Every aspect of each class is constructed to make learning comprehensible, memorable, revolutionary, and fun. It is not the typical learn by the text book school, but it is not a new age phenomenon. It is a good education, taught by qualified, committed instructors who wish to see their students perform wonderfully. Recently, a friend who still attends Blaine, worked with his classmates to raise money to fund a marine biology trip to Hawaii. It was student run, student motivated, and regardless of monetary status, the kids worked together to raise money outside of the home, so as not to financially burden anyone. I applaud Blaine for the wonderful education they gift each student with. Keep up the good work!
—Submitted by Lisa, a former student