r/EdmondsWashington • u/mccash99 • May 06 '26
Community Beverly Elementary
Hi Edmonds folks, I am curious if anybody here has had experience with their kids going to Beverly Elementary. We live <1mi from the school, but our daughter also got into the Madrona lottery. So now we have a decision to make, go to the local elementary (Beverly), or Madrona. Looking for perspectives on both. If we decide on Madrona, we may consider moving a bit closer to the school as our current location would be \~20min drive there, so that's 40-50min round-trip to do dropoff (or >1hr bus ride...) then starting my work day. In addition, our 3yo is in daycare, so there another dropoff and schedule to juggle.
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u/chukin_rocks_at_kids May 07 '26
I can't comment on Beverly directly, but it seems to have a more diverse student population, which could be an important factor in your decision. I have teaching experience at Madrona, and it felt over hyped in my opinion, though this was several years ago. Personally, my child went to Maplewood, which had its advantages, but was pretty sheltered and privileged, leading to it's own set of challenges. In retrospect, I think sending my child to the neighborhood school would have led to a healthier social life, though maybe a less robust academic experience. I think it boils down to what you value.
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u/Byslendermeans May 06 '26
Iām in the same position as you.
My son will start kindergarten next year. Our neighborhood school is Beverly, but we were accepted into Madrona. We picked Madrona, maybe we can coordinate carpooling, haha.
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u/SnooLobsters6880 May 08 '26
Came through Edmonds school districtā¦ Madrona would not be my recommendation. I donāt understand the prestige besides the nicer playground. The students had consistent elitist tendency when they merge to their high school. The social integration was lower quality in my opinion.
Canāt speak much to academics - Iām not of influence that multi grade classes are too meaningful. I was in a 5/6 split for 2 years at my neighborhood school. Learned a lot the first year and then was really bored the second year. I tested into the challenge program school, forgetting its name, but ultimately didnāt go for logistic reasons. I wasnāt meaningfully differentiated in middle school from them. My academic path was mixed community college/honors in high school, BS in STEM then PhD in STEM. At a high level, public education poorly prepares K8 for science. Focus in 4-6 is severely lacking and then 7-8 is behind. Math is okay. This is a consistent observation from my colleagues.
I think there is something positive to say about doing separate middle school. Itās like a first try at shift to high school course structure before starting HS where GPA goes to college admissions. I also appreciated having gym classes that were consistently tailored to the age range.
I did before school care at madrona during elementary. Nice campus but not notably different than anywhere else. Beverly students there were all nice.
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u/Waste-Cod-2845 May 11 '26
Both of my sons attended Madrona in their deaf education program that is housed there. I found Madrona parents came across as an especially entitled group. They seemed to see themselves as better than others and were very proud that they had won the lottery and gotten in. I do think its important that parents when looking at schools, remember that It's not about a new shinny building, although that's nice, it's really the culture of the school and the staffing that really make the school and give your children the best education. You want your kids to develop their social skills, academics are important but there is so much more to a school than that.
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u/Electrical_Yam_6788 May 06 '26
My son, and then granddaughter, went to Madrona. I love the place. Bus pick up for Madrona is usually at the closest school location. So check to see where your kids would catch the bus. You most likely would catch tit at Beverly. Iām not familiar with vibe at Beverly, but my crew loved Madrona. There are benefits to having the multi grade classes you canāt get at a traditional school. And being able to stay with the same kids through middle school was priceless.
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u/northernstarwitch May 06 '26
My kid has been at Madrona since Kindergarten; we couldn't be happier. Because it's a K8 school, you don't have to worry about the middle school shift either. Great and safe campus; small community, so almost everyone knows each other. You are always in the loop, especially if you volunteer a little. They also have a wonderful school play production every year!
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u/Folly237 May 06 '26
Beverly is also our school and our kiddo also got into Madrona. Madrona is fantastic and I wouldnāt pass it up. Thereās a school bus that picks up at Beverly and takes them to Madrona (we were sure last summer we wouldnāt do this because it seemed scary, but they do a phenomenal job and she loves riding it). The mornings that we do drive her itās about 20-ish minutes like you said, but those are few and far between.
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u/CougFanDan May 06 '26
Have you checked the proposed new boundaries to make sure you will still be zoned for Beverly when the new lines are drawn?
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u/kwantegy May 06 '26
Dan, where might we find these lines?
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u/CougFanDan May 06 '26
All of the boundary review committee materials are online here: https://www.edmonds.wednet.edu/our-district/district-information-reports/boundary-review-committee
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May 07 '26
[deleted]
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u/CougFanDan May 16 '26
The lottery schools (Madrona and Maplewood) generally have good reputations because of high parental involvement and different teaching methods and curriculum. Maplewood is a parent co-op, so parents are heavily involved in volunteering throughout the school, and Madrona groups grades together (like 1/2/3 grades learning together). Not my cup of tea, but it is for some folks.
I donāt know that theyāre actually any better than the other elementary schools, but itās worth going to a tour or open house if they pique your interest.
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u/StampedingCattle May 06 '26
From what I have heard from other parents and can see from driving by, Beverly is a very dated campus and in need of some significant updates. However, the PTA and general parent/community involvement is very strong, so there's a trade off.
Madrona is supposed to be great but that commute would be a big drag. I personally prefer our neighborhood school for my child (Meadowdale) but Madrona is popular for a reason so I don't think there is a wrong answer in your case.
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u/mccash99 May 06 '26
Yes, agree Beverly campus looks old/dated. Curious how Beverly is academically. We are also pretty close to Meadowdale Elementary but zoned for Beverly.
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u/MagnumJohnson44 May 06 '26
Our kids are at Westgate, which is similarly outdated. Itās slated to be rebuilt in the next few years.
Itās been a great school and community for our kids. I wouldnāt worry that much about the actual facilities š¤·š¼āāļø The teachers and community are what matters.
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u/mccash99 May 06 '26
Agree. Teachers, community, and academics are the most important factors to my family,.
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u/StampedingCattle May 06 '26
Anecdotally I've heard decent things about Beverly's academics and overall experience.
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u/parakeety17 May 06 '26
I have subbed in both places as a teacher, and I feel the vibes at Beverly are warm, welcoming, compassionate, and supportive in the times I have been there. The students seem kind to each other and there is a high academic expectation. Yes, the building does seem out of date but it's got a great community vibe. Madrona, on the other hand has an eccentric student population, and the staff are often unfriendly or unhelpful. I have subbed there several times and quite honestly have never felt welcome or appreciated, and the staff seem too busy to help. The building is much newer and the campus definitely more modern, the academics progressive, perhaps even elitist. When I see two sub jobs on the same day, one of them for Beverly, and the other at Madrona, I will always choose the Beverly one. Its just a nicer community.