Madrona opens its doors at 7:30am for breakfast, which is available FREE of charge to all students.

The first bell rings at 7:50am, when teachers meet students and bring them into the classroom. The second bell rings at 7:55am, marking the official start of the school day and when students are expected to be ready to learn. Students should plan to arrive by 7:50am.

Madrona students arrive to school in a variety of ways. Seattle Public Schools provides bus service for students who live more than a mile from the school. Some families use public transportation, with Metro Bus routes 2 and 3 stopping within a block of school. 

Many students also walk, bike, carpool, or are driving to school by a family member. Walking to school is especially popular, and many families coordinate neighborhood walking groups (“walking buses”). To support these connections, the PTSA maintains a map of common walking routes used by Madrona families. Please reach out to ptsa@madronaptsa.org for more information about walking routes.

If you plan to drive your student to school, please know the block of 32nd Ave between E Union and E Spring St is closed to cars during drop-off and pick-up times. This is for our school community safety and is strictly enforced.

Students enter school through the gate on 32nd Avenue, which is closed to car traffic during drop-off and pick up times. If your student arrives late, please bring them round to the front entrance on 33rd Avenue.

Launch

Launch is co-located in the Madrona Elementary building and provides after-school care until 6:00pm. Enrollment requires a separate application. 

Boys and Girls Club (Rotary)

Many Madrona students attend the Boys and Girls Club (Rotary). A bus picks up students directly from school and transports them to the Rotary location, about 7 minutes away. Enrollment requires a separate application process.

Informal community care

Some families coordinate after school care collectively among a group of parents with flexibility in their schedules.

Most teachers send weekly updates via newsletters, which are sent either via email or through Seattle Public Schools’ TalkingPoints messaging platform. 

The school also distributes monthly newsletters and uses TalkingPoints to share important announcements and time-sensitive information throughout the year. 

Most months, Principal Carter shares updates and answers questions directly at the PTSA community meetings. You can sign up for our email list for reminders or links to recaps of these meetings.

Madrona is the only Seattle Public School with a school uniform policy, a tradition that has been part of the school community for many years. 

The uniform consists of:

• Dark blue, light blue, or black shirts (no logos)

• Khaki pants, shorts, skirts, or jumpers 

To help keep uniforms affordable, the school and the PTSA hold uniform swap events before the start of the school year, where families can pick up gently used items FREE of charge. The school also maintains a supply of uniform clothing for students as needed.

Homework is intended to reinforce classroom learning and provide families with insight into what students are working on at school.

Homework practices vary somewhat by grade level and teacher. Many teachers provide a weekly homework packet and allow students approximately one week to complete it (depending on the grade level). In the younger grades, particularly kindergarten, homework is often considered optional and one way to help build responsibility habits.

You may hear your student say “but I already know how to do that!” Awesome! Homework is a little like strengthening your muscles - using them and getting your “reps” in will help build academic strength. It’s OK if it feels easy sometimes - that means you are learning!

Another trick some families use is to earn 1:1 screen time minutes through homework and reading. So for every minute your student spends on their homework and daily reading, they can earn a minute of their favorite show or game.

Madrona classrooms are equipped with interactive smart boards that allow teachers and students to share content, annotate lessons, and access educational tools. 

Like other Seattle Public Schools, students use tablets or laptops (depending on the grade-level) to access educational resources, complete assignments, and participate in district assessments. At the same time, technology is just one part of the learning experience. Teachers balance digital tools with hands-on, teacher-led instruction, including paper-and-pencil work, independent reading, small-group learning, one-on-one support, collaborative activities, and enrichment experiences such as field trips and learning in the school garden.

Absolutely! Madrona welcomes parent/caregiver volunteers and offers many opportunities to get involved throughout the year. Whether you can volunteer regularly or just occasionally, there are many ways to contribute and be part of the Madrona community.

Volunteers support a variety of school events and activities, including: field trips, Scholastic Book Fairs, Multicultural Night, the Winter Concert, Field Day, and many more. The school also shares ongoing and one-time volunteer opportunities with registered volunteers including lunch/recess volunteering and signing in students who arrive late to school. 

In addition, many teachers welcome classroom volunteers to support student learning and enrichment activities. These opportunities are coordinated directly between families and teachers.

Interested volunteers must go through the Seattle Public Schools registration process.

One of Madrona's greatest strengths is its close-knit and welcoming community. The school and PTSA host numerous events throughout the year that help families connect with one another and build relationships with teachers and staff.

Popular events include:

• Back-to-School BBQ

• Popsicles in the Park (for incoming kindergarten families)

• Pizza in the Park

• Curriculum Night

• Grade-level family gatherings

• Winter Concert

• Multicultural Night

• And many other community-building events throughout the year

There are also many informal ways to meet families, including walking buses, at drop-off and pick up, or even just in the neighborhood. One of the best parts of going to your neighborhood school is having school friends right around the block or bumping into someone you know at the grocery store.