QAE Boundaries & Option Status
Updated on May 2018

This page has the latest news, background and other details related to the impact on Queen Anne Elementary of proposed changes to school boundaries with the opening of Magnolia Elementary School in the 2019-2020 school year.

Latest News (May 2018)

With Magnolia Elementary scheduled to open in Fall 2019, and after the parent engagement last fall, the School District Staff are making the following proposals to the School Board for the updated boundaries and facilities for the Queen Anne-Magnolia areas. For Queen Anne Elementary, please note – they are proposing keeping Queen Anne Elementary as an option school.
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• A six-classroom addition is now planned for Coe Elementary and is scheduled to be completed for fall 2021. It is anticipated that this addition will allow Coe to accommodate its current enrollment.
• The western boundary of the Coe Elementary attendance area is proposed to continue to be 15th Avenue West, but it is possible that there will be future boundary changes for Coe and John Hay Elementary to address future capacity needs. 15th Avenue West is now the presumed eastern boundary of the Lawton and Magnolia Elementary attendance areas.
• Previously, there were discussions about Queen Anne Elementary’s status as an option school. We propose keeping Queen Anne Elementary an option school.

To create an attendance area for Magnolia Elementary, boundary changes will be recommended for Catharine Blaine K-8 and Lawton Elementary.

• McClure will continue to be the attendance area middle school for students living in both the Queen Anne and Magnolia communities. Catharine Blaine will remain a K-8 and offer additional space for students who apply for school choice during Open Enrollment. No decisions have been made about the Magnolia Elementary attendance area, except for the presumption that it will have 15th Avenue West as its eastern boundary.
• No decisions have been made about grandfathering, transportation, or program placement. We anticipate the School Board will make these decisions, along with boundary decisions, in December 2018 or January 2019.

There will be community meetings to discuss the above proposals. Please note, all proposals are subject to a vote of the School Board, date of vote TBD. As there will be vocal voices at these community meetings, we encourage attendance from QAE parents.

The district will hold community meetings to share details of these updates, answer questions, and gather your feedback. At the Magnolia community meeting, we will also discuss the process for developing a Magnolia Elementary attendance area and introduce the new Magnolia Elementary School principal, Katie Cryan Leary.

Queen Anne community meeting
(anyone is welcome to attend)
Monday, June 11, 6:30 –7:30 p.m.
McClure Middle School, 1915 First Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119


Magnolia community meeting
(anyone is welcome to attend)
Wednesday, June 13, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
Catharine Blaine K-8, 2550 34th Ave W, Seattle WA 98199


If you have further questions, the QAE PTSA will do our best to answer them. You can write to [email protected] or find one of us on the playground!


You can also reach the School District staff working on boundaries and capacity at [email protected].

In all discussions, keep QAE's principles in mind: remain collaborative, and kind, safe, & fair. Solutions to the capacity problems on QA Hill are only solutions if they are kid-centered and community-minded.


2016-17 Discussion Recap

Boundaries Community Meeting Report 
The last public meeting on the school boundaries issue before SPS makes its recommendation took place on June 19th at Blaine. The school district shared the results, including the narrowed down list of 5 or 6 scenarios that are still being discussed as well as details about a potential delay in the opening of the new Magnolia School. See the our recap of the meeting as well as the SPS report. Thanks to the 287 members of the QAE community who participated in the boundaries survey!


Timeline/ Next Steps:

• June-August 2017 - SPS staff reviews data
• September 2017 – final scenarios shared with limited time after for comment. Fall community meeting.
• October 5, 2017 – School Board Operations Committee
• October 18, 2017 - final plan introduced to School Board
• November 1, 2017 – school board votes on final boundary plan associated with opening Magnolia School

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What YOU can do!

• Educate yourself on the issues. Start with our Frequently Asked Questions and Meeting Notes.
• WRITE a quick email to [email protected], [email protected], and to [email protected], expressing your strong support of QAE remaining an Option School. We have example letters to help you get started.
• Keep an eye out for emails from the QAE PTSA and on the PTSA's Facebook page for updates.

Find out More:

• Meeting Notes
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Sample Letters
• 6/21/2017 - June 19th Boundaries Meeting Recap
• 6/21/2017 - SPS Report on Impacted Students by Scenario
• 5/30/2017 - PTSA's Recommendations of Scenarios C, D and E for the June survey

Further Resources:

• SPS's Magnolia School Project Overview
• SPS's Magnolia Growth Boundaries Information Page
• Options Schools in Seattle
• Combined List of Boundary Scenarios (A-M)
• Principal Roy's Message about the March 29th Meeting
• Principal Roy's Message about the May 1st Community Meeting at McClure

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