Orca K-8 School

Very happy to be sending my child here. Students are well supported, teachers are very good.

Es la mejor escuela se esfuerza en todos los sentidos

Graham Hill is such a gem. It reminds me of the neighborhood schools I grew up with. Small classes, engaged teachers who are truly a community/partnership with the families, and a school culture that places tremendous value on respecting kids/families of all abilities, experiences, and cultures. I have a 3rd grader and 1st grader at Graham Hill and am so glad I'll get to send my youngest there, too. My kids are happy, supported, and thriving. Before we lived in the neighborhood, my oldest (now a high schooler) spent a few years at a private school, and Graham Hill knocks that private school out of the water in every single category. We feel so lucky to be part of Graham Hill! Also worth noting, there is an on-site before/after school care and preschool program (KidsCo), which is also excellent.

Our family recently relocated near to the area. We were not sure if to keep our kids in private, switch to public, or try for an choice/option school. After reviewing state scores, checking out reviews, and weigh pros/cons we settled on Hawthorne. We were unsure of what to expect but we are incredibly pleased with Hawthorne. The principal is an amazing leader that sets the tone for all of the teachers and staff. She is very engaged with all of the students (which is pretty remarkable given the size of the school) and makes a big effort to stay connected to students and families. The parents and pta are very involved and you can feel the community and concern for the kids at this school. I regularly see teachers greeting kids as they enter the building and high fiving kids on the their way home. The school is fairly diverse across various metrics and I think this mix adds to the vibrancy we are feeling overall. They have after school enrichment which is run by volunteers and both of our kids really enjoy their leaders and choices. Both of our kids really like their teachers and support staff. My daughters teacher has been very receptive to our input and has made our daughter excited to learn. She is full of positive energy and eager to make sure all students are thriving. Our sons teacher is fantastic as well with lots of experience, supportive, and also very engaged with the students. They've both expressed to us that they love their school and are happy we placed them here. I cant say we can take the credit since it was hard to know what it would be like but we are glad its turned out way better than we anticipated. Highly recommend.

I look forward to both continuing to work here for many years and enrolling my child when he is school age.