Our school.
Our stories.
Our Sunrise.

It is an incredible school that is very important to so many childhoods (including mine). Closing it would be a devastating loss. Sunrise elementary school is not just a building, it is a second home for hundreds of children, and the place where thousands of people grew up.

Please keep Sunrise Elementary open.

My two daughters attended Sunrise, where they formed lasting friendships and received support from outstanding teachers and staff. The school has been an important part of our family's experience in English Hill.

Sunrise is a cornerstone of our neighborhood, bringing families together and helping make English Hill the strong community it is today.

Thank you for your consideration.

Our family is incredibly thankful for Sunrise - the staff, families and surrounding community. We have three children who have and are currently still attending Sunrise. A few things that stand out for us: the diversity! What a unique and amazing environment for our kids to be surrounded by many different backgrounds and cultures; and that it is something that is celebrated and shared through our multicultural event. The outstanding volunteers- we feel so lucky that our kids and their fellow classmates get to see familiar parents actively giving their time and pouring their love into these kids during the week. And finally a staff that is loyal to Sunrise- how lucky for all three kids to share many of the same teachers that continue to work and support our kiddos year after year. Keep this special school open!

I went to sunrise from kindergarten to 6th grade, all my earliest memories are from sunrise. I had such an amazing experience and couldn’t imagine a better environment to grow and learn in. I want that for other kids in years to come and even my own kids one day.

I went to Sunrise for six years, and it had such a huge impact on me. I have friends who went to other elementary schools and I've heard them describe their experiences, and they are nowhere as great as my own and other alumni had at Sunrise. The community there is just incredible, the teachers love what they do and are truly amazing, and the students have always been amazing. Sunrise is currently ranked as one of the best elementary schools in the state for academics, and having been involved with it for as long as I can remember, I see why. The teachers have developed a strong bond with each other that has existed since the school was opened, and although almost all of the teachers are different now, the past teachers have passed on that connection to the newer ones, who continue to work with other faculty members to keep Sunrise the amazing place it is. My experience at Sunrise had an enormous impact on who I have become, from the teachers to the other students and parents, and I am now a high school student. I love it as a place, a school, and a community, and believe that the district would be making a huge mistake to dissolve this special community, especially as it is ranked as the best elementary school in the district.

It is such an improtant place for our neighborhood, going to school walking distance from my house made me feel safe doing things on my own, and made me more independent as a kid than i think I could have been had I bussed to elementary school. Sunrise created a community and all the amazing educators who made learning so engaging and magical should get to keep teaching at such a special school

My child went to Sunrise before we relocated out of the country. He could not have started his school years in a better environment. On a larger perspective, Sunrise is what keeps English Hill a tight knit community. We support the efforts to keep the school open and we hope the school will be able to shape generations to come!

My wife and I are expecting our first child next year, and one of the most important reasons we chose to buy our home in this neighborhood was Sunrise Elementary.

When we purchased our home, we weren't just choosing a house. We were choosing a community where we hoped to raise our children, watch them grow, make friends, and receive a great education. Sunrise was a key part of that decision and the future we envisioned for our family.

The potential closure of Sunrise is not just about losing a neighborhood school. It directly affects the future we have been planning for our family for the next 10 to 15 years, and potentially much longer. We made one of the biggest financial and personal commitments of our lives based in part on the belief that this community would continue to be a wonderful place to raise children.

I sincerely urge the district to reconsider this closure and recognize that Sunrise matters not only to the students and families who depend on it today, but also to young families like ours who have chosen to build their futures here.

We raised 3 children in the English Hill neighborhood and all attended Sunrise Elrmenatary. We had wonderful teachers, principals, and a very active and supportive PTA, which I was proudly a member of all of the years my children attended Sunrise. We still reside in the sunrise community and have very fond memories of all of the years our children attended.

Sunrise was such a positive part of children’s formative years. Wonderful teacher experiences and memorable field trips to Victoria, etc.

Living in the Sunrise neighborhood was a benefit with its community effort and especially during unexpected situations such as the earthquake. It was handled so well with school & neighbor support.

I still live in the neighborhood and look forward to my family benefitting this school.

Sunrise Elementary has been the anchor for a neighborhood built on a hill without many other opportunities to connect. When we moved to Washington from the Midwest in 2005 it was Sunrise school that helped my younger two get acclimated and enjoy a sense of belonging. Coming from a small parochial school, I had been told by neighbors that sunrise has the same feel without having a religious connection. I found all of that to be true. The kids had a great experience during their time there, including the individual attention that comes from going to a smaller neighborhood school.

Living in this community for many years and having our children attend Sunrise as their only elementary school has helped them learn and develop beautifully. In addition to the caring teachers and staff of Sunrise, I also credit the community of parents for also being involved, resulting in well-educated kids with meaningful friendships, better prepared for whatever comes next.

Since my son was a toddler and we’d walk over to the playground to now, where my youngest is still in attendance, Sunrise is a gathering place, a place of safety and community, for so many families. The education and staff are top notch. I cannot imagine our neighborhood without Sunrise

Both of my kids went there. We lived on English hill and it was a great community! So much parental involvement, we all knew each other, so many wonderful families. Being located right in a neighborhood it’s a great location for kids to get a start on their education. I hope it stays open so more kids/ families can experience it while raising their kids.

We moved to the neighborhood (after looking for ages) specifically for the proximity to Sunrise Elementary with the intent of raising our children in this community and having them attend Sunrise. We would be extremely disappointed if all of our children must attend school elsewhere and our community loses the school that gives this neighborhood such a highly rated, great child-friendly atmosphere.

I raised my three daughters at sunrise all the way through sixth grade! The teachers at the time were awesome and I felt like my girls got a good base education and one of the best in the areas! The community is what Dru me in also! There’s a lot going on at the school and my friend and I started after school enrichment programs as we felt it was needed for our community! I have met some wonderful friends and people up at sunrise! The houses are expensive in that area right now however, there are a lot of little ones in our neighborhood which is Bristol View and is a sunrise connection! So there are children that are going to be coming up and would benefit to attend sunrise! There are two fire gates that could be opened for transportation and accessibility from Hollywood Hills! Please listen to the community members for this school to not be shut down! Thank you!

My family moved to English Hill in 1993. One of the main reasons for purchasing a home here was due to the excellent reputation of Sunrise Elementary. My family quickly realized what a special community this school provided for us. I treasure how a walkable, neighborhood school helped my three sons thrive on their early educational journey. I want to support all the current neighborhood families of young children to share this wonderful school experience we had.

Sunrise Elementary is one of the highly rated schools in Washington, and it is truly sad to see a school with so much history, heritage, and value potentially face closure.

As a resident of the English Hill community, I feel this is something that affects all of us, not just families with children currently attending the school. I don’t have children of my own, but I strongly believe that schools like Sunrise are more than just educational institutions. They are an important part of the community and carry a legacy that deserves to be preserved.

When I have children, I would absolutely love for them to have the opportunity to be part of Sunrise Elementary and experience everything the school has to offer.

My heart also goes out to the students currently enrolled, their families, and the teachers who have invested so much in this school. A decision like this impacts far more than just a school building; it affects an entire community.

I sincerely hope the district reconsiders and finds a way to preserve this wonderful school for current and future generations.

Sunrise Elementary is one of the highly rated schools in Washington, and it is truly sad to see a school with so much history, heritage, and value potentially face closure.

I don’t have children of my own, but I strongly believe that schools like Sunrise are more than just educational institutions. They are an important part of the community and carry a legacy that deserves to be preserved. When I have children, I would absolutely love for them to have the opportunity to be part of Sunrise Elementary and experience everything the school has to offer.

My heart also goes out to the students who are currently enrolled, their families, and the teachers who have invested so much in this school. A decision like this impacts far more than just a school building; it affects an entire community.

I sincerely hope the district reconsiders and finds a way to preserve this wonderful school for current and future generations.

I regularly site the eductators and my experience at Sunrise as giving me the confidence as a child to pursue my passions which has led me to the career I have today. I arrived in the US at nine and began attending Sunrise as a shy child who struggled with self-confidence. My teachers at sunrise are the reason I am now not only capable of public speaking and pitching myself and my work, it has been central to my success as a professional. This is something I am convinced would not have been possible without my experience at Sunrise.

Sunrise was a great experience and core to my childhood. The academic skills and social connections that this great school afforded me has sculpted me into a person that I feel proud to be today. I think this great institution has had the chance to help forge the next generation to decades, and deserves that opportunity for more decades to come.

We have lived on English Hill for 31 years. Both of my kids attended through the 6th grade. We are just two blocks from the school. Families have always had a great community with the kids who have attended there. I can't imagine it here without Sunrise. I also was leader of two scout troops where we met at the school.

Sunrise was my home for 7 years. Memories and connections made on the grounds of Sunrise Elementary hold strong to this day, and it would be a shame not to fight to keep this school open. There’s one word that describes the culture at Sunrise: Kindness. Teachers, staff, parents, and students treated each other with high respect. We were taught to collaborate, to grow, and play together. I don’t want to see these values disappear for the next generations of families on English Hill.

My kids attended Sunrise, my wife was PTA President for a year, we contributed to science program fund raisers, helped install a new playground on the lower field. It has been a huge part of our lives and we continue to visit often. I hope it stays open to provide great memories for new families.

I love Sunrise! I used to be a student here, I was afarid I wasn't going to fit in but the teachers were kind and helpful. Thanks to my teachers I have be brigther, the acitivtys are supper fun and teh teachers are so kind. There is never a dull moment in sunrise!

Sunrise Elementary School is much more than a school. It is the heart of our community. Our son attended Sunrise, and our family participated in countless school events that created some of our most cherished memories. What truly makes Sunrise exceptional is its dedicated teachers and staff, who have consistently demonstrated professionalism, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to every child's success. They create a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where students are encouraged to learn, grow, and thrive. For decades, Sunrise has been recognized as a top-notch school, earning the trust and respect of generations of families. It brings neighbors together, builds lasting friendships, and strengthens the fabric of our community. Losing Sunrise would mean losing not only an outstanding educational institution but also a vital community gathering place. We strongly urge decision-makers to preserve Sunrise Elementary School so future generations can continue to benefit from its excellence, dedicated educators, and the strong sense of belonging it provides to our neighborhood.

Sunrise Elementary School is much more than a school. It is the heart of our community. Our son attended Sunrise, and our family participated in countless school events that created some of our most cherished memories. What truly makes Sunrise exceptional is its dedicated teachers and staff, who have consistently demonstrated professionalism, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to every child's success. They create a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where students are encouraged to learn, grow, and thrive. For decades, Sunrise has been recognized as a top-notch school, earning the trust and respect of generations of families. It brings neighbors together, builds lasting friendships, and strengthens the fabric of our community. Losing Sunrise would mean losing not only an outstanding educational institution but also a vital community gathering place. We strongly urge decision-makers to preserve Sunrise Elementary School so future generations can continue to benefit from its excellence, dedicated educators, and the strong sense of belonging it provides to our neighborhood.

The teachers, helpers and staff are great with our kids. They put them first and care about each child.

Very special to be in our neighborhood and to be able to walk our kids to school.

Sunrise Elementary, nestled within the English Hill residential area gives children the convenience and comfort of learning close to home, while helping families build strong connections with neighbors and the school community. Bordering a 10-acre green belt also offers a valuable natural space for outdoor learning, recreation, and quiet exploration, giving students opportunities to enjoy fresh air and connect with nature. Together, the welcoming neighborhood setting and nearby green space can support a safe, active, and enriching environment for children and families.

When we moved into the neighborhood from out of state, we felt devastated that we needed to raise our family somewhere else and Sunrise really welcome to my daughters in kindergarten second grade and made us feel so thankful for moving. They also tremendously helped my second daughter with her dyslexia and she’s very successful in college and Gonzaga studying science now and it wouldn’t have been the case without them!

Sunrise has always been small but mighty. Excellent teaching instruction in a thriving community, top ranked elementary NSD and the state. This area holds great potential for young families and subsequent school enrollment. Closing Sunrise will have a downstream impact on families moving into NSD and affect middle and high school enrollment as well.

When we lived on English Hill, it was always the center of the community. It’s the reason we stayed in our little starter home for so many years. My kids loved going to school there and it’s just a special place. I can’t imagine all the people that moved to English Hill to go to Sunrise and then having that ripped away. The reasons to keep it open are a hundred times more important than the reasons given to close it.

Our family was warmly welcomed to Sunrise when our child entered in 2nd grade.She has thrived at Sunrise in more ways than one. Her teachers have been exceptional. Early on, her 2nd grade teacher did an amazing job making sure she and other new students were integrated into the school community. They are highly skilled with helping students transition from other schools, as they get new students every year - either from CLe for HiCap or because parents move to our area specifically because Sunrise is such a good school. We were blown away by the number of programs and enrichment activities coordinated by the Sunrise PTA. Parents are very involved. Lastly, we love that Sunrise has a highly diverse population. Our child has friends from many different backgrounds, which has been wonderful. We are dismayed at the suggestion that Sunrise should close when it has such an engaged and diverse community. Sunrise should not close! It must remain open!

Sunrise is an iconic part of growing up on English Hill. If closed, would such an important part of the English Hill community be demolished and turned into land for a marginal amount of homes that would be built cheaply and sold at unaffordable rates for families? Why are there not enough families in the area to go justify Sunrise’s existence? Would English Hill be better off with new developments, or with a school that has served the local families for decades?

Sunrise elementary was such a great place with a wonderful community that helped my kids and family overall make so many new friends and connections. It has such an active PTA and parent base that students got a lot of extra benefit. It's an integral part of our community and I sure hope it stays open.

I had to come to Sunrise because at my old school (i was in kindergarten) i was heavily bullied and wasn’t able learn at the same level as the other kids. When i went to sunrise i felt like i found my new home away from home. Please keep my second home open, so kids who are in situations similar to mine to find their home too!

Sunrise Elementary is the heart of this community, for parents, former parents, neighbors, grandparents. The school is why we moved here in 1988 and remain here.

Closing Sunrise will kill off the heart and soul of this community.

Sunrise was much more than just our school but an anchor in our neighborhood and the community of my friends around me a familiar place that we went to school, but also played baseball games. Met up on our bikes and had a local safe place to play. It had a different feel going to school in a place that was a part of our home and familiar to us, and I know for future generations that will still be important even though the landscape of today’s society has shifted significantly from when I went to school there.

Sunrise is a beautiful part of our community that even as a teen I would go to the feilds with my friends and it is an amazing experience to get to walk to your elementary school. The small class size was also really helpful in making me a successful student and learning the skills I needed to learn to be successful in all levels of school.

As an English Hill resident whose children had an idyllic childhood centered around Sunrise, I desperately want other families to have the experience we did! My children attended Sunrise from 2012-2021 and we could not have asked for a better education or supportive community. Please don't deny this opportunity to current and future families!

Both of my daughters attended Sunrise, beginning in kindergarten. Having a neighborhood school where they could learn, grow, and build friendships, while also allowing our family to connect with other families in the community, was truly special. It gave us a wonderful sense of belonging and connection to our neighborhood.

Sunrise is a leading elementary school that beyond teaching the material, also provides true education, self esteem and values.

It is a true community and neighborhood connector.

The community will suffer greatly if the school closes.

With so many new families moving into English Hill with young kids, I find it hard to believe that there is reduced need .

Wonder community school which beyond a leading elementary school is a community connector.

Both our kids went to Sunrise and I have been volunteering at the School for many years teaching Chess

Sunrise is where I performed in my first play (the Crow in Wizard of Oz!), learned music for the first time, got specialized assistance with learning English and made my first friends in the United States as a first generation immigrant. Sunrise set me up for success in secondary education and was a warm, supportive, and compassionate community with a lively educational and opportunities for after-school activities (chess club, YMCA, and a large playground).

Sunrise elementary school is quite literally the heart of our community. Knowing that our local kids are able to walk to school and play at the school means a lot to our community. It is also unfathomable that we would think to start putting kids on a long bus ride everyday when a great school is right here in the neighborhood.

Sunrise is an important part of our family’s life and our neighborhood. It is where our children build friendships, develop relationships with teachers, and gain a sense of belonging. Closing the school would disrupt those connections and require students to adjust to a new environment, new routines, and a new school community.

As a parent, I am deeply concerned about the emotional and educational impact of a closure.

Both of our daughters went to Sunrise Elementary, and I can honestly say it shaped our family. Sunrise was never just a school; it was the heart of English Hill. It's where our girls made friendships that have lasted for years, and where we parents met at pickup, at school events and on the playground, and became friends and neighbours in the truest sense. The teachers were amazing. They knew every child by name, saw what made each one special, and gave them the confidence to grow. Sunrise changed lives, not only for students but for the whole community that formed around it. Closing it would mean losing something that can't be rebuilt somewhere else. Please keep Sunrise open.

My sister and I both went to school there after emigrating from Italy. We were welcomed into a community when we knew very little of the language and my time there only lasted and thrived. It is a small but warm community that other children of the neighborhood deserve to experience and have close to their homes.

Sunrise was where I went to elementary school and set the foundation for my academic success. It is also the place where I had the most amazing teachers that inspired me to become an elementary school teacher myself. Mrs. Gaugl, Mrs. Utgard, Mrs. Savage, Mrs. Jensen, Mrs. Denton, Mrs. Cautrell, I can name all my teachers and even remember the staff in the office from Barbara to our wonderful principal Mr. Bodner. Sunrise was more than just an elementary school as well and had a rich community around it. With yearly plays, the 5th grade play, dances, carnivals, so many of my childhood memories come from the events held at school. It would be a shame and a huge loss to lose Sunrise.

I currently have a second grader and a kindergartener at Sunrise. For two years now, I’ve coached a youth soccer team of Sunrise students, and I’ve been impressed by the parental involvement on the soccer field as well as inside and outside the classroom. The parents have gone above and beyond in their commitment to making this a great experience for the kids. It would be a shame to see this community broken apart.

Sunrise teachers have had such a positive impact on my kids that I wouldn’t want that taken away from them or from other Sunrise students.

Sunrise means so much to my family. Me and both my sisters went there, and my mom was lucky enough to teach there as well. The community that sunrise elementary created was unbelievable. I am still close friends with so many people I met through elementary school and cannot imagine how different my life would look without sunrise.

Sunrise elementary not only means so much to me and my family but also to the entire community. Sunrise is where I met some my lifelong friends and it led me to be who I am today. It provides a safe place for families in the community to go. It brings high quality education to its students and teaches them the value of kindness, creating well rounded kids who are ready to make a positive impact in the world.

Me and both of my siblings all went to sunrise for all 6 years, along with that, my mother taught science at sunrise for 7 years, 5 of which I was there too. Sunrise has always been our local playground, sports field, and second home for the first 3/4 of my life, and it will always be a special place to me and so many other people.

I grew up in the nearby Belridge neighborhood and rode my bike to Sunrise with other neighborhood kids all the time. Now, I have my older son starting Kindergarten at Sunrise and his three year old brother who can't wait until he's old enough to go to Sunrise. His teacher is making his first year in school absolutely magical!

I currently have a second grader and a kindergartener at Sunrise and have been deeply impressed by the school's community.

While travel time is rightly treated as a key decision metric to minimize bus rides for kids, Sunrise’s high concentration of nearby families creates major benefits that go well beyond the bus route itself.

First, as a family with two working parents and no local extended family, we rely on before- and after-school care. Because of this, our children cannot take the bus, and we must drive them to school. With most major area employers located south of Sunrise, closing the school would add significant commute friction for our family—directly cutting into the time we have each evening for homework and community involvement.

Second, proximity directly enables parent volunteering. Over the past year, I’ve logged more than 30 hours volunteering at Sunrise—chaperoning field trips, setting up the science fair, practicing math facts, and teaching students introductory coding with Bee-Bots. Having a neighborhood school makes this possible on work-from-home days. Adding even 10 minutes to the commute would severely limit my ability to step away from work and contribute in the classroom.

Please keep Sunrise open. Travel time isn't just about time on a bus—it directly impacts before/after-school care logistics and enables the parent volunteer network that makes a school thrive. Sunrise is uniquely optimized to support both.

All three of my children attended Sunrise for their entire elementary years. I coached little league, flag football, basketball, and soccer teams of Sunrise kiddos. And because my wife taught at Sunrise for a decade, so I’m known to just about the entire community as either Mrs Padget’s husband, or Jillian/Cole/Eliza’s dad, or simply Coach Dave. I am so invested in this community! And Sunrise is truly the heart and soul of the greater English Hill community.

Sunrise shaped me so much as a student and built my time management schools and shaped the way I do work now as a High Schooler . Without sunrise and my third grade teacher I never would have learned the importance of staying on top of your work and getting things done. My entire work ethic the goals and high standards I hold myself to can all be credited back to my time at sunrise. I truly feel like all the teachers there were always in my corner pushing me to be the best student and now I am an Ap and Honor roll student with a 3.9 gpa and college bound. Those are all things I dont think I would have without the foundation that was built during my time at sunrise.

Sunrise has created an amazing neighborhood community in Northshore. It has been a draw for families moving to the area and continues to create quality education for those that attend. The teachers, students, and families are a huge part of the English Hill community. I met great friends at Sunrise 20 years ago that I cherish today.

I am a passionate supporter of keeping Sunrise open. My connection to Sunrise runs deep: I am a parent of three Sunrise alumni and a Northshore educator.

Twenty years ago, when my family was deciding where to put down roots, I was hesitant to leave the district I had grown up and taught in for eight years. But after researching Northshore and Sunrise, the choice was clear. Moving to English Hill became one of the best decisions we ever made. All three of my children thrived here, and over the years, I served as a classroom volunteer, recess coordinator, and eventually a proud Sunrise teacher for seven years.

I have seen Sunrise adapt through seasons of growth and change. Years ago, when Bear Creek Elementary closed, Sunrise opened its doors and built a welcoming environment for those families. Sunrise excels at building community. Years later, when district-level changes shifted EAP programming and enrollment declined, staff displacements followed. Having to leave Sunrise was the hardest chapter of my professional life. Sunrise possesses a unique, close-knit environment that is difficult to describe unless you have been part of it.

Last June, my middle child graduated from Woodinville High School. Out of all the senior year traditions and events, he told us his favorite part was walking the halls of Sunrise one last time in his cap and gown. That single moment speaks volumes about the lasting legacy and strength of this school community. Sunrise is more than a building; it is the heart of our neighborhood.

My older daughter goes to the Sunrise elementary school. She is at 2nd grade this year. My younger daughter is 2. She will go there too. Sunrise is one of the highest ranking elementary school in the district and the state. It is jewel in the community. All if our neighbors who has been living here for 40+ years told us that their kids went there and it is an excellent school. Many people buy a home in the sunrise boundary only because of the school and its high quality.

Also consider that shutting down a school is always always always a lot easier than opening one. Low registration is temporary and the number will definitely go higher as more younger generations are gradually moving into the neighborhood.

The decision making criteria must not be based on the current trend. It must be on a trend in the next 10+ years. And it is definitely measurable by gathering stats from the current residents in the school boundary. We personally know 4 kinds only in our cul de sac that have small kids that will go to school in 3-4 years. There must be other ways to keep the schools open and functional so that in the near future they can easily scale up and take in more students

It makes no sense to me that the School District would lose this asset and not be able to rent it out or lease it out and earn revenue. This is the one school that they technically don’t own the property. Closing other schools where they could lease out the land makes more sense because it’s a revenue stream.

Several years of grandkids and their friends/families have rotated thru with tons of history and memories of past holiday programs and special events. Really sad to compromise that legacy…enrollment has increased and decreased regularly with no data proven logic so that argument can’t stand!

I currently have two children at Sunrise. We moved to the neighborhood 4 years ago and Sunrise was a big part of our decision in buying our home. The school is well run and even recently updated with a new roof. The school is an important cornerstone of the community

As a grandparent of two Sunrise students I fully support keeping this neighborhood school open . I have watched them flourish both academically and emotionally. Most families move to a neighborhood based on the school of choice and this would be devastating to everyone involved that has children or thinking about moving to this area.

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I lived in English Hill for 15 years and Sunrise Elementary was a special place for the entire community and neighborhood. Sunrise connected families in the neighborhood with and without children at the school in a way that was much deeper and made everyone feel safer for it. It was the kind of old fashioned togetherness that I would hope for every community but that I know is rare. Please consider alternatives to school closures.

My daughter love teachers and kids at school.

Sunrise school is the best.

I live in English Hill and had four children attend Sunrise Elementary. I volunteered for the track team and my wife volunteered in the classroom. There has always been a wonderful community around Sunrise and our children. It is a very special school and community that has given our children a great start in life. I would hate to see that go away. Sincerely, Matt Hume.

I have watched 2 of my grandchildren absolutely thrive and flourish at Sunrise. I have one grandchild still attending Sunrise and hoping he and all of the children that will follow can continue their elementary school years sunrise. sunrise is more that a school it is the cornerstone of a whole community of residents.

Sunrise is a huge part of English Hill and the larger Northshore community . It’s one of the most involved schools in the district and has a high volunteer rate, and a large part of that is because it’s connected to the community where families live. It’s highly walkable and consistently has a wide variety of programs, enrichment, and high achievement despite being under the desired 400 students that the district says is needed to produce those results. Sunrise has welcomed new programs and students to their school a number of times, so they are well equipped to do so again. Keep Sunrise open!

Both of my children attended this school and had wonderful experiences. It has been such a special place for our family, with caring teachers, a supportive community, and a nurturing learning environment. It would be heartbreaking to see a school that has meant so much to so many families close. I hope it can remain open for future generations of children.

Sunrise is a critical part of our community. It is a true community school supported by a diverse and rich population. It has adapted well to having students bussed in as needed, such as with the various magnet programs. The parent community supporting the school has a long history of fervent support.

More importantly, closing Sunrise won't solve the issues the school board is facing because the land cannot be sold due to how it is deeded. There is no upside for the school district, only downside for the district and the surrounding community.

I attended sunrise elementary, and I loved it. It was such a welcoming place and the staff and teachers were phenomenal. There are so many people in this neighborhood that bought houses here specifically because of the proximity to the elementary school (including my family). Keep Sunrise open.

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Loss of the top grade elementary school with awesome reputation and teachers will put a big dent on our community. As high-tech (Microsoft) employed parent, back in a day I looked at the community where I can settle and raise my kids. District will loose families like ours as potential as home buyers, 110%.

Sunrise is my neighborhood school. I want kids to have a place near their home they can call community. A place they can be with their neighbors, learning and growing together. Yes there are other schools, and there are busses to get them there. But there’s nothing else like walking home with your friends on a warm afternoon. Please keep sunrise open!

We chose to buy our home in English Hill because of Sunrise Elementary. We considered private schools, but Sunrise’s top rated academics, highly rated reputation, and welcoming community gave us confidence that our children could receive a comparable education while allowing us to support our public schools.

Having a school within walking distance was also important to us. We walk to school even when it rains and play at the playground together after school. These daily routines give our children time outdoors, fresh air, and opportunities to stay active, play, and connect with other kids. These moments have become a meaningful part of our family’s routine and a big part of what makes living in English Hill so special.

What makes Sunrise truly great, though, is more than its academics. It’s the teachers and staff who genuinely care about our children, the parents who show up and get involved, and the sense of community that comes from families connecting every day. It’s a place where our children are growing, friendships are forming, and families feel connected to one another.

Closing Sunrise would mean losing more than a neighborhood school. It would disrupt the community that so many families have intentionally chosen and invested in. We made a major life decision to put down roots here because we believed in this school and what it offers our children.

All three of my children attended Sunrise. We even purchased a second home within the boundaries when we outgrew our first home. Sunrise has offered me and my family a warm and close knit community. I now have the privilege of working at Sunrise alongside such a dedicated and caring staff and amazing families. Sunrise is truly the heart of our neighborhood.

Both my kids were in sunrise since kindergarten. This community has always been warm and welcoming. My children now in middle and high school have loved coming back to their elementary school to volunteer or visit with long standing teachers! They have built life long friendships and memories due to Sunrise.

Sunrise is an anchor point in the community. We moved to the neighborhood specifically for the school and the community and its educators and to stay in close connection with the community when our child moved on to middle school. We would do it again and enthusiastically recommend it to others.

When we purchased our home in this neighborhood in 2018, Sunrise Elementary was one of the biggest reasons we chose to settle here. Its longstanding reputation for academic excellence, dedicated teachers, and strong parent community made it stand out as one of Washington’s exceptional public elementary schools. Nearly a decade later, Sunrise continues to be a source of pride for our neighborhood.

As parents of two children, we have seen firsthand how much a great neighborhood school contributes to children’s education, friendships, and sense of belonging. Sunrise is more than a school building. It is the heart of a community that families have invested in and helped build over generations.

I understand the district faces difficult decisions due to declining enrollment and financial pressures. However, closing a high-performing, well-established school should be an absolute last resort. I urge the district to carefully evaluate alternatives, transparently demonstrate the educational and financial rationale, and consider the lasting impact on students, families, and the broader community.

Once a school like Sunrise is lost, rebuilding its academic reputation, traditions, and community connections would be extraordinarily difficult. Please keep Sunrise open for current students and future generations.

Sunrise is a staple of our community and a pillar of the District for decades.

Sunrise students move on to Timbercrest Middle School and then Woodinville High School, one continuous path from age five to graduation, with the same families beside them the whole way. There is no other school like it on this side of the district — and no replacing what forty years of that continuity builds.

I never knew how important being a part of a neighborhood school would be to my family. Our years of walking to/from school, engaging in playground play dates after school, and participating in community-wide school events cemented our family’s place in this English hill neighborhood.

On average, I probably volunteered about 3 hours a week, each week, for 8 years. I had the privilege of not only investing in my own kids’ academic success, but in the success of our neighbors’ children, because to me, they were all our kids.

Every staff member, every teacher, every volunteer, took the time to get to know my kids beyond who they were in the classroom.

Ironically, the Covid pandemic really shined a light on what made Sunrise so special: perfectly curated library books aligned with my kids’ specific interests were set aside for pick up; neighborhood birthday car parades — featuring sunrise staff! — were organized; teachers took time to tutor students in backyards to ensure no child was left academically behind.

And once we were welcomed back to in-person learning, there was NEVER a shortage of parent and grandparent volunteers on campus.

Sunrise, and its staff and volunteers, have demonstrated to my kids what it means to invest in your community. For all the ways in which they gave my children, it’s now our turn to give back to Sunrise.

I strongly support keeping Sunrise Elementary open. Both of my children have been part of the Sunrise community, and it holds a special place in our family. I believe Sunrise is more than just a school — it’s an important part of our neighborhood’s identity and brings families together. Preserving a neighborhood school helps maintain a strong sense of community, supports current and future families, and contributes to the long-term vitality and appeal of our neighborhood. I hope the district will carefully consider the lasting impact of closing Sunrise before making this decision.

Sunrise Elementary is the perfect neighborhood learning environment for our community. It is more than just a school, it is a place where children build friendships, families form lasting connections, and a true sense of community thrives. The close-knit environment allows students to feel safe, supported, and valued while receiving a quality education close to home. Neighborhood schools like Sunrise are what make our community special, and losing Sunrise would mean losing something that simply cannot be replaced.

Sunrise is where all of my siblings and I went to school. We made life long friends, had the best memories at school events, plays and assemblies. It’s where my grandfathers would come for Veterans Day assemblies, where I learned the importance of public speaking and where I made life long friends. Sunrise is the pillar of English hill and taking it away would be a mistake. I was a national history day winner in 6th grade and that is because of the support of sunrise!

My whole family, myself and my two younger sisters, all attended Sunrise Elementary. This place was when we attended and is still now a comforting, encouraging, safe community full of incredible educators that care greatly about their students and foster growth and confidence at such a pivotal point in a child’s life. From all of the activities during school hours in the classroom, as well as the ones outside, such as the annual school play (my sisters and I were a part of each year!), school fairs, art night etc, Sunrise was and is not just important for those who attend but is a pillar in the entire neighborhood and community too.

My connection to Sunrise started in 1998 when I was 5 years old and started kindergarten. I remember coming home from school every single day and telling my mom that this was the best day of my life (I'm not exaggerating; I literally said that every day after my mom would meet me at the bus stop). That joie de vivre was directly fed by the supportive and nurturing environment that I found at school; I could always count on Sunrise to be a safe place where I could see my friends, have fun, and learn something new. Even while experiencing the Nisqually Earthquake of '01, I felt secure at Sunrise, knowing I would get through the experience unharmed. I continued to attend for the next couple of years until my family moved to Sammamish. But I never forgot the warm memories from my days at Sunrise.

Fast forward 25 years and my wife and I are living in Chicago and finding out that our first child is on the way! With all the joy and anxiety that comes with such a revelation, we quickly decided to move closer to family. Just 4 months ago we packed up and began our journey to plant our roots in WA. And as luck would have it, we fell in love with a house in English Hill just a few doors down from my childhood home. The prospect of being back and having our daughter attend an elementary school that I loved so very much made the house purchase easy. We've been happily living here for a month and are so excited about growing our family in this community.

The idea that Sunrise may close absolutely breaks my heart, both as a proud alum and on behalf of my soon-to-be-born daughter. Please keep Sunrise open, so she and so many other kids like her can benefit in the ways that I did so meaningfully as a child.

As someone who lives in the neighborhood, Sunrise is not just a great school. It’s a community center, a public park, a recreation area, and ties the entire neighborhood together. Hundreds of people utilize its large upper field and trail system for sports and outdoor recreation. Closing sunrise, and likely developing the land into additional houses degrades the quality of life for everyone in the neighborhood.

I have had the privilege of teaching at Sunrise Elementary since 2015. Over the years, our school has experienced many changes. EAP was introduced and later disbanded, the Chinese Language Program emerged and dissolved, and EAP was once again added and then taken away. Through all these changes, however, one thing has remained constant: the heart, culture, and community of Sunrise Elementary. That is what truly makes Sunrise unique.

The people who make up our community, our students, past and present families, dedicated staff, and neighbors are the heart and soul of this school. We are welcoming, inclusive, connected, and deeply involved. We show up for one another, invest in our students, and create a place where children feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

Sunrise is more than a school; it is a community built on relationships, belonging, and a shared commitment to helping every child soar. Rather than closing our doors, let us open our arms to welcome even more students who would thrive in the care and community that Sunrise offers.

Sunrise Soars… Let Us Grow!

Sunrise matters to me because it is a true family. I came here from another Northshore school looking for a strong community, and I found it immediately. From the amazing parents and supportive coworkers to the generous community grant that helped expand our student garden, everyone here pitches in to help our kids grow. Getting to work with every grade level in the garden showed me just how special and connected the Sunrise community really is.

Sunrise administration, teaching staff, and PTA go above and beyond what is required to make the school truly one of a kind. They provide exceptional support and services for the kids by getting to know each of them individually and are genuinely concerned for their well-being. Their personalized attention and support for all the kids is outstanding, especially those requiring more support, and is greatly appreciated by all the Sunrise community!

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Sunrise has been our family's tether to Washington state. We moved here when our children were 6 and 4, and our oldest started school here in 1st grade. Sunrise has shaped our children. We couldn't imagine a world without this wonderful school and its incredible community.

Sunrise has created an entire community of families and children that walk to school, leading to neighborhoods that are inherently connected, safe, and active. This is incredibly rare for a suburban area and is the reason why we see healthy families out and about walking and biking every single morning and afternoon. There is no need for buses and everyone raves about having lifelong friends in the neighborhood. It would be an incredible shame to lose this vital aspect of our community.

For a five- or six-year-old, a familiar teacher and a safe routine are everything. Being uprooted from the only school they've known can bring anxiety, and a setback in learning .

GreatSchools rates Sunrise 8/10, above average for Washington schools serving the same grades. Closing a school that is succeeding punishes the very children it is serving well.

Keep Sunrise open

Dear Members of the School Board,

I respectfully urge you to reconsider any proposal to close Sunrise Elementary and instead continue investing in a school that serves as a cornerstone of our community.

Sunrise Elementary is far more than a building where children receive an education. It is a place where students develop friendships, build confidence, and form meaningful relationships with teachers and staff who know them personally. For many families, Sunrise provides a sense of stability, belonging, and connection that cannot easily be replicated elsewhere.

Closing Sunrise would have significant consequences for students. Many children would be required to adjust to a new school environment, new teachers, longer commutes, and unfamiliar peer groups. Such transitions can be especially difficult for younger students and for those who thrive on consistency and established support systems. At a time when student well-being and mental health are increasingly important, maintaining stability should be one of our highest priorities.

Keeping Sunrise open also preserves the strong sense of community that has been built over many years. Schools are often the heart of a neighborhood, bringing together families through volunteer opportunities, school events, partnerships, and shared experiences. When a school closes, those community connections are weakened, and rebuilding them elsewhere can take years.

There are also practical considerations. Closing a school often results in increased transportation costs, longer bus rides, larger class sizes, and additional strain on neighboring schools. While closure may appear to provide short-term financial relief, the long-term costs associated with overcrowding, transportation, and declining community engagement can diminish those anticipated savings.

Sunrise Elementary has dedicated educators who work tirelessly to support student success. The relationships these teachers and staff have built with students and families are invaluable. Those connections contribute directly to student achievement, attendance, and overall engagement in school.

Furthermore, maintaining Sunrise demonstrates a commitment to equitable access to education. Neighborhood schools allow families to remain actively involved in their children's education, attend school activities, volunteer, and build partnerships with teachers. These opportunities can become more difficult when students are displaced to schools farther from home.

I also ask the Board to consider the message that keeping Sunrise open would send to students, families, and the broader community. It would demonstrate that our district values strong neighborhood schools, recognizes the importance of community connections, and prioritizes the needs of students above short-term solutions.

Sunrise Elementary is an investment in our children, our families, and our future. Once a school is closed, the loss is often permanent. Please explore every other alternative.

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Having a true neighborhood school is so special. It means meeting parents and their children who become our life long friends. It means walking hand and hand with my son to school. It means volunteering for art docent, library and the PTA Board. It means having the office staff know me so well they say I should apply for a job with NSD. It means working in the district at great schools, but when I get offered a job at Sunrise it feels like coming home. It’s saying “see you tomorrow” to students as we all walk home from school. It means running in to former Eagles who are now at Timbercrest or WHS and getting a moment to catch up. It means having a community that cherishes what we have at Sunrise. It means everything.

Myself and my 5 siblings attended almost every k-6 year at this school. It was instrumental in providing the foundation for all 6 of us to go on to becoming productive community members including military service. I’m now raising my children here and hope they can have a similar experience of a tight knit, accepting, and family centered childhood.

My kids go to Sunrise, and it is the first elementary school they are attending after wr recently moved from NC. It is the first place where they made friends. Felt welcome and are in love with the teachers and support staff. This is where they feel like a second home.

Sunrise have been part of our lives every since moving to this neighborhood. It has been one of the reasons we chose the house we are living at, and our childrens have been spending time at the school and its facilities since before they were able to walk. The cub scout troop based at sunrise is unique and once of the best in the Seattle area, enriching our kid's life and ours as well.

Sunrise is a community center. As both an alumni parent and substitute teacher, I see the close bonds that keep this a family neighborhood being formed at Sunrise. My 30 yo son’s friends are all still friends as are their Moms, all of these friendships started at Sunrise 25 years ago!

Additionally as a staff member who has worked at Sunrise, Hollywood Hill and Moorlands, I want to alert the community to the difficulty in traveling to/from Hollywood Hill Elementary during inclement weather. Sunrise being on a plowed straight street connected to 124th a major road, is much more accessible and safer to travel to/from than Hollywood Hill Elementary.

Both of my children attended Sunrise, and the school holds a special place in our hearts and is an important part of our community. Sunrise is truly a special school, and like many other families, we chose to purchase a home in the surrounding neighborhoods so our children could attend.

We had three children go through Sunrise and beyond in the Northshore School District. The school is important to this community. We bought our home in this neighborhood in 1991 because of Sunrise.

Even though there may be declining enrollment, that could change. There are homes for sale and rent right now which will probably draw younger families with children.

When searching for a new home, as soon as we drove into the Sunrise neighborhood, we knew that we had found a special place. We didn't necessarily aim to choose NSD, we specifically chose Sunrise. It's not just about the students, it's the teachers, the staff, the parents, and the building that all make Sunrise such an incredible place. These are things that cannot be moved to another building or replaced. Our child has flourished at Sunrise and we want the same for future generations!

Dear school board members,

Both our two small children go to Sunrise, and we are deeply connected to the wonderful community, teachers and families of this amazing school. We wouldn’t choose to live in this neighborhood if it were not for the school, so it’s devastating to learn that it might be closed.

Please please please keep Sunrise open.

Coming from China, I have seen how education systems respond to declining student enrollment. While some schools are eventually consolidated, there are also alternative approaches, including adjusting school attendance boundaries, sharing educational resources, and using smaller class sizes to improve educational quality.

In fact, China’s Ministry of Education has explicitly recognized that school attendance boundaries may be adjusted in response to changing student populations.

I believe Northshore School District should seriously explore similar alternatives before considering the closure of Sunrise.

If families outside our current boundaries are willing to send their children to Sunrise, shouldn’t we first explore expanding access to this excellent school?

A school’s enrollment should not be judged in isolation from the boundaries that determine who is allowed to attend.

Our neighborhood has larger residential properties and naturally fewer households. That is a demographic characteristic, not a reflection of the quality or value of our school.

Before making a decision as permanent as closing Sunrise, we owe our children and our community a thorough exploration of every reasonable alternative.

My daughter just graduated from sunrise. She appreciates all the service there very well. A lot of teachers became her friends. Then they are now my sons’. It’s like a family to the kids. Whenever they want to meet friends or just go outdoors for fun, sunrise is always the default option. Cannot imagine the world without such a good school.

Our family moved from China to the United States largely because we wanted better educational opportunities for our children, especially our daughter.

Before enrolling our daughter in elementary school, we seriously considered private education. However, we heard so many wonderful things about Sunrise from both current families and alumni. Their genuine love for this school and the community convinced us to buy a home near Sunrise so that our daughter could attend.

After more than a year here, I can confidently say that choosing Sunrise was one of the best decisions we made for our family.

That is why the news of Sunrise’s potential closure is so difficult for me to understand. Coming from China, where highly regarded schools are generally preserved and often expanded to meet demand, I find it especially surprising that such an excellent school would even be considered for closure.

Instead of closing Sunrise, why not consider expanding its attendance boundaries and giving more families the opportunity to choose this wonderful school? I have heard from parents who live farther away and would love to send their children to Sunrise, but are unable to do so because of the current boundary restrictions.

We should not allow a school’s future to be determined simply by the fact that its surrounding neighborhood has larger properties and fewer households. Lower neighborhood density does not mean lower educational value or lower demand.

Closing a school with such an outstanding reputation, dedicated teachers, and a deeply connected community would be a short-sighted decision. I sincerely hope the district will explore alternatives, especially boundary adjustments and greater enrollment flexibility, before making a decision that could permanently take away something so valuable from our children and our community.

I referenced the 2027 best elementary schools list where Sunrise (#3) is the only Northshore school in the top 30+, as well as other data points where Sunrise is consistently considered a top-rated school. I challenged the rationale for closing the district’s highest ranked school and urged them to consider the academic implications to our students.

Sunrise matters to us because we chose it, and we keep choosing it every day. It isn't our neighborhood school. We came for the Chinese Learning Program, and when that program ended we could have gone back to our home school at Hollywood Hill. But we stayed. By then we'd fallen in love with the teachers, the families, and the way our daughters are known and challenged here. We drive past our own school every morning because Sunrise is where our girls are thriving, and that's worth the drive.

Sunrise is the reason we moved our family to this neighborhood. With two children attending, it’s the heart of our community—the friendships, teachers, and connections we hoped to build our lives around. Its outstanding academic reputation matters, but so does our children’s sense of belonging. Closing Sunrise would mean losing the school-centered community we specifically chose for our family.

I am writing to express my strong support for keeping Sunrise Elementary School open. Sunrise is the primary reason our family chose to move to the Northshore School District in the first place. Although our oldest child has since graduated and our youngest is now in middle school, Sunrise still holds a very special place in our hearts. Our family shares so many wonderful memories there, from the festive holiday sing-alongs to the incredible school plays. My children absolutely loved every single teacher and staff member they had during their time there. Please keep this wonderful school open for future generations!

I was a Paraeducator (school assistant back then) at Sunrise when Paul Bodner was principal. I assisted with special ed children at recess, was a crossing guard, and worked with 5th and 6th graders in the classroom with research and other projects. I learned more in my year and a half than I think the kids did, with amazing staff who loved what they did. I only left when a school position opened up much closer to my home, and recently retired after 26 years in the district, Sunrise being my first permanent position. With the school being located at a far end of our district, I think it is vital to keep Sunrise open. I was Northshore-raised, as were my own kids. Sunrise was an amazingly supportive place for kids to learn and to work.

Too many wonderful memories to share! Walking to and from school on the English Hill trail with my daughters, their friends and parents. The school plays, the dances in the gym, the musicals, etc. Sunrise is central to so many fond memories watching my children grow up!

We chose to live in English Hill in large part because of Sunrise. Having an excellent neighborhood school within walking distance, where our children can learn alongside their neighborhood friends, was an important part of our decision. Sunrise’s strong academic track record, dedicated teachers and staff, and highly involved parent community make it a special place for students and families alike.

Closing a consistently high-performing school like Sunrise would be a significant loss for both the community and the Northshore School District. We hope the district will recognize the value Sunrise brings to its students and community and keep this exceptional neighborhood school open for current and future generations.

Too many wonderful memories from walking along the English Hill trail to and from school with my daughters, their friends and their parents. The school dances and plays, musicals, and fundraisers were always so joyous for kids and parents alike and will always be some of my fondest memories!

Sunrise Elementary has always been a shining light setting the perfect example of what a neighborhood school should be. The feeling of community that is exhibited is second to none. Over the years, families have met one another walking to school or having an afternoon play date on the playground. My three daughters received a wonderful education and as a family we were extremely involved in all the activities Sunrise has to offer. We have always felt so very grateful to have raised our kiddos in such a wonderful neighborhood and a big part of that was the accessibility to our fantastic neighborhood school! Sunrise is the best!

We chose to move to the area because of the education in Sunrise. Sunrise has been our dearest feature of the community, starting from the playground to the bonding it provided to the neighborhood.

There has been a lot of movement in terms of the house sales in the English community during the past few years, all of which were new parents or expecting parents like us.

Along with a few other children of the same age as my 3-year-old son, they have been playing together since they were 1 year old and expecting to be classmates in Fall 2028.

Please keep Sunrise open and evaluate alternative meaningful solutions in addressing the school district's original concerns.

Our family has lived in this community for more than fifteen years. Both of my children spent their entire elementary school years at Sunrise Elementary School. Their memories are filled with many wonderful moments from Sunrise: caring and dedicated teachers, friendly classmates, and the many unforgettable activities that enriched their school experience.

For many families like ours, Sunrise Elementary has never been just a place of learning. It is the heart of the community, a place that brings neighbors together. It is where children develop confidence, build connections, and feel rooted in their community.

Over the years, Sunrise has carried the stories of all kinds of families and has been a strong source of support for the community.

That is why we have always believed that Sunrise Elementary will remain here, serving this caring and vibrant community for generations to come.

When my son was born, I made a promise to myself: I would give him the best education I possibly could. We are an ordinary family. We cannot afford private school tuition, and we cannot simply move wherever we like. Everything we have went into buying a home in the Sunrise Elementary attendance area, because for a family like ours, Sunrise is the best education within our reach. Sunrise is not just a school to me — it is the dream I worked toward from the day my son was born. Please do not take that dream away from families like mine.

In a world increasingly shaped by AI, technology, and change, our children need strong schools and human connection more than ever. We cannot build a strong future for our children by closing the very places that help them grow.

As a teacher and a parent, I know education is about so much more than academics. It’s about teaching critical thinking, empathy, creativity, and compassion. It’s about helping children discover who they are and where they belong.

My own child made lifelong friends at school and loved her teachers. Those relationships, memories, and that sense of belonging are priceless.

Closing Sunrise Elementary means disrupting lives, breaking meaningful connections, and taking away a place where children feel safe, supported, and valued. In an increasingly digital world, our children need real relationships, dedicated teachers, and a community that believes in them.

Our children are not numbers on a budget. They are our future. Let’s stand together to protect our school, our families, and the heart of our community. Keep Sunrise Elementary open!

As immigrant parents, we gave considerable thought to where we wanted to raise our family and put down roots. We chose this neighborhood in large part because of its proximity to Sunrise Elementary.

Our daughter is now in first grade, and she can confidently walk to school and back through a neighborhood she knows and feels safe in. At such a formative age, that independence is invaluable. It builds confidence in herself and trust in the world around her - something that cannot simply be replaced by a bus ride or a car ride to a distant school.

Equally important, her classmates are also her neighbors. Friendships formed at school continue naturally into afternoons, weekends, and playtime in the neighborhood. For our family, this has been a wonderful way to find our place in the community. Our daughter isn’t just attending a school here; she’s growing up among friends and neighbors who make this place feel like home.

When the world around us feels increasingly uncertain, our children’s schools should be among the places we can all can count on - safe havens for children and anchors for families.

I recognize the district’s financial challenges, but I hope we approach decisions with such lasting consequences with a perspective that extends beyond immediate economic pressures. Enrollment may fluctuate, but once a neighborhood school is lost, the community it has nurtured cannot easily be recreated.

Sunrise is part of why we chose to call this neighborhood home. I hope it remains here for the children and families who will follow us.

Sunrise Elementary was one of the main reasons I chose to buy a home in English Hill. Its excellent reputation and strong community made this neighborhood a place where I wanted to build my future. I hope to send my future children to Sunrise, and it would be heartbreaking to lose such a wonderful school. Please keep Sunrise open!

We have two young children, and we’ve always looked forward to sending them to Sunrise Elementary when they’re old enough.

In fact, Sunrise’s wonderful reputation was one of the main reasons we chose to make our home in this neighborhood. We’ve heard so many heartwarming stories from our neighbors about their children’s experiences at Sunrise, and those stories have only made us more excited for our own children’s future here.

Although our kids aren’t students yet, Sunrise already means so much to our family. We truly hope it remains open so that our children, along with many other children in this community, can grow, learn, and make wonderful memories here.

We would love nothing more than to see our children walk through Sunrise’s doors one day, knowing they’re in good hands.

Sunrise has excellent teachers and provides a warm and safe place for so many local children to go to school. It’s a smaller school which means staff can really know the children that go there. It’s a walkable school for the English hill neighborhood which is such a value to the community. I hope that this community asset remains available for us.

My kid will soon attend the sunrise elementary school, it is a hub that connects all parents. If closed, we need to commute very far every day. Each community needs an elementary school close by. Sunrise is top elementary school and we should not close it! Closing the school will cause many residents leave this community and definitely will impact the housing prices greatly as well!

My children feel safe, cared for , they love that they can walk or bike to school . They love their dedicated teachers . They love the opportunities and programs organized by the PTA and parent volunteers throughout the year. My high schooler still likes meeting with her teachers and volunteer at Sunrise . It is not just a school it is a central part of a community built with years of love, time and effort .

Sunrise is more than an elementary school .. it is a community that knows each other, supports each other and works together for provide the best for students and their families. I have raised 4 daughters who all attended Sunrise elementary and I have seen first hand what a sense of community can do for children. My girls were raised where everyone knows them by name and everyone looks out for them. When I was sick the parents and staff rallied together to support my girls and our family. My girls felt confident, supported and loved during their years at Sunrise and I am so grateful. Sunrise is an incredible school because of the families who attend and also because of the devoted and talented staff. I have subbed at the school for many years and have seen first hand the dedication of the teachers and staff to their students and the sense of family and support that they provide for their students.

Sunrise is a special place and I would be so disheartened to see it closed. It is truly a neighborhood school where everyone comes together for school events - the school carnival, the school play, the book fair, sports, and community events. Our neighborhood is centered - geographically and emotionally around Sunrise and it would be a devistating closure for our community, our neighborhood and for my family.

Sunrise is more than a building, it is the place where my child first collected a lifetime of memories and found the friends who would walk beside her for years. Within its walls, a community quietly came together, turning families who were once strangers into lifelong friends who still share vacations and milestones long after the final bell. The teachers and staff were the steady hands that helped shape her into the adult she is becoming, teaching her not only reading, writing, and problem-solving, but also kindness, resilience, and confidence. Because the school sat so close to home, she could walk home on those familiar sidewalks safely each day, a small freedom that meant everything. And we bonded over school dances, art nights that filled the halls with color, and talent shows where she and her friends laughed, performed, and grew up together. To lose this school would be to lose the heart of those years.

Having a top elementary school within walking distance was important to our family and to moving into this neighborhood even before we had our child. The diversity of the school students and academic and extra curricular activities make this school stand out. Sunrise Elementary is critical to the health and success of this neighborhood and the families it serves.

I am deeply grateful to the teachers at Sunrise. They noticed my son was struggling in the classroom and recommended that we have him evaluated for an IEP. Without that, I don’t think we would have found the right way to help him. Since then, the support he’s received at school, including access to counseling, has helped him find his footing, build a community, and make real friends. I don’t believe this would have been possible anywhere else.

My husband jokes I volunteered so much they started paying me. I’m not the only one. Many of us on staff were involved parents who were so committed to Sunrise, we joined the staff. Sunrise is a special school. We have nearly 100% teacher retention unless retired or displaced, numerous volunteers including MS and HS alumni who come back to serve, and many former Sunrise students go on to be leaders and academic scholars at WHS. There is a reason why it’s top rated! SUNRISE SOARS!

Enrolling our child here at Sunrise was the best decision we made. This is far more than a building; it is a thriving, inclusive community where every child belongs. Uprooting these young learners will disrupt their emotional well-being, forcing them to start over elsewhere through no fault of their own. It is unfair to penalize our children. We urge the board to keep our school open.

We fell in love with this school two years ago because of its exceptional reputation for diversity and loving teachers. Seeing our third-grader thrive in such a warm, supportive environment has been a true blessing. Here, our child quickly found lifelong friends and a sense of belonging. Closing our school would shatter this vital stability, causing unnecessary anxiety and forcing vulnerable young minds to navigate an unfamiliar environment all over again. Our children deserve consistency and care, not displacement. Please do not close this wonderful school that our family treasures so deeply

It’s an amazing school

In our neighborhood.

Having a neighborhood school where most students can walk is a foundation of our community. We moved to this neighborhood because of Sunrise, and walking there was a big draw. We would have otherwise moved to Kirkland for the walkability. I also worry about what this building would become if the school closed. If it became a community center for all to use, that would also offer benefits. But if it were to sit abandoned or be developed, we would likely move out of the neighborhood.

Sunrise Elementary is not simply a school; it is a cornerstone of our community and a place where generations of families have built lasting connections. Enrollment numbers may rise and fall as neighborhoods evolve, but the excellence, reputation, and strong sense of community that Sunrise has established over the years cannot be easily recreated. Closing a high-performing school based on short-term demographic trends risks losing something that took decades of commitment, dedication, and collaboration to build. We should focus on preserving and strengthening this valuable community asset for current and future generations, rather than making a permanent decision in response to potentially temporary challenges.

Sunrise is more than just an elementary school to me; it is an integral part of the community I call home. While neighborhood populations may fluctuate over time, a high-performing school is not built overnight. It takes years of dedication, hard work, and collective effort from educators, families, and the community to establish a school of this caliber. Once lost, it cannot be easily replaced.

One of the most important reasons we chose to move to the English Hill community in 2018 was because our agent introduced us to Sunrise Elementary School.

At the time, our oldest child was only two and a half years old. We remember looking ahead and feeling excited about the possibility that, one day, our child would walk through the doors of Sunrise as a student.

That day eventually came. Our oldest is now in fourth grade, and our younger child started kindergarten at Sunrise in 2025.

Over the years, Sunrise has become so much more than just an elementary school for our family. It has become an integral part of our community and an important part of our family’s life.

We have had the opportunity to volunteer alongside our neighbors, participate actively in school activities, and watch our children—and the children around them—grow and become part of this community. Through these experiences, we have also built friendships and connections with other families that we truly value.

When we think about Sunrise, we don’t just think about a school building. We think about the community that surrounds it, the relationships that have been built there, and the many memories our family has made over the years.

We are deeply grateful for Sunrise Elementary and for everything it has meant to our family and to the English Hill community.

My son joined Sunrise in the second grade, and our entire family was warmly welcomed by the office staff, teachers, and other parents. The school has a wonderfully friendly atmosphere and is nestled in a beautiful, safe neighborhood. We love seeing parents actively volunteering throughout the day, including during recess. When you send your only child somewhere for hours at a time, feeling safe is crucial—and Sunrise is truly our safe place. Every voice is heard here, and we absolutely love the school principal as well!

I am a proud Sunrise alumna, and I am now a Sunrise parent.

My family’s legacy at Sunrise spans nearly four decades. My older sister walked through the doors the very first year the school opened. I attended from first through sixth grade, graduating in 2000. Growing up, we did time capsules in elementary school that the parent volunteers kept safe and returned to us when we graduated high school. That doesn't happen at most schools—but it happens at Sunrise.

Sunrise's reputation for academic excellence and community is so powerful that my parents actually pulled me out of Bellevue Montessori private school just so I could attend. They saw the incredible, life-changing experience my older sister was having here, and they knew the public education at Sunrise easily rivaled top-tier private institutions. It was a common trend then, and it remains true now: parents choose this neighborhood specifically because Sunrise offers a small-town, premium foundation within a large suburban area.

The relationships built in those hallways last a lifetime. My second-grade teacher stayed in close contact with me for years; when she was tragically diagnosed with early-onset dementia and moved into assisted living, my mom and I went to visit her. My fourth-grade teacher still keeps in touch today, deeply delighted to see my own daughters continuing our family legacy in the exact same classrooms.

Nearly forty years later, I still know the kids I sat next to in primary school, and I know the parents who volunteered regularly. Sunrise gave me an educational and emotional foundation that I truly believe I could not have gotten anywhere else.

As a parent, one of my absolute biggest dreams was to give that exact same foundation to my daughters. Being back on campus with my own children has been one of the most fulfilling, rewarding experiences of my adult life.

Sunrise is in our neighborhood and the staff and community together make it special. I love that my son and I can ride bikes to school every day! It is close and I feel very connected to the staff and families. We are a very welcoming school and are happy to bring in more students as has been shown from our past EAP and Chinese language programs.

Sunrise is a true neighborhood school. Very few kids are bussed here. Parents can walk to the school to volunteer. Teachers are excellent and our principal is superb. We are a welcoming and diverse community and we have experience welcoming families from other neighborhoods for the EAP program. We’re a great school to send more students to, not a school to consider closing. Sunrise is the beating heart of our neighborhood.

Sunrise has been instrumental in shaping the foundation of numerous kids including mine, the passion that each of the teachers and volunteers bring here are top notch, no wonder it has consistently been the top school in Washington and I strongly believe it will continue to do wonders and shape the future of kids for generations to come.

I was a first grader on the very first day Sunrise opened. I attended until I went to junior high. This was a great community to grow up in so when I had my kids, we moved next door to where I grew up. Both my kids attended Sunrise and had wonderful experiences and the friendships and connections made at sunrise have positively and directly impacted their middle and high school experiences so far. I have voted for every northshore levy, funding, etc since I could vote. Closing a school that would end up costing the district money is an extremely poor use of funds when funds are low. I would like to continue voting for funding but if the district is choosing to spend extra money at a time when funds are limited I will rethink my stance.

Sunrise is so much more than just a school to our family—it’s a community where our kids can learn, grow, and feel like they truly belong. We’re incredibly grateful for all the support, care, and meaningful connections they’ve received and hopefully will continue to receive from everyone in the Sunrise community, from the amazing staff to the wonderful families and parents. We feel very lucky to be a part of it. Keep Sunrise Open!

I attended kindergarten- 6th grade and moved back to this neighborhood specifically to raise my family and have my children attend one of the best elementary schools in the state. Not just the district; the state. The community, the teachers, the families, the walkable school and neighborhood. Two of my children are current students and my third is set to attend in fall of 2028. To say this closure will impact our family is an understatement. This school is integral to our community and deserves to stay open!

Sunrise is a great school that has committed teachers and extremely involved PTA working together to provide a thriving environment for kids. My kids have always loved going to school and have learned so much. This is also reflected by how sunrise ranks not only at NSD level but also state level. The school has found the secret sauce for being a top-notch elementary school. To close a school like this that my kids and other kids in the kids have been benefiting from seems like a regressive step. Please don't take this amazing opportunity from the current and future kids.

Sunrise should stay open because it is a strong neighborhood school and an important part of our community. I recognize that Northshore has a real enrollment challenge, but closing a school is permanent and should only happen when the district can clearly demonstrate that it is the most sustainable, equitable and financially sound solution. With alternatives available that keep Sunrise open, and important questions still remaining about long-term enrollment, financial savings, transportation and community impact, I believe we should preserve Sunrise and fully evaluate those alternatives before making an irreversible decision.

"That’s as good as it gets, my friend."

Those were the words of an older man sitting on his porch as I walked my daughter to school, holding her hand.

I will never forget those words, and I wish for everyone in the Sunrise community, and for future generations, to be able to hold the hands of their little ones and walk to school in the serene beauty of our neighborhood.

Sunrise is the heart of the English Hill community. Keep it beating!

As a grandparent of students at Sunrise, I believe keeping Sunrise open is important because the ability for children to walk to school is about so much more than convenience. It builds independence, encourages physical activity, strengthens neighborhood connections, and gives children a sense of belonging in their community. Walking to school also creates precious opportunities for families and neighbors to connect along the way. Preserving neighborhood schools like Sunrise helps maintain that close-knit community feeling and ensures future generations can enjoy the same simple but meaningful experience of walking to school.

Sunrise matters to me because of the strong sense of community we build together. Thanks to the wonderful leadership of Mrs. Lenz and the dedication of the entire staff, Sunrise is a place where families feel welcomed, valued, and encouraged to get involved.

No school is perfect, but finding a school where you genuinely feel that your voice matters and that you can make a difference in your community is something truly special.

You can build beautiful new buildings and have all the latest facilities, but you cannot build a strong school culture overnight. That takes years of trust, dedication, and people who genuinely care about one another.

That sense of belonging and community is what makes Sunrise so special to me.

This is a cherished school that caters to a great community. Our 1st grader would say her favorite things about it are: 1) her music teacher who is the most wonderful teacher in the world 2) her friends with whom she currently walks to school on her own

As parents we truly appreciate how everyone from her own teacher to the admin and other classroom teachers alreayd seem to know her name and how much she feels a part of the school. And also, the reason we pay the premium to live here - the academic scores and the PTA involvement. We love being able to volunteer in her class too.

Sunrise is a safe haven for my family! It is where my kids feel safe and they love their school and teachers and learning! Please consider other options besides closing one of the best schools in the area and state! It would negatively impact our children and their educational future! Keep Sunrise Open!!

I am a current Sunrise parent, a substitute teacher & para, and long-time parent volunteer at the school. All three of my children have been fortunate enough to attend Sunrise Elementary School, and it is our home away from home.

The wonderful dedicated staff, the close-knit community, the school’s location in a safe neighborhood, the diverse student population, our committed PTA, the countless hours families contribute through volunteering and the school’s strong academic performance are just some of the many reasons Sunrise is incredibly special to our family and to so many others in our community.

Sunrise is where our children have built lasting friendships and developed the strong academic and social foundation they need to grow and thrive beyond elementary school. My older boys remember every one of their Sunrise teachers fondly, and even after graduating, they go back to visit or volunteer.

Sunrise is more than just a school; it is the center of a community that supports its students and families. Our family strongly feels that Sunrise should remain open and continue to support this vibrant community for generations to come.

As a parent of a current Sunrise student and a future attendee, I see firsthand what makes this school so special. Every day, my child walks or bikes home alongside friends and neighbors. Families know one another, look out for each other’s children, and genuinely care about one another. Sunrise isn’t just where our kids go to school - it’s where they belong.

The teachers, administration, and PTA work hand in hand to create an environment where children grow in independence, achieve academic excellence, and feel a strong sense of belonging.

Closing Sunrise would mean more than shutting down one of the highest-performing schools in the district. It would disrupt the close-knit relationships that make this neighborhood special and take away a place where our children can learn, grow, and build lifelong connections right in their own backyard.

Keeping Sunrise open means preserving not just academic excellence, but the heart of our neighborhood.

Sunrise Elementary is an essential part of our community. I’ve been volunteering there for 14 years while raising my three children. Sunrise brings our English Hill community together and helps us build strong connections with one another. I can’t imagine our neighborhood without Sunrise Elementary, and I strongly believe it should remain an integral part of our community.

Sunrise Elementary is so much more than a school to our family. It’s where both of my children began their educational journeys, where friendships were formed, confidence was built, and countless memories were made. It’s where they grew up, one milestone at a time, surrounded by teachers, staff and families who genuinely cared about them.

But what makes Sunrise truly special is the community. It’s the familiar faces at drop-off, the school events that bring us together, the teachers who remember our children long after they’ve left their classrooms, and the friendships between families that extend far beyond the school walls.

Sunrise is part of the heart of our neighborhood. It’s a place where children feel known, families feel connected, and a true sense of belonging is created.

Please don’t measure Sunrise’s value solely by enrollment numbers or budgets. Measure it by the lives it has shaped, the families it has brought together, and the community it continues to strengthen.

Sunrise ranked #3 in 769 elementary schools and #1 in NSD elementary schools. Sunrise has enormous support from volunteers and PTA. Sunrise is connected to public sewer, has a brand new roof, and a number of walking students. Most friendly, helpful and engaged community.

While we don’t have kids that attend Sunrise, that school bolsters so much community in our area, particularly in English Hill. We are nearing a big turnover in residents that are aging out of this community and bringing in many more young families that will need the school.

It already is an anchor to the relationships in our community, but new families and additional elementary-age population moving into these neighborhoods will help it continue to thrive and continue to be ranked one of the top schools.

I was honored to be selected for the volunteer spot on the boundary review committee. Sunrise was one of the schools where families showed up again and again - at every meeting, every survey, every event. That level of engagement is rare, and it is worth protecting.

Sunrise is not just a building on a budget spreadsheet. It’s a walkable neighborhood school where kids know their neighbors and teachers know every family. Closing it would send our children on longer bus rides to more crowded schools, and break apart a community that took decades to build.