Our position
- Keep great public schools open. Schools anchor communities. Families need stability to plan years ahead. Closure threats weaken trust and push families away.
- Closures won’t fix the budget. Other districts have lost students and funding to large-scale closures. Promised efficiencies haven’t fixed their budgets.
- Make public schools work for everyone. Maintain academic excellence and support every learner. Keep families from every socioeconomic background invested.
A school worth knowing
James Baldwin
Elementary.
A new building. A name chosen to mean something.
James Baldwin Elementary continues the Northgate school community that began in 1953. In fall 2023, students entered a replacement building carrying the writer’s name. [3][4]
Northgate, SeattleUpdateOctober 20, 2026
Possible merger
School that may move
Possible receiving school
These reported pairings are unconfirmed; no adopted SPS plan has been verified.
01History & community
Northgate’s next chapter.
The school began in portables as South Haller Lake, then became Northgate in 1954 after families chose the name. Architect Paul Thiry designed its permanent building, which opened in 1956. [3]
Closure threats are part of its history. SPS closed Northgate in June 1976, but the school reopened that September after a court ruling. The community later shared a desegregation pairing with Graham Hill. [3]
Voters approved replacement funding through BEX V in 2019. Students stayed in the old building during construction of the new school. The Baldwin name honors a Black writer and LGBTQ+ figure whose work and life offered students a meaningful point of connection. [3][4]
- 1953
School opens in portables as South Haller Lake. [3]
- 1954
Families choose the Northgate name. [3]
- 1956
Permanent Northgate building opens. [3]
- 1976
School closes in June and reopens in September. [3]
- 2023
Replacement school opens as James Baldwin Elementary. [4]
11725 1st Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98125 [1]
Visit the school website ↗02School records
Sources & citations.
- 01
Seattle Public Schools
James Baldwin Elementary: district profileCurrent school name and address, verified October 20, 2026.
- 02
- 03
Seattle Public Schools Archives
Building for Learning: James Baldwin ElementaryDistrict history documents the school’s origins, community and campus changes, with archival photographs.
- 04
Seattle Public Schools Capital Projects and Planning
James Baldwin Elementary: completed building projectOfficial project description, confirmed school opening and campus photographs.
James Baldwin Elementary. Your community. Your say.
Would you support or oppose closing this school?
Closure poll
- Opposed95%
- Neutral3%
- Support2%
Real results unlock after 10 confirmed votes at James Baldwin Elementary.