Chatfield Elementary School

The staff of this school is wonderful. As the previous poster said, they care about the kids both educationally and personally. The curriculum is challenging and there are programs for those who need more challenging and those who need assistance, on whatever level that may be. The principal is more involved in the school than any other principal I have been in. He doesn't sit in his office day in and day out, he can rather be found in a classroom, on the playground, in the lunch room or working one on one with a student. The only aspect which leaves much to be desired is the lunch program which is run by a company named Taher. The meals are seldom handmade and are frequently over processed and simply thrown into the oven.The breakfast program is horrific, serving fried pastries, sugar filled & nutrient lacking cereals.
--Submitted by a parent

I lived in Belle Plaine for 6 months and the schools out here are great. I have been in alot of different school districts and I can say Ive never felt so welcomed at the Elementary school. Mr Hillman is a great principal and the teachers and staff really care about there children. I can say Belle Plaine schools are high on my list for great schools and staff.
--Submitted by a parent

If I were moving into the Belle Plaine area I would seriously consider open enrollment options or private schools in the area. Belle Plaine schools have a history of hiring teachers within their own network of 'friends', many of the teachers are Belle Plaine High School graduates. Also, the community of Belle Plaine is a very tight knit group of inhabitants, most new comers (or transplants) do not feel welcomed for quite sometime after their arrival. The schools and teachers tend to follow this trend. This is a community that is full of Irish and German heritage, if you 'fit' that's great. However, if you do not fit this profile, you most likely will feel like an outcast in both the community and the school system. This is a school district that really needs to take a look at cultral diversity!