North Thurston High School

North Thurston I school is the best school I have ever been too. The people I super nice, the teachers are great, and there is a lot of positive energy.
--Submitted by a student

Possibly the worst school in Thurston county, I would HIGHLY encourage all potential students to rethink or transfer. The teachers are undereducated, rude, and generally uncaring. They spend 3/4 of the time whining about their paychecks, and the rest of the time assigning cross-word puzzles. With very very few exception, the teachers show little regard for their students. The principal is a joke, never doing anything about bullying. I had several instances of harassment and even violence yet because, "kids are like that," nothing was done, and I was even punished for speaking out. Classes are simply busywork. It is incredibly easy to become lost, as very few staff could point out names of students, even those they had in class. If you are looking for a high school where you are a number, you found it.
--Submitted by a student

I have a senior and a freshman at NTHS. I believe NT to be a very good school. There is only 1 teacher in the last 4 years that my daughter and I didn't like. I feel my daugthers are getting a good education. It's a very safe school with small town issues. The size is nice, with about 1400 enrolled. The kids aren't getting lost in an over crowded school. The staff is frienndly and helpful. The Sports, Music and Arts are fantastic!! The drop out rate is very low compared to other schools :) Looking at the test scores, it seems the math department could use a boost. On a scale of 1-10, I would give NT an 8 ! Thanks NT, for all you do :)
--Submitted by a parent

My son is a sophomore this year at North Thurston. We homeschooled until 8th grade, when he entered Chinook. I was pleased with Chinook and am very happy with North Thurston. The teachers are of a very high caliber, there is a focused but relaxed feeling at the school on the few occasions I have to go there. [My son] is a thinker and a talker. He is also very funny and knows it. There is no doubt in my mind that, at times, he tries all of his teachers' patience. But he is also appreciated and encouraged for who he is. I know he is getting a good foundation for college, and have a good feeling when he goes off in the morning to shcool. Kathryn Jones
--Submitted by Kathryn Jones, a parent

a great school for the hard of hearing and deaf
--Submitted by a student

River Ridge High School has many valuable programs that meet the diversity of all students. Their learning resouce room is a great place for students and parents alike to get helpful information as they prepare for college. I have heard many people praise their special needs program as well. One of the areas that may need more funding is the Enrichment Programs. At one time, they had the BEST broadcast/journalism program in the district.
--Submitted by a parent

Academic programs are sub-par. Music, arts, and sports are avaliable, but not the best. Level of parent involvement tends to be minimal.
--Submitted by Laura, a former student

While NTHS has a lot of good teachers and programs to offer, my family and I have not been very happy with my time spent here. I have gone through three out of four years of high school at this school, and have had only one or two exceptional teachers. The vocational programs are great, but there are almost no academic electives for college-bound students. The focus seems to be more on standardized testing than on actual learning and academic achievement. In general, the staff do not tend to be very helpful, and I have seen on many occasions parental involvement in the school be discouraged.
--Submitted by a student

This is a good school in that it excels in academics, extracurriculars, and diversity.
--Submitted by shawna howe, a former student