Whittier Elementary School

My daughter and I both love this school. There is really good leadership from the principal, staff and administrative staff. I was a little concerned that the Spectrum program would be too academic but there is actually a lot of emphasis on creativity. Great PE teacher, amazing music program that really challenges the kids, and a lot or emphasis on creative writing and art. There is a lot of anti-bullying policies in place and it really shows. Students are for the most part respectful and nice, much more so than when I was in grade school! I have not actually noticed any difference between the quality of education between regular classes and Spectrum. - it seems like all the classes are above average.
—Submitted by a parent

Dont send your kid here if they dont" fit in the box" there is no support or understanding for "different" kids. The focus is way too academic with no personal/ social emphasis whatsoever. My artsy daughter is bored with the schoolbook extreme- not being creatively stimulated at all. Spectrum is like an elite club- the kids/ parents dont mix hardly at all. My kids need other kinds of growth not just good test scores!! My son is at Salmon Bay this year WOW what an amazing difference- I'm shocked and relieved- he is like a different kid!!! Trying to get my daughter in there now...
—Submitted by a parent

With all there is to deal w/in modern education, our staff and leadership keep all the balls in the air. They are amazing.
—Submitted by a parent

Great school that tries hard! Safe, devoted to learning, high parental involvement, dedicated teachers, great kids.
—Submitted by a teacher

It's a great school with great programs!
—Submitted by a parent

Outstanding teachers who really love the kids. Incredible academics and the best ever PE program!
—Submitted by a parent

I'm in my 7th year as a parent at Whittier and we've had our share of changes but some of the things that haven't changed are the most important: a solid core of dedicated, quality teachers who have been here for many years, an exceptional P.E. program and library, great parental involvement, a wonderful office staff and nurse, and so much more. It's a big school and may seem intimidating at first but if you jump right into the mix by getting involved you'll be able to fully appreciate how special Whittier can be!
—Submitted by a parent

Whittier is a school with far more potential than it achieves, though it certainly appears to educate our children 'well enough' when compared with other schools in seattle. Still, it's not as good as we parents fool ourselves into thinking! the principal's a great advocate for teachers, a tremendously patient worker with the often weighty pta and childcare people, and an unendingly compassionate problem-solver for parents, teachers and children. But the future vision and education of the children must come first -- above the pta, childcare and individual teachers' -- without less compassion for parents, students or teachers, but staying communally focused on the true goal: providing every child with the highest quality, safe, supported environment in which to learn with confidence and a vision for the future -- and recruiting more teachers with higher levels of education to teach our dearest lives' 'investments:' our hearts', bodies', hopes' and souls' treasures.
—Submitted by a parent

Whittier is a terrific school mainly because of the teachers who are committed.
—Submitted by a parent

Whittier is a great school with a very active PTA that provides funding for a variety of activities, including Spanish for every child. The school choir is one of the best elementary choirs and it meets before school four days per week. They have performed at a variety of events, including Seattle Storm basketball games. The teachers are great and the principal, while young, seems to know what he is doing. There is on-site before and after-school care, as well as an on-site pre-school run by World of Wonder for Kids. My boys were at Whittier in kindergartent-2nd grade until we moved. Great school. I highly recommend it.
—Submitted by a parent

Amazing school - with a long wait list
—Submitted by a parent

There is a large parent involvement at this school. The community is very welcoming and the teachers are wonderful.
—Submitted by a parent

Leadership at this school seems disinterested in parents, perhaps intimidated by its strong PTA. Lots of excellent programs. Terrific gym program - skills-based, fun, not competitive. Overall an excellent school which well-deserves its reputation as one of the best in the district. Beautiful building, clean, safe. Parents are proud and pleased to be there. Children seem respectful. Ignore 'The Whittier Way' theme song - it doesn't say it all.
—Submitted by a parent

Reputedly one of the best schools in the district, the Kindergarten program is terribly weak. It's built on the idea that real learning starts in the 1st grade. Nowadays, this is simply not the case, as so many kids attend preschool for years, or at least pre-K programs. Many children at Whittier spend their Kindergarten year twiddling their thumbs as the curriculum re-teaches them the ABC's they learned as three year olds. The Kindergarten program absolutely needs a complete overhaul. The well-meaning principal is a weak advocate for children. Too distracted with budgets and PTA matters, his talk doesn't measure up to his action when it comes to the kids. On the plus side there's before-school sports year-round, & the PTA offers good extra-curricular activities that kids can take 1 day a week for 5-6 weeks a year, such as Art (not part of the regular curriculum) and Drama.
—Submitted by a parent

Very supportive staff. Works closely with parents to provide the best possible atmosphere for learning. Many opportunities for children to blossom. Lots of encouragement along the way. The children seem to be happy and to be developing good self-esteem.
—Submitted by Carolyn Baker, a parent