Chinook Elementary School

The staff from the office personnel to the principal are excellent. My son is in first grade and has progressed in his learning fantastically. We chose to live in this area because of the schools and have not been disappointed. My daughter will start kindergarten next year and we can't wait.
—Submitted by a parent

Chinook Elementary School has the best staff and principal in the whole world! My granddaughter loves her first grade teacher so much.

I especially love the Chinook Lifelong Guidelines, the same guidelines I teach my children...and all of the wonderful staff!
—Submitted by a parent

I love the environment they create at this school, creative, exciting...the kids love this school!

I love Chinook because of the great teachers, principal and support staff!
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are great, the principal is very interactive with parents and students alike, and my son is excited about learning.
—Submitted by a parent

This is our 3rd year at Chinook. We absolutely love it. Very responsive teachers and principal, so many activities, and a very caring environment. I have a 1st and 3rd grader.
—Submitted by a parent

Chinook elementary school is a great school, has great teachers and staff, specially the principal he is very helpfull, great with the kids, very down to earth very involved
—Submitted by a parent

I am a proud parent of a child who attends Chinook and I have no problems at all. I love the principal. Her teacher is great. She is thriving and loves it there. She hates to be sick and can't wait to go to school each and every day. They have so many activities for them. I am proud to say we attend Chinook!
—Submitted by a parent

My two children have attended Chinook since Nov of 2004. My daughter 3rd - 5th grade and is now at Alki and my son k-3rd grade (currently). I didn't realize that schools really were all that different until we got to Chinook. We came from a school in the Evergreen district that I was very satisfied with. There is a huge difference in the moral of the teachers and staff, parental involvement and family participation and activities, not to mention academics. The PTSA provides so many programs for the children and families. I am very proud that my children are a part of Chinook elementary.
—Submitted by a parent

I am very impressed with this school. They do their best to help every student succeed. I am very happy with my daughter's teacher. I do volunteer at the school on a regular basis and therefore see a lot of what's happening. The art classes are wonderful; the children learn concepts that I never even got in my high school art classes. There is also a choir for 3rd-5th graders, which is an after-school program. My daughter has only had trouble with one other student not treating her kindly, but that problem was very quickly and professionally resolved by the other student's teacher. I am thankful that my child goes to Chinook.
—Submitted by a parent

Has not met the needs of our children. With the right leadership this school could be so much more than it is.
—Submitted by a parent

I have a fourth grader and a Kindergartner at Chinook & have been very happy with their education. Every teacher they have had has been wonderful. Many programs have been made available to my fourth grader who needed to catch up after coming from a different school district. Every time I visit Chinook I run into the principle who always makes himself available to the parents. We are moving next year & I only hope we can find another school that even comes close to the high standards we have thanks to Chinook!
—Submitted by a parent

This is our second year at Chinook. We have two students attending. One of our kid's has a learning disability and after testing was done for this state things went well last year. This year has been a joke. He is getting homework that is way above his level. They seem to be very disorganized and the teacher is not at all a good match for him. The other child seems to be doing fine. Only because he doesn't require any assistance academically.
—Submitted by a parent

If you don't look too carefully, Chinook 'appears' to be an adequate school. The reality is test score are falling every year and there is a lot of lip service and self promoting. We have not been happy with the teachers, specialists or administration. We would give Chinook a B- at best and D- at worst. If you have any troubles at Chinook - Go to the District. At Chinook, you will not get problems resolved.
—Submitted by a parent

Chinook is the Best! The staff is Awesome. I would not put my children in any other school. We love Chinook .
—Submitted by a parent

My children have attended Chinook for more than 3 years. Every year has been a disappointment in someway or another. The basic academics are not taught very well. The leadership is very bureaucratic and focuses on pleasing the teachers and staff, not the parents. Parents are lead to belive that 'all is well' and that only their child/family has a complaint which is anything but true. Serious matters are swept under the carpet and never dealt with properly. Chinook is a Big Disappointment.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have been students at Chinook for almost two years and we couldn't be more pleased. Before we moved here I researched the school on this website and also talked to as many parents as I possibly could. When we move we choose the school first and then the house. There are so many wonderful things about this school I don't know where to begin. I love how involved and visible the principal is and how he emphasizes 'life long learning skills'. The teachers have been wonderful and my children have blossomed & they both love school. Chinook has a very active ptsa that sponsors many after school events (read with dad, movie nights, carnival, etc) and this year purchased a keyboard system for all students to use. I believe that my children are receiving an excellent education and I'm so happy we chose Chinook for our children.
—Submitted by a parent

My two children attend Chinook, and absolutely love it. We have had a very positive experience and the teachers and staff have been wonderful. The art,music,dance, and other classes have been a lot of fun for my kids to try new things. We love all the family events, and things they have for the parents to get involved and see what their kids are doing. We are very happy with Chinook and are very thankful for all the staff and their hard work.
—Submitted by a parent

*Beware westside's best kept secret. Test scores do not give the whole story! School administrator's gloss over continued staff mistreatment of students ranging from ignorance to abuse. Worst of all they are all too quick to blame the children and never themselves. Chinook needs some serious housecleaning. The source of our information is our own experience, If you have a perfect child with high self esteem, who needs nothing and can survive despite being in at its best a neutral nurturing environment then you will probably be fine. Otherwise - beware, if you attend chinook and run into problems with staff-do not let them make you feel it is you, it's not!
—Submitted by a parent