Kokanee Elementary School

The school had a warm welcome atmosphere from the office, principal to the custodian. My child was new to this school, so this is very helpful and I was impressed with this school performance. It was diverse and cultural respected. The teachers were enthusiastic and adapted great teaching models.
--Submitted by a parent

We have had a great experience with Kokanee and with first grade; I have helped in the room in that class two years in a row and I see a teacher keeping rowdy kids in line. (I have two boys, so I know all about rowdy.) Both my kids came out of first grade strong readers and with a respect for their teachers. The principal is great and would definitely take action if necessary. Every teacher we have encountered at Kokanee (whether classroom or specialist) is great. I went to 12 years of private school so I was really nervous about sending my kids to public school. Boy was I surprised! Kokanee is definitely more capable than the private school option we were looking at. The staff seems to genuinely care and goes the extra mile. Class sizes have been good so far.
--Submitted by a parent

Multiple parents throughout the years have said their first grade student was regularly yelled at by one particular first grade teacher. The principal has refused to do anything about this abusive teacher for years, it is only a matter of time before a parent takes further action as this is a pervasive and ongoing problem with this teacher.
--Submitted by a parent

So-so. This school is just OK compared to other public schools. They don't offer the variety of services such as nearby elementary schools. It seems they want to streamline everyone here, whether gifted or failing into one lump sum. Some of the teachers are above average, while 3/4 are average, meaning they may lack ability to engage their students in a way other than lecture mode teaching. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of emphasis on ensuring multi-modal teaching which is unfortunate. My kid has complained about seeing/witnessing bullying as well on the lower field/playground area. This is so unfortunate as this could be a potentially great school.
--Submitted by a parent

We have a new principal this year. We are new to this school since Feb last year, but we've been pleased with what we see so far. Teachers are willing to meet with you and discuss any concerns a parent might have etc. They are dedicated to the sucess of each student. I know this because I have a 2nd grader and 5th grader. My boys like the school and are challenged to think not just process facts. The new principal seems very accessible and the office staff are great. If you need anything they are there helping you out. You just have to ask. The students are taught to help each other as well in the classroom etc. I like the feel of the school as it is very inter racial representing the world as it really is so our kids learn about different cultures in our own community
--Submitted by a parent

School staff average in ability and willingness to work with parents concerning children with special needs or learning difficulties. Have found them deliberately postponing meetings, etc. in order to avoid dealing with problems in school.
--Submitted by a parent

Coming from the Edmonds School district my daughter has had a very hard time with adjusting to NSD standards. My daughter basically missed one whole year of core teaching and skill building. I have been spending 1.5 hours nightly with my daughter to build her skills; and quite frankly it would be nice if the school helped me out a little bit. Unfortunaltey, my daughter is on the boreline of being able to receive help.
--Submitted by a parent

An excellent public elementary school with hight parent involvement. This is a great choice for families with special-needs children, who will receive personalized and compassionate attention. It's also a good school for the average student. For the brighter child, however, Kokanee may not meet families' needs, as the expectation is that parents will provide the extra enrichment that children need, and the focus remains on those performing at or below grade level.
--Submitted by a parent

Kokanee Elementary has provided a great start for my kindergarten daughter. She learned the basic academic skills a kindergartner should learn. She was treated with great respect and thoughtfulness by her teacher and other staff members. She participated in music, PE, library, and computer lab experiences. As a family, we attending several evening events and enjoyed them.
--Submitted by a parent