McKinley Elementary School

Amazing school.... I love it and have spent 6 years here... I am in fith grade and am so sad to leave!

Excellent School! The staff goes above and beyond to support the kids and their parents

Pros: Kids have a balanced education with specials such as art, PE, music, chorus, band, and Spanish. The approach to homework seems appropriate at each grade level and is not overwhelming. If your child enjoys technology, each child has either a laptop or an ipad of their own to use. Field trips are fun and plentiful. Great PTA and families. Relatively diverse population.Cons: The school is overcrowded and chaotic. The lunch room is incredibly noisy. With so many students, the focus on developing character and a sense of community goes by the wayside. Discipline issues are handled typically with yelling, being sent out of the classroom, or sitting in the Principal's office. Teachers and staff do not seem to have the time to deal with classroom conflicts effectively, which should be golden opportunities to teach about respect, integrity, and problem resolution. The communication between the administration and parents is lacking. In our experience, the communication between teacher and parent is also lacking. Much of the staff seems overworked, unenthusiastic, and exhausted , making the educational experience less than enjoyable for kids. The playground is lacking for such a huge student body. My child does not have a learning disability or special needs, however it is my understanding from other parents that this aspect of McKinley is also deficient. Most of the curriculum is effective, however the writing program is not up to par. By the 5th grade, my child should be able to make an outline for an essay and form paragraphs. There was little direction with this and there was much I had to supplement at home. The specials are great and important, but moving around throughout a huge school several times a day is disruptive and a waste of time, which makes things very rushed in the classroom. My child feels like the students are constantly rushing and being yelled at to hurry. There is a lot of taking recess away as punishment, and there is only one recess per day! In a nutshell, Mckinley is a school that has a lot of potential and perhaps a while back had that small sense of community. Unfortunately, it has become too big for it's britches and the effects create a less than effective learning environment for all children.

Our daughter started at K this year and we are very happy so far. The administration and teachers have been both warm and professional.