I have been a teacher at McKinstry for several years. I remember when it was a VERY difficult school with numerous discipline problems. Since becoming a PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) building, our discipline referrals have decreased dramatically. Instituting Character Counts
... Read more into our school has also made a big difference. We still lack in the area of parent involvement, but we are working on it! We have promoted 'Honoring and Welcoming' parent activities and are working on 'Linking to Learning' to improve parent involvement in academic areas. McKinstry has dedicated, hard working teachers who strive to do what is best for students. We are currently a Reading First building as well as a SINA (School in Need of Assistance) building. Both titles mean that we provide quality professional development to staff in order to meet the needs at our building. Our committed staff makes McKinstry a great place! Read less
Posted by a teacher on 05/07/09
I did my student teaching experience here with Mrs. Tapper in the music classroom. The staff at McKinstry are wonderful, marvelous, and put so much effort into making sure the kids succeed. The discipline problems that go on here are horrendous, but the teachers to the absolute best they can to contain
... Read more and educate at the same time, a feat almost superhuman in itself. Discipline STARTS AT HOME, and the parents who are commenting on the discipline or similar issues need to give credit where it is due. When students are allowed to do whatever they want at home, they come to school and expect to do the same thing! When teachers ask them to follow the straight forward rules at McKinstry, they have difficulties because it is different from home. Consistency is the key! The teachers are frequently called names and profanities from kids as young as 1st and 2nd grade. Read less
Posted by a teacher on 02/20/09
I am very happy with the education my child is getting at McKinstry. The staff is wonderful and they do everything in their power to make sure the students will excell. I am especially happy with the second grade teachers and how much they do to make sure all the students are learning the lessons.
... Read more I would not want my child to go to any other elementary in Waterloo other then McKinstry! Read less
Posted by a parent on 04/03/08
This is the largest elem school in Waterloo, and the district continually cuts its resources. Makes promises and withdrawls and postpones them. I was on the staff for 5 years, the staff cares, but everyone is overburdened, and pulling double duty. Not even getting into the disapline issues, that were
... Read more enormous. My 2 children went there, I would say the second biggest probem is lack of parent involvement. I was on the PTO I was 1 of 4 or 5 parents, the rest was teachers. We needed parent involvment to move the district to action.Parents could make this a better school. Read less
Posted by a parent on 01/03/07
This is not the school you would want to send your child. The teachers do not seem to know how to keep your child safe. They allow other students to bully your child while they look the other way. My daughter was being bullied at school and on the bus while noone would do anything to help her. After
... Read more she had enough of it, she faught back and was physically assulted by the principal. If you can keep your child from going to this school, do so no matter what it takes. Read less
Posted by a parent on 12/27/05
This school is the worst that I have ever encountered. The teachers seem to want to help your child and will actually make a plan with you to help that child, then they will not fall through with it. They disrespect the children by calling them names and belittling them. The teachers will lie to your
... Read more face, make excuses and then try to justify those excuses to fit their needs. I don't care what it takes, my child will never go to McKinstry again! This school should be shut down and all of the teachers hired and never allowed to teach again anywhere. Read less
* In 2007-2008 Iowa used the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) to test students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math. The results for grades 4 and 8 are displayed on GreatSchools profiles. The scores reflect the performance of students enrolled for the full academic year. The ITBS is a norm-referenced test, which means it measures how well students in Iowa score in comparison to their peers nationwide. Students who score at the 40th percentile are considered proficient. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.
Student enrollment:
457
Students per teacher:
12
Full-time teachers:
37
Number of classrooms:
45
Arts
Art
Music
Band, Choral, Music, Orchestra
Special Education
Early Childhood Special Needs, Gifted Students, Speech/Language Pathologists
Vocational Education
Phys Ed
*The resources listed are programs that the institution is staffed to support. Staffing for a program does not guarantee that it will be offered. This content is provided by the institution and may be incomplete. The institution may offer programs not listed here. Please contact the school directly for additional details.
Advanced Placement
AP classes are college-level classes offered at the high school level. Once a student completes an AP class and passes a final comprehensive examination conducted by the College Board, the student earns college credit for the course. AP classes are specific and not to be confused with other higher-level classes such as honors classes.
Before/After School
"Extended day" programs where the school day is extended before and after school to accommodate working parents. These programs should not be confused with common after school clubs or athletic activities.
Gifted and Talented
A school system may identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented. A brief description of each area of giftedness or talent as defined by the Office of Gifted and Talented:
general intellectual ability or talent - high intelligence test score (usually two standard deviations above the mean), and high levels of vocabulary, memory, abstract work knowledge and abstract reasoning;
specific academic aptitude or talent in one area such as mathematics or language arts;
creative and productive thinking, the ability to produce new ideas;
leadership ability, the ability to direct individuals or groups to a common decision or action;
visual and performing arts, special talents in visual art, music, dance, drama, or other related studies;
psychomotor ability, such as practical, spatial, mechanical, and physical skills.
Vocation/Technical Curriculum
Vocational and/or technical courses offered within a comprehensive school, usually a senior high school.
Special Education Classes
A school or program within a school that provides services and training to students with moderate to severe mental and/or physical disabilities.
Adult Education Classes
Programs offering GED or equivalent courses for adults within regular schools, whether classes are held during evening or daytime schedules.
English as Second Language
English language classes for students whose first language is not English.
Waterloo schools — Mckinstry Elementary School is located at 1410 Independence Ave, Waterloo IA 50703. 1410 Independence Ave is in the 50703 ZIP code in Waterloo, IA The school district for Mckinstry Elementary School is the Waterloo Cmty School District. Mckinstry Elementary School is a Public school that serves grade levels PK - 5.
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Test Score Ratings
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this school scored better than 70% of the students in the state on the same tests. We have indicated below which tests
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experience, academic programs, extracurricular activities, resources for special needs students, etc. These ratings are
not provided by the state Department of Education, which may have their own rating systems.
