420 S Ely St
Cedar Rapids, IA 52403

This school is a safe home for students of all types. You can be a jock in the band and be a little quirky and find your home here. My student who has a learning disability has been encouraged and supported in taking advanced classes. This school is a best-kept secret in Cedar Rapids and does not deserve the 3 of 10 rating given by Great Schools. My child is challenged, known by the staff, supported, and inspired. He has never felt unsafe and he has countless opportunities to get involved and discover himself.

McKinley’s "incentive" policy is a total joke. Barring 7th graders from field trips over a single "N" on a test isn't "motivation"—it’s lazy, elitist gatekeeping that punishes students instead of teaching them. To make matters worse, the staff is completely useless during the day; they are constantly glued to their phones at lunch instead of doing their jobs. They reward the loudest, most obnoxious tables by letting them get food first while the quiet students just sit there ignored, and they pull the same disorganized nonsense during dismissal. What is this, a school or a daycare for adults who can't put their phones down? While there are a few genuinely hardworking teachers who actually care about their students, the administration’s ridiculous rules and the lazy staff members are completely ruining the school experience.