Chinook Middle School

Great experience. Teachers care about students and making it fun for kids to be there. My son even had great experience during Covid time ( with online education - the school teachers managed to make it fun for kids). I am really happy with the experience.

PTA dictates many things academics here . 5th grade teachers were not engaging enough . Only to serve whose parents are there to brown nose teachers / principal everyday .

This school made me feel like I was a test subject. A large percent of the teachers were so controlling. Especially as someone that recently graduated, I hated how they made all the decisions for you, and how they made so many assumptions about you and how you behave. The best part about this school would be the earlier years. The teachers were great for my preschool through 2nd grade years, and it only went downhill from there. In my 4th and 5th grade year, I didn't feel comfortable enough to approach the teachers and ask questions, which, of course, is partly on me. A huge upside to this school is the play area and the large amount of outdoors, which was really fun for me.

There are teachers that hold grudges. Not a great school for exceptional kids. It’s about the money.

For 8 years, St. Thomas School has been a wonderful school for our family. My children have developed a genuine love of learning and feel deeply connected to the close-knit community that extends beyond the classroom to include both parents and teachers. Their strong performance on standardized testing demonstrates that the school's curriculum successfully balances fostering enthusiasm for education with ensuring true mastery of core subjects.Beyond academics, STS encourages extracurricular participation through no-cut sports teams that welcome all students, as well as outstanding theater and music programs. The small class sizes, particularly in middle school, create an environment where students develop strong interpersonal skills. Through these intimate classroom settings, the kids learn how to build, nurture, and strengthen their own communities—a life skill not easily obtained.I wholeheartedly recommend St. Thomas to families seeking an independent school that nurtures both academic excellence and a sense of belonging.

The Director, Ms. Rangan, came across as very rigid and inflexible, often presenting a “my way or the highway” approach and at times misrepresenting facts. We also observed high teacher turnover and felt that many staff members were insufficiently trained to meet the needs of very young children.We hope the school uses this feedback to improve staff training and communication, as these are critical in early childhood education.