Chinook Trail Elementary School

Posted: June 19, 2026

Hard to tell. Right now, I'm having difficulty with communication as the school undergoes a transition in assistant principals. Previously, the assistant principal was well known and highly regarded for coordinating special education matters. I cannot yet comment on whether the new incumbent in the role is as good. I am still waiting a month for the principal to either delegate the topic or himself take charge of scheduling my child's IEP evaluation. I'll update soon.

Posted: June 19, 2026

Posted: June 19, 2026

Posted: November 23, 2024

I have had 3 children attend this elementary. We came from Texas and had planned on only staying only a year and chose to move here permanently because of how great this elementary is!
Principal: fantastic! Shows up for kids extra curricular things on his own time to show them support.
Teachers: Every year I think that this is the best teacher we have ever had and they just get better and better. It is incredible how loved each of my kids felt.
(If you have the chance of getting Cleveland, Gradisar or Livingston. . . Lucky you).
IEP program: unbelievably excellent. My son is intellectually 2 grades behind his classmates and his special teachers have never made him feel this way. They make him excited to go to school.
If I had to change something. . . I would choose to Teach Spanish as their foreign language.

Posted: November 23, 2024

Posted: November 23, 2024

Posted: November 23, 2024

Posted: November 23, 2024

Posted: November 23, 2024

Posted: November 23, 2024

Posted: November 23, 2024

Posted: July 12, 2022

Posted: July 12, 2022

Posted: July 12, 2022

Posted: July 12, 2022

Posted: July 12, 2022

Posted: July 12, 2022

Posted: July 12, 2022

Posted: July 12, 2022

Most of the teachers here are caring except for one that my child had. She has traumatized my child and should not be a teacher. I fault the principal that would not listen to me as a parent and switch my child out of this teacher's class. He chose his pride instead of listening to a parents concern. This set my child up for failure. I will never forget what my son told me at the end of the year when we were driving home that his teacher said. She said under her breath, "I'm glad I'll never have to see this desk again." About my child that has a disability- shame on her. I have held off writing a review, but after hearing from my child again about this teacher's behavior and how it has affected them, I can no longer stay quiet.

Posted: April 23, 2019

Previously my kids attended a private school with small class sizes so I was very worried but we have liked it more than private.
Pros: fantastic teachers and staff, involved parents, clean, excellent help for children who are struggling with reading (note: Mrs Lemons is fantastic)!!
Where they could improve: give another foreign language option besides Chinese, make it more project based learning for kids with ADHD, less homework so kids can have time for more extra curricular activities outside school, and it would be great if they could use money to put cameras up on playgrounds and places where there isn't a lot of supervision.

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Posted: October 1, 2018

Our experience has been great!! We love it here!

Posted: September 26, 2018

Posted: September 26, 2018

Posted: September 26, 2018

Posted: September 26, 2018

Posted: September 26, 2018

Posted: September 26, 2018

Posted: September 26, 2018

Very positive learning environment. The teachers are serious and there is good communication with the parents. They teach Chinese at an early age.

Posted: March 8, 2018

Posted: March 8, 2018

There are wonderful teachers at this school but their hands are tied.

Posted: March 8, 2018

The teachers try, but non is shown!

Posted: March 8, 2018

What leadership?! The school is ran by the Cordera parents with deep pockets!!

Posted: March 8, 2018

My child was in TAG program and the teacher was great!!

Posted: March 8, 2018

My child was bullied over and over again, the school refused to do anything about it. For the new school year my child was purposely placed in a classroom with the bully.
And I say purposely because when we expressed our concerns to the office, my husband and I were told by the principal with the assistant principal in the room “you are choiced in, if you’re not happy then leave, there are neighborhood kids that would be happy to take your place!!!.” I also called the D20 office and left a message but my call was never returned. We didn’t leave but I had to report a couple incidents to Safe to tell Colorado.

Posted: March 8, 2018

Not good, my child was physically and emotionally abused by other students and nothing was done about it. The office kept saying “ it was an accident”
Choicing into Chinook was the biggest mistake we’ve made as parents!

Posted: February 26, 2017

Posted: February 26, 2017

Posted: February 26, 2017

Posted: February 26, 2017

Posted: February 26, 2017

Posted: February 26, 2017

Posted: February 26, 2017

Great learning environment. The teachers push each kid to do their very best. I've seen my kids grow and learn so much being here. They have art, music, PE, and Library. They also teach Chinese as a language. My kids look forward to going to school each day. They have improved in areas they needed to work on. The teachers help to get them to where they need to be if they see they may need help in areas. We have been so lucky to attend such a wonderful school.

Posted: March 8, 2016

Chinook Trail is an amazing elementary school! I have two children that attend the school. They both enjoy school, love their teachers, and are learning a lot! The staff are amazing! There are lots of choices for before and after school activities; choir, band, cross country, dance club, chess club, and the list goes on! The PTA is awesome too!

Posted: March 8, 2016

Posted: March 8, 2016

Posted: March 8, 2016

Posted: January 29, 2016

I love Chinook. My son is in third grade, been there since kindergarten. And I have another son in kindergarten this year. Some things I love: The principal is fantastic. He has, in my opinion, the best approach to education and administration: hire the BEST teachers, and then get out of the way and let them do their job. No micromanaging. There seems to always be high, genuine morale among the staff. I haven't had a bad experience with a single teacher in four years. Not sure I'm even aware of a bad teacher. The whole staff has an extremely good relationship with the kids and parents--they're friendly and playful and because the kids like them they also respect them. I love the GROWL mantra: give your best, respect your world, own your choices, work hard and listen carefully. This school seems to strike the perfect balance between making the kids feel like they're showing up to an awesome, fun dance party everyday, and top tier performance rigor in academics. It's kinda tricky actually. I have almost no complaints about Chinook. If I do, I can't think of any right now.

Posted: January 29, 2016

The teachers go above and beyond at Chinook to ensure every kid thrives! I have been nothing but pleased with our experience there!

Posted: January 29, 2016

I'm pretty surprised by ANY negative reviews of this school. I pulled my daughter out of our neighborhood school (in a neighboring district) 8 weeks into kindergarten, because nothing about it felt right. We heard great things about Chinook, so we popped in without an appointment. The principal, vice principal, AND TAG teacher all met with us on the spot. We enrolled her the next week and have since moved to the neighborhood so that my son could go to the same school. BEST DECISION EVER. I can’t imagine sending my kids anywhere else.

No, the class sizes are no longer 10-12/class because of the neighborhood growth and because SO many people WANT to send their kids to this school. However, the teachers do a phenomenal job of giving the kids the individual attention they need. Are there teachers who are better than others? Yes, that's with ANY school.

One negative review was out-of-date as well -- the school does now have a full-time art teacher. And regarding the "clique-y" remark: the parents are not necessarily "clique-y," but the neighborhood is very much like a small town where everyone knows everyone. Not sure that's a bad thing; we watch out for each other. Every school has a few "bad apples," but for the most part the parents are incredible and kind. There is a LOT of parent involvement at this school, so I can see where one might feel “left out” if they do not volunteer.

I also love that empathy, respect, and kindness are stressed and taught at this school.

So many people we know have moved to other cities/states (mostly military), and they constantly say how much they miss Chinook and that no schools compare. That speaks volumes, in addition to the fact that a lot of kids sadly have to be turned away who want to choice in because the school is full.

Posted: January 29, 2016

Posted: January 29, 2016

Posted: January 29, 2016

Posted: January 29, 2016

Posted: January 29, 2016

Posted: January 29, 2016

Posted: January 29, 2016

Before I had children I taught elementary school so I am very picky when it comes to my children's education.
We have had a child with serious health concerns. The admin and each teacher he has had through the years has gone above and beyond to make sure my son is getting the help he needs when he's not healthy enough to be at school AND makes sure the learning environment is healthy and safe when he is there. More than once they have shown up to the hospital to check on him and bring him letters from his classmates. He has napped in the office while the secretary worked quietly at her desk. They truly have his best interest in mind.
I have three children right now who attend this school and they have absolutely ADORED each teacher they have gotten year after year. The Principal and Assistant Principal personally meet the children each morning as they walk in. They know the kids by name. They are truly in their jobs because they love the children. My kids feel like the administration are their friends and their teachers. The only negative thing about this school is that it only goes to 5th! I wish they would keep my kids until they graduated from High School! I honestly can not speak highly enough about Chinook Trail. Those people love the kids and the kids feel that love day after day after day. Best school in the entire country!!

Posted: January 28, 2016

Posted: January 28, 2016

Posted: January 28, 2016

Posted: January 28, 2016

If you spend time in this school, you will sense a very peaceful atmosphere. The kids are happy, the teachers are trusted and worthy of that trust. You can tell that kids are cared for on a personal level. I really like that the teachers don't want to stay stagnant in how they reach children. They clearly want to keep improving in order to give their best to each child. The administration loves kids too, and it is very evident. They have a healthy balance of creating a school that challenges kids, and yet lets kids be kids.

Posted: January 21, 2016

Posted: January 21, 2016

Posted: January 21, 2016

Posted: January 21, 2016

I have two children that attend Chinook and they are thriving. The teachers are very attentive and expect hard work out of the kids, not for their own amusement, but because the amount of work is now the standard the teachers have to follow across the District. I think the teachers do an excellent job preparing the kids to meet these ever-evolving standards. I don't feel the administration is "weak". I think they can only focus on so much, especially considering the fact that parent involvement, albeit well-meaning, does tend to lean toward cliques and a sense of entitlement from parents regarding school administration and teachers. Considering the growth, this school has really stepped up to the challenge.

Posted: November 15, 2015

Posted: November 15, 2015

Posted: November 15, 2015

Posted: November 15, 2015

Used to be a good school when smaller. Since then quality of new teachers has gone down. Weak principal. Excessive homework. Nice building.

Posted: September 4, 2014

I think this school has some great teachers, but an incredibly weak administration. I had a problem with one teacher, and it's like they were afraid to do something about her. As another reviewer said, it's also really clique-y. I have children at other schools in the same district that are nothing like this, it's just really odd. There are many other awesome schools in this district, we were happy to leave Chinook. Good luck if you choose this school!

Posted: January 7, 2014

I have really loved this school. It seems like they push the children but try to make learning fun at the same time. My daughter comes home everyday with the biggest smile on her face.

Posted: November 12, 2013

my son is in Kindergarten and loves going to school every day. The teachers, office staff and administration are friendly, warm and care about every child. Their positive behavior program GROWL creates a very positive school environment. The enthusiasm of the administration is infectious and the teachers are amazing. There is a good amount of parental involvement. Chinook Trail gets kids exited about learning: Reading Olympics, book challenges, rewards for good behavior, a student of the month program... The kids all love PE and Chinese. The academic standards are high but the school manages to keep learning positive and fun. I would love to say thank you to all the wonderful (hard working) teachers and assistants, the administration and helpers that make learning exiting and fun.

Posted: May 2, 2013

This is a fantastic community school with excellent academic programs and a focus on the development of the kids as whole children. My first and third graders love Chinese lessons, and I'm impressed with the character development they encourage through their GROWL program: the students are set clear expectations, provided feedback, and rewarded for positive behaviors. I'm also impressed by the dedication of the staff: my son has ADHD, and his teacher has provided consistent feedback and gone out of her way to communicate and help us facilitate his success.

Posted: April 20, 2013

I am a prior teacher (not for Chinook) and now a sub for the school. Chinook has been recently ranked #1 in the entire state of Colorado for Elementary Schools! There is an art program with an art teacher for the prior comment made on this. School focuses on positive reinforcement for their students. As a sub I get around all of the schools in the district and Chinook has one of the smaller classroom sizes when compared to other D20 schools. Very friendly teachers, office staff, etc. I am part of the School Advisory Team and feel that the administration is top notch, very caring and concerned about their students and the school environment. No concerns or complaints so far other than I feel that neighborhood kids should have priority over choice kids. If you are a neighborhood kid and don't register before the summer, there is a great chance there will not be an opening for you.

Posted: February 10, 2013

Attended the choice night for this school. Very impressive. The number of teachers in attendance, the warmness, organization, and communication! Definitely one of the better elementary school in District 20, and they even offer band in 5th grade!

Posted: October 3, 2012

Good teachers. Great parent involvement. Great academic programs. PTA with too much authority. Weak principal and adminstrative leadership. Caddy and gossipy. Parent cliques use the school lobby, entrance, and interior rotunda as their own personal social hour before and after school like it's a country club. It's a weird environment. Overall, average experience.

Posted: July 21, 2012

both of our children have been introduced to the school and love it! Hopefully it will be extended to 8 th grade as planned very soon!

Posted: December 26, 2011

My children have attended several schools, as we have moved around quite a bit. Chinook gets high marks for sure. Teachers are compassionate, nurturing and extremely knowledgeable. The opportunity for my kids to interact with the special needs population is a total bonus as well as they learn to help others, understand different learning needs, etc. The school is very fortunate to be led by a strong PTA that is made of a group of parents that tirelessly give up their free time and efforts to make the school great. It is an open, friendly and amazing group of both men and women!

Posted: December 19, 2011

We took our daughter out of our district and put her into this school and we LOVE it! We love that they are teaching our daughter Chinese and that they really seem to care about the students. My daughter is thriving w/her teacher and is doing really well academically. We drive a good 20 minutes to bring our daughter to this school and it is well worth the drive! We are thrilled with all that this school has to offer academically and can't wait for our youngest to attend.

Posted: December 13, 2011

We have loved this school since our son started kindergarten last year. Now that our second child has started as well, we are still very happy with the school. There certainly have been growing pains as the school has added many more classes and the popular ones like all day kindergarten have a waiting list, but I am so happy to have chosen to move to this district 20 school.

Posted: December 6, 2011

This school is really in a tough position, it "used to be" a small, intimate school but it is not anymore. Classrooms are over-crowded and the funding is not available to hire additional teachers or full-time PERA's, leaving the teachers reliant on parent volunteers. Student enrollment has increased due to students moving into the area as well as the school allowing as many students to choice in as they can (because they receive funding from the state), but the administration doesn't staff accordingly. This school doesn't have an art program unless it's operated by parent volunteers. Very disappointing. The school language Mandarin Chinese, is pre-mature, bordering on irrelevant language for elementary children, much more appropriate for high school & college for areas of international business and finance. The PTA directors are a click of women that gossip about students and parents. Most parents avoid getting involved in the PTA because of that. Administration is trying to become more approachable. The school means well, but misses the mark. It's still a very new school and is probably a few years out from operating in an all-encompassing and established fashion.