Custer Elementary School
Lakewood, WA 98498
Phone: (253) 583-5230
Fax: (253) 583-5238
District: Clover Park School District
GreatSchools Rating
public • Grades PK,KG,1,2,3,4,5 • 393 students
Custer Elementary School, a public school located in Lakewood, WA, serves grades PK-5 in the Clover Park School District.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 5 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.
Custer Elementary School is a public school located in Lakewood, WA. 393 students attend Custer Elementary School.
School Ratings
| Category | Rating | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Test Scores | 5/10 | The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 Smarter Balanced Assessment data from Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and using 2025 Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science data from Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. |
| Student Growth | 4/10 | The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student growth data from Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. |
Posted: February 25, 2020
My daughters have been attending Custer since day one of Kindergarten. My older is now a 5th grader and I also have a 1st grader and they BOTH LOVE IT! All the staff, from principals and teachers, to custodians and receptionist, they are all AMAZING! You can tell they all care about the well being and safety of the children along with ensuring that they are getting the education they need and deserve. I would not hesitate to enroll kids here and would recommend it to anyone and have nothing but kind words about the school and staff!!! Love my Custer Family
Posted: February 25, 2020
Posted: February 25, 2020
Posted: February 25, 2020
Posted: February 25, 2020
Posted: February 25, 2020
Posted: February 25, 2020
Posted: September 26, 2019
Posted: September 26, 2019
Posted: September 26, 2019
Posted: September 26, 2019
Posted: September 26, 2019
Posted: September 26, 2019
Posted: September 26, 2019
When we moved here a year ago I was concerned over the low 2/10 rating. Let me assure you that the number reflected is by no means the rating this school should have. The staff and principle, Kathy Weymiller, are not just employees at Custer who clock in and out. These wonderful people love the students and want to see EACH student succeed. In any given day you will see staff walking the halls with students who need a break out of the classroom, the school counselor having little lunch groups in her office, students supporting one another during times of emotional overwhelm and cheering one another on during assemblies. The spirit and culture of this school is something that I am so proud to be a part of. The staff genuinely care about the students and will do everything in their power to love each student and meet them where they are at. I haven't met a teacher that I haven't appreciated yet! Custer is a 10/10 in my book!
Posted: March 9, 2018
They have several talented life skills paraeducators. Teachers have ample support from leadership when needed for training and resources. The preschool teachers are well-trained.
Posted: March 9, 2018
Posted: March 9, 2018
Posted: March 9, 2018
Posted: March 9, 2018
Posted: March 9, 2018
Posted: March 9, 2018
As a first year teacher at this school I have utmost respect for inner city schools. This school is great. This year is all about change. There is a great new principal who expects great communication with parents and staff. All curriculum has either been updated in the last few years or is cirrently being updated. The Reach Reading Curriculum has expanded literacy for our studands in immeasurable ways. I am happy to be at work each day. I know the staff will be on my team. What a rewarding experience for teachers, parents and teachers. I love Custer!
Posted: November 19, 2015
Posted: November 19, 2015
The teachers at Custer are wonderful. They really care about the kids and do their best to help the kids succeed. The administration of the school needs work. They are very unorganized and its nearly impossible to get information. As with any school, you need to be a part of your child's education. This is our third year at Custer.
Posted: July 23, 2013
The school has some great teachers who have a lot of experience. The school also has a great special education program. However, the school is obviously very underfunded- the school isn't big enough for the amount of students (my son's classroom is one room split into a classroom and the PT department), they do have outdated technology, the Custer webpage is NEVER updated, and I'm not impressed with some of the staff (it's nearly impossible to get any info from the office). I've also NEVER met the principal out of 3 years of my son going to the school (and that woman never smiles). The school is also very unorganized prior to the first day of school. Last year we found out about the ice cream social only a day prior to the event. They never send out fliers anymore.
Posted: June 26, 2013
This school needs lot of improvement. First of all there is no standards or curriculum in place. Kindergarten teachers Mrs. Brown/James were up to the par (i.e, they knew what they were teaching and my kid loved to go to school for that fact.). When it was first grade Mrs. Siebert took care of the kids in her class, she is knowledgeable, great teacher and communicated well about the issues quickly. Second grade was worse here for my kid, the teacher did not teach any thing at all. All I saw was bunch of color papers coming home. so my kid literally didn't learn anything. Here comes third grade where all the math started out of no where, the teacher didn't teach much in the class but they have to do the homework to get the points. What does that say?? The new principal? forget about her I never saw her smiling back or saying hello.
Posted: May 8, 2013
The communication between student/teacher, parent/teacher, principal/parent needed great improvements. Are child went here last year . They got a new principal that acted to not care to do her job or care about what was happening with are child . Are child had things going on with her health so she would miss some school so for her to get back up to where the other kids was not easy . The teacher did not seem to have a heart to that she worked her so hard it was sad . Are child wanted so badly to make her teacher happy but all the teacher would do was work her harder . Then are child mood became to weaken due to the kids there was so mean to her . I went to the school and they would not due any thing . She had to start seeing a Dr to talk about her feelings due what was happening to her at this school . We had to pull her out it was so sad to see my child go from loving school to worried and sad to go . We now have her in CVA and love it . I only give it a one because at the start we loved her teacher but as time went her teacher would be out more and would just not be so caring .
Reviews provided by GreatSchools™
| # | Name | Type | City | State | Overall Rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaiian Village | Apartment Complex | Lakewood | WA | 0.3 mi | |
| 2 | westridge apartments | Apartment Complex | Tacoma | WA | 4.1 mi | |
| 3 | North End | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Tacoma | WA | 6.4 mi | |
| 4 | Stadium District | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Tacoma | WA | 7.2 mi | |
| 5 | Clocktower | Neighborhood/Subdivision | DuPont | WA | 7.7 mi | |
| 6 | Gem Heights | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Puyallup | WA | 12.1 mi | |
| 7 | Silver Creek | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Puyallup | WA | 12.6 mi | |
| 8 | Lost Creek | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Graham | WA | 14.5 mi | |
| 9 | Tahoma Meadows | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Yelm | WA | 16.8 mi | |
| 10 | Avonlea | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Lacey | WA | 18.1 mi | |
| 11 | Woodsmuir | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Olympia | WA | 18.7 mi | |
| 12 | McCormick Woods | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Port Orchard | WA | 23.2 mi | |
| 13 | The Ridge at McCormick Woods | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Port Orchard | WA | 23.7 mi | |
| 14 | The Carriages at Fairwood Downs | Apartment Complex | Renton | WA | 26.1 mi | |
| 15 | Manette | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Bremerton | WA | 27.1 mi | |
| 16 | Kitsap Lake | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Bremerton | WA | 28 mi | |
| 17 | Fairway Lane | Apartment Complex | Bremerton | WA | 29.6 mi | |
| 18 | Blueberry Meadows | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Bremerton | WA | 30.4 mi |
| # | Name | City | State | Overall Rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stonegate | Olympia | WA | 18 mi | |
| 2 | Port Orchard | Port Orchard | WA | 25.3 mi | |
| 3 | Maple Valley | Maple Valley | WA | 26.5 mi | |
| 4 | Black Diamond | Black Diamond | WA | 26.7 mi | |
| 5 | Bainbridge Island | Bainbridge Island | WA | 30.8 mi | |
| 6 | Downtown Seattle | Seattle | WA | 30.9 mi | |
| 7 | East Bremerton | Bremerton | WA | 31.5 mi |
| Base | Distance |
|---|---|
| McChord AFB | 4.5 mi. |
| Fort Lewis | 6.8 mi. |
| Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton | 26.9 mi. |
| Coast Guard Seattle | 29.8 mi. |
| Naval Base Kitsap Bangor | 37.9 mi. |
