Steilacoom High School

54 Sentinel Drive

School District

Steilacoom Hist.
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:23
Type

public

School Map for Steilacoom Hist. School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 12, 2024

I would not recommend this high school to anyone. The admin, especially the principles suspend students excessively for anything, also they base their disciplinary decisions off what students say as opposed to what really happened with facts and proof to support it. So your student essentially could be suspended because another student makes false claims because they don't like them and admin will suspend them and use poor excuses such as, I have reasons to believe, when it's nothing more than hear say from a student. Worst school I've ever had to deal with, they are unfair and unjust and the student pays the price for an incompetent admin.
Submitted by parent on June 17, 2021

If I could give more than 5 starts, I would. SHS Staff and Admin are AWESOME!!! We attended my daughters Graduation Ceremony last night and it was beautiful. The Staff obviously worked so hard to make this a memorable day for my daughter and all of her classmates. Even during this pandemic time they were so caring and wonderful. If you have an opportunity, go to SHS.
Submitted by parent on August 14, 2019

My experience with Steilacoom High School has been rewarding. I watched my son mature during these years and develop life long relationships not just with his classmates, but teachers and administrators as well. I know that a major part of his success was because of the compassion, guidance, and support the adults in that building provided to him and the student body. At Steilacoom, you do not just get, teachers or principals, you also get individuals that are fully invested in your students future, and gets just as excited as the student and parents, when students succeed. Thank you Steilacoom High School, continue to make the difference!
Submitted by parent on March 13, 2019

You want to send your children to a safe place where they they can be children, even as high schoolers. This is ironically that place most of the time, despite being located directly across the street from the Western State Mental Hospital! If you can look past the unfortunate location of the school, then do weigh what is most important to each of your children potentially attending. The staff is not going to get your child very far, and most interactions are disappointing to frankly disturbing at best. For the price of housing in this district, you could take the same money and easily buy in to a better high school catchment area. Please do your homework and look past the false first impression Steilacoom School District gives off. It is quickly replaced with the realization of the dysfunction, low achievement, and zero transparency.
Submitted by parent on February 20, 2018

This school and its staff are by far, the most rude, incompetent people I’ve ever come across. We had a problem with a teacher and tried for weeks to get a call back from the principal. Nothing. Same from the counselors. I’m disgusted.
Submitted by parent on August 15, 2016

Great school, awesome teacher and good counselor. Many sports options with great coaches. I just hope Steilacoom school district or Dupont has swimming pool so kids do not have to travel to lakewood.
Submitted by student on September 06, 2015

Steilacoom High School is a Spirited School and is full of PRIDE with an awesome ASB/ Leadership team.
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2014

This is only my opinion. From all schools that my children have attended, this is the worst. I used to work in different schools as volunteer and I feel they are disorganize. The library seem small (not to much books). How do you expect teens to be reading if there is not many books of their interest. We ended up changing my son from school.There is bulling. My child dropped his grades. now in the new school, he is doing awesome.
Submitted by parent on April 27, 2014

Terrible, principal's are horrible, teachers do NOT teach properly, then they expect all students to excel but never try to help them. As far as I see, Steilacoom High is full of pride but why, there is no point because it is not a unified school. They support H.I.B. but do not take action when kids are constantly bullied and threatened. Do NOT let your child attend this school.
Submitted by parent on September 26, 2013

My son loved his new school and enjoyed being in the concert band. Awesome group and support!
Submitted by student on May 28, 2013

I attended Steilacoom High School for three full years and part of my Senior Year. I struggled a lot during my time at Steilacoom, largely because of certain teachers. I am an extremely shy person who was often subject to ridicule from my peers; in several cases I was "called out" in front of full classrooms in a manner that only worsened my shyness and feelings of inadequacy, and made me a target later (after class) for further teasing/bullying. In one case I had completed an English assignment in the "computer lab" and asked the teacher for permission to work on my creative writing piece, she gave me permission and I began working. About ten minutes after I approached her, she pulled up my writing on the projection screen in front of the entire class and yelled "WHO'S IS THIS?!" (drawing further attention to it, and allowed several students to make negative comments). This incident has stuck with me throughout the years and it took me a long time to find the courage to pursue my dream of being a professional novelist. That being said, there were also some incredible staff members who did help me; overall not a great experience, though my siblings have had more enjoyable ones.
Submitted by student on February 14, 2013

Steilacoom is a BAD school. the teachers & kids are friendly. there's only 2 teachers in the whole school that i actually like but they are horrible at grading our (students) work. the school sucks. im switching schools. if anyone asked me if they should go or there parent ask if it a good school. i'd say no to both questions. HORRIBLE school
Submitted by parent on August 01, 2012

Having three kids go through SHS, I can tell you with experience that this school is superior to most. The administrators are fair yet firm, holding kids accountable but in a common sense way. The majority of the starters on the sports teams are also academic superstars, and not because of easy grading as evidenced by SAT scores. My kids have participated in leadership, sports, honor society, etc. while their friends who needed extra help were tutored by they and other kids as peer mentors. Countless people will tell you that this population of kids is accepting, regardless of economics or disability or ethinicity, and beyond that, are purposely outgoing to help others feel included. I hosted an international exchange student who wept openly at the idea of leaving SHS to finish school in her home country. Like everything, education is what you make of the opportunities provided and dependent on the support given and accountability required not just at school but more importantly, at home. If I were rich, I would stil choose this school over private. These teachers care. The coaches care. And by example, these kids care.
Submitted by parent on July 08, 2012

I think this is a great school district, one of the better ones in WA and certainly the best one within 50 miles of Ft. Lewis. The kids all seem to be well mannered. Every time I've visited the high-school (where my son attends) the kids I've encountered are polite even going as far as opening a door for me. The kids that attend the school makes a HUGE difference in the outcome of an education. If you have a school full of kids that are for the most part troublemakers then the schools environment will not be a good environment for learning; I truly think this is a healthy environment. The teachers, for the most part are, helpful and diligent about updating grades and sending emails when they see a problem. This is a great school, especially for military kids!
Submitted by parent on May 30, 2012

Nothing has changed since that 2007 comment - grading is random and teaching quality is questionable across subjects. Phoning in academicly, lack luster in spirit, horriblely organized little district. If you want your child to be in a continuation of middle school environment, Steilacoom High is the place. Worldly or rigorous or even solid with the basics, no, no and sadly no. Would move out of the district completely if we had the opportunity.