High school can be a difficult time for lots of st...

High school can be a difficult time for lots of students, so it's not surprising there are some angry and negative reviews here. On the other hand, I had two kids who went to this school recently, between 2004-2010 They both spent all four years here and were involved in sports and took the AP classes; which allowed them to both go into college at advanced levels. The high school staff was similar to many other schools, some very good and some very questionably able to manage classes. Prior to the current principal Mr. Lipman, there was someone unsuited for the job, but she was fired in 2005. Parent involvement also runs the gamut from very-involved to not-at-all involved. I find that the more involved a parent is - the better experience their student will have. Doing things such as going to PTA meetings, where the principal regularly talks to the parents & explains what's going on in the school and the district. Going to Parent Meetings for sports, arts, drama, band, etc. - whatever your kid is interested in- also helps kids (and parents) understand how things are determined, chosen, scored, etc. Also, going to back-to-school nights to meet teachers and get info on class expectations and grading policies and stuff kids may not comprehend in class.
I believe how a kid functions in high school is a predictor of how they will function in the larger world, upon graduation. Parents can help, by participation themselves!