Watkins Mill High School

Posted: July 7, 2026

My two boys doing great job Teachers are very good

Posted: July 7, 2026

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Posted: May 11, 2025

I am so proud parents because Teachers are so amazing.

Posted: May 11, 2025

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Posted: May 24, 2019

They offer extra help after school and during lunch,coaches offer study groups

Posted: May 24, 2019

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Posted: May 24, 2019

I am a parent and I've always been treated kindly and with respect by the teachers and students.

Posted: October 31, 2018

My children learned through experience to judge people by what they say or do, not by what they look like. For that, I am very grateful. This can be very hard for a white parent to teach in a predominately white school, but Watkins Mill is anything but that. My kids view everyone as being equal in every way. Other than that...

My daughter played softball, and kept getting benched because she could not play the position the coach wanted her to play. She had repetitive impact injuries to her wrists, so she couldn't play catcher, but was one of the better players on the team at other positions. Didn't matter to the coach. I coached softball for rec and travel teams. She would never have been allowed to coach in our organization.

Music program is weak, because there are so few kids who want to participate. The teachers try to make the programs good, and the parents are very supportive, but without enough kids who want to learn music it's very difficult.

Sports booster club didn't help with that very much, at least where the marching band is concerned. Marching band started hosting competitions, and the parents manned the concession stand. Sports boosters insisted they be involved, and that they get a cut of the proceeds. It wasn't reciprocated. Marching band plays half-time at football games, band parents help with concessions, and none of that went to the band. Football parents this year won't even man the concession stand during half-time, so band parents have to do it, which means they don't get to see their kids perform. Worse, the boosters complained that the marching band would ruin the field practicing on it, so the band has to practice on outdoor basketball courts. Marching band kids marching on grass in flat shoes do more damage than the football team running around in cleats and tackling each other? Seriously?!?

Drama department keeps choosing PG-13 or R rated plays to perform. They say they want to get more people to watch the plays, but parents can't bring their kids to these plays. We had friends who often took their small children to another high school's plays because they would do kid-friendly plays. That school's drama department is rolling in funds and can do some amazing things, because they can fill the auditorium with productions the community wants.

Posted: October 31, 2018

Honestly, this has more to do with Montgomery County than Watkins Mill specifically. The homework load is ridiculously heavy. My kids have often had to go weeks without doing anything other than homework on school nights in order to get it done. Another aspect I've always disagreed with is the policy to award 50% if a student does no more than write their name on the paper and turn it in. Sends the message that you don't have to put in effort to get by. Grading overall is problematic. The school district mandates a breakdown between tests and homework (90% / 10%). So if a student aces all the homework but does poorly on the one test a teacher gives, the student gets a very poor grade for the quarter. My son almost failed English one quarter because of one 10-point assignment, when he had nearly 100% in everything else.

Posted: October 31, 2018

This is partly due to the district, partly based on teachers. The district mandates just about everything teachers do - what books they use, what methods they use, etc. Some methods don't reach certain types of kids. Teachers were trained to use different methods to reach all students, but told us they couldn't use them because the school board mandated one method. One of my girls nearly had to repeat a grade because of this. Some teachers are wonderful; some seem more qualified to be janitors than teachers. I've had two children complain about an engineering teacher who is very difficult to understand (thick French accent), and takes offense when a student asks her to explain something in more detail. She takes every such question as an insult about her language skills. However, there are other teachers who will go out of their way and spend lots of their personal time after school making sure any student who wants help gets exactly what they need to succeed.

Posted: October 31, 2018

Not from what I've seen. I've been to many student performances (music concerts, plays, sports events, etc.), and I haven't seen much to support the idea that Watkins Mill is developing strong character in its students. If the teachers are making efforts here, it seems parents are undoing anything positive. During formal presentations, like concerts or graduations, the audience is reminded (every, single, time) that clapping is appropriate at certain points, yelling students names is never appropriate, etc. Those guidelines are followed for about 2 seconds, and I've only ever seen one teacher do anything about it. A chorus teacher stopped a concert when parents started yelling a student's name, turned to the audience and said "I think your children know their names." That worked. Unfortunately, she left for a better school.

Posted: October 31, 2018

Students do whatever they want, wherever they want, regardless what the rules say. Many students are rude and foul-mouthed, and administrators do little about it.

Posted: October 31, 2018

The special education teachers and guidance office go out of their way to help students, but this is only effective when parents are involved, too. Unfortunately, in this school cluster, families are often single-parent or two working parent units, with little time to support students.

Posted: October 31, 2018

I'd have to say no to this. We have problems with MS-13 here, and there is little the school can do.

Posted: June 4, 2017

Some teachers such as those who teach advanced courses are very effective in teaching students material they need to know. For example, the AP/IB teachers are great at preparing kids. Unfortunately, some teachers lacked understanding in the subject they taught or just simply did not care about student success. If a teacher does not understand the material they are teaching, how is a student supposed to learn? In my experience, the AP/IB teachers were great at teaching the material, but students still scored poorly on AP and IB tests with only a few students actually scoring 5's on AP tests. AP/IB teachers do try their best to teach but some teachers were ineffective at relating material to the students.

Posted: June 4, 2017

Students in the classes are disrespectful to their teachers. Students have no respect, they will curse at teachers, and walk out of class. Students are known to cheat off of each other and teachers look away. Students do not do their work or turn it in on time. The school has a 50% rule where even if you don't turn work in, you still get 50% in the grade book. This is teaching students that it is okay to be lazy and not do work. Their re-assesment policy allows students to retake tests for 100%. This makes students feel like it is okay not to study for tests, there are second chances, and it is okay to not put effort into work. Overall these policies may seem like it is helping students graduate, but in truth it is dooming them for the real world.

Posted: June 4, 2017

We have had a multitude of issues with the school. First, when we needed to get someone registered for the school, it took many attempts to contact the school for registration. We contacted the school with no response. We ended up contacting someone higher up before the school responded to our messages. Secondly, when we had an issue with something going on in class, we contacted the principal. Our first attempted got no response. We tried again, and still got no response. I was very frustrated because clearly we were trying to contact someone to get a problem resolved and no one tried to help us. Another issue we had was the school's record keeping. Oftentimes we would get a call from the school stating that our student missed class when clearly they were either on a field trip or an in school excused event.

Posted: June 4, 2017

Posted: June 4, 2017

The experience at this school was dismal. Disrespectful students, disrespectful teachers, and inattentive staff are just a few problems at this school. The school is terrible at dealing with their own problems like bullying and even more ineffective at preparing students for life beyond the school. If you are looking for your child to receive a good education in a good learning environment, I would not recommend sending your child here.

Posted: June 4, 2017

If your child is in advanced courses, teachers are great at checking homework and encouraging students to do homework. If you take the less advanced courses, teachers will rarely give homework or check if students have an understanding of the material being taught.

Posted: August 15, 2015

I attended this school the first year it opened. My children now attend his scool; and I am equally, if not more, impressed than when I went. The teachers and counselors meet their needs and accommodations.
I have one Pre-IB student and one in general education classes. The after school clubs provide student/adult interaction.
GO WOLVERINES!!!!

Posted: August 15, 2015

I just wish my kids would use them more. The teachers definitely try to help them. Mrs. Starr is an amazing English teacher.

Posted: August 15, 2015

This is a tough question. The kids have at least four major classes, so the homework is intense.

Posted: August 15, 2015

Posted: March 1, 2015

Wonderful school! Lots of opportunities that no other public school in Montgomery country can offer. IB/IBCC/AP and other courses.

Posted: September 21, 2014

I recently attended my 2nd Back to School night at WM. My daughter is in the (pre) IB/AP program and plays varsity soccer. I found it interesting that the (pre) IB/AP classes had more parents in attendance than the "on level" classrooms. WM is very enthusiastic about their students becoming their BEST, as evident by how hard they push and encourage them. The guidance counselor is constantly requesting my daughter to challenge herself more. There is no "free ride" as ALL of the students will find when they leave WM, in whatever endeavors they pursue. I feel WM is attempting to ready them for their entrance into the adult world...the principal, the teachers, the counselors and even the coaches. WM is diverse and with it comes a diverse set of challenges. The administrative team can only do their part....it is up to the students to uphold their end of the arrangement. I could put my daughter in a private school, but I love the real world microcosm that WM represents.

Posted: May 6, 2014

Horrible. From the staff, to the principal, simply horrible. What appears to go on in this school is too much of nothing. There is nothing to be proud of, no one person that I can think of that stands out from another. Simply in one word - HORRIBLE

Posted: February 21, 2014

Amazing school with great classes, people, staff, and activities. I wake up every day and I'm happy to say that I go to Watkins Mill

Posted: January 7, 2014

I am a sophomore at Watkins Mill and unsatisfied with the Individualized Education Plan. First of all, the students shouldn't ask to use their accommodations the special ed department should make sure the IEP is used properly as a result to Special Needs students should be more important than general education. This school does not have an Autistic program . I am fighting to withdrawal from this school into an Autistic school. I refuse to come to this school because of the violence and ignorance. For me, personally this school should be deemed as the worst school in the county. Most of the special ed students are trying to leave this school. If the teachers could see how they treat the students when they "teach". The teachers do not acknowledge their students when they need teacher assistance or one-on-one participation. The teachers have sidebar conversations and tell us students to learn while we have conversations of our own. But they don't teach anything all they do is lecture us about being proper students when they should be good students themselves and stop complaining.

Posted: January 31, 2013

I have been in this school for 3 years. At first I felt satisfied but now I dislike getting up to come here. Counselors don't help and don't even pay attention to what the student wants. I ask for SSL hours and they don't give any info. I asked a teacher if I could be his AID and he said no and just gave me an ugly attitude. Every time I come here I don't feel the encouragement from teachers to learn.. The academic programs are good but if a student don't feel good about themselves in their school then it's a burden to have to get up everyday to go somewhere where you feel left out. that is just my experience...

Posted: March 31, 2011

Watkins Mill High School is on the upside. The principal, new for the 2010-2011 school year is a breath of fresh air. It's telling when the students are happy to see him at after school events. The sports teams are rallying this year with some exciting finishes. The offering of an IB program and AP classes is also a draw. Very active booster club and PTSA. High marks for parent involvement.

Posted: September 20, 2010

Initially thought this is an average school. Later changed my opinion on my continued interaction with teachers and school. There is a lot of improvement over by years. Teacher student ratio is good. Excellent teaching resources and facilities this school is having should build reputation for Engineering, Science and Maths subjects. Experienced and friendly teachers are real assets. This is a hidden gem where hard working students can reap benefits out of personal attention and utilization of unexploited potential.

Posted: August 19, 2010

Love this school it has many activites and a very high level with great teacher i love this school i think this school is the best high school of mOntgomery County

Posted: March 23, 2010

My son is studying in this School. This School is average when compared to best Schools around. Maths and English are not good. Some Math teachers and some English Teachers are good and can be rated as 10. But some are poor and can be rated as 5. I do not know how the management could not see this.

Posted: July 14, 2008

Posted: April 28, 2007