Bishop McNamara High School

Posted: July 15, 2026

Pt 2.
Overall the school is okay, just money hungry. I believe if they are remodeling the school in the middle of the school year, we need a tuition decrease. I didn’t pay for my child to go to Mt. Calvary School.

Posted: July 15, 2026

Posted: July 15, 2026

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Posted: July 14, 2026

Financial aid also needs improvement. While assistance is available, it often isn’t enough for families who are struggling financially. With rising living costs and many people facing job insecurity, continuing to increase tuition places even more stress on parents. The school should focus more on supporting families rather than asking them to pay more each year.

Another concern is faculty accountability. Teachers should consistently represent the Holy Cross values that Bishop McNamara promotes. Unfortunately, there have been instances where some teachers have acted unprofessionally, both in school and on social media. Students deserve teachers who set a positive example, and the school should hold all faculty to a higher standard.

The scholarship system also deserves another look. Athletic programs receive a significant amount of scholarship funding, yet many students with outstanding academic achievements receive far less recognition. Scholarships should be distributed more evenly so that students who excel academically are rewarded just as much as athletes. Academic excellence should be valued alongside athletic success.
Dress-down days are also frustrating. Students are required to pay $5 to participate, supposedly to support charity. While supporting charitable causes is important, it seems reasonable for the school to contribute a portion of its tuition revenue instead of asking students to pay extra. In addition, students still face strict clothing restrictions after paying. If students are paying for the privilege of dressing down, the rules should be more flexible as long as clothing is appropriate and respectful. The ban on leggings, for example, feels unnecessary.
School spirit activities and themed events could also improve. The themes are often recycled from previous years with only minor changes.
For families considering Bishop McNamara, I would encourage them to carefully evaluate whether the school is the best fit for their child’s interests and goals. Students involved in athletics or dance may find valuable opportunities, but those whose strengths lie elsewhere should also explore other schools to determine which environment will best support their success.

Posted: July 14, 2026

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Posted: July 14, 2026

Posted: May 2, 2026

A great school full of wonderful teachers, staff, and students but I wish they would go the extra step to give students more opportunities. In my 4 years of attending the school I have never taken a field trip that wasn’t a mandatory “retreat”, also wish they would inform students more on the concept of dual enrollment. Other than that, I defiantly have come into college being well prepared!!! Shout out to the English department for setting me up for success in college writing classes!!!

Posted: May 2, 2026

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Posted: July 25, 2024

My experience with Bishop McNamara High School has been disappointing, especially regarding the administration's handling of serious issues like racism and discrimination. The school has demonstrated a concerning level of apathy towards parents and students who are not Americans. While they are eager to admit foreign students, their treatment of these students and their families often falls short of the inclusive values the school claims to uphold.

There have been repeated incidents of racially insensitive behavior and policies that seem to disproportionately affect students of color and to those who are not Americans. When concerns about racism and discrimination are brought to the administration's attention, the response is frequently dismissive, leaving affected students and parents feeling unsupported and marginalized. This lack of proper acknowledgment and action not only undermines the school's stated values but also perpetuates an unsafe and unwelcoming environment for many students.

There is a noticeable bias against parents who are not Americans. Despite welcoming international students, the school often discriminates against these families, treating them differently and unfairly compared to American parents. This kind of behavior is unacceptable and does not align with the principles of respect and inclusivity that the school should uphold.

It is disheartening to see a school that prides itself on its moral and educational standards fail to adequately address these critical issues. I hope the administration takes immediate and substantial steps to address these concerns, as the current situation is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of respect and inclusion that a school should embody.

Posted: July 25, 2024

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Posted: June 20, 2023

I'm grateful for having the chance to attend Mac and meet amazing people, but I think the experience at a public school would've also benefited me. McNamara is a good option for a student mainly needing smaller classes and community since everyone knows each other.

The number of AP classes isn't very different than some public schools in the area, and there are no opportunities to take IB or dual enrollment courses despite the school encouraging students to become college ready. I feel like a student needs to branch out and take strong advantage of clubs, activities, and teacher resources to really gain an experience that differs from an inexpensive school option. School spirit is average and things students found beneficial like PRIME time was taken away. Some of my friends attended "prestigious" colleges after graduating public HS in PG county, they just applied themselves the same way you can at Mac.

Posted: June 20, 2023

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Posted: October 24, 2022

I sent my two daughters to Bishop McNamara and would do it again. They were well prepared for college in both private and state institutions. The teachers are so knowledgeable, caring, and supportive.

Posted: October 24, 2022

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Posted: February 9, 2022

Very nice college prep school with great teachers but there is an issue with bullying among the student body. I went here thinking it would have a "family atmosphere" but boy was I wrong lol

Most schools promote anti bullying/suicide prevention atleast once a year but Macnamara fails do this and pretends as if it doesn't exist in their school which is not true at all.

Posted: February 9, 2022

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Posted: December 12, 2020

My experience at this school was honestly one of the worst experiences of my life. As a person who is white, I was extremely targeted, bullied, and sometimes even physically hurt by the majority non-white student body. I was shunned and no matter how hard I tried I was never accepted seemingly only for being different. The one redeeming quality this school has is the honors teachers are very good but it is absolutely not worth the money and is worse than most public schools. I transferred out after one year and am much happier at a different catholic school in the area which is very diverse and accepts everyone for who they are.

Posted: December 12, 2020

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Posted: July 10, 2019

When it came to homework, teachers would provide online resources to assist along with additional office hours to make sure the material was clearly understood.

Posted: July 10, 2019

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Posted: July 10, 2019

I had an excellent experience at Bishop McNamara. From joining clubs/committees, the fine arts program, and sports, it is an experience I still proudly talk about to this day. The faculty and staff always checked in and made it their goal to involve students in any way possible.

Posted: May 16, 2018

This new administration is HORRIBLE! Traylor, Johnson, and Clark, Carter. Instead of enlisting the parents and working together to make the school better it has become the administration against the children and the parents. Sports teams are horrible, they have lost the dance program instructors, and there will be many transfers soon to come if they keep this up. The Archdiocese should investigate to find out what is going on. I will be so glad when my child graduates!

Posted: May 16, 2018

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Posted: May 16, 2018

Posted: May 16, 2018

Traylor, Johnson, Clark all need to go. They are ruining the reputation of such a great school.

Posted: May 16, 2018

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Posted: April 23, 2018

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Posted: April 23, 2018

My daughter attended Bishop McNamara and it turned out to be everything that I hoped for and more. They helped my daughter grow into the great woman that she is. I've some stories about some schools don't live up to their reputation or your expectations. I can honestly say that McNamara exceeded my expectations and I'm so glad that we made the decision to send her there.

Posted: January 17, 2018

Every review is obviously subjective so it's okay to take my views with a grain of salt. This school is lacking, the majority of the positive reviews of bmhs were before the major faculty and administrative changes. I think it's important that every parent deciding to send their student to Mac should survey all other competition within the area, I'm certain you'll find a better alternative. At least at the moment. Don't entrust the education of your child to these people, from my perspective it was mostly about money and the institution's extrinsic value. Of course there are great teachers within, but if you compared the scant amount that actually value their job and the task of educating students to the amount of others that could frankly care less you'd be surprised. Don't enroll here because there are great reviews from before 2015, don't enroll here because they give you a great tour and smile in your face, enroll here because you decided it was the best option after legitimate comparisons with other high schools.

Posted: January 17, 2018

Posted: January 17, 2018

Some teachers value their job and the education of their students, others simply don't.

Posted: January 17, 2018

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Posted: January 17, 2018

Specific faculty members and programs within the school solely exist to assist and provide the proper experience for students.

Posted: January 17, 2018

Posted: June 26, 2017

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Posted: June 26, 2017

Posted: June 26, 2017

A Great high school PG Co.. Outstanding teachers.

Posted: November 2, 2013

Both of my children graduated from BMHS. My son in 2006 and my daughter in 2008. My daughter went on to graduate from Howard University and is now a budding broadcast journalist working in radio. While my son did not finish college, he is working in banking and is a homeowner. He just finished his real estate classes and plans on combining his finance and real estate knowledge to pursue a career as a Real Estate Broker. BMHS gave both my children their foundation for success.