Northern High School

Posted: December 15, 2025

Posted: December 15, 2025

Posted: December 15, 2025

Posted: December 15, 2025

Posted: December 15, 2025

Posted: December 15, 2025

Posted: December 15, 2025

Posted: December 15, 2025

This review is specifically for students with IEP or 504. This school is not for them. My daughter came in with an IEP and the very first year, part way through, we were told she was going to be switched to a 504. We thought this meant she had made progress with her learning goals and would still have the support she needs in class. She is on the spectrum and has auditory processing delay, easily distracted, makes noises while she is thinking, and struggles with attention. The 504 was suppose to have supports including her having access to teacher notes for instruction (not test notes- just acess to the powerpoints the teacher rushes through in class because she cannot keep up with writing the information), extra time to complete assignments and tests, preferential seating, and allow her to request further clarification of assignments. Since switching to the 504, we have repeatedly argued with teachers about those very things. The 504 is suppose to be guaranteed by Federal law, and yet every teacher argued with us about following it. Some teachers we had months long back and forth and the school will back the teachers. So, if you have a student who is a great at sports, great at music, or any other activity that they can potentially win an award for the school- they will be welcomed with open arms. But normal students, or worse still (from the school's perspective) a student with a learning difference, this is not the school for them. You won't win them awards, you will drag down their standardized test results (which apparently is worth more for federal funding than funding for assisting students with learning differences), and you will make just too much work for their teachers. It's a "blue ribbon" school, not a blue pumpkin school.

So why did we stay? Because we moved to the area specifically for the schools- they were suppose to be so amazing. And we have moved around a lot for my husband's job. We just wanted to give her 3 years at the same school. Our mistake. Along that note, military families be prepared for an exercise in futility trying to get credits from previous schools to count. There is not a lot of support for military dependents. At least she got a purple shirt, you know how important that is for all the kids go through. While verbally you will be told how hard the deployment must be, there is not support for if the student is struggling with the deployment emotionally. Be prepared for "all the students are going through so much."

Posted: June 10, 2024

School challenged my son and kept parents well informed about students performance and events throughout the year. Teachers are very friendly and easy to communicate with. Overall, my son had an awesome experience throughout the high school years. Highly recommend for others to seeking a solid education for their teenagers!

Posted: June 10, 2024

Posted: June 10, 2024

Posted: June 10, 2024

Posted: June 10, 2024

Posted: June 10, 2024

Posted: June 10, 2024

Posted: June 10, 2024

Posted: April 14, 2024

Our son has excelled since he has attended both the middle and high schools. His IEP plan was followed and adjusted as he grew. We cannot thank the counselors and teachers enough for their compassion. Our son was accepted by all his college choices both in and out of state.
Bravo Staff !!!

Posted: April 14, 2024

Posted: April 14, 2024

Posted: April 14, 2024

Posted: April 14, 2024

Posted: April 14, 2024

Posted: April 14, 2024

Posted: April 14, 2024

Posted: May 11, 2023

Posted: May 11, 2023

Posted: May 11, 2023

Posted: May 11, 2023

Posted: May 11, 2023

Posted: May 11, 2023

I would not send your child here.

Posted: May 11, 2023

Posted: May 11, 2023

Posted: June 18, 2022

This school (and honestly most of the district) has a terrible reputation for students mainstreamed in general education or advanced classes who need an IEP or 504 plan. They will not or do not know how to follow a plan. Administration will actually lie about what they are doing to help. They are super proud of their test scores, and I swear some people care because it helps with home value, not because it means the kids are learning. Their specialists don't have adequate time or training to consistently implement or help teachers implement even the simplest accommodations. Some of the staff is wonderful and very caring but, if they can't implement accommodations, it WILL do emotional damage to your child. It isn't that there are not nice caring teachers there, my child has had some excellent instructors, it is a district culture issue. If you move here, hire an advocate before your first meeting!

Posted: June 18, 2022

Posted: June 18, 2022

Posted: June 18, 2022

Posted: June 18, 2022

Posted: June 18, 2022

Posted: June 18, 2022

Posted: June 18, 2022

Posted: May 25, 2022

Gets a good score here from state testing. The teachers and counselors are not concerned about student success in regular classes. Communication with parents is limited to generic emails. Emails to individual teachers will go unanswered. And very obvious favoritism is shown to certain groups.

Posted: May 25, 2022

Posted: May 25, 2022

Posted: May 25, 2022

Posted: May 25, 2022

Posted: May 25, 2022

Posted: May 25, 2022

Posted: May 25, 2022

Posted: February 16, 2022

Academic Programs are great. Nevertheless, the environment is set for only white Americans and not multiracial children coming from another state. The teenagers aren't thought to respect their colleagues o their teachers.

Posted: February 16, 2022

Posted: February 16, 2022

Posted: February 16, 2022

Posted: February 16, 2022

Posted: February 16, 2022

Posted: February 16, 2022

Posted: February 16, 2022

Posted: July 8, 2019

This school’s FBLA is terrible. It’s a clique full of smaller cliques, bad leadership. They force you to make the club you’re whole life and look down on you if you don’t meet their high standards. It felt more like a job than a club.

Posted: July 8, 2019

Posted: December 5, 2014

Our fourth child is currently attending Northern High, a sophomore, graduating in 2017. Our first child graduated in 2008, our second in 2010, our third in 2014. I cannot say enough good things about the math program!! They have a fabulous AP Calc teacher, our child's junior year class, AP Calc AB all received 4's and 5's on the AP exam. Our second child goofed off in 8 and 9 grades and so the school made him take 2 periods of math to remediate, lost 1 elective, which was the best thing that could have happened!! He did great in Honors Trig by his Senior year. All those years my kids loved their math teachers. AP offerings are Lit, Lang, Calc AB, Calc BC Physics, Bio, World Lit, US Hist, Gov, Music and more. Orchestra is awesome! English hit and miss, but generally good, wish they emphasized more classics to help prepare for college. History is fabulous, Science good but not as strong as Math and History. Facility is older, getting a new one. Great offerings for journalism, broadcasting, chamber choir. Many good families at this school, our student feels safe. LOTS of homework, not busywork projects. Prepared our children well for college!!

Posted: January 2, 2014

My daughter went to NHS all four years. She took AP history and AP English. She hardly ever had homework. She did great on her SAT scores. We thought she was ready for college. However when she got there she was never taught how to write a paper. How to do the research or to site and how to format a paper. For a student who got good grades and was going to her counselor to make she was on the write path, the teachers did not do their job, luckily my husband was able to teach her and help her with her first paper be cause she had no clue on how to do a paper. It was a long weekend but he taught her cause teachers did not!!! Unacceptable!

Posted: November 13, 2013

The academics at the school are excellent. The way some of the sports programs are coached on the other hand leaves a lot to be desired. In many instances, it is a good old boy-network where if you and your family aren't juiced in your child probably won't have a fair shake at participation. My child's coach fostered inappropriate treatment of my child and others and has actively participated in gossip about other parents and children on the team that they have had issues with. Recommend the school for academics, SGA, Class Council, FBLA and some sports. I would suggest that you do your research on the particular sport's program your child is interested in before they tryout or it could be detrimental to their well-being.

Posted: October 23, 2013

It looks like a lot has changed. I went to NHS 15 years ago and it was a joke. I was completely unprepared for college. I don't even remember doing any work there. It was overcrowded with unqualified teachers teaching core subjects. Hopefully things have indeed changed. I had a great time in my high school years but definitely did not get a quality education from NHS.

Posted: August 19, 2013

The school is great but old. It is supposed to be replaced on site in 2014. Sports are o.k. Our son was well prepared for the SATs. Science and math were notable high points.