Maurice J. Mcdonough High School

Posted: June 4, 2024

Posted: June 4, 2024

Posted: June 4, 2024

My wife and I are both graduates from this school. To now see our daughter go here brings us great joy. To see some of our old teachers still there feels somewhat surreal. The best part is not just seeing our daughter compete in sports, but also to see have opportunities that we never had while attending there. Like, the CTE program that she is in for Pathway to Engineering that she was accepted in after not being selected for North Point, the extended day courses, and dual college enrollment to name a few. As a former Charles County school employee, I would definitely recommend McDonough as a school to go to.

Posted: June 4, 2024

Posted: June 4, 2024

Posted: June 4, 2024

Posted: June 4, 2024

Posted: June 4, 2024

Posted: May 27, 2022

Posted: May 27, 2022

Posted: May 27, 2022

Choose a different school to go to! This school is absolutely horrible! Extremely unorganized and do not check and double check their information. Example, student with straight A's in high school, all AP classes, Dual enrolled and finishing senior year and part of junior year doing all college classes (finished all high school courses), and part of the drama team, has been completely overlooked and included with other students for their accomplishments during graduation. The administration made this graduate feel like their accomplishments and everything they worked for and strive for meant nothing! A majority of teachers and staff there do not have the students best interest at heart. When it comes to preparing for college and/or future, they are very uninformed and provide the wrong information to the students.

Posted: May 27, 2022

Posted: May 27, 2022

Posted: May 27, 2022

Posted: May 27, 2022

Posted: May 12, 2020

Posted: May 12, 2020

Posted: May 12, 2020

Posted: May 12, 2020

Posted: May 12, 2020

Posted: May 12, 2020

Posted: May 12, 2020

It has not been enjoyable, but luckily some teachers and staff have helped make my experience bearable
It’s not a good environment to be in. The students are cruel. There’s always fights and violence. Teachers show obvious favoritism towards students. Students have no freedom during their ironic free period.
The school has great school pride and I wish I had a more pleasant experience here.

Posted: August 18, 2017

We've had a positive experience at McDonough High School. It is a small school with approximately 850 students and a good fine arts program. Since St. Charles High School opened, we've seen a marked improvement in the behavior problems and we expect that to continue. The previous principal made the school a center for ESOL students but for the 2017-2018 school year, that group will be divided among three high schools in the county. That transition should help eliminate some tensions that occured between certain groups. Overall the academics are strong and the faculty is committed. For AP programs, there are options for the students. My children are in the honors and AP classes so it is different then the general ed classes but to be fair, that would apply to most of the high schools in the county. As a small school, there are ample opportunities to try out for sports and most teams will gladly take on a student even if he or she have never played the sport before. The coaches will teach you how to play.

Posted: August 18, 2017

Posted: August 18, 2017

Posted: August 18, 2017

Posted: August 18, 2017

Posted: August 18, 2017

Posted: August 18, 2017

Posted: June 23, 2017

Posted: June 23, 2017

Posted: June 23, 2017

Posted: June 23, 2017

Posted: June 23, 2017

Posted: June 23, 2017

Posted: June 23, 2017

We've had a positive experience so far at Mcdonough and our son is about to be a junior. Overall we are very pleased.

Posted: November 12, 2014

My son goes to Maurice J. McDonough and I have to say this school is a wonderful school. My little boy comes home everyday and tells me what he has learned and the teachers are great on putting him on the right path to college. He has also told me ever since St. Charles had open up all the students that were causing disruptions in the classroom and starting all the fights have left and the school has became a better environment for him. I am a proud with Maurice J McDonough. I couldn't ask for a better school.

Posted: April 1, 2014

Academics is most important to parents and students. Maurice J McDonugh is one of the best schools in the county. In addition to core academics they offer specific life studies to help guide student beyond the classroom. This will help students as they transition from high school to college or whatever path they choose.

Posted: February 24, 2014

This school is great. We moved here to Pomfret to get our children into "MJM".

Posted: June 21, 2013

My old school was great. I loved it. It was easy to get around. I still know my way around the school. I loved that school. I miss it sometimes.

Posted: August 17, 2011

With better leadership, McDonough High School has the potential to be a great school. My daughter had been in private school all of her life before coming there in 9th grade so we really didn't know what to expect from the public school system. However, we found a great counselor there, honors and advanced placement classes, and many sports and clubs available. On the other hand, it is what you make it. You have to be an advocate for your child and make sure that you familiarize yourself with all that the school has to offer. When teachers and the administration see that you are interested in your child's success, they will work with you. The facility is old and is in desperate need of updating. The bathrooms are horrible and overcrowding makes it difficult for students to move freely through the hallways in order to get to class on time.

Posted: June 22, 2011

I will be a junior this fall at this school. I have LOVED my freshman and sophomore year. I looked forward to coming to school each day. Its very diverse and the students are well behaved for the most part. The teachers and staff are wonderful. They know how to deal with kids and offer support. They teach the curriculum well and keep it up to date. There are different levels of classes for the different learning styles of each student. All curriculum challenges the students. It will prepare your child for college. The only bad things about this school are the few students that are not motivated, yet the teachers do encourage them. Another thing is the appearance of the building. It was built in the 1970s and has not been renovated. But don't judge a book by its cover because this school is absolutely wonderful.

Posted: May 3, 2011

I agree with some of the reviewers who have commented that diversity is not appreciated at this school. There is discrimination on the part of the faculty and administration, mostly subtle, but otherwise present. Students are not motivated to learn nor are they prepared adequately for college or the workforce. The principal seems to lack good common sense and doesn't have the skills necessary to handle most situations. She masks this by talking excessively. Administration always blame the parents and "home life" as the cause of poor performance. Never mind the teachers who show up only to collect a paycheck or those who don't show up at all. A certain counselor in particular looks down on my child and laughs at the idea of him going to college. I sat in a meeting where she not once spoke to me and directed every question to my child. I would suggest that if you live in a neighborhood zoned for this school, that you do your homework first. I just moved into the county and didn't know then what I know now. As for parents seeking help from the school board, you may be out of luck. One of the board members not only has children attending this school, but has an office here as well.

Posted: April 14, 2010

Very satisified with the teaching staff...........alot of extra curricular activities but only money goes into football program. Parent involvement is a joke. Same parents running everything.