Massaponax High School

Posted: August 7, 2026

Posted: August 7, 2026

Posted: August 7, 2026

Posted: August 7, 2026

Posted: August 7, 2026

Posted: August 7, 2026

Posted: August 7, 2026

Posted: August 7, 2026

I have never felt more supported than I do with this current administration and the quality of the teachers. Our students have the most amazing opportunities to grow, learn and be a part of the Ponax Family. We have a rigorous curriculum as well as opportunities for connection, purpose and fun. The club rush, field days, dairy day, jazz band lunch, Battle of the Books, Career day, annual art show, homecoming rally, Donut Fridays and Prom are some of the wonderful all-campus events offered for students at Ponax. We have an incredible athletics program, a fantastic FFA program, National level CTE program, internationally acclaimed cybersecurity program, Blue Ribbon award in Band, Orchestra, Triple winning Show Choir in 2026, state champs in Theater 2026 and the list goes on. If you think this school is not a good school, you are not paying attention.

Posted: July 27, 2025

Posted: July 27, 2025

Posted: July 27, 2025

Posted: July 27, 2025

Posted: July 27, 2025

Posted: July 27, 2025

Posted: July 27, 2025

When I was here at this school they locked up all the bathrooms upstairs and downstairs and there’s only 1 restroom available and it’s random every hour and makes me late to class because of these bathroom passes I know it’s to see where people are but atleast tell people we’re the bathrooms are opened

Posted: July 27, 2025

Posted: March 6, 2024

Posted: March 6, 2024

Posted: March 6, 2024

Posted: March 6, 2024

Posted: March 6, 2024

Posted: March 6, 2024

Posted: March 6, 2024

My children thrived at this school. Honor classes, National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Student Council, FHA, Football, etc.

Posted: March 6, 2024

Posted: November 16, 2022

Posted: November 16, 2022

Posted: November 16, 2022

Posted: November 16, 2022

Posted: November 16, 2022

Posted: November 16, 2022

Posted: November 16, 2022

As a senior who currently goes to this school, this is one of the worst public schools I have attended. Some of the teaching staff don't care about the students and they are s rude for no reason. The overall environment in the school is terrible. Students have zero respect and common sense. They block the hallways talking to their friends and getting upset when people try and pass through them to get to class. I started my high school career with over a 3.5 GPA and now I have just under a 3.0 and only the guidance counsellors care about students in school. This school is known for being very unpleasant and some parents have had to withdraw their kids from this school due to severe bullying, which the school doesn't address, and for the violence that happens at this school. This school absolutely sucks and I am so glad that I am leaving next year. Not only has this place killed my joy of learning new things, but it has awakened many struggles in my life both mentally and physically.

Posted: November 16, 2022

Posted: October 4, 2022

Posted: October 4, 2022

Posted: October 4, 2022

Posted: October 4, 2022

Posted: October 4, 2022

Posted: October 4, 2022

Posted: October 4, 2022

Can I give a one? This school is AWFUL. The teachers don’t care about the students for the most part, maybe here and there you will have a great teacher but that’s not enough for four years of multiple classes. The special ed department is great except the teachers aren’t on board with the IEP protocols, so the right hand never knows what the left hand is doing.
Also this school has a horrendous bullying problem, yet they preach this anti-bullying campaign. Students are afraid to be labeled a snitch so going to counselors is worthless, and the parents of some of these children fully support their children being bullies (yes I’ve seen this firsthand), so it wouldn’t matter if the school got involved anyway. there is so much racial division it’s no wonder they have fights almost every day. And of course the school is afraid to do anything for fear of being labeled racist.
Massaponax used to be a good high school, but it is circling the drain quickly.

Posted: October 4, 2022

Posted: October 19, 2020

This school is run by poor educators, an educator isn’t defined by their degree or education. To me a good educator is someone who innovates and pushes kids to do better and inspires them. This school has inspired me to remove my son from them and place in a much better learning environment all together.

Posted: October 19, 2020

Navigating the online has been a horrible experience, canvas always has issues and the teachers will try to throw your child under the bus for their lack of know how. When your kid has a question they will take up to two weeks to get back after you have sent several emails for help. Simply sad

Posted: October 19, 2020

Poor educators at this school, the parents are doing most of their work and we have been handed all the stress so far this year. I am disgusted in how things are being ran

Posted: October 19, 2020

What a joke, this school is horrible and all the bad reviews online have been addressed by other parents that advised me to switch my child’s school.

Posted: October 19, 2020

Even though my child has been at the school since August this year. I have reached out since that time for help and to get a game plan and the 504 case manager has pretty much ignored me. The teachers do the bare minimum as well. They keep piling the work on and what they should be doing is helping all the student that have fallen behind while being home 100% online to get caught up. Instead they are overwhelming the students who haven’t received proper accommodations. It is beyond ridiculous

Posted: October 19, 2020

I have seen video of how poorly the school has helped bullying. They made national news for their lack of helping

Posted: October 30, 2019

ZERO .... Do not ever send your child there.

Posted: October 30, 2019

Homework don't match whats being taught and teacher never check it. Just checking the box for the teacher

Posted: October 30, 2019

Don't care if a child needs help

Posted: October 30, 2019

On my, the staff and teachers so afraid to speak up. Vice Principle intimated them that they do what they have to do to keep their job no matter if its wrong.

Posted: October 30, 2019

Vice principal take sides and break the student code of conduct in her favor.

Posted: October 30, 2019

they ship out all kids with learning differences

Posted: October 30, 2019

Bullying is rewarded. School officials ignore all complaints. They wait until the child that's bullied fight back and then get rid of that child,

Posted: July 11, 2019

POOR! I am considering homeschooling my son this year because of how bad MHS is! From poor educators, a terrible music department, & lack of opportunities for a unique variety of students. It’s sad how much education in this part of Spotsylvania County is so terrible. I grew up in this area and went to a different school but at that time it was the best in the county. I don’t know what happened, but it is abundantly clear that there is something lacking at MHS, they do not provide their students with opportunities for growth and learning. My son is bored, invisible, and unhappy at this school & no matter what I do, who I call, email, or snail mail a letter to, nothing changes. It’s extremely tempting to homeschool him & the sad thing is he wants to!

Posted: July 11, 2019

My son rarely had homework and when he did it never made sense. If he had a question the teachers at MHS rarely responded in time to be helpful.

Posted: July 11, 2019

I haven’t been impressed with any of his teachers so far. My son will be a Junior this year and all Sunmer I have been going back and forth on homeschooling my son. I’ve always been a supporter of a public school education most of my family are teachers but they care about education & their students! MHS teachers seem to care less about their students, especially my son.

Posted: July 11, 2019

Posted: July 11, 2019

Leadership is clueless at this school, our son has been bullied by students and teachers and leadership is clueless.

Posted: July 11, 2019

Posted: July 11, 2019

It is abundantly clear that the leadership and the teachers of this school are clueless when it comes to effectively handling bullying.

Posted: April 16, 2019

Laughable. If I could leave it at that I would.

Posted: April 16, 2019

It is given to put a grade in the grade book. If you do it you get at least a B, and if you don't you start to fall behind without any system implemented for catching up.

Posted: April 16, 2019

They know how to teach the median.

Posted: April 16, 2019

There is a clear hierarchy in the treatment of students who play sports and those who don't. If you don't have a hobby you get to fall through the cracks.

Posted: April 16, 2019

Direction is non-specific and changes when something starts to look risky. It is better than to have a good appearance than enact any changes.

Posted: April 16, 2019

There is an excellent Special Ed department, but struggling students without disability are expected to figure it out.

Posted: April 16, 2019

I believe there was more than one gun/bomb threats to the school last year alone.

Posted: October 18, 2018

Many teachers use effective class time to work on practice and homework.

Posted: October 18, 2018

High expectations by the teachers of all students. My kid has had great teachers that has pushed him to perform better.

Posted: October 18, 2018

With a diverse population the school is working on developing a stronger sense of character in all students.

Posted: October 18, 2018

Very approachable principal who is connected to the students. My son's AP has been supportive and helpful when we needed his assistance.

Posted: October 18, 2018

Excellent special education program. Students are involved in many activities. General education students are offered many different ways to learn material and given additional chances to do well.

Posted: October 18, 2018

It's a big school with 2000 students and a very diverse population. The school is doing what it can to address bullying. Much of the issues come from social media and the use of their phones.

Posted: October 18, 2018

my older son graduated from Massaponax and earned significant scholarships from his private college and that is due to his experiences at Massaponax. My younger son who is a senior has also earned significant scholarships for the private college he is about to attend. This is common among many of the graduating seniors.

Posted: May 10, 2018

My children have been bullied for being friends with kids who are friends with people who don’t look like them. There are racial cliques at this school and unfortunately this causes division and fights many many fights. It’s a big school with a lot of angry kids who just want to learn.

Posted: May 10, 2018

It depends some kids with learning disabilities are given some benefits, my son had a lot of friends from his club with disabilities and they told him what it’s like. Kids with the physical disabilities are way more independent and unfortunately since this school is way underfunded they can’t afford IEP.

Posted: May 10, 2018

They throw every issue under the bus, of course when the mayors kids have an issue with bullying they address it in the HS newsletter and do all they can fight the bully.

Posted: May 10, 2018

This school isn’t all bad the arts program is good but it’s not a career of our future. My son goes to another hs after school club in stafford for robotics, that shouldn’t be necessary unfortunately since this is a Title 1 school we are less funded and overpopulated. I really don’t recommend this school if your child is interested in the sciences, they will be undermined. Try to get them into Thomas Jefferson if the schools in Fairfax they are much better. My kids have had friends from elementary and going here with them so thankfully they have friends. To be honest this is the kind of school where the kids watch out for themselves and don’t go out of their way to make new friends.

Posted: May 10, 2018

I have two children currently enrolled at Massaponax. My daughter is a senior and my son is a Sophomore, and my daughter is ready to leave. They are drowning in homework and have to teach themselves the lesson due to incompetent teachers.

Posted: May 10, 2018

Some seldom teachers my daughter had where exceptional unfortunately they have left and what happens is when a teacher leaves a school and doesn’t have the best experience, good teachers don’t want to come. This leaves my son with very lazy new teachers with an ineffective way to learning. While my daughter leaving to college in the fall is not prepared and I’m teaching her college readiness.

Posted: September 1, 2017

Posted: September 1, 2017

Posted: September 1, 2017

Posted: September 1, 2017

Posted: September 1, 2017

Posted: September 1, 2017

Posted: September 1, 2017

Terrible. Staff is so unorganized and they don't care about anything.

Posted: March 18, 2016

After attending Massaponax for 4 years I can say that it could be worse. Beyond problems plaguing most American High Schools, Massaponax has decent teachers. Most (not all) are respectful of students' freedoms and do not make overly strict rules and even bond well with them. Sadly, the school is severely under funded. The facilities are gross, the floors are dirty and never cleaned (except during the Summer), and the School in general is falling apart. Great athletic and music programs are another instance where the people make the best they can. Massaponax has a great band director and great coaches. In conclusion; Massaponax has good people, but bad facilities, over crowding, and under funding.

Posted: June 6, 2015

Great School. Lots of opportunities for the students. Excellent Leadership. So glad my children attend this school. The best high school in the county.

Posted: June 6, 2015

Posted: June 6, 2015

Posted: June 6, 2015

Posted: July 24, 2013

The teachers and coaches at this school are good and work hard with their limited resources. The administration is the problem here. They are unresponsive and make a lot of bad assumptions. The counselors have not been helpful with providing information and support for my college bound students. This school could do a much better job of partnering with parents and being proactive. When I called to speak with the principle about a problem I saw, I was told I could come speak if I liked but he WOULD NOT change his position. Not very much of a partnership.

Posted: June 2, 2013

Although the ignorance, poverty, and discrimination are great problems to be resolved, Massaponax is a challenging school with great teachers volunteering their time to benefit students' education, excellence, and excelling. There are many amazing clubs and teachers that are accepting and will help a dedicated student prevail despite the odds or circumstances.