Gainesville High School

GHS is a great school. As a sophomore in the Cambridge program, I feel challenged but not overwhelmed. There's a variety of interesting classes, electives, clubs, and sports. The faculty is friendly, reachable, and very helpful. The school is clean and well kept with the administrators pitching in to keep campus clean. Mr. Shellnut can always be seen around campus picking up trash and engaging students in conversation. I've never felt unsafe or in danger at school, and dress code and discipline policies are well enforced. The students are very diverse and there are many cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds represented, resulting in a relaxed comfortable environment. I think this is because no one feels judged. There isn't much of a hierarchy among the students, which is nice because no one feels pressured to conform to any standards. Academically, all of the subjects are well taught and represented with classes outside of your standard high school curriculum offered. Students have a variety of academic electives to choose from. There's a great tutoring program run by the teachers in the library after school that's very helpful. GHS is an awesome school and I highly recommend it.

The teachers are great!. GHS is highly accredited due to the teachers. Administration has been lax with discipline. Some of the students are making it hard for the other students to learn. These students are making it very difficult for the teacher to teach. GHS is going to find it self in trouble if they do not step up and deal with this. If teachers start leaving then say goodbye to the A rating the school has enjoyed these last few years.

We chose GHS with great expectations for the Cambridge Program. GHS has been profoundly disappointing, anyone moving here from the NE would find woefully inadequate teachers, classrooms without AC, sub par labs and overall pitiful infrastructure that seems unchanged since the 1950s. GHS Cambridge faculty are far below New England's mainstream teachers. 9th and 10th grade math teachers at GHS (especially Ms. Rapp) teach by intimidation, humiliating and bullying the students. The Cambridge Program has great potential, but the faculty at GHS are clearly over their heads and unqualified to offer this program. If you are an academic family with school age children thinking of relocating to Gainesville, don''t do it! It is really like a move back in time, and not in a good way.

I have had two children attend this school, one being in the highly academic Cambridge program and the other in mainstream classes. Most of the teachers are involved and very concerned about their students, overall a 4. The biggest negative is the administration and lack of support for children and parents. Starting from the principal, lip service is given but no real action gets taken if there is an issue/problem/question. The students best interest or academic need are never ahead of the status quo. The typical perception of public school. There are exceptions, such as Mr. Mercer and Mr. Testa in the administration/Guidance, they actually seem to care. The deans, counselors, etc. are not that helpful and very disappointing if you actually need their assistance. Parents are not very welcome, and the attitude of the school seems to prefer if they stay away. The band and sports programs are highly successful at this school, but beware of some of the volatile directors and coaches which also follow. Basically, your child, due to the teachers, will get a good education, but students will not leave feeling warm and fuzzy. Not a community school you want to embrace.