Palm Harbor Middle School

Overall we are pleased with PHMS. The size is a little overwhelming for a middle school experience but when you are actively involved in your childs life and staying on top of their experience, work and social interactions you can help them adjust. Just like every day parenting, middle school has it's challenges. The staff and teachers have always been supportive of any needs/questions. They are friendly and willing to help. I was disheartened to see some of the comments here. As parents, WE are our childrens advocates. The expectation to leave that solely to a school is not realistic. If you are reading this to decide on an area to buy a home with good schools, Palm Harbor is a wonderful place to live. Remember that people will complain 10x's faster than give a compliment. I would suggest a tour of the school to make sure you are comfortable with the size. PHMS is a solid choice in this area.

Overall we liked this school. My kids have had wonderful teachers that have really tried to make a difference. This is our first experience of a US public school so I was pleasantly surprised at how well things went, while also horrified at the disrespectful behavior of many of the students and many parents.

My daughter just finished 8th grade at PHMS. We transferred in from out of state and was accepted very well. YES the school doesn't have a "formal" teacher conference unless one is needed but for the years she was there I have NEVER had a teacher or principal not return my call. I was VERY impressed with her teachers. She actually was lucky enough to have a "teacher of the year" teach her for math. The teacher CLEARLY deserved the award!!! I had also joined the PTSA. I can honestly tell you that there were VERY FEW parents who joined or cared to participate for most events. Fundraisers were "for elementary kids" and "I don't have time" were common excuses. The school even tried to actively solicit suggestions of what parents wanted and I witnessed a parent refuse to give her suggestion!! So if you are reading these evaluations please realize this is a BIG middle school. Personalized immediate attention (non emergency type) is challenging but the issues ARE addressed and taken seriously! Parents can choose to sit in "the back seat" and let the school "handle" things and complain or they can be involved and be part of the solution. The opportunity to be involved IS there. As for my daughter she LOVED the experience overall. She participated in several activities and clubs that they offered and was on National Junior Honor Society. She DID have a few incidences where she had to defend herself. It's an introduction to LIFE. Not every child that leaves middle school remembers a bad experience. We heavily researched all of the Pinellas School District schools and found that PHMS was the best choice for our daughter. Best of luck to you!

This school is not designed for parents who care about there kids. They do not have regular parent/teacher conferences so communication with parents is minimal. If you try to set up meetings with the teachers, they require you to do it through the school counselor and it becomes a nightmare of emails and communication issues. If your child is struggling academically or needs extra help, communication with teachers and staff is so difficult, it makes it almost impossible to get the help for your child. I have lived in a lot of states and had my four older kids in a lot of schools and I have never had my kids in a school as bad as this one. Good luck if you want to send your child here. Hope they do not require any help.