Whitefish Bay High School

Disappointing. We moved to this area for the schools. Grade school and middle school were mostly very good. The high school has been frustrating due to lack of balance, a culture that does not promote tolerance and an abject refusal to address the toxic stress experienced by students. However, there are several teachers at this school who are truly exceptional.

I feel obligated to respond to the most recent posting by a parent on January 23, 2016. I could not disagree more with the advice to never send your child to WFBHS.First, and foremost, the teachers at WFBHS truly care deeply about their students and their professions. They are committed to providing the highest caliber of education to ALL students, not just a few students. The staff are incredible, caring, and compassionate as well.Second, the opportunities made available to current and alumni WFBHS students are uncommon and made more remarkable by the reality that WFBHS is a public school.Third, WFBHS is small enough for personalized attention, but large enough to provide a myriad of intellectual and social outlets for students to develop.Finally, the parents and community are committed to the school. While there is no denying that this commitment carries its own baggage too, I would prefer to send my children to a school where the teachers, parents, and community are active than one where they are not.The aforementioned is not intended to dismiss the previous parent's concerns. I would agree that the homogeneity of Whitefish Bay as a community ultimately impacts the culture at WFBHS in a negative way. Diversity is encouraged on the surface, but not always supported with any rigor or depth. Still, the description offered is more of an exception than a rule at WFBHS.I would strongly recommend WFBHS to any and all parents.

Whitefish Bay High School has an extraordinary academic record and exemplary staff. For college-prep students, there probably are only a few other school systems in Wisconsin that measure up to the high bar set by WFBHS. However, after sending three children through the system, with one thankfully transferring out as a freshman, I would NEVER advise anyone to send their child to WFBHS. The social climate is cruel and toxic. There is a little outright physical bullying, but social intimidation and subordination -- rejection, hostility, and exclusion -- are really the norm. I do not fault the school system as much as the broader social environment of the community for this abhorrent condition. I fault the parents for not recognizing -- and even contributing -- to the social jungle that pervades WFBHS. The "popular" groups within the caste system make "Mean Girls" look like a nursery school. If you are not "accepted," you are outcast. To be "accepted," you must buy into the system and prey on other students. And this is true not just for the girls, although they are definitely more prone to social murder. I realize this kind of behavior exists at most schools, but I would hope it is the exception not the rule. In WFB it is institutionalized. I also realize that my criticisms could be dismissed as the whining of a mother of social misfits (which I am not). To prove my point: I have discussed this with other parents and students who fully agree with my assessment. I have done my homework to confirm this reality exists, not just for my children but for all that attend the school, on the top or bottom of the social ladder.

Whitefish Bay High School is an outstanding college preparatory school. The students are well instructed, treated as adults, and challenged in every way. The school offers a wide variety of extra-curricular activities and opportunities: music, athletics, art, drama, service, leadership... Students are encouraged to participate in and out of the classroom. The character, growth and mental well-being of all students are priorities for the administration and staff. They are well prepared for success in college and many go on to top universities around the country. So proud and fortunate that my children attend this school.