Prattville High School

The new principal, has greatly improved this school since he took over in Aug. 2011. This year 2012-2013 is even better. I have an AP student who has attended 8 schools over 12 years and she is thriving with caring teachers. We are a military family on our second assignment to Maxwell AFB. Our oldest graduated from LAMP when we lived on base and it was a fine school for her. PHS has given our other child a broader view of socioeconomic situations and academic levels. Our teen was accepted at LAMP since we thought we would move to Montgomery, but we decided the broader spectrum of sports, clubs, and students at PHS would be a better option and selected to live in Prattville.
—Submitted by a parent

PHS is one of the worst schools we have ever dealt with. Teachers do not communicate with parents unless you contact the Principle or Asst. Principle to get things handle. Teachers leave in the middle of the year and parents are not notified, they expect the students to tell their parent which leave parents with no contact information. Students have to redo work done in class because either teacher or teacher s aides have lost or not graded the work. Parents are expected to purchase Inow website in order to keep up with how their children are doing in school however teachers do not update them until months later if they do at all! I have contacted the counselor when we found out we were moving, left a message and NEVER received a return phone call. This school only cares about their sports team ...especially FOOTBALL so if you would like to be on a winning FOOTBALL team PHS is your school but if you want a school that cares about your children run the other way and find another school.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm appalled at how teachers and other staff members are ignoring the blatant bullying problem at this school. A girl I am very close to almost shot herself last night after having read several notes with hateful, hurtful, and otherwise deplorable comments on them. If this continues, I will most definitely be contacting administration. This is not okay and has to stop!

My daughter graduated from Prattville in 2009 and my son is poised to graduate this May. Both my children have received educations that have prepared them for the next stage in their lives. My daughter is currently enrolled at UAB and my son plans to attend Stamford University. Prattville High is not undisciplined or substandard in any way. It goes back to parenting and not expecting the school to be your children's guardian. The adage "Garbage in/Garbage out" is true of any program. That said, Prattville offers AP and Honors courses for the students who expect to be challenged. If you don't like its focus on football, ask -- no, plead for a transfer out of this area of the country, because it is a huge part of our heritage in Alabama and across the southeast as well. Go Lions!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is great. My whole four years of going here were the best years of my life. I just recently graduated from Prattville and the school is not a zoo. Considering how many kids go there it is doing very well. All schools have things they aren't proud of, like fights. It doesn't just happen at Prattville. I was apart of the band and that was wonderful. We don't just care about football. Academics are more important that football. Just because we are good and take pride in it doesn't mean that is all we focused on. I would recomend this school to any teenager.
—Submitted by a student

To all the parents who dont actually go there, you obviously have no idea about it. There is control, especially with the arival of Mr. Dennis. From people not attending the school, it does look like its all about football, but trust me its not!!! I have teachers that are extremely hard, and I'm a straight a student. Band is great, the pep rallies are amazing and the classes are challenging. Please do not post about what you dont know.
—Submitted by a student

Prattville high school is a big public school with a wide variety of kids and interests. In general, they do a good job in maintaining discipline. Academically the kids do well in the honors and AP classes and many come out with extremely high SAT and ACT scores. In the regular level classes there are quite a few that aren't there to learn. My big complaint with the school was that they require a class time for varsity athletics. When you combine that plus some of the health class requirements for freshman it doesn't leave a lot of academic classes for college bound kids. If you aren't going to be there through graduation I would raise a ruckus over the health classes. They will work with you on this if you complain high enough.
—Submitted by a parent

This school leaves a lot to be desired. It is a zoo. Teachers don't seem to have control at all. It's way too hard to reach teachers and forget getting a call back. my child has done well here but to many troublemakers who have no desire to learn. do not send your child here! Military families look to Mary for better education!!!!!! Football is not life...education is.
—Submitted by a parent

This is the worst school in the state. The principal only cares about football and politics. He runs for the office of superintendent, but can't even run this school. He should be replaced immediately.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is disappointing at best. The faculty, from the principal to the guidance counsellors are difficult to reach and respond to parents only after being threatened with escalating to their superiors. This school is not about academics and if you read the reviews that say the school is good, you'll notice they were posted in 2007-2008. My son has attended PHS for three years and I have not been impressed by the curriculum or the faculty. I believe that the focus is on simply getting a paycheck and football (not necessarily in that order). Look for other alternatives. PHS is not the place for your children if you'd like a school that actually cares about the students.
—Submitted by a parent

Although there are a few wonderful teachers and some fun clubs to get involved in, overall this school is terrible! The school is better than the Montgomery public schools; however, it is a zoo, and many of the students act like animals. Many teachers do nothing about blatant tabacco use, and fights occur more than frequently. The administration is pathetic, and football is the focus. The four by four block schdule in addition to the overwhelming amount of lazy teachers makes it difficult to truly learn material. Military families avoid putting your teens in this school if at all possible!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is OK. The AP classes are a must to be challenged and to get away from toublemakers. The band is great for students to make friends. I feel there is not much leadership from the principal. Dress codes not enforced. Football players get away with way too much. The average student would be kicked out. I think this school is on its way down quickly if they don't move Mr. Agee from the Jr. High to the high school very quickly. It is all about the football, but they have seen the best days already. That said, my freshman all A's band student loves it!
—Submitted by a parent

Terrible school. no academics all sports. Priniciple only cares about moving up politically. He wants to be superintendent and has run for the office, but can't control his own school
—Submitted by a parent

Not easy for transfer students to get into. The district makes it difficult to transfer credits. No parental involvement what so ever. And it's all about the football team. Sports is a class vs. an extracurricular, which is hilarious, just to advance the football team.
—Submitted by a parent

Prattville High School is a wonderful school to attend. To the parent that said the advanced diploma was going to be discontinued at this school, that is not true. I am on the advanced diploma and continue to be on it in the '09-'10 school year. The staff at this school are very caring an are very motivative to me and my peers. School spirt is excellent at Prattville High School. I am in the Pride of Prattville Marching Band and it is excellent! My freshman year was so much easier because I was in the band and I already knew so many people. If you are relocating to Prattville, be prepared to love this school and to join the band :)
—Submitted by a student

Prattville High School is a horrible school to attend. Parents may think so but its not. There are too many people and too small of a school. Its apperence is large, but with so many people, its too small.
—Submitted by a student

To the parent below.. The advanced diploma is still being offered in 2009. You were obviously misinformed. Great academics, social life, athletics, and overall school spirit.
—Submitted by a parent

Biggest complaint - very unmotivated teachers, they are not caring nor have challenged my daughters to excel; I had to send my freshman daughter to a geometry tutor just to be able to comprehend the material sucessfully...their jrotc program totally turned off my formerly motivated jrotc enrolled daughter from her former school and attended in her sophmore year there will now not pursue it further after her experience at PHS. More $$ and attention is spent on their football program than academics. My freshman daughter had to dress out for PE in a hallway of an athletic bldg. There are no locker rooms for the freshman girls enrolled in the mandatory PE class. Their 'advanced diploma' program is now gone (beginning 2009-2010). If I had to do it over again, I would have put my daughters in a private school. If relocating, prepare your children for a huge culture shock.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has a mediocre faculty (excluding a few) and needs to reform their system.

The academics at this school are acceptable and challenge my child. There are several extracurricular activities, but the money for them comes from the parents and fund raisers, not from the district itself. The band program is excellent and we haven't had any problems with the teachers or the administration. The football program is one of the best in the state. It's great for school spirit, but it overshadows some of the other aspects of the school.
—Submitted by a parent