Russell County High School

The entire school district is a joke! They do not care about educating our children. They have no interest in our childrens futures, nor do they care about them as individuals. They are quick to punish, yet won't protect a child being bullied. As a military family, our children have been in 5 different school districts in 4 different states and this is by FAR the WORST I have ever witnessed.
—Submitted by a parent

Russell County High School isn't a terrible school, but it is FAR from being a great school. I have been a student there for four years, and in my experience, some of the teachers don't deserve the job, and the school needs people who actually understand how to run it. Some teachers give out little to no work, and do not teach at all. My advice: send your children to another school where they can actually get an education to prepare them for college and life.
—Submitted by a student

To the parent whose children were in NY. I have to say I agree with the other parents who have given feedback on your situation. My family and and a few other parents in my neighborhood came from NY/NJ area as well so we can understand the comparison. Guess I'm a bit different. When I've called ANYONE whether it's school or not in reference to my children and I don't get a return call within a certain amount of time, I make a face to face appearance. As far as money for different events at the school, along with the request for fees due, a letter has been sent home with my child for each sport for payment as well as a request for parents to help with fundraising so the fees can either be obsolete or lowered by more than 2/3s. Example, the track and soccer teams have been raising funds by working concession stands at college games, the bball sold t shirts and drink cups, the baseball team has done the same as well. My child so far this school year is participating in 2 sports (right now) and the only thing it has costs us is gas and time. By the way I have 4 children, 2 in high school and 2 in middle school. Have you been to the parent meetings posted on the website?
—Submitted by a parent

RCHS is not a terrible school it may be some thing they need to tighten up on and that is helping our kids to excel on the AHSGE a lot of this stuff on the AHSGE is not taught in our school in a timely manner and it make it hard on the kids and stressful on the parent. RCHS need more tutoring offered for our kids to help them out where they are weak, Please books need to be sent home for our kids.
—Submitted by a parent

I 100% hate this school, we have to take classes that mean NOTHING for our future. I am in BTA right now (Business Tech Application) where all we do is TYPE ALLLLLLLLLLLL day TWICE. This school SUCKS! If you are a parent DO NOT send your kid here!!!!!!!!!!
—Submitted by a student

Let me address each of these issues. My kids participated in lacross, bowling , and band at schools in new york...all had free transportation to and from games and practice. All sports were free. Uniforms were provided free. RCHS wanted $500 a season for softball, and I was to provide transportation. With 3 students, its not affordable. Maybe your kids were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, mine weren't. My kids are healthy weights, not shy, and are adjusting VERY well in their 14th school, (our ONE deliberate move, to get OUT of RCHS). We did all we could to stay at our last station, but the ARMY thought it best for taxpayers to pay 20,000 to move our family so my husband can do the same job here he could have done there. Write your congressman. As for trying to resolve the issues,yes, I called assistant principles,guidence counselors,The principal, and even Mike Green superintendent. My conclusion is that they have all been educated at RCHS. This wasn't personal. I didnt bash you or your family. I gave an observation as a person with alot of experience in this area. Compared with the rest of the country...RCHS is pathetic. Look beyond your backyard and see for yourself.
—Submitted by a parent

Military wife commenting below. I think you have hit the nail on the head. I have found that most parents and children who do not like their schools do not actively participate in anything at the school nor do they try to do anything to make change. They go with the flow and complain, complain, complain. Solutions, I feel for parents who do not particularly care for a certain school is to transfer the child(ren) to another school of their preference or to home school. In 20 years of Army service my children have changed schools 4 times. As you stated, several times, we too have called My husband's Branch requesting extensions and each time our requests were granted. 13 schools is a bit much but not unheard of even for officers. Since there are only 12 years of schooling, why 13 schools I wonder? I hope the other family didn't move every time her husband had to go to a special school for his career which sometimes only last 1 month or so. You never know. Well, this is our last assignment and I love RCHS. I am actively involved, the teachers and I exchange emails, we attend games, and volunteer whenever we can. We haven't joined the PTA yet but do intend on doing so.
—Submitted by a parent

My son has been a student at RCHS from 9th grade and is now about to graduate class of 2010..he has had a 4.0 gpa since 9th grade He has been accepted to the University of Alabama ..we have had nothing but positive results from RCHS ! If you have children that do not care about there education then they cause problems and make it difficult of the teachers to do there job! If your a parent that doesn't respect the teachers position then your child will not !! All schools have problems and All children and Family are different! My son loves RCHS and has a very bright future ahead Thanks RCHS
—Submitted by a parent

I'm tired of people talking smack about Russell county! its a great achool! Yeah it has its issues but last time i checked so does every other school! everything bad people are saying is stuff that goes on every school. Its not the school, if you pay attention its the kids that arn't be raised right and have bad parents. don't blame the school cause you didn't raise your child right! Look at the baseball team and all they've accomplished. and the band! they beat smiths station last fall! ya'll all should look at the things RCHS has succeeded in and not so much at they very few things they may have not done perfectly. No school is perfect. RCHS does its best so quit bashing it all the time!

Ok so lets be for real for a second just because kids at russell county dont want to learn dont mean its a bad school ok so lets not go and blame the teachers cause we have some pretty great teahcers and people always brag about the ROTC program we do have other programs including band which is a really great band memebers are really great people but people never see that people always look for the bad in our school and i dont like that cause we have a really good school just none of the parents get involved with our school so we can only do what we can as students and teachers so please look at the good in our school before you run your mouth
—Submitted by a student

The teachers fail to communicate with parents and they act like it is a hardship when you need to call and ask questions. Anyone can walk into the school anytime they please. There are no real security measures in place to protect the students. The whole school seems to have a 'Who cares' attitude. I wish I had the money to send my kids elsewhere. This school gets the lowest possible rating from me.
—Submitted by a parent

Compared to other schools I have worked, iabove average. Students won't complete homework!! It's so sad to see students in high school that can't do basic math. They won't put in the time to learn the remedial ideas needed to succeed in the current subjects. The school does have some great teachers and staff. Parents have got to be totally involved in their child's education. Inclusion is horrible and hurts the entire curriculum, especially the performing students. That is happening in all public schools. Most schools are underfunded. RCHS's money is underfunded and misallocated. Admin/state is too worried about keep people from quitting by lowering standards and jumping through parent/student hoops. Diploma's have lost tremendous value due to the lowering of expectations. Schools are too focused on 'making AYP.' Want to improve education? Expell troublemakers, require students to uphold high standards Our most valuable asset: Public Education Is Quickly Dying!!! HELP!!!
—Submitted by a teacher

I am a stundent at russell county school and i think it is a great school to attend. Also i think it is very rude and crazy to write something like that about your own school. Especially a former teacher that once taught at this school. I think the teacher try their best to help the students here every way that they can. Even if you think that the school isn't a great school. You do not help it by talking bad about it all you do is make it seem worse than what it really is. That is all i have to say and to all of you all that talked bad about russell county schools all that i have left to say is hi haters
—Submitted by a student

I have to say that I love Russell County High. I think that the teachers are great they do whatever they can to help. I feel that many people that observe and attend take these teachers and other staff for granted. Yes there are students who are pests and unwilling to participate and learn, but all schools have that, There are then the students who work hard and are serious about college and their education such as myself. There are many great opportunities avaliable at this school, that could aid you in futhering yourself with your education or career, whether you plan on attending college or not. Overall, I believe this school has changed significantly since i began my high school career. I love RCHS :) Brittany Buster
—Submitted by a student

As a former student of RCH, c/o 04, i can say that it is in my opinion a good school. No it isnt perfect and has its faults, but what school doesnt? Everyone wants to put RCH down and say that it is a waste of time to go there but they arent takin time to see where it was a while back. The teachers, when i was there, did what they could plus more to make sure you graduated on time. i would also like to say thank you to the teachers that helped me when ever i needed it. especially mrs. duvall. if not for her im positive i wouldnt have graduated on time. its sad to hear she wont be back this year. she was one of the good ones.
—Submitted by a student

I am a student that attrends Russell Coumty. This is by far the worst school you could ever go to. The teachers don't care about your grades, and the students are stuck up. The only good thing is the band. Mr.Gainous and Mr.Skeen are wonderful band directors. But still...This is a bad school.
—Submitted by a student

I currently attend RCHS. As a military child I move around alot and I see alot of diffrent schools..This one is by far the worst. The school is unsanitary, unorginaized, unwilling in it's efforts to improve the teaching, and downright pathetic. The administration is also unsatable. The had principal makes very little attempt to ensure that the regulations she has set in are enforced. The teachers are ineffecent and unwilling to do the job they are payed to do; as far as helping enforce the rules, alot of times the teachers will help the students violate them. What little extracirricular activities we do have are poorly funded and constructed. The Drivers Ed. course, for instance, this year is currently unable to administer the Driving portion of the class becuase of a lack of willing substitutes, equipment, and students.
—Submitted by a parent

I think this school is horrible, sorry to say this though. and the school doesnt know what they are doing, they dont even pay attention to the students or what is best for them.it seems all they care about is just getting through the day and getting it over with.also, they have poor teaching creditentials and they waste money on things that are not necessary.instead of putting the money to good use, such as books and desks and other helpful materials, they use the money for outside appearances which really does not matter because it is not of any help to the students.and one last thing, theyre disciplinary actions are inefficient.

I currently have two children that attend Russell County High School. I want to thank the Band Instructors for everything that they do for the children . My children love Band. Mr. Gainous and Mr. Skeen are a asset to Russell County HIgh School. The trophies that the band won should prove that. I am very grateful that there are still teachers that can give student a hope,dream and a chance at a great future. Lisa Lewis Mack
—Submitted by a parent

I give it 1 star. due to the fact that my child never has any homework, he can't bring home books, he is made to sing on holidays he is suppose to be off from school, and when we tried to contact teachers to be involved in our childs progress we never received any phone calls back from his teachers that we tried to contact.
—Submitted by a parent