Wasilla Middle School

I am in my 2nd year at WMS. The first year was ok, however 8th and 7th graders would tease the 6th graders, and the teachers approved of it by also saying that 6th graders "are at the bottom of the totem pole" and not sticking up for them. I am almost done with my 7th grade and I think this was the worst school year of my whole life. I can't take art class seriously since most of it seems to be elementary stuff (or is just review from last year), the Make Your Day program is just a joke, bullies seem to be everywhere, and there are no after school activities that I want. There are some nice teachers, but then you start to dislike most of them by the end of the year or by your next year.

Very unhappy with the scool leadership, overcrowded, all in all this school will suck your childs soul and they will not be able to connect with the joy of learning as the school is run like a prison. On the plus side there are a few great staff members that really do love their jobs and the kids; however they are few and far between :(
--Submitted by a parent

Parent involvement is not encouraged. Make Your Day Program is disliked by students, most consider it a 'joke'. Staff support of substitute teachers is often non-existant. Principal is not very observant and very much out of touch with what's happening in the school.
--Submitted by a parent

dude i love this school it is the best. i never thought that a school could be so much better. when i go to school there the teacher are nice andare verey helpfull. that is all i have to say about wms.
--Submitted by a student

The school is great and I love how they challenge me with new concepts. I am a seventh grader and because I did so well last year I have now advanced onto Algebra 1 and am in my second year of learning the Russian language. The teachers are great and do a good job teaching.
--Submitted by a student

I think this is an exceptional school with great teachers!
--Submitted by a parent

Wms is a good school with good teachers but i think that the make your day points is pointless. Only about half the teachers actually do points and it does [not] stop bad kids from do[ing] bad things so why not just get rid of it all together?
--Submitted by a student

Well. WMS is an okay school, but it's not excellent. I don't think the Make Your Day Program does anything except make kids want to get into trouble. The MYD program is just another fancy meaning for Time Out. The teachers are awesome though. McCourt, Mack, Gelatt, and Pettijohn are my teachers this year and they are exceptionally good at what they teach.
--Submitted by Joyce Osborne, a student

I was (emphasis on was) excited to get my children out of the neighboring school district and into WMS (for one of them at least). She was an exceptional student with ability all around. The school does not handle the problems appropriately (blinders arent' appropriate). After only one half a year at the school and being suspended for the rest of the year she is being advanced to the next grade and will not be going back to that school, even if that means homeschooling. I would rather be the one to mess up than leave it in the hands of strangers who clearly don't have your child's best interests in mind. I have to say though... the STEP program is better than what they do in Anchorage.
--Submitted by a parent

As a parent of 3 children who attended WMS, I have seen all aspects of this school. I have one child who is extremely advanced and am sorry to say that she sat bored in classes while getting perfect scores. They could not or would not challenge her! They do not meet the needs of a wide variety of children and do not meet the scholastic guidlines. My children were given the option of going to a better school(that met the guidlines) but would have to sit on a bus for almost 2 hours each way.
--Submitted by a parent