Estrella Foothills High School

Horrible school, my daughter just graduated last June, B's and C's student. Has to take remedial math and english classes at emcc to enter any program, tested under 50%, very sad!. They just push the kids through with no thought on their future. No homework, no supervision, kids pass equal money to them. Not sure how the administration or teachers could possible sleep at night. Fail someone it will get there attention, stop pushing them through!
--Submitted by a parent

Terriblr school. I have 4 children in the community and will not let them go to this school. the academics are terrible with no thought of preparing for college. Classes are not challenging and disipline is terrible. How they can get a 9? AIMS test scores are meaningless to the quality of the school.
--Submitted by a parent

I've gone to this school since Freshman year and I can honestly say it is one of the worst schools i've been too. When I first started I signed up for all honors classes, and my first semester I had a teacher who openly called me stupid for asking a question. I told my father who called her to hold a conference, the next day she pulled me out into the hallway and screamed at me for ten minutes for going to my dad. Ever since then it's been nothing but trouble. I strive on being "the perfect student" but this school seemingly punishes you for doing so. There are kids that will curse the teachers out, and get away with it. I got in trouble for being too quiet and supposedly not paying attention while I was taking down notes. I am a Junior now and my grades are all over the place, the classes I took early on like Algebra 1AB or Algebra 2 did not prep me for precalculus. Some of the teachers are nice and are there to help you, but the rest... It's indescribable how they act. Nothing I have ever seen before.
--Submitted by a student

All I can say is this school is horrible. My son and I were taking a tour of the place during a school day and we go into the cafeteria and there is a fight going on. The students are so disrespectful and the teachers could care less if the students pass or fail. And the review below about the poor girl that is being bullied by having her picture taken without knowing and being passed around is not right. Especially since the office staff or principal wont do anything at all. I can't believe it!
--Submitted by a parent

Counselors push to sign up students in honors programs. But C's and D's equal poor grade point averages. Poor grade point averages mean you can't get into a university. My child passed all AIMS on first try and excelled at 2 areas, but he may not have the grade point average because of all the honors classes he took. The school looks good on paper but has no concern for individual students. My advice is to double check EVERYTHING the counselors and administration tells you.
--Submitted by a parent

I want to give this 0 stars but it will not let me. My child has been at EFHS since 9th. He has had an IEP since 2nd grade. The school set goals for my child but never did 1 thing to help him meet the goal. He is now a Senior and I asked them, How is he to go to college and do well? Their answer, He would do well to get a job working with his hands. Nice huh. As a parent I am disgusted!
--Submitted by a parent

I LOVED this school! I was in a high school in Scottsdale before my family moved to the west valley. We picked EFHS because it was a newer school and was the perfect size. The administration staff is great as long as you stay out of trouble, the counselors are all amazing and very helpful when you ask for help. whoever said they didn't get to review their child's class choices is incorrect. An option for the next years classes are sent home with the student and they are supposed to go over it with their parent and get it signed and return it. There happens to be this thing called forgery...just because your child doesn't communicate with you is not the schools fault. Id recommend EFHS!

I am disappointed with the way the students pick their classes w/o a parent reviewing it. I felt I should have been able to see it and sign off on it. I would have preferred that my daughter had taken college courses. I also wished the qualifying test taken to get the college credit would also be explained to me. Now I have to pay for these classes when she is in college. She could have saved a lot of time doing this in High School.
--Submitted by a parent

We seem to be guilty till proven innocent, counselors push you into classes that you shouldn't be in so they can keep their excelling rating... My freshman year was good, but only because the school seemed to have time for the students, but now it has no time for anything but themselves. Teachers seem to forget that we dont just have their class, so they pile on more homework, no kidding freshman year my backpack weighed 50 pounds. That ccp program they are so proud of that they force us into, sucks! it doesn't help anyone, all it does is give us a class to sleep in. The only way for a student to be heard is for them to go over the administrators head and go to the supers. They focus too much on us having cellphones!!! its like passing notes, you guys did it! now we are doing it!!!
--Submitted by a student

In our opinion, this is an excellent public school. Does a rating of 'excellence' mean it is W/O problems...no one would be so naive... I want to make an additional comment b/c there may be some parents/students out there who do read this: The experience of any student is directly related to the parents involvement with their teen in this process...not an isolated kid who comes home to an empty house (obviously there are exceptions). By in large a loving, supportive, and parent(s) involvement in their teens life reflects many +'s that may not be picked up by the school. So, we see many excellent students, involved kids in the schools activities, parents who show up and support their teens, and engaging faculty with excellent email/etc communication. Therefore, yes, this IS AN EXCELLENT SCHOOL...PROVIDED the parents are involved...we see the problems deriving from anything other than this...
--Submitted by a parent