Paradise Valley High School

I LOVE this this high school and the block scheduling! It affords so many more opportunities for students to explore electives while still getting everything they need academically. I have two honors students there and they receive excellent instruction. Their teachers care, and there are many, many after school opportunities. The administration is great and very responsive. Every concern I have ever had has been addressed immediately and to my complete satisfaction. I like that the CTE and Crest programs are there so there is something for every student. The opportunities for academic and life skill exploration are boundless! High School is where kids should be trying on different academic and skill hats to see what fits and PV offers and encourages that. Great job PVHS!
—Submitted by a parent

Paradise Valley High School is under new leadership with a great new principal that is very involved in all aspects of the school. I wish that my student would have had all four years with her, she is student and parent friendly. My son graduated with honors, academic scholarships and was a full time student-athlete.
—Submitted by a parent

^^^^^^^ lies the admins. is very nice,and helpful. and if you hate them then something is wrong with you because my daughter was a teacher aide and they only treated her with the most,utterly respect anyone could be
—Submitted by a parent

My son has had a very successful academic career @ PV. He has played sports and has been involved with the many activities that the high school has to offer. If anyone has a negative comment about the school it is because they are a student that does not put their best interest forward or someone from another school trying to better their school by defining our school by its boundary lines. Nothing could make me happier than to see the real world represented at PV. Young men and women trying to make a great high school experience by having a great education with many veteran teachers that care about the progress of their students.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter just completed her freshman year. I found the teachers she had to be above average and very helpful. I like the block scheduling as it is better preparation for college and life application. Her involvment in the Band was the best thing for her as a freshman because of the family aspect. The upper classmen adopted the freshman so that by the time school started, the freshman weren't left out on a line to face the new challenges of HS. Parental involvement is also a key to classes and organizations. I even loved hanging and working with the band - great bunch of kids and parents. I guess my only complaint would be in communications. I believe if the school is going to have web sites for the teachers that they should be required to use them. They are great way of communicating with the parents if used right.T
—Submitted by a parent

My son is getting exactly what he needs at PV. The band and robotics programs are outstanding. Academics in regular classrooms are not strong enough, so he will be taking AP and honors classes next year, which I hear are excellent. Block scheduling makes both academic and extra curricular classes work much better. Students are held accountable for their work, so this may not be the right school to improve a student with discipline problems because they probably just flunk out. It is not clear to me that the school administration would be able to help. My son is attending this school out of district for the band program and excellent availability of vo-tech classes. Robotics is a plus (and they won state in 2008).
—Submitted by a parent

Pv has a terrible admin. great teachers. but a horrible administration, which is the backbone of a school. With a bad backbone you will always fail.
—Submitted by a student

I love PV and I can't imagine going anywhere else. I have so many opportunities for AP classes and college credits that I couldn't get elsewhere. I love the block scheduling more than anythign though. I really feel that it helps me to learn more and to really comprehend the information. By the time I graduate from PV, i could already be a sophomore in college because of all the college credit opportunities I am receiving.
—Submitted by a student

Poor when it comes to instruction to student's with learning disabilities (ie dyslexia). High student grades give the illusion that the student comprehends the subject. My student passed without learning at grade level. My student cannot read or write at grade level.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have had a great experience at PV. My AP/Honors students have a wide variety of classes to choose from. Caring helpful teachers and staff. Great opportunities for participation in activities.
—Submitted by a parent

If the students take part in the AP and honors courses the education is excellent. The environment at PV is very diverse and it helps prepare students for the real world. There aren't as many problems with the students compared to other schools nearby. I wouldn't have my daughter go anywhere else.
—Submitted by a parent

My son just graduated from PV high school. I was not impressed with the academics at this school. I agree with someone elses comment here that it's a day care for teenagers. He had several ineffective barely competent teachers.
—Submitted by a parent

We currently have two son's @ PV.One son is a senior,and will graduate this year with several option's in r/t (College/Sport Scholorship) opprotunities in both Division I & Community College.Our other son is currently a Junior taking AP classes,as well as,next year.He has also participated in athletic's and was recommened by PVHS staff to represent PVHS as a'Boy's State Representative'.I feel I need to mention we moved our family of '6' to the 'PVHS' from 'DVHS'in Ahwatukee,to seek a school that not only promoted student accountability & responsibility.We wanted a school that had our son's best interest at heart,not their's.I needed a school that was honest in communicating with me as a parent.My husband & I couldnt be more supportive or confident in the abilities as well as the motivation of PVHS Administration & teaching staff in wanting nothing less than the best for our children!
—Submitted by Deborah Carlson, a parent

I feel that this school is only okay. Fees are also outrageous. That's the district's fault, though, I believe. Overall it's an okay school, not great, just okay.
—Submitted by Broke, a parent

Administration is poor. This is a critical part of the schools system. Mr. Van Buren rules!
—Submitted by Bill Lumbert, a parent

This is my son's 3rd yr. at PV. He has jazz at 630am, marching band at 730am and then all his academic classes after. At the end of this yr he will have 26 credits. The extracurricular activities are awesome at PV. The band and football parents are almost over involved. Without the the parents being so involved, the band and football staff would not be able to do the job they are doing so well. There are extracurricular activities before and after school, it's your choice to be involved or not. I can't say the same for ALL the teachers or the administration, unfortunately.
—Submitted by a parent

PVHS needs to focus on academics and not waste money on extra curricular activities. It's a good school but it need improvements.
—Submitted by a parent

This school was wonderful. Id recommend it to everyone! I loved it and learned so much.
—Submitted by a student

This school is a day care for teenagers!
—Submitted by a parent

Paradise Valley's use of the block scheduling allows my daughter to academically excel. She's offered high quality academic courses with teachers who fully utilize their teaching abilities to reach students. She's also offered a wide variety of elective options and feels she has to the tools to explore career options for her future. Paradise Valley has outstanding career and academic counseling for students and encourages the use of scholarships, testing such as SAT, ACT and other programs for the college bound student. My daughter will be taking several college classes her senior year, which is an option for her with block scheduling. I believe this puts her in a better position being University bound. I cannot speak highly enough about the education my child is receiving at Paradise Valley and the the staff who is making that possible.
—Submitted by a parent