Desert Mountain High School

I'm currently in my senior year, and I still haven't discovered why high school is "the best time of my life". There is a BIG problem with substance abuse, but the school sweeps it under the rug. I can count on one hand how many teachers that I've liked and learned from. But I've had quite a lot of classes where the teachers just couldn't control the class! The administration is not very helpful at all. As a senior going off to college next year, I would appreciate it if I was treated like an adult. But I get the complete opposite--a five year old going to kindergarten for the first time. As for the students... I'm just happy to say that I found my friends without having to mingle with them. The majority of the students need to step out of Scottsdale for one day and experience life!
--Submitted by a student

We pulled our son out of DMHS mid-year because of poor choices he was making. The problem was that hundreds of students there were doing the same thing! DMHS seemed to lack the necessary controls to monitor the substance abuse problem, the inappropriate displays of affection, the dress code violations, and disrespectful students. The Counseling Dept. let us down when we most needed guidance. When I tried contacting all his teachers, only one cared enough to reply. I applaud the DMHS IB program (our younger son chooses this path), but if your son/daughter struggles with motivation and is more of a "hands on learner," they will suffer at DMHS. We've chosen to go out-of-district with son #2. He's in honors and AP classes and loves it. Whatever substance problem they have at his school is minor in comparison to DMHS. Good luck going there. You will need it.
--Submitted by a parent

I was a student at desert mountain until my junior year when my family moved to colorado. The education was a joke. The administration had no control of the overprivileged students that ran the school. I Spent probably half my classes with my head phones in my ears so i didn't have to listen to the bickering that was occurring between the students and the teachers. The school was run by politics and the teachers were too scared to do anything for fear the wrath of parents would come down on the. I experienced many drug deals and sexual activities in plain sight with no actions being taken to stop it. Fights occurred regularly as well. It seems like an A+ school but that is just because it is so easy to get an A.
--Submitted by a student

We have moved here from out of state- so I have a junior and freshman this year. Freshman seems to be doing fine since she is in pre-IB program. Hard cirriculum and she likes her classes. My Junior though, is struggling with the mean girls aspect of the class and it seems that the 13+girls that run the school are quite vicious. My daughter loved high school till she came here and now cant wait to get out. The teachers so far have been ok and genuinly seem surprised that I would reach out to them to introduce myself and involve myself with my kids education. On the other hand the junior counselor is un approachable, mean and seems to not like the kids or job very much- to date has been completely un helpful. DMHS is the school of mean girls......
--Submitted by a parent

Impressive!! The staff and teachers at the school are top notch and very supportive. Sure, you will always find a teacher you're not pleased with, just as you will anywhere in life, but this school has a remarkably high number of fantastic, dedicated teachers!
--Submitted by a parent

This school and the very dedicated teachers help the students reach their potenial.
--Submitted by a parent

I went to desert mountain and yes, was part of the IB program. IB was where the students who went to the top tier universities came from and its obvious why. I was so prepared for my university, which is top tier, even more prepared than some of my peers here who did AP at their high schools and were top of their class. IB just fosters an environment of intellectual stimulation, and yes pulls the best teachers for an obvious reason - its got the best students who are eager and ready to learn. I can't say much about the non-IB courses. However, extracurricular at GW were great. the arts - from drama to music to visual arts were at least while I was there top notch. People who put down DMHS are those who don't put forth the effort to get everything they can out of the school.
--Submitted by a student

A+++ school. Desert Mountain is a nationally ranked school. They have fabulous teachers for all students. The students are very nice and respectful.
--Submitted by a parent

It is the worst school. My first day of teaching the teachers told me I could not be creative, I had to teach exactly what and how they taught and I was required to submit lesson plans to them in advance so they could approve.
--Submitted by a teacher

This is a school where you have the opportunity to choose your path. The students who want to succeed in life will take the responsibility and learn and the students who don't care will blow off their classes and teachers. Really, it's not about the quality of the school at all, it's about the quality of the students and the community and Desert Mountain has all different varieties. However, as a former student, I will say that many kids think that just because their parents have loads of money that they can do nothing and money will magically appear. Perhaps instead of rating how well a school is preparing kids for life, we should look at parents to start taking some responsibility. A teacher is there to teach their curriculumn to the best of their ability, but they can't teach all students about motivation, success, hard work, determination, etc...
--Submitted by a student