Catalina Foothills High School

This is obviously a good nice school. The facilities are and building are great, the kids are smart, the teachers seem very engaging. On the downside, language programs have been cut. For example, you can take Chinese but not French for entering freshmen. But Chinese is too difficult for most students to do well in. The sports program (for girls at least) seem to be in need of cash all the time. Finally, there is of course the appeal to snobbery. One of the "selling" points of the school is that the students generally come from privileged homes... so they have better material to work with ... something a teacher told me. This implies that we live in a pure meritocracy and that people who are poor are so because they lake certain mental gifts. I think that attitude is prevalent but misguided at CFHS. Try to get beyond the snobbery and send your child here anyway... it will be a good experience.
--Submitted by a parent

Academically, CFHS is an excellent school. I have taken both standard and honors level classes, and in every subject except for Math, I have had amazing teachers who have provided me a plethora of information and useful skills. Unfortunately due to budget cuts and retiring teachers, the extracurriculars has taken the worst blow. If your student is art driven, do not enroll them at CFHS. AP Art has been cut, Ceramics is always packed, and CFHS fails to offer orchestra. However we do have one of the best band programs in the nation. In terms of other extracurriculars, there are few PE classes offered. If you have a child who struggles in such courses, do not enroll them at CFHS. Socially, I find CFHS to be much like a small community. It is true, most of us students have known each other since kindergarten, and it's sometimes difficult to merge into such a place. However, there is a spot for everyone and anyone, and most people are open and friendly. In terms of drugs, yes, there is a problem especially with weed and prescription drug abuse. However, the only way for someone to stay out of trouble is simply to practice self control. Drugs are a problem everywhere, not just at CFHS.
--Submitted by a student

Catalina Foothills High School is a great school for all students. There are courses offered to challenge every student. There are AP classes, Honors classes and Standard classes. Each student can choose how much they want to challenge themselves. This school is non-selective, yet competes with schools that choose their students by their academic ability. This school and the district are top notch.
--Submitted by a parent

This place is good. No drugs, everyone helps. Good classes, nice principle, nice parents. I think it is a great place to students.
--Submitted by a parent

This was once a great school, unfortunately the changes made by the principal who took over in 2007/08 school year, it has progressively gone downhill. The ego of the community, due to a higher income level, believe it is still a good school. The good teachers have all left. My older child graduated in 2006 when the school deserved its high rating, my youngest child who will graduate this year-2011, left for another district high school and is receiving an excellent senior year! We are grateful to be out of this ego inflated district.
--Submitted by a parent

In a recent post, a person claimed that CFHS has a drug problem. As a senior of this school, i will say that this is absolutly not the case. Like any area, drugs are available to those who seek them out. Due to my upbringing and the attitudes of my freinds, i have never been in a situation where drugs are present. I have had several parents and new students ask me about my experiences at this school, i tell them all the same thing, who you hang out with and what you do will determine how good your high school career is. On a seperate note, the class sizes are getting larger due to some teacher layoffs (budget cuts), but the numbers remain average and the teachers are generally very good at what they do. The school district also has excellent special needs services (7th grade younger sister).
--Submitted by a student

School is overcrowded - this means classes are not always available [my daughter had to repeat a class she got an 'a' in because nothing else was avail] and they are large - with 30 in a class not unusual. The administration is stressed as well as the teachers. The overcrowding has diluted a once great school. Don't rely on this schools' past reputation. Things have changed.
--Submitted by a parent

i have mixed feelings about CFHS. On one hand, they truly do have a good academic system and the band program is amazing. However, drugs(mainly marijuana) are everywhere. But a lot of high schools have that. Still. Also, everybody, and i mean 90 percent of the population, have grown up together since they were in elementary school. Very clique-y so its hard. Overall though, academically its good. Just the students need to be more accepting
--Submitted by a student

This schoool does not have an orchestra or support for students of string instruments.
--Submitted by a parent

As a student here I can say that this school is amazing. Its open aired campus and high-quality teachers makes it feel more like a college than a campus.
--Submitted by a student