Watson Chapel High School

As far as the school goes, I do give it a rating of 3, and that is being generous. Curriculum wise, you will not be prepared for college. I graduated with Honors, and was appalled when I got to college and realized I was way behind. I honestly was not even taught how to cite information in a report until I went to college, which in my opinion is frightening. The teachers are like any other school. You have the motivated and the unmotivated. I was lucky. I had wonderful teachers, who truly were passionate about what they were teaching. They are doing the best with what they are provided with from the district. The campus is crowded and old. People who are so consumed with the dress code problem are/were obviously not worried about their education, and focusing more of their attention on what they were not allowed to wear. In my opinion get over it. Having to wear khaki's and a polo didn't effect my learning. The school will always struggle as the surrounding community is not good. In the school you are either living in poverty or making a decent means for the most part. Because of the surrounding economy problems, drug issues, and poor backgrounds the school & students will suffer.

Im a student at Watson Chapel Junior High. I have to say from my point of view WCJH is not a very educating school mainly because they are more obssesed with dress code then anything else. I feel that this is the least of our problems, they wonder why our test are going down. The dress code is the reason why one little thing and "Boom!" your sent to the "Box" or Inschool Suspention. And feel that this really unnessisary, I mean we are only kids. And most of the teacher are just there for the check the talk to us anyway they feel and are quick to give us an "F". I had a teacher who told me a few days before Semester Test that I had a "B" in her class and did not have to tke her test. So I didnt come the day of tessting and come to find out when I got my report card I had a "D". So basically this school is not the best choice for a school if you want your child to succed in life.
--Submitted by a student

As a former student of WCHS, I can honestly say this school prepared me for life and beyond. I was in the class of 1988., pre uniforms. As a child of a current teacher in the school, Ithe school has evolved from a racially divided school, from the administration down, to a school that focuses on one thing only--the academic success of its students. As a successful business person, I have watched the curriculum change for the better. As a 9th grader I took honors Alegbra I . Today, I visited a 9th grade Special Education Class-(MLD)--college level Geometry. The students were at the chalkboard without a calculator! I struggled, they laughed. As a parent, I don't focus on clothes. I want results. WCHS does that and more!
--Submitted by a student

I am a former student of Watson Chapel. I went there for most of my school career. I recently had to move and change schools. When I did I found out that Watson Chapel, although the best school in Pine Bluff, was missing a lot of things. The teachers, depending on who they were, were okay. Once you got to know them a little bit better, they started caring a little more. As most people feel, the dress code is ridiculous. It seems to me that the school is more aprehensive about the dress code than it is the education that the students are receiving. I think that the school should drop the uniform dress code and just go with an everyday dress code. Allow bluejeans and t-shirts. To all faculty of WC: stop worrying about the uniforms! focus on a higher education.

WC does not prepare students for college! I graduated with honors, but when I got to college and friends told me of their high schools, I was embarrassed to tell them about mine. They had so many more classes to chose from and a lot more variety. There were only maybe 3 AP classes until 04-05 school year. That shows that WC wasn't pushing for their students to elect the harder classes and challenge themselves. The valedictorian can take all general classes and make all A's, while someone else may take all AP classes and make B's. Not fair at all. The students know which teachers they can slack off with and still pass the class. The standardized test scores are probably some of the worst in the state. This school is on a downward spiral and needs help.
--Submitted by a former student

If your child enjoys sports they may have some extracurricular activities. There are select teachers who care about learning but many are just going through the motions. Our 'advanced' child learns next to nothing in the 'gifted' classes past elementary school.
--Submitted by LZ, a parent

Watson Chapel is one of the best schools in Arkansas. This school has a strict dress code for the student's safety. This school has a closed campus. This school has 3 administrators and over 60 teachers. The teachers absolutley love students and are there for you and your childs every need. The administrators are nice and do disicipline very well. This school stills administers corporal punishment to students. This is a very good school and if your child has a problem at this school, there is a big chance that your child is doing something wrong...
--Submitted by a parent

Watson Chapel is 'THE' worst schools in Jefferson County. I am split between 3 districts in my area, and Chapel is it. If I could pull my kid out legally, I would. Some of the teachers are just pulling a pay check. Let your child fail in a credited course and you will find out in 4 1/2 weeks, but be out of dress code. You receive a call in 5 minutes. 'Please come pick your child up from school. My child has missed 6 days since the start of school for dress code violation. (Black or Gold lantern). The hand book dose not recommend any color as long as the lantern is visible. What is Chapel teaching my child?
--Submitted by a parent

Absolutely horrible! If administrators would spend more time on education and less time on dress code violations, children might be able to learn something. The administrators absolutely refuse to work with parents, and most times won't even interact with parents.
--Submitted by Steve, a parent

This is probably the worst school I've sent my kids to in the state of Arkansas. Original thought is discouraged, the learning environment is hostile, and the only thing administrators are concerned with are dress code violations. Try and send your children elsewhere if at all possible.
--Submitted by John, a parent