Deer Valley High School

The quality of academic programs is excellent. Unfortunately the school is so over crowded which means 35-45 students per class; only the most estudious can learn in that kind of environment. Teachers can't teach to the best of their ability.
—Submitted by a parent

This is a beautiful school structurally the only problem I can see is that there are too many kids from pittsburg and richmond using different adresses. Its a shame really, good teachers good administration, if parents would try to work with their kids more and teach them not to litter our nearby shopping centers and the school this place would be alot better.
—Submitted by a former student

I graduated in 2000. I was among the first to graduate from DVHS after attending all 4 years. I just remember feeling fortunate to be on a brand new campus, setting new traditions for future generations to follow, and attending such a high-class school.
—Submitted by a former student

Deer Valley is a very misunderstood school. It has its fair share of problems like any other high school like some school fights now and then. The classes are somewhat overcrowded, but still are nice. The campus is really unique because of the great design. The school quality of learning is good, because we have tutoring programs afterschool. Mostly all of the teachers at the school really do want you to suceed. They are really a great bunch of caring individuals, There are six vice priciples and no councelers at the campus. The school has many extracuricular activities.
—Submitted by a student

like every high school out there, deer valley has its highs and lows.. but i feel that deer valley has been a school worth going to due to the fact that there are over 3000 students attending this high school. there are many activities for one to participate in if they are willing to go out there and try new things.
—Submitted by a student

Deer Valley High is an up and coming school in an ethnically diverse and growing community. Overall, my childrens experience at this school has been very good. The administration and staff that I have come in contact with have been competent, caring and knowledgable. I believe that this is a great school in the making. Increased parental and community involvement are needed to make it so. The school district has had some funding problem which have impacted music, arts and sports program s. I commend the staff for the job they have done with limited resources in those areas. DVHS has a reputation amoung some distractors as having an undisciplined learning environment and as having racial problems. My experience as an involved parent has been contrary to those reports.
—Submitted by a parent

I have worked up at Deer Valley off and on for three years now and I have never run across anything negative. The kids are respectful if spoken to and security that people speak about are always on the ball. The kids do not have time to get out of hand because their classes are long and their passing time is just enough to get to the other class. I know, because I too (as an aide)have to run to make it to the next class. I remember when I was a kid there were about 800 kids in my high school and there were fights, segregation and everything else there is today and that was in Millbrae so all of you that think that there aren't going to be any problems at all you are in a dream world. Especially with almost 4000 kids.
—Submitted by a parent

Hi, all I was one of the first to graduate from Deer Valley high school in 1999. I enjoyed just about every moment. I think about DV alot now that I grown and married. They have good teachers, cunselors and most of all good students. Every school has there clicks, but i think that's apart of life, just like the fitting in part. I wouldnt change my experience there, I loved the school, and I look forward to our 10 year highschool reunion.
—Submitted by Ryan Poole, a former student

As a current student of DVHS I would like to say that the so called segregation is all in the students hands. We choose who to hang out with while other people (mainly parents) see it as some racial thing. There are some people 'out of race' in some groups, but it's just where students feel most comfortable. There may be groups of African-American, Hispanic, white, and Asian people in different areas of the school but it doesn't mean the school has some racism problem. We all have our comfort zones and choose who surround us. The whole thing about the multicultural day, we learn about the general aspects of different cultures. Yes we perform dances of different cultures but it's for dance class. It may not be as educational as reading from a book but who would actually pay attention if we did read from books about different cultures? Not that many students are interested in the things leadership tries to promote. Well anyways, as for the student population, it is really crowded because many people who don't live in the district attend DV. People say it's such a bad school because of the 'race' issues and the teachers but my friends, who live out of district, well their parents think it's a much better school than Pittsburg or Antioch. Honestly, I think it's better too. If I was a parent I would want to send my children to a good school. And besides the whole out of town thing, Antioch has way too many houses being built and not enough schools. They should think about building schools before building more houses. A lot of the classes are overcrowded (mainly electives) and people are getting out. I think it's mainly because the students pick the popular, easy classes and DV just puts them in a class and doesn't even bother to count if there's enough room but it's getting better as students are getting their schedules changed. Our security is better than other schools. We have cameras all over campus to monitor the misdameanors and we have narks (yard duties) who look over the students. The big problem is littering, it bugs me. Our school is so huge and we have garbage cans here and there but our school has garbage everywhere. The bathrooms also reek! Anways, the more positive things... The people are great here if you get to know them and get out of your little shell. So far all of the teachers I've had are really helpful. Teachers have been getting more strict about behaviour which is good because there are students who take away from other students' education. Deer Valley isn't all that bad.
—Submitted by a student

Security and racism is a great concern for me. The lunchroom situation is very disturbing. The school is not doing anything to stop the segregation between races. The school does not ofer great security either.
—Submitted by Michele Smith, a parent

As an involved parent of two h.s. school age kids, I have met a high number of Deer Valley students and have seen many more at activities. The vast majority I meet are normal, good kids! My kids say that the out of control students rarely get consequences and appear above the school rules for some reason. Teachers and administrators may be afraid of them, or just can't do anything if they wanted to. Most teachers have been good, sometimes a shakey one or no teacher at all for a class.
—Submitted by a parent

As a graduate of the class of 2003, I remember what it was like going there. There are problems that need to be addressed, such as out of towners coming from all over the bay area. When I went there almost half of the student body lived outside of antioch. The administration needs to get on their job and start checking whether people actually live in Antioch, within the school boundaries, or not. It is too easy to enroll at Deer Valley, and it will end up having a negative effect on the school's reputation and the students attending.

I remember this school having a zero tolerance policy for students. Lately I've heard terrible stories about students beating up on other students taking their lunch money and other items. Where is security? Why are students still allowed to go there, after fighting. I've also heard a good majority of the kids don't live in the school boundaries. I know myself and other parents pay a lot for mello roos,and commute everyday in order to allow our kids the opportunity to live in a nice community and attend a decent school. Someone needs to investigate.
—Submitted by a parent

As a concern parent, I am wondering why the school is not doing a better job of controlling the out of towners from migrating into our school. The negative influences of drugs, gangs, violence, and disrespect from students that do not live in Antioch are unacceptable. Parents need to be involved and aware of what their kids are doing at all time. School officials, please control the out of towners from over crowding our school. As Antioch parents we pay way too much mello roos taxes and sit in major traffic everyday just so our kids can be in a nice school, and I don't feel generous enough to let out of towners take advantage.
—Submitted by a parent

I am not a parents, but a former student at that school. Here's a little inside look at the daily life when I attended: The school is made up of 7 classes which are regulated on an odd day/ even day schedual. You attend your 1st period every day, then if it is an even day you attend 2, 4, and 6th period, or if it is an odd day you attend 3, 5, and 7th periods. Each class is 100 minutes long, and you get a 7 minute passing period, which, given the over 4000 students on campus, gives you just barely enough time to travel the 1 mile two and from classes to the next. Lunches, well there are 2 of them. With two caffeterias. Jocks and Cheer leaders on one side, Mexican's and Blacks somewhere in the middle, Asians down in the aphitheater and pot heads, rockers, dweebs, geeks, freaks, and the ones that dont fit in, on the other side. Most classes have 30 + students and thats putting it lightly. My choir had darn near 75 students the first year! Yes our school is new, and I am glad to have gotton out of there with the rest of my 678 member class. I find it unfortunate that my middle sisters class is 1000+ and my youngst sisters is 1500+. But we need to weed out the 'Boundry Jumpers' I have friends that bus out from Vallejo, Benicia, even San Ramon! Common guys, get out of my school and into your own!
—Submitted by a former student

It was my experience attending Deer Valley four years ago that the campus population was extremely divided. It didn't help to have two cafeterias either. It encouraged people to segregate. Not only did they not have to eat at the same lunch table, they didn't even have to be in the same building! 'Breaking bread' or sharing a meal with your peers was one of the defining moments of the day. Deer Valley practiced a traditional, dominant-centered teaching approach. The curriculum I experienced modeled after culturally dominant values rather than an anti-bias approach. I did not feel I was a part of an institution that upheld a pro-active approach to culture, race, class, gender or ability. I did not feel prepared for college. Deer Valley prepared us for memorization and scantrons. In college they want you to think, articulate your opinions and reason with your mind. I struggled with a few subjects in school, yet no one identified my learning disability until I reached college. Deer Valley placed too much importance on sports and not enough on acedemia, holistics or multi-culturalism. For example,we had this Multi-Culture event once a year that was supposed to create some kind of understanding to the predominately white student population. I'm sorry, all Middle Easterners don't belly dance, and very few Mexican people twirl elaborate dresses and sombreros. The use of a traditional and almost obsolete dances once a year is exploitive and demonstrates our bias by lumping a culture together by representing it with one group of dancing teenagers. (Some of the people in the audience, will only have this example portrayed for them for their entire lives!) Everyday should include and reflect each student and their place in the world. Put into perspective what life is outside of the school eco-system educators! As a teacher, I am.
—Submitted by a former student

Despite Deer Valley's past reputation of excellence in student government/ leadership, the current leadership program is creating tension that is creating an atmosphere of pain in the school.
—Submitted by a former student