Arcata High School

AHS has numerous advanced placement classes, a great teaching staff, and student access to classes at Humboldt State University. About 95% of the 2010 graduating class went on to secondary education from Harvard on down to community college.
--Submitted by a parent

pulled our child out of this school, poor climate, not supprtive admin and careless attitude about well being of students
--Submitted by a parent

I have been going to AHS for 4 years and it is definitely one of the safer schools compared to even middle schools. Academically, the programs offered are exceptional. It is just the lack of interest from students that give people the wrong impression. The number of AP students compared to average is laughable. Some of the teachers do take sports more seriously than academics.
--Submitted by a student

My daughter has gone to Arcata High School for three years and I believe that it is the best school in the area. My 3 other children all attended different schools and Arcata High can not even be compared to them. Arcata High has the best test scores of the area, a supportive administration that helped her through difficult times, Many beneficial AP classes and supreme teachers, an excellent discipline system, succesful sports teams, great school spirit, and after school activities and clubs that keep her involved with her school. On top of all of this the school has just been W.A.S.C. accredited, a long and difficult process that required much feedback from students, teachers, and parents.
--Submitted by a parent

Arcata High school has many gifted students. There are talented music groups, smart students, and people of all interests.
--Submitted by a student

Both my daughters chose to leave Arcata High due to poor academic quality and lack of control of students in class by teachers. The administration was not supportive of adaptations for one child's physical disabilities. We were terribly disappointed overall.
--Submitted by a parent

I left AHS after two years. The administration is inflexible and adversarial. Athletic achievement is valued over academic achievement, and the overall climate is conservative and anti-intellectual. Though there are some excellent teachers, overall academic quality is poor (as is advising). The social atmosphere is equally lacking, and the school does little to discourage harassment and bullying. My experience at Arcata High was disappointing, to say the least, and I do not regret my decision to leave prematurely one bit.
--Submitted by a former student

My son left Arcata High after two years to attend a charter school. Although his first year was challenging and college preparatory, his second year was not,except for one class. A particular problem was the CPM math program, which prospective parents should research on the internet. It produces the lowest California Standards test scores in the area. The administration is quite rigid in requiring all students to study this 'new age' group math. Parents of high achieving students often say that their their student attends Arcata for the sports or music opportunities. The track program is the best, with an inspirational coach. However, considerable numbers of high achieving non sports students leave each year for charter schools, and many never even consider Arcata High after eighth grade. To stop this leakage, AHS has just establishid its own charter school, which some students and parents are saying is more of the same.
--Submitted by a parent

I pulled my son out of AHS after his Freshman year. He was bullied daily, and the administration has instilled a climate of fear among the teachers which paralyzed them and prevents them from effectively assisting children deal with it. While many fine teachers work at AHS, the administration is of very poor quality. The principal's reputation of dishonesty is deserved in our experience. For very athletic students, this school could work, as the focus is certainly there rather than on quality academics.
--Submitted by a parent

The teachers, the students and the parents at Arcata High rate a 5 star. The administration is a 1. The kids are guilty until proven innocent; administrators are inflexible and old school. A new principal would elevate this school dramatically.
--Submitted by a parent