Chowchilla High School

This is a important school and the teachers and staff are great.. Great high level of sports and improving acedemics
—Submitted by a parent

This school is currently under Program Improvement status due to administration's inability to guide the ever changing staff to educate it's ELL population. A simple Venn diagram will tell where the problems lie.....new staff every year, new students every year and same old problems. Perhaps it is the unchanging, nepotistic administrative staff!!! Sadly, not much learning goes on at this school. Many of the graduates of the past 5 years have struggled to keep pace with their peers at college due to the lack of adequate preparation and rigor at CUHS. Not to mention the overall lack of preparation for the EL segment of the population. Why is this school getting categorical funding? It appears as if they don't know how to correctly appropriate it!
—Submitted by a parent

This school was very watered down and simplistic for all of it's students. The teachers have mostly graduated from this school so they know what to improve upon. However its still not perfect and other than that the sports programs are excellent.
—Submitted by Steven Rhodes, a student

I'm very disappointed in this school. I agree with the parent that the classes are watered down. No real challenge for my daughter. Teachers are disorganized. I had to call the VP on 3 different teachers last year because of inaptitude (another students grade on my daughter's report card,etc). Wish I had another choice.
—Submitted by a parent

Having read the most recent posting on CUHS, I would have to agree about the credit situation. When I recently transferred my student to a Nationally ranked, top performing high school, the new counselor had a hard time moving the elective credits earned in athletics to comparable elective slots. The counselor was very surprised that this school awards elective credits for athletics with the same 'worth' as an elective credit for an extra year of science. What of the students who are not privaleged enough to 'afford' a ride home after sports? Aren't these low income students being denied equal access to electives? Don't even think of asking the CUHS counselors, they ARE rude unless your parents OWN the dairy, otherwise, students claim (as well as my own) that the counselors will not help them in earnest.
—Submitted by a parent

I graduated from CUHS and my son spent his freshman year there prior to moving to a different town. I was very disappointed in CUHS, I have to agree with another parent's review that this school cares only for the money they receive when the students show up. You are constantly threatened with losing credits and lowering grades and my son rarely missed school. The staff was impersonal as a whole even though I have known some since I went to school there. The counselors were passable but the counseling staff was downright rude. I would not take my son back there which is sad because I really enjoyed my time at CUHS and consider myself a 'Chowchilla girl'.
—Submitted by a parent

Chowchilla High was a serious disappointment for my student. The only 'challenge' my student had was staying awake in the watered down classes. As a parent of older children, I had them in different high schools with genuine academic rigor.
—Submitted by a parent

My opinion, is just my opinion, but I feel Chowchilla High School is a great place for my child to attend. There are many opportunities for her to grow and learn. The Counseling staff believes in the children and strive to help them succeed and prepare for college or whatever avenue they choose to pursue. I from other students they have an open door policy in the office, for if a student wants to talk about a career or a college or any choice they are able to walk in any time and talk. There are many extra curricular activities for students to take, the art department is growing by leaps and bounds, they have a wonderful sports program, and the ag program is great. The Honors classes work extremely hard and have succeeded in the Academic Decathlon as well.
—Submitted by Chere Willet, a parent

Chowchilla Union High School is an awesome down home high school. They have several teachers that work there that have graduated from CUHS. The academic programs teach the kids today what needs to be done for today's society. Teachers keep the parents informed by email, phone calls and meetings. As for myself, I attended in a big city school and now I enjoy my children being able to attend the smaller school where the students don't get lost in the system. The school offers band, woodshop classes and lots of other extra curricular activities from academic decathlon club to ffa clubs. The highschool is very involved with keeping the students involved in the community.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been satisfied with my children's education at Chowchilla High. If your children are motivated, they can get involved in clubs, sports and other activities and because the school is small, they can stand out as leaders. I believe that most teachers do care about their students. Most are available after hours for help. The administration is open-minded and willing to listen. Discipline seems to be handled well. I believe most students feel very safe on campus. Great football and volleyball program. I believe your children's education is reflective of what they are willing to put into it.
—Submitted by a parent

A few years ago I it was not a very good school but it has improved since then and has an excellent football team.
—Submitted by a parent

I don't believe stressing the value of a college education is a priority in this school. Students are not encouraged to take the ACT or SAT, or to investigate the posibilities of actually attending a college. It's almost like dangling an extremely high carrot and saying, gosh, it looks like it's just too high for you to reach.
—Submitted by a parent

Both my children have attended Chowchilla High School. It has been a major disappointment! The one thing this High School understands is the value of money. Money is put first at all times. The education of the children is last on their list! They make it clear that basically your child is graded by their attendance, not the child's abilities. They do everything in their power to take away credits that the kids have earned and constantly threaten the parents and children with removing earned class credits. They have made it very difficult for even honor students to have a good chance at attending a university. I would never recommend Chowchilla High School to any parent.
—Submitted by a parent

As a parent, I thoughly appreciated my sons' educations at CHowchilla Union High School. The atmosphere is excellencent-- teachers and staff seem to really appreciate students and enjoy getting to know them all on a personal leavel. The classes are generally well taught and my children and have been challeged throughout. The extracuriculars are great-- the school has an awesome sports, ag, and band programs that truly provide something for everyone. The school is in a great area the really has that hometown feeling.