Bullard High School

My son graduated last year & had fun and took the AP courses. His senior year the school got a new Principal which he/I think made Bullard better. This Principal participates the other did not. I have been active in the $'s Bullard is receiving for the new pool as well as other needed facilities. the school is over 50 yrs. old. Happy with Bullard!
--Submitted by a parent

So far, i'd say it is a good learning environment
--Submitted by a parent

My son is new to this school this year, and we have moved here from out of state. We have found Bullard to be on the whole a good fit for him. The kids are friendly and open, and he has had a few great teachers. I have found the larger parent community here strangely apathetic, however. I think that it is the case of those who went to Bullard and then stayed in Fresno feeling that what was good for them is good enough for their kids and nothing more is needed. I have been to both the PTA and the Bullard Boosters meetings and am suprised at the low turnout. Bullard is not also the easiest place to 'review' as a prospective family-you need to be insistent about it. All in all a good place for us. Has the usual urban high school challenges, nothing scary.
--Submitted by a parent

One thing I forgot to add was that this school has such potential and deserves better leadership at the highest levels (Superintendent on down). FUSD's focus has been elsewhere for too long.
--Submitted by a parent

As I current student, I can say that the Bullard education is what you make of it. One of the problems with Bullard is that the school is divided into two groups of students: the students who take AP/Honors courses and those who take all regular 'prep' courses. The AP courses are, for the most part, very challenging and rewarding, but most of the regular classes are basically laughable. I will say that most of the teachers at Bullard are exceptional and want the best for their students. Overall, there are many options that students just need to take advantage of. The new principal is making some great changes that I think are going to improve Bullard academically.
--Submitted by a student

This school caters to the north side of town. They need to improve there 0 tolerance rule. They also need to abide by the same rules that the other high schools have to abide by. They need alumni to support this school so that they get the improvements it needs. I don't feel that the teachers are reaching all the students and helping them to improve there grades. My overview of this school is poor. Gym classes need to have the correct ratio of boys and girls in every grade. When all of these things have been achieved then I might give this school a better rating.
--Submitted by a parent

I liked this school, but only if you do the honors and AP program.
--Submitted by a parent

I have been very happy with the academic classes available at Bullard. There is a great variety of good teachers and classes including good electives and AP classes. My son is in the marching band , jazz band, french and AP classes. He loves it.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter is a sophomore at Bullard High for the 2005/2006 year. She enjoys the school and seems to have found a comfortable niche of smart, nice girls. One complaint we both have is that all the teachers seem relentless with the homework assignments, some of which make no sense and seem to be just busy work - but failure to complete them gets an automatic F. Homework that is not ever returned suggest it is also not ever looked at, so what's the point? It is a serious time committment - 2 hours a night, for no logic reason. My second complaint is with the sports programs - expensive with a lot of hidden costs that you find out about after the fact, and no matter how diligent and athletic any student may be, it's awfully hard to make the teams. This school district needs new direction.
--Submitted by a parent

Brilliant teachers fight inept leadership. / The teachers, with few exceptions, are caring, hardworking and very good at their subjects. / The Extracurricular activities are about average. Latin, Linguistics, and an Intro to Humanities course, all provided by Fresno State. Their sports teams are OK. The parents are often quite well off financially, which usually is a sign that parent involvement is high. The parents don't work any harder for their kids, but their money talks loudly./ / The A.P. classes are extraordinarily good, you could only ask for more minority students. The administration makes no obvious attempt to promote this, however. It is an average school.
--Submitted by a former student