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Douglas County High School

Public | 9-12 | 1796 students

 
 
Last modified
Community Rating

4 stars

Community Rating by Year
2013:
No new ratings
2012:
Based on 3 ratings
2011:
Based on 1 rating
2010:
Based on 4 ratings

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39 reviews of this school


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Posted September 10, 2012

This school is by far better than CV. I have been to both. I lasted until Winter Break at CV my Freshman year before transferring to DC. I am now a Junior. CV's academics and teachers are horrible. Don't send your child to CV if you want them to succeed in life. Go Huskies!!
—Submitted by a student


Posted February 16, 2012

Great Schools should post parents reviews together and student reviews in a different place. As a parent of a senior attending DCHS, I could not be happier with the administration and teachers. As a former teacher myself, I can distinguish a good teach from a not-so-good teacher. My daughter has been successful in athletics, academics and music at DCHS. There is a sense of tradition that you cannot get anywhere else! She has grown at this school and is ready to attend a top ranked university. This would not have been possible without the teachers, counselors, coaches, and administration of Douglas County High School. Kuddos Mr. Kappas for running such a wonderful school!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted February 14, 2012

Douglas County High School is no place for a teenager to grow and learn. I am a junior attending DC and quite frankly, its a pathetic excuse of a community. None of the teachers care about you, neither academically nor personally. And the administration is the worst. For the sake of your child and his/her safety and well being, do not send your kid here. There is a disgusting, growing epidemic of drug abuse, lack of respect, and absolutely no support for the students. Nobody cares. No spirit. No love. They think they're some big "family" and it's literally a big joke. This school has hit rock bottom. They just won't admit it. There are too many students, and too many teachers and administrators that don't care. They ignore the fact that they're students are dying and failing and giving up. Everybody needs someone to depend on. And we'd like to believe that many students could find that support at school. But it's not here. This school is messed up on so many levels. My parents would rather me attend DC Oaks. DCHS is a pathetic excuse of a high school.
—Submitted by a student


Posted September 28, 2011

I believe that DC is one of the worst schools i had ever attend the teachers don't care about you or education i was told one day in math class that my teacher didn't get paid enough money to teach me! I thought education was about passion and wanting to help you succeeded not at this school it isn't. If you want a true high school experience where the teachers are passionate and care about you go to D.C Oakes thats when i finally learned what a teacher can truly do!
—Submitted by a student


Posted December 15, 2010

The IB program has made me the happiest person on earth! I always felt like the nerdy outcast kid, but after entering IB! Wow! Everything is amazing! Granted, it IS an old school... and the budget isn't super... but what I love is that I know every single IB kid in my year, and a majority of the Seniors too! I also adore the fact that all my friends are in all my classes! I never feel alone or left out. Most people are up until 3 doing homework, true, but you're all up together! It's wonderful! DCHS has made me the person that I am today. It helped me discover my passion for the Chinese language, lead me to my dream college, and my dream major (International Studies). I probably would still have no idea where my life is going if I didn't have DC~
—Submitted by a student


Posted August 6, 2010

This school is amazing.. I have had two older sisters who have gone here and they said it was a VERY good school, so I'm happy to go here.
—Submitted by a student


Posted April 26, 2010

I have two students at DC. As a parent, I love it. I do not worry about them and they have done a wonderful job of educating my children. The staff is great and there is no other place I would rather have my kids go to school!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 11, 2009

im ending my freshman year at DC and although its a super big school we all are really close and there are so many great clubs and activitys that you can get involved in, at dc there is room for every type of person and you feel accepted every day you meet someone new thats how big we are! but we also have best football team in the county HOO-RAH
—Submitted by a student


Posted January 29, 2009

CV and DC are intense rivals, so don't pay any attention to the one-star reviews from CV-loving parents. In reality, academics and sports are stressed here, and there is a Huskie shirt, hat, or backpack everywhere you look. i always feel very safe here, and Officer Brinkworth is always nearby to give you a highfive. Most of us are proud to be at DC.
—Submitted by a student


Posted November 13, 2008

Be careful what you read!!! I know many graduates from DC that have gone on to amazing Colleges and Universities, the academics at DC are very strong.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted November 12, 2008

I graduated from Douglas County in 2007. I feel the administration is the worst part of this school. I rarely found a teacher i could relate to, or that wanted to see their student succeed. The office, and principal treated the students like they were pieces of crap, unless the student was in band, theater, or played on the football team. The school has no school spirit, and students seem to have a lot of behavioral problems. I was happy to graduate, and feel like I would of had a better opportunity getting into the college of my choice if i wasnt from DCHS.


Posted October 13, 2008

This school is awful! Nothing here is that spectacular where CV is much better with better academic programs, the teachers and administrators are much better and the administratorators at CV just rock the house! DC is horrible where NONE of the teachers care and nothing seems to ever be important to any of the administration. Choose CV over DC!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 13, 2008

Do not ever send your kids to Douglas County High School! It is such a horrible school that has poor academic programs, really bad teachers and staff along with a principal who doesn't care about any of the students futures. Yeah, maybe their extracurricular program is 'estatic' but that doesn't really matter when looking for a high school to go to. Parents should choose CV over DC because of the better academics, challenging courses and caring teachers and staff at CV! DC is a poor choice to go and you don't want your student suffering through the poor academic programs and dangers of that high school. CV is a much safer atmosphere!
—Submitted by a student


Posted October 11, 2008

This school is an amazing improvement over CVHS, where my child used to go to. The thing that made me transfer him was that 11 people were expelled in a single day for drug use. DC is a much better choice to prevent my child and your children from a dangerous environment such as the one at Castle View.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted March 8, 2008

Whether you're an IB, AP, or standard student, you get a premium highschool experience, both in academics and extracurriculars. I ve experienced both the standard and advanced courses, and in both I ve excelled largely due to the support of teachers and encouragement of my peers. The staff are approachable and understand students needs as individuals, provided that the student takes the initiative to succeed. The school doesn t hold your hand and tell you what to do about everything, nor should it - this is a highschool whose primary aim is to prepare students for life after college. This includes teaching students to take control of their life and education. As for the extracurriculars, there s no pressure to join sports, but the experience is excellent and builds a strong sense of teamwork and brotherhood. Nowhere else in the state can you find such a comprehensive and cohesive sense of unity and excellence.
—Submitted by a student


Posted July 11, 2007

Our son is beginning his Junior year at DCHS this August, and our family's experience with this school has been very, very positive. All of the teachers that we have met when attending parent/teacher conferences demonstrate how much they care for their students, and appear to be satisfied with their jobs at DCHS. We are especially impressed with a few outstanding educators with whom we have interacted at DCHS -- Jodene Kissler, Jeff Ketron, Scott Fellers, and Bryan Dake. These individuals' work ethic and concern for developing students' character and integrity is to be commended. Our family feels blessed to have our son be instructed by individuals of this caliber. It's been a very positive experience thus far, and we eagerly anticipate great things for our son during his remaining two years at DCHS.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 9, 2007

DCHS is a promising high school. High school is what you make of it. The teaching staff at DC is phenomenal. DC prepared me very well for the real world.
—Submitted by a former student


Posted February 14, 2007

I do not recomend Douglas County High School to anyone. The children there are mentally and physically abusive toward others that are not in their peer groups. The teachers don't really seem to care if a child overachieves or underachieves. We had our first two children go through high school there and didn't dare send our third there. You may want to look at other options.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted February 14, 2007

I encourage parents to look to other schools outside of Douglas County High School. If your only interest is football or the arts, this school is wonderful. However, if it's academics you're interested in, this is not the school for you. Academics at DCHS are very, very poor and no one at the school seems to care at all.
—Submitted by Steve Crosier, a parent


Posted January 27, 2007

I can not say enough great things about the performing arts section of DCHS. I graduated in 2003 and the best memories I have was when I was in the vocal music classes. Mrs. Gilbert is by far the best music teacher I have ever had or will have! Other than that this is a great school to go to. All the teachers are very supportive and are wonderful at what they do!
—Submitted by Leah Trevino, a former student


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

The state average for Math was 37% in 2012.

465 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
54%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 67% in 2012.

465 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
81%
Writing

The state average for Writing was 51% in 2012.

465 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
66%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Colorado used the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) to test students' skills in reading, writing and mathematics in grades 3 through 10, and in science in grades 5, 8 and 10. The TSAP is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Colorado. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the test. The TCAP replaced the CSAP as Colorado's state assessment program effective for the 2011-2012 school year.

See Colorado's state standards

Source: Colorado Department of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 33% in 2012.

457 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
38%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 68% in 2012.

458 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
72%
Science

The state average for Science was 49% in 2012.

459 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
60%
Writing

The state average for Writing was 48% in 2012.

458 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
51%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Colorado used the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) to test students' skills in reading, writing and mathematics in grades 3 through 10, and in science in grades 5, 8 and 10. The TSAP is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Colorado. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the test. The TCAP replaced the CSAP as Colorado's state assessment program effective for the 2011-2012 school year.

See Colorado's state standards

Source: Colorado Department of Education

Math

All Students54%
Female49%
Male60%
Black (not Hispanic)n/a
Asiann/a
Hispanic41%
Multiracialn/a
American Indian or Alaskan Nativen/a
White (not Hispanic)55%
Free lunch eligible35%
Reduced lunch eligible16%
Not eligible for free/reduced price lunch57%
Students with disabilities (IEP)10%
Students without disabilities58%
Limited English proficiency (LEP)n/a
Language proficiency status - not applicable56%

Reading

All Students81%
Female82%
Male79%
Black (not Hispanic)n/a
Asiann/a
Hispanic79%
Multiracialn/a
American Indian or Alaskan Nativen/a
White (not Hispanic)80%
Free lunch eligible65%
Reduced lunch eligible42%
Not eligible for free/reduced price lunch84%
Students with disabilities (IEP)25%
Students without disabilities86%
Limited English proficiency (LEP)n/a
Language proficiency status - not applicable82%

Writing

All Students66%
Female71%
Male58%
Black (not Hispanic)n/a
Asiann/a
Hispanic63%
Multiracialn/a
American Indian or Alaskan Nativen/a
White (not Hispanic)66%
Free lunch eligible53%
Reduced lunch eligible16%
Students with disabilities (IEP)20%
Students without disabilities70%
Limited English proficiency (LEP)n/a
Language proficiency status - not applicable67%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Colorado used the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) to test students' skills in reading, writing and mathematics in grades 3 through 10, and in science in grades 5, 8 and 10. The TSAP is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Colorado. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the test. The TCAP replaced the CSAP as Colorado's state assessment program effective for the 2011-2012 school year.

The different student groups are identified by the Colorado Department of Education. If there are fewer than 16 students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Colorado's state standards

Source: Colorado Department of Education

Math

All Students38%
Female38%
Male38%
Black (not Hispanic)n/a
Asian59%
Hispanic20%
Multiracial38%
American Indian or Alaskan Nativen/a
White (not Hispanic)40%
Free lunch eligible13%
Reduced lunch eligible44%
Not eligible for free/reduced price lunch41%
Students with disabilities (IEP)11%
Students without disabilities40%
Limited English proficiency (LEP)n/a
Language proficiency status - not applicable38%

Reading

All Students72%
Female82%
Male64%
Black (not Hispanic)n/a
Asian88%
Hispanic59%
Multiracial67%
American Indian or Alaskan Nativen/a
White (not Hispanic)74%
Free lunch eligible46%
Reduced lunch eligible75%
Not eligible for free/reduced price lunch75%
Students with disabilities (IEP)24%
Students without disabilities76%
Limited English proficiency (LEP)n/a
Language proficiency status - not applicable73%

Science

All Students60%
Female59%
Male61%
Black (not Hispanic)n/a
Asian65%
Hispanic39%
Multiracial71%
American Indian or Alaskan Nativen/a
White (not Hispanic)62%
Free lunch eligible41%
Reduced lunch eligible56%
Not eligible for free/reduced price lunch62%
Students with disabilities (IEP)24%
Students without disabilities63%
Limited English proficiency (LEP)n/a
Language proficiency status - not applicable61%

Writing

All Students51%
Female62%
Male41%
Black (not Hispanic)n/a
Asian71%
Hispanic30%
Multiracial38%
American Indian or Alaskan Nativen/a
White (not Hispanic)54%
Free lunch eligible26%
Reduced lunch eligible56%
Students with disabilities (IEP)3%
Students without disabilities55%
Limited English proficiency (LEP)n/a
Language proficiency status - not applicable51%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Colorado used the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) to test students' skills in reading, writing and mathematics in grades 3 through 10, and in science in grades 5, 8 and 10. The TSAP is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Colorado. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the test. The TCAP replaced the CSAP as Colorado's state assessment program effective for the 2011-2012 school year.

The different student groups are identified by the Colorado Department of Education. If there are fewer than 16 students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Colorado's state standards

Source: Colorado Department of Education

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »


Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
White 77% 57%
Hispanic 13% 32%
Asian 4% 3%
Two or more races 4% 3%
Black 1% 5%
American Indian/Alaska Native 0% 1%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander 0% 0%
Source: NCES, 2010-2011

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 10%N/A40%
Source: NCES, 2010-2011

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 17N/A17
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

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2842 Front St
Castle Rock, CO 80104
Phone: (303) 387-1000

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