Crosby High School

Send your kid to this school if you would like your child to: be harassed by teachers and faculty for breathing, not learn anything relevant to life with the exception of what an ineffective school looks like, not go to college, or not succeed in an facet of life. Crosby High School is an embarrassment not only to students but also the taxpayers in Waterbury. Crosby still teaches students as if they are going to work in a factory someday, the lack of higher education prep is unbelievable. Teachers just give up on students and you will see students just walk out of class because of weak teachers. I would go further on to describe the faults of Crosby but I have better things to do than get depressed about how I wasted four important years of my life.
—Submitted by a student

this scooh is a great school to send you children to.
—Submitted by a parent

The school does care about your children and the principal is very involved. The sports are great the the coaches are wonderful.
—Submitted by a parent

Crosby is not a good school I'm only a freshman there but from what i know and what I'm 'learning' is that Crosby got more strict. It's true what that student wrote the principal doesn't care about anything other than dress code. the teachers do not kno how to communicate with students. when it comes to open house the teachers are hipocrats and talk about how much they love their students and they only want wwhats best for them. teachers dont care about their students and parents dont understand that. they complain about students missing school but they are suspending them for any little thing that crosses their way wether its dresscode or talkinng in class.
—Submitted by a student

Crosby High School is an 'okay' school. I wouldnt recommend it to any outsider coming into Waterbury though. Yes, the school did have cracks in the walls and missing ceiling tiles but Crosby is now being renovated and should be completed by the next school year which is August of 2008. As for the teachers, there are some who care about the students and others who unfortunatly, dont. The school really needs a new principal though, because all she does is yell and complain and try to intimidate the students over the loudspeaker. Ive even noticed this as she talks to other staff around the school. The only time she seems to want to care about the students and the school is whenever the superintendant comes around, which is sad. She needs to leave. Once shes been replaced, Crosby will have a better future.
—Submitted by a student

It is great and thay keep all the students safe.
—Submitted by a student

I am a student in this school, the only times the principle cleans up the school and makes sure the heat or air conditioners are working is when the superintendant comes for a visit. The teachers in Crosby are more worried about what the students are wearing to get them kicked out of class rather than what they are learning. This school should have cameras inside to show parents whats really going on.
—Submitted by a student

I just graduated from there in June. I can say that the 4 years I spent there were great. The teachers are brilliant (one of our science teachers won a National award) There are so many clubs and acitivites you can join, and community service is encouraged (and mandatory for those in the ACE program) It has things you need in a good resume, and things you need to succeed in life. I love Crosby, and about the building's shape, it's going through major renovations. They're adding a whole new building! I love that school and would do it all over again!
—Submitted by a former student

I am a proud alum of Crosby High, and recently served as a substitute teacher there. One word sums up nearly every complaint I've read on this site: neglect. When I was a student, most of the clocks didn't work, the business wing was excessively hot and the music wing was too cold. I was appalled to find out over twenty years later(!) that these problems had not changed. Our school's physical plant has been neglected far too long. There are tremendously talented and dedicated teachers there (the music teacher is an absolute treasure), the staff works hard and although the Principal has her detractors it is clearly evident that she loves her work, and in the field of education that is so crucial. But having the perspective of substituting at other city schools, I can objectively say that Crosby High School still has the best overall balance of academics, facilities, extracurricular activities, school discipline and faculty/staff of all the three main high schools. And thankfully, that hasn't changed in over twenty years, either.
—Submitted by a former student

Crosby High is a pathetic excuse for a learning institution. Not only is the dress code excessive and completely rediculous, but the mannar in which the students and faculty interact is pathetic. The only parent involvement is when students need bailing out; that place in no way prepares students for a life of anything better than welfare and food stamps. Classes are circuses, the administration is useless in helping students better themselves, and the general system of how the school is run is just plain terrible. In-house suspension is the only way they have to deal with problems ranging from smoking to fights (which there are a lot of) and only minor attempts are made to relate to students. Basically, the faculty has given up. They couldn't care less whether students understand basic concepts of the english language, as long as the kids wear collared shirts. Crosby is not recommended.
—Submitted by a student

I graduated from Crosby in 1996. I think it was a good school to go to. The school gave the students many different oppurtunities with their studies. I was in the allied health program and I am very happy with the oppurtunities that I was given. Many people have different opinions about the schools in Waterbury, and personally I liked Crosby. The staff there is great and they follow through with their codes. I would recommend Crosby High to any student. The windows of oppurtunities are endless there. Give Crosby a chance to make a difference in your life!
—Submitted by a former student

This school is horrid. While it has a mere few good qualities like clubs and activities, the overall state of the school is apalling. The building is run-down and disgusting, the bathroom policy is rediculous (keeping people from using the bathroom when they need to is inhumane), the principal uses favoritism. They focus more on the dress code of the students than the education (there shouldn't even be a dress code in the first place), and there are fights in that school every day. There are a few good teachers this year, but that's all the kids have got to go by. The 'high' in Crosby High School is for 'high drop-out rate'.
—Submitted by a student

I was just a recent graduate of crosby in 2001. I'd have to say that yes, the building is falling apart, it suffers from missing ceiling tiles, water stains which leak and become a hazard, and broken lockers. Yet, i believe that some of the staff don't give their students very much credit. I have seen some talented people come out of that school, but no direction. Crosby has a 'bus load' of extra circular activities. I recommend getting into the music program, the teacher mr forcucci, is a god send for that school. I for one thank him for an incredible 4 years. The principal on the other hand, she dosent do crosby any justice. She gives crosby a bad name. Go bulldogs.
—Submitted by Krystallee Dawley, a former student

I just graduated from crosby and I sure can say a little about it. The pricipal and staff are more conserned about how your child dresses rather than seeing to that your child is passing thier classes. No Student is givien a chance to expalin him or herself when it comes down to a disciplinary sittuation as I was once told by a Vice principal that the teacher is always right. In this case I believe that something needs to be done about this matter.
—Submitted by a former student

Readers: Ignore the other comments made by associates of Crosby High School. Those comments are from the same people who bring this school down. If parent involvment increased, and more students become more respectful and disciplined, there is nothing to say that this school won't be the best in the state. From my perspective, the principal cares about the school, the students, and her administration, and her main goal is to direct students into a more positive beneficial future. I am a student, Battalion Commander of Crosby's growing JROTC program, and her commitment to the schools programs in extracirricular activities such as JROTC is leading this school to a more positive position amongst others. We must appreciate the work the principal dows do, and respect the fact that she does in fact care for each and every student. That respect prohibits such knockdowns as posted below.
—Submitted by a student

I think that the school is pretty good but the principal is terrible. She is very rude and arrogant. She likes to single certain people out and pick on them. She doesn't treat her office staff very well at all and tries to belittle them in front of people. I don't think that anyone is paying attention to what she is doing because if they did, she wouldnt have been there that long. She shows favoritism to the students who do well and just about ignores the ones that dont do so well.
—Submitted by a parent

'Although the school does have some good qualities, such as previous teacher-to-student relationships, the whole of it just does not add up. The princible tends to do everything by how it affects her, not the school. She'd rather pay attention to the dress codes and tardies, instead of the grades and participation in class. The school itself is a danger to our kids all together, and need immediate reconstruction. Most of the ceiling tiles are missing, and there is a problem with the health levels in the school.
—Submitted by Dianne Budzinski, a parent

This is to the parents that have children that go too crosby high school. first let me talk to you about the principle i don`t think that she is the best at all , i think that she has a terrible attitude towards our children, she is very mean to the secratary`s in our schools she`s always putting presure on them. Another thng is that the teachers swear that they can get way with alot of things regarding our children i personaly don`t think that they should allow to write our children up because thows suspentions our just wasting our childrens education in my opinion i think that you should only get writin up for fighting and buling other children!!! Because most of the reasons why our children talk back and get nasty with the teachers is mostly because the teachers like to get smart! teachers shold get in trouble too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
—Submitted by Esmeralda castiyo, a parent

Unfortunately teachers, administrators and other faculty are more concerned with the 'dress code' of the students than the education of the students. My daughter tried to obtain a meeting with her guidance councelor without success until I had to appear at the school and demand it. This school does not follow it's own code of conduct nor does it provide students with the education they are entitled to. It seems the more a parent tries to be involved with the child's education the more the student is resented by the school staff. As well, I just received a letter in the mail today that they are trying to keep my daughter from her senior year for falure to return text books. Even though she has returned all of them. Disorganized and dysfunctional is the best way to describe this school.
—Submitted by a parent

I would not call this school the best school in the district. In fact, the school environment, especially for the students in the top of their class, is inadequate and unaccomadating. The school suffers from lack of funding and it suffers very visually. It does have its good points, but as a recent graduate, I left with a sour/bitter taste in my mouth. Some of that feeling can be attributed to the management by the Board of Education, but most of it stems from belligerent teachers and the principle (at least, that's my take on it). It is unfortunate that some administrators and teachers within the school can overshadow some true gems at the school. And to those teachers I wish the best because they truly made my experience there worth remembering. It isn't the best school to attend, but if you must choose within Waterbury, choose Kennedy High School.
—Submitted by a former student