Terra Environmental Research Institute

TERRA is probably one of the best schools in the county right now. As a freshman this year, I am honored to be attending this school. The moment you walk into the school, you can tell that it is not your ordinary school. The environment is like nothing I would have ever expected in high school. And for anyone who says that we have a bullying problem, they are TERRIBLY misinformed, Everybody at TERRA looks out for each other. Bullying is definitely not a problem at our school. As for academics, TERRA excels. Courses are rigorous, and challenging, but that is the reason I go to TERRA; to get a good education. If you are not willing to put in the dedication and effort it takes to attend this school, then it is not the school for you. As far as sports, so what if we don't have a football team? If this aspect is THAT important to you, then find a school that has one. I am one month away from becoming a sophomore and I can proudly say that I will not be transferring. I am extremely happy with my accomplishments my freshman year and intend on staying at TERRA until I graduate, Class of 2016!
—Submitted by a student

I refuse to reveal rather or not I'm a parent or a student. What I have experienced in the past four years with the school is a gross level of political strategy only comparable to the gross campaign strategies used by ruthless politicians to gain a government executive position. Don't think that this is bad though....Why? The more politics in this school, the more money the students will get. Grants have been flying into this school sense day one, and with this Principle, I expect them to keep coming. Two stars have been taken off though because of deception, lies, and horrible counselors and policies in the school. Every year the school has had to have a new counselor due to complaints of the previous one. Every year the school hosts an orientation of lies boasting about how amazing the school is and how environmentally based the education is. After year one of its opening, the school gave up the environmental curriculum. The administration simply wanted too much and had too many strict rules to keep everything they wanted. Someone I know has 10 EXCUSED tardies, and got their senior privileges taken away. Tardies for meeting with counselors in the mornings or doctors appointments

Im a freshman at TERRA and I have to say that the rules there are exaggerating ,the Principle has to much Pride and cares for her own job and record rather than help the students. There are only two security guards. Many teachers are strict or dont even know how to teach. Ive been struggling in the school, I recommend thinking over and see if your really up to it.
—Submitted by a student

My daughter is very fortunate to be able to go to this school. The teachers are great and they make learning fun. The principal is verry hands on. If you send her an email she responds the same day. I don' t know why some parents ( i believe its the same parent) talks about indocrination. NOthing is further from the truth. I believe this school will very soon become one of the top rated schools in Florida
—Submitted by a parent

There is no room today for political indoctrination of our children. Leave that stuff out of the curriculum, assignments, projects etc. There us no place for bullying, and you get hit by the double-whammy should your child defend himself against such actions. This school is not a nurturing place for gifted minds. Go elsewhere.
—Submitted by a parent

My son is on the waiting list for the next school year 2013-2014. We really want him to attend Terra. I appreciate all these comments especially the ones from the students. They seen as the most genuine ones. Thank you
—Submitted by a parent

Instead of teaching our kids how to think critically and examine all sides of an issue, this school is indoctrinating our kids and pushing particular social and political agendas on them. Main office staff is overly authoritative, arrogant, overcritical to students and not to mention belligerent-ing and eagerly threatening parents. Suspending and expelling students left and right because their nonsensical rules, mustering up an aura of fascism. Staff shows prejudice against homosexuals and in addition to this schools' infamy in manipulation and exploitiation of teachers and parents. Principal is overly prideful and exaggeratingly claims to have a long waiting list all the meanwhile TERRA is mainly a billboard of false advertisment.
—Submitted by a parent

Thank you for the last comment.! Curious has your son picked a college already ?
—Submitted by a parent

My son is currently a senior at Terra. His class opened the school in 2009. Although he had trouble adjusting to the strict atmosphere of the school at first, he can now look back and says he it's an overall good school. He actually transferred out in 10th grade and went back in 11th, so I think that says alot about the school. The fact that the principal welcomed him back says to me that she does care about her students. I also think that she takes alot of pride in her school and won't have students there that give Terra a bad name. My son had a few teachers that were not that good, but this is something you will find at any school. I think the administration can be a bit difficult to work with too. I like the environment of the school and the fact that there are alot fewer students than in many high schools in the area. I think in time Terra can turn out to be one of the better public high schools in Miami. This is the school I would like to send my daughter to in 2014.
—Submitted by a parent

This is a great school. The environment around the school is the best I have ever seen, I go jogging around the school before picking my daughter from sports and I don;t even see a kid smoking. My son went to Belen and my daughter which is currently a freshman at Terra, went to private school all her life. The kids at those ritzy private schools have nothing on the kids at Terra when it comes to good behavior. My daughters algebra teacher is mr. Garland which used to be the head of the math department at Belen and my son favorite teacher there. All the people complaining are mediocre students which never went to schools that required discipline. And for those that complain about Mrs. Montalvo, I don't have a problem with a dictator as a principal.
—Submitted by a parent

This is one of the worst schools ever. Yes I understand it is very important for our kids to have a great education and environment but this school takes it to a whole other level. When I went for their orientation EVERYTHING seemed perfect but once my daughter started higschool everything flipped around. The staff if horrible, when you need help they are not even there. And don't get me started on the principle Mrs. Botan, that lady is horrible. Not even to mention the security is really poor when they only have one security guard. I know there can be bullying in every school you go to but Terra as the worst kids ever, thinking there all that. Two of my children went there for freshman year and by their third day of school I transferred them to a different school because the bullying there is horrible. And not only did this happen to my two children, It also happen to three of my nieces and a bunch of friends I know that their kids were getting bullied too by the students ans staff! The kids have no social life here. This is definitely not a save environment.
—Submitted by a parent

I disagree with many of the low ratings and comments given to TERRA from parents who appear to be extremely uninformed. As a senior at TERRA i can tell you we're not perfect but when given the choice to go elsewhere TERRA is definitely the place to be. We have two counselors, three assistance principles and a great principle leading the school. Our office staff is very helpful, contrary to what others have commented. I'm a student aid and when anyone come into the office asking for help, they immediately receive it. We are an extremely safe school, our cameras are always on and can be accessed whenever necessary, yet we don't find the need because the student body is always at their best. We have a small level of security and it is more than sufficient. Having the opportunity to have left TERRA countless times, I know I wouldn't preference being elsewhere.
—Submitted by a student

TERRA Environmental Research Institute is so far the best school I ever seen!! The Principle is so nice and outgoing with her students. The kids over there dedicate there time to help each other out! There is NO bullying those are just lies that people say. The classrooms are equipped with the latest technological equipment such as multiple computer labs, Promethean boards, classroom surround sound systems, greenhouses, and state-of-the-art research laboratories. TERRA offers a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum accessible to all students in the Miami-Dade County. Everything happens at TERRA with a deep consciousness of our global community, and we consider our students to be future-global problem solvers!!! TERRA's teacher stay after school to help their students and/or if they still need more help they even come during the weekends to help! They dedicated to empower students with the knowledge required to understand and care for the environment and become problem solvers of our global concerns. TERRA provides students with preparation, encouragement and inspiration for higher learning. All I can say is that TERRA IS THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL THERE IS!!!!!!
—Submitted by a student

My daughter goes to TERRA and I think she has had more opportunities at a school like TERRA than elsewhere. She's been able to do internships, she's been in a great learning environment with great teachers and student, and never once have I heard her complain about bullying; rather, she loves the school and its people. Not to mention, there are tons of extracurricular activities to get involved in, the school has pep rallies, dances, movie events, etc. Maybe some complain that TERRA's "not like a real high school", but as far as education and safety go, it's a whole lot better than what a "real high school" would be and I feel content sending her to TERRA.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is an amazing school. Very friendly, no one ever steals or bullies. Very rigorous academics. Many extra-circular activities, involved teachers/staff, and only the best of the best go here, very safe high school - send your child!!!
—Submitted by a student

i am a parent looking for a safe high school for my child to attend. next school year. terra was/is in my #1 choice, but after reading commments i am a bit confused. we toured the school last school year inpressed with the classrooms and conduct displayed by the students. i did feel a bit of arrogance by the school principal. wondering if we can have more commnets based on the "other importance" like security, i read bulling, i a comment, traffic, no one assisting in the traffic, student parking lot car vadelism, cameras not working, office staff careless. i am trying to understand, i had a differrent prospective about the school. is it just a public scam?

What I've in this page is that every comment that has to do about the reality about the school is gone. No matter how many times someone tries to earse the comments about the truth of this school. Ether way the truth will come out and everyone will know how horrible this school is.
—Submitted by a parent

Obviously there has been a campaign to increase the school's rating due to confluence of high student ratings with a day or two of one another. This at the start of the school year too. Shame they can't have opinions of their own on separate days. makes you wonder if the school administration is behind this?

As a student who has been at Terra for what will be 4 years, I can confidently tell you these negative reviews are radical and extremely biased. This school offers so many outstanding opportunities and coming to this school will look great on college applications. They provide biomedical internships, robotics competitions, and environmental teachers that are the best at what they teach. As far as pep rallies and football team, those aren't NEARLY as important as a GOOD education. If you REALLY want your child to go to a school that has a football team then I'm sorry but that's ridiculous on so many levels. If you think things like your children failing their AP exams make Terra a bad school then you are seriously mistaken. I have heard children complain about how hard their teachers are, and I've even heard that some teachers make their students scared of the AP exam due to how much they exaggerate about the difficulty of it. But with every single kid who has complained, they've ALL passed. This school is definitely the place to send a child who strives for excellence. Terra is a great school and you can trust a student on that.
—Submitted by a student

If you want a great social life and an easy time as your high school experience this school is not for you, so transfer out, instead of posting negative comments. It's a choice school for a reason. However if you want a rigorous academic experience that will prepare you for a top university, TERRA is great. Academically the school is extremely advanced when compared to most public high schools in Miami. Of course since the school is new it does have some quirks and problems, but nothing major. As to those who say the school is unsafe, have you ever heard of a fight at TERRA? Probably not. At Killain, Palmetto or most other MDCPS you hear of one every week. We will have a prom, when we have seniors(this year)! We do have clubs, sports and activities but you have to keep in mind that it's an academically focused school! Te academics opportunities are endless, we have students working at biotech labs at FIU, at UM, at Fairchild and the USDA. Point is, we have won more academi competitions than sports games but I love that because I'd rather debate someone than play them in basketball anyday. (I'm not ragging on our sports, they are good and plentiful, they are just not the main focus)
—Submitted by a student