Osceola Fundamental High School

It is the only Fundamental high school in Florida.
--Submitted by a parent

Yes this school is fundemental, but it does not prepare the students for life after the 'fundemental experience'. As a dual enrolled student (meaning instead of taking all four classes at Osceola, I take two and the other two are actual college classes at SPC), this school is the complete opposite of college. The teachers can't teach i ntheir own way due to the guidelines. The principal does not care one bit about the students. Yes, when the parents are there, she is a great and caring person. However, once they leave, she is stuck in her office, does not handle disciplinary problems or anything. I was talking to her once, asking a question, and she just up and walked away in the middle of my sentence without a word. There are awesome teachers there, but literally, if you forget a pencil, that's a demerit. Homework not signed? There's another.
--Submitted by a student

As an alumni of Osceola I have mixed feelings about the quality of the school. I think it's an average school. The great teachers there are what make it anything but terrible. Osceola had some great educators, and I feel honored to be taught by some of them. However, i feel the fundamental program is not good. Sure it may make students do well on tests, it may even make the school seem like a good place. But it is not preparing students for the future. It teaches complete reliance on teachers and parents; telling students to never ever think for themselves. It's punishments are too harsh for minor transgressions (Missed a homework? One step to getting kicked out of school). And, it doesn't let teachers teach in their own style, imparting the knowledge students need.
--Submitted by a student

The teachers are wonderful but extra curricular activities are poor. Communications to parents are about sports activites and little else.
--Submitted by a parent

This school is safe... to a fault. Grades are improving due to the fundamental program because the parents are essentially doing all the work. Students spend more time sitting around in class while teachers stamp homework and pass out demerits for not having pencils than they do actually learning. This school will not prepare your child for the real world, because it does not allow them to develop the independence and personal responsibility that is needed to survive alone.
--Submitted by a student

OHS is a melting pot school filled with students from various areas of pinellas county and many with cultural backgrounds. With this there is going to be problems but in the end it is a better experience for the students because they learn how to deal and work with other students of different cultural backgrounds. The administration is the weak point of the high school unfortunatly. Although it has improved greatly with the new Principle most of the administrators are looking out for their own personal gains and not what is best for the school or the students. The sports programs are very well coached but the school, in the recent years has lost a lot of the athletes because it has become a fundamental school. OHS probably has one of the best high school football coaches in the state of Florida, George Palmer. Too bad he doesn't run the school!

My child is in the fundamental program, not our choice but grandfathered in, figured it would be just as good as any and close to home. Alot of the students 'grandfathered' in do not care for some of the rules. As a parent I think it is a good school and will only get better. The feedback I get from my child is not that great about the teachers but its funny how they describe a teacher and then we meet them and we get a completely different impression. But some of the teachers left an expression on me that they are not interested in the fundamental program and they let some of the rules slide, which is okay by me as long as my child is learning.
--Submitted by a parent

Unless your child is a honors student this school is not suited to help other students that may be lacking in learning. I have 2 children in this school. One has no problems, the other is a slow learner and they promise to help and never follow through. They will fall between the cracks unless you stay onto of things daily!
--Submitted by a parent

I've had 5 children graduate from Osceola High School and each has had a good experience. All were honor's students; one earned the National Merit Finalist Scholarship during her time at Osceola. I appreciate that 'serious' students (and my kids were certainly not perfect) have AP opportunities. We have also enjoyed the many extra curricular activities. Since Osceola is a smaller high school, each of my kids was a'starter' in various sports. I am not sure that would have been the case at a larger school. Same was true for a son who tried drama as a junior. He had lead parts in his senior year. I do not like the current 4 X 4 schedule. I see much less homework and much more empty school time. Challenging coursework at Osceola permitted a solid college preparation.
--Submitted by Vicki, a parent

It was always told that OHS was a quality experience. For myself, I believe that is true.
--Submitted by a former student