James Rickards High School

It's just like every other school people talk bad about this school but just like the other high schoolshere in tallahassee they have over 150+ graduate every year so they must be doing something right. You can't talk bad about a school until you have experienced it. People just give Rickards a bad name because of what people say. They do the same things that go on at other high schools. It's name is just worser, because they are on the southside of town. Now isn't that something to think about.

This is my school zone, but i decided not to go because of the way Rickards has been brought out. IB is great and the new principal is awesome(she was my middle school principle)
—Submitted by a student

I am a parent of a 9th grader who loves the school. His teachers are so good he doesn't want to miss school even when he is sick. The new principal has brough trememdous energy and enthusiasm to Rickards. The IB program is particularly impressive and graduates some the of the brightest students around. For example, the Mu Alpha Theta team (Math team) is one of the best in the country. Great math teachers including Ms. Funk, Mr. Fraser and Mr. Kiser among others.
—Submitted by a parent

This is the worst school I have ever seen. The only good thing is the IB Program, and it definately not worth sending your child there. The general students are irresponsible, and they are rude and ignorant. In my opinion they should move the IB Program to a school like Leon or Lincoln or Chiles. I walked onto the campus and immediatly felt unsafe. I don't even think the cameras work. There is barely any disipline, and none of the students there actually care about an education. Rickards is the reason I put my childrebn in private schools.
—Submitted by a parent

With a new principal at Rickards, things have really turned around. As many of the posts below have described, the IB program at Rickards is fantastic, but was not valued by the previous administration. The new administration not only values IB but sees that it is the most important part of the school--the new principal is also very caring and involved.
—Submitted by a student

The IB program is keeping Rickards from being a perpetul 'F' school. It's a great program that is both challenging and rewarding. As a former student, I would highly recommend to students that are willing to work a little extra in high school. Even with the challenging curriculum, I had plenty of time for extracurricular activities. I played a sport for 4 years and was also in the National Honor Society. As high as I rate the IB program, the opposite is true of the rest of the school. I completely disagree with the poster that said the administration works hard. It is very apparent that [the principal] would rather not have the IB program at Rickards, and makes decisions regarding the program accordingly. The parental involvement is practically nonexistent outside of IB parents.

If I could rate only the IB Program, this school would have 5 stars! The IB Program is a definate plus for this school. I am in agreeance with previous input here, if it were not for this magnet program the school would fail. The Administration shows a lack of concern from the learning environment to the extracurricular (including sports) The online grading system is great, but the teachers are slack in updating. It would be nice to have a principal that cared for the students, that would make all the difference in the world!!
—Submitted by a parent

As a long time parent and supporter of Rickards High School, I can attest to the dedication of the Principal and his staff. They work long and hard hours to make sure that the students and parents have what they need to be successful. There is not a harder working group of people anywhere in our district. The students appreciate the extra help with homework assignments, class projects and as a parent I appreciate having access to information that I need to insure my child's success. Rickards does not receive the positive support that it deserves from the local media, but those of us on the inside know what is really going on and what makes this school as successful as it has been. Our band has been invited to perform in the Orange Bowl in 01/08 and the academic and athletic programs stand shoulder to shoulder with any other school.
—Submitted by a parent

Our son is an IB student and has been since middle school pre-IB. The teaching staff in the IB program is excellent and the students are encouraged to problem solve/study together. IB Counselors are very supportive with college placement and career exploration. Students peers are very positive and a supportive admosphere exhists. The IB program, however, is not as valued at this school. The school administration/general teaching staff/office staff are prone to disorganization and upcoming events, IB or school wide, are often mischeduled and not communitcated well. It is difficult to plan and attend school functions due to this. Safely on campus appears good in the two years we have been there. It is located on the central/south side of town and easily reached. The buildings remain in need or repair but are functional. The extra-curricular activities suffer from disorganization. This is the only IB High School in Tallahassee.
—Submitted by a parent

The IB program is EXCELENT. I do not feel safe when I am in the schools atmosphere. Drugs, alcohol, gangs, fights, and weapons are a major problem at the school.
—Submitted by a student

A terrible school. They do not care about the students at all.
—Submitted by a former student

Rickards is a great school, not only does it help your child through high school, it prepares them for college on a collegiate level.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm not a parent, but I do attend this school.I think Rickards is a great school,and I enjoy being here.I do,however,agree that Rickards does have problems with student discipline,but I wouldn't lay the blame on the school. Rickard's does its best to keep the school a safe environment, but it doesn't help when students come late to class,write on the walls everywhere, and do other things that are unacceptable. And IB is a good program, but I see that some people think that regular classes have it easy compared to IB, but it's not all cookies and cake for us either, we have to earn a grade the same as everyone in the school.
—Submitted by Whitney Adams

I have a child in the IB program and I have been active as a parent volunteer. The IB program offers a fine education, and has some extraordinary teachers, including some who go far above and beyond their job duties. I have been impressed by the types of assignments that my child has done, and by the scope of my child's learning as a result of the program. I, however, have been disappointed by the administrative leadership in IB as well as in the overall school. I think that problems are allowed to fester, parent volunteers are not welcomed, the administration is disorganized and doesn't delegate efficiently, and the administration does little to heal the rift that occurs between the IB program and the rest of the school.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a current student of Rickards High School. While the statistics relating to this school seem promising, they are very misleading. There is a huge gap between the quality of education and acievement of the International Baccalaureate Program students and the quality of education and acievement of the other students. This school recieved 'F' grades before the IB program was brought in. While the grade has risen since then, it is not a reflection of any improvements within the school. Instead, it is an average as bright students studing in a difficult program are added to lower achieving students whose plight seems to be ignored by administrators and school board members alike. This means that if a parent sends their child to the Rickards IB Program, they will expect a very challenging education, possibly too challenging, and those children in the normal classes may have to do with substandard education.
—Submitted by a former student

I am not a parent of any student that attends Rickards. I am a former student and I love being there. I do have a cousin that attends Rickards and she enjoys it. I am and will always be a 'Redskin'! Helen 'Cia' Wright-Coffee. San Antonio, Texas