J Sterling Morton West High School

The quality of academic programs is marginal, but there is a relatively good availability of sports and other activities. The parent involvement is not what I would expect from a high school as large as this is.
—Submitted by a parent

In my opinion Morton West is a horrible high school compared to the one I go to now. The main thing that needs to be worked on is safety and discipline. Gangs and racism are also main issues. It's a bad school period, although the teachers are okay.
—Submitted by a student

I am a Morton High School graduate and can give everyone a bit of perspective. In my circle of friends, the following colleges were represented...Princeton, University of Chicago, Stanford, Millikin University, Northwestern...just to name a few...so for people to say you have no shot at Morton is ludicrous.
—Submitted by a former student

Morton West High School doesn't challenge students due to the out of date text books and teaching material used. I feel my child is not being challenge enough, even though he is in honor classes.
—Submitted by a parent

Parents get informed! I believe I didn't get the help I could have for my struggling Morton teens. I am a Parent that cares! This school failed Annual Yearly Progress 3 years in a row.
—Submitted by a parent

I agree with previous comments made about having to be 'in the face of educators' My experience is that the administration isn't there to work with you and as much as I tried to work with them I got resistence at every attempt. I thought the whole concept of the education process was to teach, apparently I was mistaken because those who excel in school do so with little effort and those who need help just fall behind. I lived in Berwyn for 15 years and was happy there until my daughter went to Morton West High school. I had to move in order to give my daughter a chance to succeed. Lets face it, its hard enough to find a job these days and without at least a high school diploma chances are slim. No guarantees: but at least my kid has a shot now.
—Submitted by a parent

The administration in this school could improve itself greatly by putting the students' needs above the need to improve test scores.
—Submitted by a former student

The school website reflects the help and resources you can expect from Morton West. Stubborn persistance is needed to get anywhere with the staff at Morton West. Homework and organization skills are up to teens and their parents - no real lessons from the school here. The Morton West system makes it difficult for parents to get information before it is too late to make a difference. Progress reports reflect information from 3 to 4 weeks prior to receipt. There is heavy reliance on teens to convey information and needs when they often do not have the maturity level to do so. Parent Teacher Conference is poorly organized. A web site with useful and updated academic and activity calendars, e-mail contacts, and individual teacher areas would benefit Morton West, its students and parents. Some of the teachers go the extra mile. Band program and support for it is outstanding.
—Submitted by a parent

terrible school. no discipline. fighting all the time and teachers don't care.
—Submitted by a former student

As a former student the school wasnt too bad but its what you make of it. If you hangout with the right groups then you will be fine. Also if you dont mess with people or start drama (drama happens alot here). Also people think that Morton is full of bad dumb students. We have many smart and great students there its just hard to find them becuase,the school pays more attention to the trouble students rather the good ones.
—Submitted by a former student

Well let's just see how Senior year goes for my son. he is not the best student so I am not a parent who looks at life through glass eyes. With that said, can I just say if any staff from the High School is reading this, your school has to be by far one of the most UNORGANIZED registrations I have ever been to. Your staff is rude to the students! No wonder the kids are the way they are, it starts from the top. From a management level to hopefully someone who cares that reads this, you really need to get it together. And what is up with only 2 conselors on staff for regis day? Come on seriously, let's get it together. Practice what you preach staff!
—Submitted by Jennifer Johnson, a parent

I am a Morton graduate. I was a teacher at Morton also. I am the mother of three children who did extremely well in school - because they put effort into it! I could not believe the whinning of the people who entered their reviews in this site. (Their grammar was atrocious besides!)There's a simple rule of life; put much effort into something and you will reap great rewards. Morton does not go out and hire disinterested teachers. Get real! Could it be that education and character and good behavior and good study habits were not emphasized in the home of these disgruntled people? Just because a person walks into a school now and then doesn't make them a student. A proper upbringing is the responsibility of the family so that the person attending school is prepared to learn plus partake of the extracurricular activities provided.
—Submitted by a former student

I'm a student from Morton. The teachers are okay, and I don't think that there's a huge problem with racism,though there still is a little bit. For instance in the spring when girls start to wear skirts, the parapros go for the latin and black girls wearing short skirts, and most of the time white girls dont get told anything.
—Submitted by a student

I am currently a Student at Morton West High School.....Overall most of the teachers are very nice and caring about each individual student well at least the teachers I have are but if they know or can tell that you are in a gang they most likely treat you a little bit differently than they do the others. I have never seen the principal of my school or i have never even talked to my dean . My counselor is a nice guy though.
—Submitted by Stephanie, a student

I read the reviews and I can't agree with them any more. Morton is a disappointment and I am afraid what will happen to my child when he needs to be prepared for college. The counselors, vice-principals, principals, deans, all the overall staff don't care. Your lucky if you get a return call back after 5 or so messages left for a person. The principal won't even call you back. There is not enough classes for all the students, they have them working in the deans office or in a study hall because they have no where to put them. it is so sad. I hope someone reads this and overhauls all of berwyns' schools especially dist 209 & 100. Please Help Our Kids
—Submitted by Rebecca Garcia, a parent

I just transferred out of Morton West. There are alot of Hispanics at the school, and alot of whites, but very few African Americans. I was one of the African Americans, and I constantly felt singled out. All day I heard people (mainly hispanics) saying the 'n' word like it was nothing, and I was even a victim of racism. A girl told me she hated Mexicans, and Black people, and constantly joked about the KKK, and my teacher would do nothing. There's also alot of racist staff members. The staff at that school couldn't care less about the students.
—Submitted by a former student

I believe this school needs a lot of improvement. I went there from 2000-04. I believe i saw the new principal three times (including graduation) and he wasn't very outgoing. The 'safety measures' are ridiculous and the parapros only catch you if they don't like you. Otherwise it's just another public high school.
—Submitted by a former student

I am a student at Morton and the school is alright. There is a lot of gangs, and a lot of fights. One student was put into the hospital, another fight was by my locker, and there was blood everywhere. They have good education. YetI still feel unsafe at school.
—Submitted by a student

This school's only worry is about making money and pretending they care about your kids. I will soon remove my child from such school. I think that even Chicago schools are better that this one.
—Submitted by a parent

High School is very scary as a Freshmen, its new, big and a little overwhelming. Teachers arnt as kind and you loose that personal touch, I think its pretty said to overwhelm children the first few weeks with Homework, and then after spending several hour doing it, get uncalled for statements like (very weak effort) and stupid unhappy faces, I think its poor effort on the Teachers part, these are still kids! You should not belittle their efforts, let them know what is expected of them, give them time to adjust to their new surroundings. Really disapointed with the first week of Morton West.
—Submitted by Cat grzywa, a parent