Fern Creek Traditional High School

I went to Fern Creek for all four years of high school. This school is less than favorable and I will tell you why. There are only two things that the administration cares about. Uniform and CATS testing. This school did NOT prepare me for college whatsoever. The school does not adhere to JCPS rules that are stated in the agenda. They will send kids to ISAP for any reason. The staff is lazy and power crazed. They have no problem sending your kid to in school suspension to stare a wall all day because their pants are faded. But God forbid they miss one day of school for a legitimate reason (They get paid for attendance). If you can, please send your kids else where. Really, this school will set them up for failure, I mean that whole heartedly. I know that my education was free, but I feel completely gipped, especially compared to schools in Indiana. We read Alice in Wonderland my senior year. I don't think that it is just Fern Creek. I believe that it is all JCPS schools. When I attended U of L, JCPS graduates were constantly complaining that they had never written a paper over 3 pages long and only knew how to write 3.5 (Which is used on the CATS testing.. no surprise there) .
--Submitted by a student

This school is horrible. Teachers and staff do not communicate. No one know what is going on and they never return phone calls. The office staff is rude to students and parents alike. I have 5 children, 3 of them started at Fern Creek and by their Sophmore year transfered to other schools. I have never had so many problems out of a school ever. I would recommend that you send your childern anywhere else, anywhere. My childs cell phone was stolen out of their office while under their care and no one notified me. They are more worried about the dress code and looking for any little thing that your child may do wrong than their education.
--Submitted by a parent

Fern Creek has an extraordinary faculty and staff. I have worked closely with the administration in the last five years, and you will not find another school in Jefferson County with a more passionate and generous staff. Under the leadership of Dr. Barber and his team, Fern Creek is helping students achieve, learn and believe in themselves. There many exciting new initiatives as a result of the commitment to excellence which embodies the spirit of Fern Creek. Fern Creek has the only student run radio station and state of the art radio and television broadcasting equipment. FCHS receives tremendous support from an active and generous alumni association. I am proud to call Fern Creek my alma mater, and I believe in the current administration and support their efforts to inspire our kids to succeed...now and in the future.
--Submitted by a parent

I am an alumni and now this year a parent of an FCHS student. I am very disappointed with the school. One hand doesn't seem to know what the other is doing up there ever! Dr. Barbour is an ineffective administrator and the by in large the entire staff is unresponsive to parental complaints and concerns. The counselors can't even manage to correctly schedule classes for studenst and blame it on the Tri-Mester scheduling that the administrators think is so 'great' . The day my son came home and said 'we are no longer allowed to use the restroom during class' well considering classes are 70 mintues long with only a 5 minute break inbetween I made the decision my son will not be returning to FCHS next year! I have already visited Seneca and they seem much more competent especially in the area of Advanced Program.
--Submitted by a parent

All of my children have gone to Fern Creek Traditional High School and they have all had wonderful experiences. Fern Creek is a top notch school because of its excellent teaching staff, its business marketing programs, and its communications magnet. Fern Creek has prepared my children for the academic rigors of college. My children were especially impressed with Mr. Baker, Mr. Hare, Mr. Bernard, and Mrs. Polley.
--Submitted by a parent

This school is like most public schools in Jefferson County, the staff is well meaning but overwhelmed by either the number of kids or the bureacracy. The opportunity is there for the kids looking to excel but the school by no means nurtures students to rise to their potential. Very dissappointed after 4 years of poor responses from teachers and even worse from conselors. Send your kids to one of the elite public schools, Manual or Male or spend for a Private school, it is money well spent!

Doesn't have good control over students. Doesn't handle emergencys well or take proper precautions
--Submitted by a student

I'm a parent and I like the positive attitude I see with the faculty at Fern Creek this year. My child always is very happy at this school. I personally don't like the 70 minute Tardy Hall that is being issued by office volunteers (students) or that they issue it in the morning. The Gene Snyder and Bardstown Rd. traffic plays a huge role in tardiness. Why would the Board of Education require our schools to implement a rule that requires our students to stand for 70 minutes without learning?
--Submitted by a parent

I'm a parent who has had a child graducation from Fern Creek. And I still have 2 more going there, I think Dr. Barbour is great, but there are a lot more that can be done for that school. Like getting tardy hall out of the school. It is a shame for kids to stand-up for 70 minutes
--Submitted by a parent

Dr Barbour really cares about the students that he has at Fern Creek. Gunnery Sgt. Dunlap is a great mentor for the students involved in the ROTC program.
--Submitted by a parent