Jewel M. Sumner High School

My two sons attend school at sumner, we came from livingston parish which has excellent public schools and I am extremely happy with the education they are receiving here. Teacher are very eager to help and the parents are very involved with PTSA
--Submitted by a parent

I currently attend Sumner High. I enjoy going to school there, but, just like everyone else who has reviewed the school, I think we need more extra-curricular activities. I love what our new principal, Mr. Jackson, is doing with the school. We have more things to do now, and he's working on getting a school band and volleyball team together. We need more electives, though. Right now, the only ones we have are piano, chorus, ag, home ec, and computer. Computer classes are required in the 9th grade year. We could use more choices. And we definitely need more clubs! But I really do think our school is better than other schools in the area. We have better teachers and less violence. I would definitely reccomend Sumner High to a parent looking for a school for their child. I also attended Sumner Middle, which I hated. That was the most horrible school I have ever gone to! You have no freedom at that school. You have to be at a certain place at a certain time, you have no choices whatsoever. And the only clubs at the middle school are Jr. Beta, for the 8th grade, and 4H.
--Submitted by a student

Out of all of the public and private schools in our parish, Sumner has them all beat! The students and teachers there have the best attitude! The students know what they want and need in life and how to get it, and the teachers know how to make the students realize it.

My 3 daughters attend SMS just as I did. Academics are what you would expect in a top quality public school. Parental involvement is good but could be much better if parents would take advantage of programs that are available; such as PTSA, parent information meetings, and the Parent Command Center. The parent command center is an amazing resource of current information on your child s grades as well as attendance and behavior. I would like to see more teachers keep it up to date and more parents use it. Non sports related extracurricular activities are available but not well known and are very limited. My children cheer and participate in track. They are also in gifted music and drama. And all 3 are honor students. I am very please with the guidance and education my children are receiving at Sumner Middle School.
--Submitted by a parent

I myself went to Sumner and I loved it.I intend on sending my 3 children to the school.I also agree/agreed that they need more non-athletic extra curricular activities.I was in chorus and talent search.but that was really all there was that wasn't athletic.The old principal was rarely seen except on fun days.Mr. Alston was great.Teachers in jr high were great.High school needed slight improvement.parent involvement wasn't there.
--Submitted by a former student

My three children finished school at Sumner. My oldest play basketball, ran track, and she was in chorus. My son was on the football team in Jr. High but he loved basketball, and he did great. He was also in chorus also. My youngest did not play any sports but she was in chorus , FBLA and Upward Bound. Now I have two grand children attending Sumner. I know sports is a big issue at Sumner and all the other schools in the parish. This gives our kids something to do. Sumner is a very good school. DTaylor
--Submitted by a parent

I have had two children attend Sumner Jr. High and Graduate from Sumner High School. My third child is now in her Sophmore year. I agree with the other mother's comment about extra ciricular ativities, they are mainly sports. Our children who are not athletic need to be considered and new opportunties for these children need to be added and hopefully before my child graduates. We moved here from the south shore and do love living here and Sumner but I believe with the growing numbers of families moving here that Sumner needs to take a look at other shools for growing ideas. Also they need to look at how other schools PTO's operate and accomplish for their school and students. I Would be happy to help in any way I can. Happy to have Mr. Austin as principal, encoraged that he will help Sumner grow as does Tangipahoa Parish does.
--Submitted by MaryAnn Dauterive, a parent

The teaching staff is friendly. The seventh grade has a math teacher that could benefit from taking a workshop on current teacher ideas about hands on learning. He seems to be stuck in old ways and does not use any kind of positive reinforcement or encouragement. My child had him in fifth grade and I am still disappointed in his teaching as well as his desire to communicate or should i say not communicate with parents. The school in general has great parents, but only has limited extra curricular activities. I think they are to limited to sports.We recently got a new principal that i enjoy . I am sure he will do a good job, as did MR. Fairburn.
--Submitted by elaine mjilton, a parent