Pikesville High School

I am very upset after reading some of these reviews for Pikesville High. Yes, a few of the teachers are rude and unprofessional, but the school itself is steller. Fights are not frequent,as some would say. They very rarely occur, unless a verble 'fight' is what is being reffered to. Ever since the new principal stepped in there has been a shine on the arts department. Many AP classes are offered, and the staff really helps its students with any and all issues that can come up from family probles, to which colleges to apply to.
—Submitted by a student

This school has great potential but the students are either amazing or belong in a juvenile detention center. Academics are great but some teachers dont look like they care. Fights are very frequent, sometimes upwards of 3 a day. The other half though seems to thrive and do extremely well. Office staff is ok. Weighing out the good students over the bad, this is an ok school.

The school has a very high percentage of students who continue their education at college.
—Submitted by a parent

It can only say it offers so many APs because half of them are online. In English and History, way too many kids are forced into APs, causing the level of the class to go down. The exact opposite phenomena occurs in science and math, with noly a few select eleventh graders ever managing to get into GT physics. The school had a far too small arts program and puts too much emphasis on testing over learning. Its only redeeming quality is its multimedia program.
—Submitted by a student

I am very satisfied with the teachers. They give so much of their time with children that really need extra care. Thank you so much for helping my daughter
—Submitted by a parent

Pikesville is all in all a mediocre school. Sports teams are OK but not great, clubs are OK but not great, and the same goes for academics and the fine arts. Very few students in the school have the initiative to dedicate themselves to clubs like the Literary Magazine or groups like the Wind Ensemble, and this drives a student like me who is serious about these things nuts.
—Submitted by a student

I am a junior at PHS. Having completed my sophomore year, I don't think this is the 99th best school in the nation. With a few exceptions (by the way, the 'few exceptions' were truly 'amazing' teachers), many teachers are lazy. I was involved in every AP and GT class possible, but some teachers were very poorly trained and inexperienced with higher level students. In addition, many teachers are leaving the school, making the environment worse. But I guess PHS is ok compared to other schools in Baltimore County.
—Submitted by a student

i am currently a sophmore at PHS and i must say that this school do have some good and bad things about it but all schools do. out of all the schools i been to this was the best because my principle ms. walker really cares. most of my friends go to diffrent schools and when they tell me about their schools it make me happier to call myself a PHS student
—Submitted by a student

I attended PHS, and graduated in 2005. From a students prosepctive, the school had great teachers for the most part. The previous pincipal Mrs. Harden was not very involved with the students, that has sice changed with the incoming of Barbra Walker, whic was also my middle school principal. PHS cares, the school want their student to exceed!
—Submitted by a student

I went to PHS class of 1987. My son was enrolled here. I have pulled him out and we are now going down the path of home schooling. Even though the school seemed like they wanted to help. I knew they are overwhelmed and under staffed. My son who was failing is in a college prep online program and has a B avg.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has changed for the worse in 10 years. My child goes to PHS. While he is a good student, he has been poorly guided into AP & Honors classes that are over his head and it has affected his gpa negatively. Furthermore, the school is lax with attendance. I am disgusted with this school & the lack of guidance and education in this school. While I have tried to make changes & be involved with his education, I get little help from the school.
—Submitted by a parent

PHS is not fair or intuned to the kids who need special help not everyone is college bound My son suffered through 11 yrs of school it wasn't until the priciple changed that things got better Thank you Ms Walker. In the past there were fights all day and kids roaming the halls. ms Walker is the only one who cared enough to change this, now the kids are always attended. The academic program is good but more then half of the teachers are not they no longer care, they are fast to label a child a problem then they are willing to work on a solution most kids do want to learn they just learn differently.The football program is wonderful and is full of family support, not much parent involvement else where. The administration acts like they are too busy for parents Ms Walker please change this
—Submitted by a parent

My son graduated from Pikesville High School. We moved into the area to attend this school specifically. I could not have wished for a better education for him. The programs available are exceptional and the administrative staff is caring and dedicated to excellence.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a PHS parent no longer. My son had a miserable freshman year. He worked like a dog in the highly touted but vastly over-rated GT program. a great deal of the work he did was more busywork than skill building or academically challenging. He is more challenged in honors programs in his new county school than ever in GT at Pikesville. The demographics are changing. Fights every day. There is a great deal of racial tension at PHS, a a great divide between haves and havenots with haves feeling isolated and entitled.
—Submitted by a parent

Pikesville High School's demographic is changing. If the adminstration does not address this in a meaningful way the school will deteriorate both academically and socially.
—Submitted by a parent

Statistically Pikesville is one of the best schools in the County but anyone who goes there would differ. Its almost embarrassing. The only reason the school is doing well is the students whose parents push them. They carry the school.
—Submitted by a former student

I am a parent of a 9th grader who attents PHS I am not pleased the way the school office is ran it need to give their admin help some people skill classes they are rude. In all my child does fairly well in her classes. Some of the teachers need to take the time to help some of the students who struggle in their classes. Some teachers are predjudice by the way they act towards the minority children who attend PHS.The principal need to be available to talk with parents because one of the assistant principal is not that good . Overall the school needs improvement but otherwise the curriculm is good. Parents need to be more involved and teachers need not be so prejudice.
—Submitted by a parent

Hiding deficiencies will keep the school in the top 100 for a while. If problems aren't addressed, eventually the house of cards will crumble. What is being done to increase the number of black students in these wonderful AP classes?
—Submitted by a parent

PHS is often ranked as a top-notch school because many students are encouraged to achieve high test scores on the AP exam. Recently the principal received the teacher of the year award for the entire state of Maryland. However anyone from PHS could tell you that Principal Hardin is of poor quality and is primarily focused on cultivating her image, not improving the conditions of the school. Many of the better faculty in the G/T program have left over the past few years. Most of the non-G/T classes consist of poor teachers attempting to discipline rowdy and unmotivated students. In addition the principal has turned her back on most fine arts programs.
—Submitted by a former student