Sharon High School

I luv !+ |-|3R3. !+ B3 +|-|3 b3$+ Y0. !t is a very good learning environment, it is an atmosphere filled with great teachers, wonderful academics, and terrific interactions with everybody with in this tightly-knit community. Over all, my experiences here have been nothing less than phenomenal, in addition, they have greatly prepared me for my college learning process. Its diversity has helped me accept my peers and their backgrounds/ individual situations. Lastly, Sharon High School is a blue ribbon school, which means it is a recognized high achieving school by US Department of Education.
--Submitted by a teacher

This school provided me with the opportunity to choose whichever college that I wanted to attend. As a SHS alumnus, I would not choose another public school.
--Submitted by a student

The schools were a big factor in our decision to move to town. Both my children did well at SHS. One on the honors track (very competitive) & one who needed Special Ed.Services. There was considerable pressure from parents to take AP classes. 3 out of 4 yrs my son had outstanding SPED (Academic Lab) instructors to assist with his dyslexia. The weak instructor did not return the next year. Both kids greatly benefited from the knowledgeable Guidance Dept. who truly gave them individual attention & feedback regarding college selection. One child did drama & enjoyed it. One did sports & although always struggling for funding had good personnel & was a good experience. PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization) is very active but suffered from not having enough parent volunteers. Administration has fluctuated recently. Technology is good & on the upswing. No problems with drugs, alcohol, or safety issues for us.
--Submitted by a parent

Sharon High School has a wonderful reputation throughout the state, and from what I understand throughout the country. While the quality of education is quite good, especially when reflected in test scores, the pressure on the kids is enormous. One very big problem appears to be that many kids who do not do well in the early years end up going to schools outside of the school district, whether private or regional, for high school. This is a shame because they should not be intimidated by the school in their very own district! Parent involvement is tremendous. In some ways this is also very good, in some ways a bit over the top. Kids are put under way too much pressure to be 'perfect' and not left enough space to be 'kids'. Too much empahasis on 'success' at too young an age. Sad.
--Submitted by a parent

Sharon High School definitely has excellent opportunities for music, arts, and other extracurricular activities. With many talented students, this school has been highly successful in the Massachusetts High School Drama Guild Festival, winning the last two consecutive years and going to finals and semi finals consistently, and therefore, SHS has one of the best theatre programs in the state. Though the sports teams' records are not the best, athletes train very hard and are content with their coaches and the level with which they compete. Parents are as involved as they would like to be, and many parents volunteer to help with organizating events, selling tickets and food, helping out, etc. Finally, the academic programs are very challenging, proven by the success of many students on AP exams and the acceptance of highest students into many of the nation's top universities.
--Submitted by a former student

The level of academics is high especially in the honor & AP courses. There are some very inadequate teachers who need to be monitored by the administration. Fortunately they are in the minority and complaints to the new principal are dealt with promptly. On the whole, I find the teaching staff very accommodating if you need to address issues with them. It is however up to the parent to initiate the contact and persevere until the issue is resolved. The electives are limited & my children were unable to get into any of their choices especially as they take numerous AP classes which clash with the elective timetable. On the whole I am very happy with the school.
--Submitted by a parent

Sharon High School is a great school for not only academics but also for extracurricular activities. Teachers are usually very understanding of nonacademic commitments. However, oftentimes students in an Honors level class will be expected to put school as their number one priority, often leaving students wondering how to fit in higher leveled classes along with extracurriculars and community service, the key components to a successful college application.
--Submitted by a student

Sharon is a tough school, sometimes making me feel that kids from other, easier schools have an advantage as far as getting into colleges because of better grades. Class sizes are large & teachers in advanced classes do not seem to make an effort to help if a child is struggling, it is upto the child to figure out a way or get moved to the level below. Also, different teachers within the same grade are not consistent but that is probably the case everywhere. However, that said, it is rated highly within the state.
--Submitted by a parent

The academics level of quality is poor. Especially the AP classes. The teachers and asministration are way too busy trying to teach the kids diversity to be concerned with academics. My child couldn't even get his guidance counselor to look up his PSAT scores.
--Submitted by a parent

I experienced this school as a student. I was adequately prepared for college and post-graduated work. Despite being from a lower income bracket (believe it or not) I was instantly distinguished due to my education and experience there once it came time for standard tests and college application. The teachers were top-notch and despite the politics, my overall experience there was positive and memorable.
--Submitted by a former student