Dryden High School

the school has a great foundation, although the influences are bad it is a great place for students to learn, and enjoy, this is my 3rd year at the school and i really love it there and i wouldnt change it for anything
--Submitted by a student

This school has been a very difficult place to achieve in. I've been attending this school for some years now, and although a few adequate teachers are employed there, it isn't enough to redeem the school as a whole. The students there are a terrible influence, and are, to put it bluntly, narrow minded. They can often be cruel, as I have witnessed from my peers. The teachers unfortunately are oblivious to the goings on. I am planning to transfer to a more suitable school soon, so please, don't wast your time here.
--Submitted by a student

There is no problem that Dryden faces that all other schools in the state face. Yes, there are some bad teachers but that you will find in any industry with a union. I graduated from Dryden a few years ago and went on to prestigious private college where I graduated less than a year ago. Dryden offers an experience unlike most schools because of its small size. I was able to be a part of multiple varsity sports and student organizations that helped me become as successful as I have, without my experience at Dryden I do not know if my future would be so promising.
--Submitted by a student

DHS was a school I chose to transfer from in order to salvage my future. Upon transferring I noticed an immediate increase in my grades due to better teaching. Dryden, while a fairly family and community friendly school, breeds a student who will be socially and educationally inept. With regards to the constant parent/faculty or shall we say 'my parent is faculty and school board member' interaction, there are few students who receive the help and skills they need.
--Submitted by a student

Dryden is an incredibly mediocre school and the sad thing is we're known for it. People from other schools in the area actually assume everyone from Dryden is scholastically inept. There are, as anywhere, a few students who rise above, but the teachers are mostly either lazy, pushovers, or both. It is very easy to barely scrape by. Most of the teachers aren't even specifically excelled in what they teach; they're just assigned random classes and given a handbook. Everyone pokes fun at the 'quality Dryden education'. All of the exchange students said that school was ridiculously easy. That's not to say though that there aren't a few teachers who are smart, well-trained, and passionate about what they do. All in all, though, Dryden is a good environment socially but not for learning.
--Submitted by a student

Dryden High School is run by an incompetent administration and littered with teachers who do not teach. There are a few exceptions, but there are also a shocking number of teachers who simply check out of the classroom. Not many advanced placement classes are offered, and athletics are given more importance than academics, a serious shortcoming in a school that spends over the state average of their budget on extracurriculars, even with their miniscule budget. It is possible to do well at Dryden, but the student must be determined, and I have seen many talented minds go to waste as they struggle with an inept and uninvolved staff.
--Submitted by a parent

Dryden is a very fine school, with a great staff and a good atmosphere. I am a graduate of the school, I have been involved in the workings of the school, and I have my own children in the school. I have seen this district from all pertinent angles, and I feel that they do a fine job providing our students with a quality education. Working with a limited budget, within the confines of a horrible law in No Child Left Behind, and with sometimes limited community support, Dryden does an excellent job of preparing our students for college.
--Submitted by a parent

As a parent and staff member I have watched the education at Dryden High School drop. The staff struggles with the curriculum they are required to teach, the teachers aren't all qualified to teach the subject area they are in. It is sad that graduates that choose to go on to college aren't prepared for what they will face.
--Submitted by a parent

Dryden High Schools main problem is the teaching. I graduated from Dryden two years ago and am sad to say my knowledge of important subjects such as math,history, and geography is not very good. We were allowed too much freedom in such classes and would get a passing grade for practically learning and doing nothing. If I could I would do it over and be motivated to learn, but how can students be motivated to learn if teachers aren't motivated to teach? That is the only thing I can say I am truly dissappointed in, the teaching.
--Submitted by a parent

I'm a student who graduated from Dryden High School. I would just like to say that I believe Dryden truly is doing the best that it can considering the people that they have to work with. The community is hardly supportive of the school, and many parents place blame onto the school system rather than taking responsibility for their own children and their child's shortfalls. Dryden receives much criticism, which I believe is poorly aimed. I graduated from DHS, and I'm going to be a success.
--Submitted by a former student