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GreatSchools Rating

Grosse Pointe South High School

Public | 9-12 | 1591 students

Last modified
Community Rating

4 stars

Community Rating by Year
2013:
No new ratings
2012:
Based on 1 rating
2011:
Based on 1 rating
2010:
Based on 1 rating

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19 reviews of this school


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Posted January 24, 2012

South is an amazing school the best school in michigan and the teachers are just amazing im taking solid AP courses and im still finding myself having a ton of fun GO BLUE DEVILS
—Submitted by a student


Posted November 19, 2011

The standards are high and the opportunities are amazing. Course options and activities rival offerings at a small liberal arts college, and the teachers are helpful and supportive. More diverse and welcoming--economically and ethically--than some are claiming. Regardless, all students are expected to work hard in order to earn their grades--it's no diploma mill.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted September 26, 2010

Most teachers are very involved with their students and parent support is amazing. Many opportunities for extracurricular activities.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted February 26, 2010

I am a former student from GPS. I am saddened by the Still 'Bubble' and by the lack of 'Diversity' at GPS. It challenged me academically and the extracurricular activities are great. To the students in 'The Bubble' pop it! See how amazing other people can be! To the other students that feel the lack of 'Diversity' you're already ahead of the game! To all of you, keep your heads up! It really is an honor to Graduate from Grosse Pointe South High School.


Posted October 3, 2009

Nice spirited place - kids excel in all areas.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted August 30, 2009

Grosse Pointe South is a great school, as long as you are focused on your school work you will do well here, if not you are done, the classes are tough and the standards are high, if you are not up to it you will be cast aside by some teachers and students alike. The selection of clubs, sports, and other groups to join is spectacular, as are the electives at south. Overall South is a perfect school for anyone focused on school and getting into a great college. I think the thing that says the most about south is that many students in each grade move on to Michigan or Michigan State, and in ever grade there will be a few going to Ivy League schools.
—Submitted by a student


Posted June 13, 2008

Great place to learn. Outstanding AP courses. My high school senior believes it is one of the best schools in the nation.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 31, 2008

i'm a student at grosse pointe south and the 'undiverse' thing as we've seen with repetition is quite accurate. Most teachers and parents may not experience this first hand but to the students that do, its extremely fevent and alive. Its a great school in terms of academia but the social scene is a whole nothing entity. If you are a genius, can survive the labrynth of high school simply based on the academics excellence, can withstand the social pressures of everyone you are surrounded by 7 of 24 hours in the day, then i envy you and this school is perfect for you...and the administration is oppressive, but the teachers are amazing
—Submitted by a student


Posted January 5, 2008

I am a student and this school is wow. And this whole 'undiverse' thing is so not true. We are a great school best learning and teaching sure it can be hard but if you tried it will be easy. But I love this school go Blue Devils!
—Submitted by a student


Posted August 23, 2007

The comment about South being the most 'undiverse school ever', is completly not true. I don't know where that person got it. But South is a excelent school. Sure african americans and hispanics are different, but they fit in just as easy as the bubble Grosse Pointers.
—Submitted by a student


Posted August 23, 2007

This school gives you a diverse way to have your children learn. I'm a mother of 6 and 4 have already gone through South's great program. Stepping in the halls of South gives you a great feeling that your chlid will have a wonderful learning experience. I just wish I had the change to go to a great Grosse Pointe school like South. And don't choose North. Go BLUE DEVILS
—Submitted by a parent


Posted June 27, 2007

This district doesn't provide for differentiation in the classroom. If your child is not gifted and actually requires a teacher to teach, then this is not the district for him/her
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 30, 2007

GPS has offered a great learning environment for our children. The curriculum is strong, the standards are high, and the teachers are helpful. My children have actually enjoyed much of their coursework. And, as others have pointed out, GP still offers some great extracurriculars and opportunities even in these tight economic times.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 23, 2007

GPS is an excellent school. Not only does it provide a sold, challenging curriculum, it also provides endless extracurricular activities to broaden your high school experience. Compare this school to any other school in the country and you will see the immense benefits of a GPS education. The only downside is that it is not a very diverse school in a mostly white community.
—Submitted by a former student


Posted August 20, 2005

I am a student at GPS. Although I do think this school has much to be proud of (high-ranked academics, many extra-curriculars, etc.) I think that there isn't enough support for students who aren't Harvard-bound. The counseling department seems to only have time for those students who have 4.0 averages - the truth is, not all of us have that, but still have so much potential in our respective fields of interest. The teachers make up for this - the teachers are excellent. It's the administration I'm not so sure about. They seem rather stuck up about their perfect school. Newsflash: Perfection is nothing more than hidden flaw.
—Submitted by a student


Posted February 5, 2005

I'm not a parent I'm a student. Yes our community is a bubble and yes there is an abnormal ammount of people who are racist but I can personaly tell you that it is a good school and there are more good kids than bad and anyone who contradicts this must be content to look at surface images and nothing more.
—Submitted by Alanna, a student


Posted January 24, 2005

Grosse Pointe South has to be the worst school I have ever gone to in my life. GPS is the most undiverse school ever. People in the school act like they have never seen a hispanic or black person in there life. The racism is unbeilavable. The whole entire Grosse Pointe community needs to change. I know one thing, I will never let my children go to a school like GPS.
—Submitted by a student


Posted July 4, 2004

Grosse Pointe South is an awesome school. I only wish that I could have attended a school like this when I was a teen. The opportunities are endless. The teachers are excellent. They encourage the children to expand their experience outside the classroom with extra credit for plays and movies, museums, and research projects. If your child encounters a problem, it is handled quickly and efficiently once reported. The support that students receive from teachers, counselors, and parent volunteers, cannot be beat.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 10, 2004

I am not a parent, I was a student, and GPS was the best school I (army brat) had ever gone to. The teachers are great. I know when I went to college I was very prepared. GPS also has a large variety of extracurricular activities. We have a top ranked choir, newspaper, and sport teams. This school has givien its students a chance to have great scores on tests (meap, act). I'm proud to say I graduated from Grosse Pointe South High School! It has made me the best and most prodtuctive person I can be.
—Submitted by a former student


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Social Studies

The state average for Social Studies was 29% in 2013.

370 students were tested at this school in 2013.

2013

 
 
61%

2011

 
 
95%

2010

 
 
91%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2012-2013 Michigan used the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) to test students in grades 3 through 8 in math, reading and writing; in grades 5 and 8 in science; and in grades 6 and 9 in social studies. The MEAP is a standards-based test, which measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Michigan. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level.

Beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, the Michigan State Board of Education implemented new definitions of what it means to be proficient on the MEAP test. The new standards for proficiency are higher than in previous years and the percent of students earning a proficient score is expected to be lower as a result of this change.

See Michigan's state standards

Source: Michigan Department of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 29% in 2012.

366 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
56%

2011

 
 
83%

2010

 
 
82%

2009

 
 
77%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 56% in 2012.

365 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
82%

2011

 
 
89%

2010

 
 
90%

2009

 
 
84%
Science

The state average for Science was 26% in 2012.

366 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
48%

2011

 
 
86%

2010

 
 
82%

2009

 
 
83%
Social Studies

The state average for Social Studies was 41% in 2012.

367 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
65%

2011

 
 
94%

2010

 
 
94%

2009

 
 
95%
Writing

The state average for Writing was 49% in 2012.

366 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
77%

2011

 
 
80%

2010

 
 
76%

2009

 
 
74%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Michigan used the Michigan Merit Examination (MME) to assess students in grade 11 in reading, writing, math, science and social studies. The MME is a standards-based test, which measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Michigan. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

Beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, the Michigan State Board of Education implemented new definitions of what it means to be proficient on the MME test. The new standards for proficiency are higher than in previous years and the percent of students earning a proficient score is expected to be lower as a result of this change.

See Michigan's state standards

Source: Michigan Department of Education

Reading

2012

 
 
n/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Michigan used the Michigan Merit Examination (MME) to assess students in grade 11 in reading, writing, math, science and social studies. The MME is a standards-based test, which measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Michigan. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

Beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, the Michigan State Board of Education implemented new definitions of what it means to be proficient on the MME test. The new standards for proficiency are higher than in previous years and the percent of students earning a proficient score is expected to be lower as a result of this change.

See Michigan's state standards

Source: Michigan Department of Education

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »


Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
White 88% 71%
Black 9% 20%
Asian/Pacific Islander 2% 3%
Hispanic 1% 5%
American Indian/Alaska Native 0% 1%
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 7%N/A42%
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 17N/A18
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Awards

Academic awards received in the past 3 years
  • #1 High School in Michigan as selected by the College Board (2006)
  • Recognized by the Siemens Foundation for outstanding performance in Math, Science and Technology with Advanced Placement classe (2007)
  • Principal D. Allan Diver was selected as MASSP High School Principal of the Year (2007)

Special education / special needs

Specific academic themes or areas of focus
  • Special education
Specialized programs for specific types of special education students
  • Autism
  • Other health impairments

Arts & music

Visual arts
  • Ceramics
  • Painting
  • Photography
Music
  • Band
  • Choir / Chorus
  • Orchestra
Performing and written arts
  • Drama
Media arts
  • Video / Film production

Language learning

Foreign languages taught
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Latin
  • Spanish
School leaders can update this information here.

School basics

School start time
  • 8:00 am
School end time
  • 3:05 pm
School Leader's name
  • Mr. D. Allan Diver
Fax number
  • (313) 432-3502

Programs

Specific academic themes or areas of focus

Don't understand these terms?
  • Special education
Specialized programs for specific types of special education students
  • Autism
  • Other health impairments
Foreign languages taught
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Latin
  • Spanish
School leaders can update this information here.

Sports

Boys sports
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Crew, Ice Hockey
  • Cross country
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track
  • Wrestling
Girls sports
  • Basketball
  • Cheerleading
  • Crew, Ice Hockey
  • Cross country
  • Field hockey
  • Golf
  • Gymnastics
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track
  • Volleyball

Arts & music

Visual arts
  • Ceramics
  • Painting
  • Photography
Music
  • Band
  • Choir / Chorus
  • Orchestra
Performing arts
  • Drama
Media arts
  • Video / Film production
School leaders can update this information here.

School culture

Dress Code
  • Neither uniforms nor dress code
School leaders can update this information here.

Apply

 

TIP: Don't forget to ask about documents required for enrollment, such as your child's birth certificate, proof of address, or a record of immunizations.

 
Apply now
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!

11 Grosse Pointe Blvd
Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236
Website: Click here
Phone: (313) 432-3500

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