Londonderry Senior High School

We have great teachers and a beautiful school! We also have the best band in the State!!
—Submitted by a parent

I am currently a senior enrolled in this school. I have moved every year of high school and I have to say, this is the best high school i have been to.. which is saying alot. The Music program was started by the current director (Andrew Soucy) from pretty much nothing, and now the marching band has gone to china AND is going to the presidential Inaguration parade for Barrack Obama. Now might not show much about the Course options and quality of teachers of this school, but if a school can manage to do something like that, they have to be doing something right. (also, there are many classes and courses offered by this school that help ALOT with college, including classes that give you college credits)
—Submitted by a student

I am very impressed with the level of academics offered to my high schooler. This town places a high value on its schools and in turn, the schools seem to offer parents plenty of opportunity to be involved and learn about what is going on in the school buildings. It seems that students that can handle responsibility are treated with respect by most of the staff. I find this a very comfortable school environment for my student and one that has encouraged her to be the best student she can be.
—Submitted by a parent

I am currently a student enrolled in Londonderry High School and I think that is an overall great school. Each class has a student run government that allows students to make decisions like where to hold the prom and what to do for a senior activity and fund raisers. Also this school has arguably the best music program in the East Coast. The marching band alone contains 300 kids. The music program has such things like a Jazz Band, an orchestra, a marching band, a concert band, a symphonic band, several music theory classes, and several chorus and singing classes. There are many different sports here and there are extracurricular activities galore that range from a drama club or band to a robotics club or a math team. The teachers are very friendly and are willing to stay after school everyday if they had to to help a student.
—Submitted by a student

Academic opportunities abound. Many students are not aware of all there is to enhance the academic basics. More of the student to student evaluations are needed. Music, art, sports etc are well-presented and enrollment is high in these areas. Parents should definitely become involved talking to guidance counselors and availing themselves of course selections. The parent teen dynamic often precludes this involvement. Our child graduated from LHS and we were very pleased with the quality of programs available.
—Submitted by a parent

We have been impressed with Londonderry's North School and the Middle School, but at the high school the quality of education is going down hill fast. The school is simply too large. There are some excelent courses and outstanding teachers, but the the addministration is spread too thin. Students slip through the cracks left and right. Our two sons were obliged to leave this school for a small private school in Concord. It was a deffinate eye opener as to how poor some aspects of LHS have become. My experiences lead me to beleive any student is better off in a smaller, more friendly environment.
—Submitted by a parent

Overall, this school is one of the best in the state according to many, with excellent staff, help for students, and programs for college. The lunches and courses are pretty good as well. I think the most important thing is how much the staff tries to help the students, and become not just a teacher, but a friend and a role model.
—Submitted by a student

I'm actually a student at the school right now. it's a little crowded with students but overall it's a good school. The teachers are top quality (most anyhow) and though the principle leadership is bad now, next year we are getting a really great principle who will improve the school in a lot of ways, i'm sure of it! Work load isn't that bad, and the teachers are very good at helping students keep up with the work. Extra cirricular activities are awesome too. all the sports are good and school spirit is high!
—Submitted by a student

This school is average. The majority of my friends have dropped out of the school due to the fact that they could not handle the work load and the absence of admistration support. The teachers and guidance counselors are great. A few teachers are very good and help the students as much as possible offering help after school and during their free time.

Excellent staff that get to know their students more on a friendship basis and not as just another kid they gotta teach!

Overall Londonderry High is a great school and preps students well for college, but it's up to the students and parents to take advantage of the opportunities.
—Submitted by a parent

After a recently completed expansion the school has greatly increased its facilities to accommodate the growing student body and to match the excellence of resources that it has in its teachers. The administration has taken many steps to modernize the curriculum by adding Advanced Placement courses and providing a broad range of career preparation classes. This is a process, and more need to be added to maintain a rigorous academic curriculum; currently at 6, the number of AP classes needs to reach or surpass 10 in the next few years - but progress is definitely being made. The well-funded Special Education department also promises to leave no child behind in its devote attention to the needs of children with disabilities. The extracurricular programs are strong - keeping school spirit alive. A new initiative in school assemblies also promises to bring improvement to this area.
—Submitted by a former student

As a parent of two high school students, I have found that safety in school seems in focus but discipline is 2 ways. School focus for discipline seems to be expecting tolerance of disruptive students but no tolerance for the average student. Teachers in the past involved with the National Honor Society selection process show favortism of certain students over the academics of other students. Parent involvement is excellent. Sports programs are good on average but school seems to prefer to hire its own underqualified teachers over more qualified coaches. A definite negative if your child is an athlete. Promotion of senior athletes does not exist. Promotion of athletes are left up to athlete and their parents.
—Submitted by a parent

Wonderful school, with extra help for students who need it. Emphasis on college prep, but also offers programs in automotive/agricultural/culinary at a regional voc/tech school Has a great 'contemporary Math' class which teaches children how to budget and balance their checkbooks. Extra-curricular activities, including a nationally recognized marching band, which has been invited to the Rose Bowl parade three times in the past 10 years! The community is very concerned about the children's education and goes above and beyond state requirements.

Does not fullfill needs of bright students with divergent thinking skills. Too much emphasis on college and not enough encouragement for students seeking alternate vocational goals,ie: Voc/Tech School jobs, military. Does not teach necessary life skills, ie: balancing a check book, budgeting money, taking care of your auto, simple home repair, home economic skills. Students do not have any personal rights in this school.