Westfield Senior High School

i have been going to whs for three years now and find that unless you are an AP and honor student you are pretty much neglected. The staff is unmotivated and slow to accomplish anything. The work is mostly endless hours of busy work and homework. Teachers tend to be uncaring, unhelpful, and love to give hours of homework. Guidance fails to help you with anything and you never get to take the electives you want do to over crowded classrooms. Average level students are often forced into special education cloassrooms to keep their test scores from counting and make the school look better than it is. The school system is on par with neighboring towns minus the fact that other town focus on all students not just honor students and care about all students.
—Submitted by a student

I graduated in 07 and believe I received an education at least on par with any public or private school in northern New Jersey. I was primarily in AP and honors classes and found the level of instruction and attention to be on the same level as a number of entry-level college courses. I found the math and science programs at the school to be particularly comprehensive and supportive with extra-help frequently available during lunch, free periods, and after school. I was less satisfied with my English/writing education, though I would still rate it better than a number of my college freshman peers. Foreign language education was also excellent with great teachers and oppurtunities.

I am a current student here. This school is not as great as you may have heard. The Teachers are okay, but about 20% of them give us bookwork in class everyday. Health is a complete joke. Worst of all, the math system is awful. I did recently move here over the summer. First, they split Algebra 1 into 2 years. So they learn a lot more than an average algebra class, which makes it difficult to keep up. They also think that geometry is a 9th grade class, when it is a 10th grade class. So what happens when an on grade level kid moves here? He expects to take Algebra in 9th but, to his surprise, everyone has already taken it. What does he do???
—Submitted by a student

I am a student at the Westfield Public High School and this school offers a wide variety of opportunities. There are many different opportunities that are offered to students who do well in there four years and do well on the SATs. Students have the favorable opportunity to check out different electives that the school offers, and sample them. Classes such as cycology, anthropology, sociology, business and law, accounting and finance, journalism and many other classes of those sorts. However, lets not forget about academic classes; students will also have many different options as to what science, history, mathematical and language arts classes that they could take. The school also offers honors and advanced programs which offer 0.5 more credits towards a students GPA. (Example: A=4.0, honors A= 4.5, and so on for B, and C)
—Submitted by a student

Great Teachers and a wide variety of opportunities for the students.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are bright and dedicated, providing an inspirational place for the students to learn and grow.
—Submitted by a parent

Westfield High School offers students challenging academics and a supportive, positive atmosphere. Students are well-prepared for college work, and the auxilliary programs in sports and the arts are well-run with caring leadership. The honors and AP classes will challenge very good students. There is a huge difference between honors and regular courses. I believe that the regular courses are improving, though there is room for more improvement.
—Submitted by a parent

Although the Westfield School System offers an outstanding academic program for those students motivated to compete, students who are not as motivated often 'slip through the cracks.' There is a huge history of denial in the school system. The pervasive parental attitude of entitlement is largely transferred to students.
—Submitted by a former student

The westfield high school is a great school with many options like AP classes and honors classes.
—Submitted by a student

My daughter graduated WHS in 2005. I feel that the school really prepared her for college because of the level of academics. She was able to take challenging courses, including ones in the Advance Placement program, and a large variety of courses are offered. She had been playing the viola since she was in fourth grade, and continued to through high school, where she was able to play in two orchestras, small chamber groups, and had other performance opportunities.
—Submitted by a parent

We recently moved to westfield from the top ranked school system in maryland, and we are very pleased with everything about this school. The teachers all seem so enthusiastic and motivated. Every one of them. Genuine concern for quality education and for the whole student, academic, sports, the arts. Huge parent involvement. The school keeps us well informed and has many interactive forums for parents to meet the teachers, learn about the classes. We just went to a meeting tonight to learn about all the options our daughter will have in 10th grade and beyond, so that she and we can be mapping out her courses of study, understanding what each course really is, what prerequisites certain classes have and/or what the student performance expectation is. Teachers do expect a lot, but they give a lot. And students are treated with a high degree of respect and freedom if they perform.
—Submitted by a parent

Very high quality academics. Students are motivated and inspired. Extracurricular activities are plentiful.
—Submitted by a former student

The Westfield school system is sending off many students to really great universities. If that s not good enough take a lot at the stats. The students have very high SAT scores and top rankings in other important categories. The numbers speak for themselves.
—Submitted by a parent

When I went to Westfield High School over twenty years ago, I left with the feeling that I was prepard for life, not only because of the excellent standard of teaching and fast-paced curriculum, but because the students in this school actually want to learn and to make the best of their education. Students are the main force that is driving this school to the success it has been known for since the first doors opened. Now, with a new state-of-the-art science wing, new eager young teachers with the latest training in education, and a hightened sence of student needs, I am proud that my son will be carrying on Westfield's legacy of excellance which will surely reach heights unimaginable of any other public school.
—Submitted by a parent

Westfield Senior High School is a wonderful environment for students to be in a learn in. It's a great school with wonderful teachers. In the past Westfield Senior High School has went from an overall rating, in the state, from mid-late 10's to Top 10. Westfield is a great place to get into good colleges. This school is known for its excellence in it's teaching skills and its positive attitudes towards its student. It sets a positive surrounding letting the children know that they are able to accomplish anything they desire and no one can stand in their way. Westfield High School is behind their students all the time. Westfield High School is a great place to attend.
—Submitted by a student

Westfield has been riding on its reputation for the past 15 years and lags behind the image it presents. The Principal needs to retire and the Superintendant should resign.WHS showcases Honors & AP students and touts its horn regarding special services at the expense of the marginal students or students who would easily excel with teachers who really care. Most of the teachers at WHS are there for the pension and forgot why they became teachers a generation or more ago. The guidance office is understaffed and senior levels of the administration have private agendas or their heads in the sand while the board of ed continually cuts services and requests more taxpayer dollars.Move to Summit or send your child to private schools.
—Submitted by a parent