Lakeland High School

My child graduated in June 2009.While the Principal Mrs. Champ and Asst Principal Mrs. Yurish were exceptional as well as the staff I dealt with there are some issues within the student body that must be dealt with and I believe they were being properly addressed. I see someone mentioned the school being strict as a parent I'm glad to see a student write that. Camera's are a must. There was an issue with my child (nothing big) and I was glad they were able to go back to the camera's. Our children must be safe everywhere and nowadays you cannot be TOO careful. For the children who feel it is a prison then they must be worried about hiding something, this is for your safety. If something were to happen to a child the first thing to
—Submitted by a parent

My child graduated 6/09. Principal Champ & Asst Principal Yurish were exceptional as well as most of the staff, there are issues within the student body that must be dealt with & I believe they were.Camera's are a must.My child had a small issue and I was glad they could go back to the camera's.This is not a prison this is for your safety. Look at what has been going on at other schools & colleges around the country.Glad to see the school keeping up with the times & for protecting our children when we are not around. Kudos' to Mrs. Champ and the rest of her staff for realizing these are teens and they need guidance & discipline today more than ever.They are really giving these children a chance. My child did get a great education & the staff was compassionate with open lines of communication at all times.
—Submitted by a parent

Lakeland is an amazing school that provides a great education to its students. While Mrs. Champ has set up stricter guidelines during her first few years, I feel thats she's softened up now. Even with her rules the teachers and monitors don't really follow them so it's fine. You can't forget the fact that we won two state Champions in 2007, so our sport teams are pretty strong. Our music program is excellent. Our Jazz Band won first place in the sleepy hallow jazz festival. The symphonic Orchestra won two trophies at the Hershey Park music festival last year. Academics are a plus as LHS, offering dozens of AP classes taught by amazing teachers that actually want to teach. LHS owns...
—Submitted by a student

I have a graduate currently in college and child who is a senior and have been quite happy with the school. I had issues with the freshman sports program because it focused more on winning than engaging and motivating and instructing the players so they could be ready for JV and varsity sports. Other than that I need to differ with a staff member who complained about the music program. My child was in the band and symphony orchestra at various levels throughout her time at Lakeland as well as the innovative drumming class and she enjoyed it and progress wonderfully. I went to all of the concerts and was thrilled at how they sounded. They took them on a trip each year where they competed and met professionals who played their instruments. I think the program is great.
—Submitted by a parent

Here is the thing: The only saving grace is Lakeland's teachers. THey are compassionate and caring and bring a relaxed atmosphere to an uptight school. They seem to hate the administration more than the students do and are not afraid to show it. They love what they do and have a great mix of quirkiness to them. So why not a 5/5? The answer is the horrendous administration. While under Richard Herlihy, the school was thriving with school spirit and joy. Under Cheryl Champ, the school has turned into a prison. Recently, the school added security cameras (to Shrub Oak? Come on!) and a new attendance policy that is 'live'. Also, the new pass system is so annoying to the point where, only after four days of school, I can't wait to leave. Champ has ruined the school. Go to Panas instead
—Submitted by a student

Many reviews of Lakeland High School declare that the teachers aren't willing to teach to anyone but the brightest. I would definitely say that this is false. Most of the teachers go by the, 'I won't make you learn, but you need to let me teach' policy. They aren't going to waste time catering to students that just don't care. That is really the problem with the school; most students don't understand the impact that doing well in high school will have later on in life. Beyond the academics, LHS does slip a little bit. Most of the sports teams aren't that great, but they're always willing to let people give it a try. The music program is subpar, mainly because of the director, but worth a shot nonetheless. The arts are supreme in both traditional and digital styles. Lakeland itself excels in technology with 5 computer labs, which is very impressive.
—Submitted by a staff