Watauga High School

I am a part of the last graduating class at Watauga High this year and I'll admit I have had quite a number of complaints over the years. At the same time those complaints have a brightside where this includes both impacting and careless teachers, bias and non-bias administration, we have had a fair share of mediocre and excellent coaches in all of the athletic departments, plenty of club opportunites, who is to say someone can't just walk in the side door? but it is a safe school. One major effort I have seen this year would be the way the teachers and administration have handled the budget situation among the students. I really feel that my education hasn't been hindered in anyway when other students in other schools may very well have, and I want to commend them for that and I am very proud to be a pioneer.
--Submitted by a student

I find it very humorous in the fact that all the parents acclaim that Watauga is awful, yet the students are in love with it. I for one find that Watauga is the best thing that a high school student could ask for. With a loving faculty, a supportive student body, and overall a school promoting eduaction and character development its GREAT! Watauga focuses on the 3 A's Academics, Athletics and the Arts. All of the 3 A's are promoted at Watauga, from having successful student athletes who keep up their grades and morals on and off the field, to a strong theatre/choral/art department, to a variety of academics classes ranging from AP - Pioneer Academy (A class started to help students who are struggling with school and on the verge of drop out) I am Proud to be a Pioneer
--Submitted by a student

I am a former student and I have to say that this school is awesome! I graduated with a 4.0 grade average and I was still one of the kids that was mislead. They are making improvements like building a new high school so that the hallways are less crowded when classes are let out and they also have a great staff, I don't care what anyone thinks. They have special needs classes and they have a group for kids who will not do any homework, This is Pioneer Academy. These members of the staff have the worst of the worst kids enrolled and I have to admit they do a very fine job. They care about the students because they do not want the kids to drop out. This group was formed in 2000 I believe. The arts department also has great instructors also. I love this school!

Watauga High is the best school in North Carolina. The teachers are great, the students are nice and smart. more that 75% of the people there have a grade point avererage og 4.0
--Submitted by a parent

I attended Watauga High, and I can honestly say it was a great experience. The teachers, coaches, administration, even the custodians all cared about each student and took the time to meet us and know us. Teachers went above and beyond preparing us not only for the tests required, but for how the materials would affect us in the future, college, work force etc. You complain about safety, but I never felt unsafe at Watauga, not one day in 4 years. You complain about outdated facilities, but they are building a whole new high school right now. And one last thing GO PIONEERS!!
--Submitted by a student

This school lacks leadership. There strong drug activity at Watauga where the school administration pretends not see it. The students lack respect for the teachers therefore the teachers scream back at them during class. Students come and go at luch (seniors). This is a true example of why' No Child Left Behind' was put in place unfortunately every child at Watauga has been left.
--Submitted by a parent

Athletic needs are met, but the educational needs of the kids are lacking. Kids are graduating without knowing how to complete a basic math problem or write a simple sentence with proper grammar. Test scores do not show what really happens at the school. When you are checking these averages, think of the Charlotte schools where there are more kids dropping out than graduating and see how they still show high test scores. Obviously, these stats are skewed to make you believe this is a great school when it definitely is not.

My child is attending Watauga High School and I am thrilled with the education that my daughter is given. The teachers go over and above the call of duty,especially with the nontraditional child needing smaller learning communities, the administration take is supporetive, but the students are the real jems. They have the best understanding of supporting their classmates that I have ever seen. The biggest negative to this school is the outdated facilitys. The classrooms are regulary over 95 degrees at the begining of school and students must wear gloves and heavy coats in class in the winter. The electric fuses blow out regulary due to the antiquated electrical system. Finally the school has 88 outside doors that can not be monitored, too many to be able to lock down in crisis. Given all this information you should all be thrilled to have the opportunity for your children to attend WHS.
--Submitted by a parent

This school could be much better. Too many good kids are being forced out by lack of the teachers knowing their students.
--Submitted by a parent

Good kids are dropping out of this school with more regularity than I think is normal for ANY school. By 'good kids' I am referring to kids that are not into drugs, are not permiscuous, have not succumb to peer pressures, etc. They simply need a little extra help with their scholastics. This is the biggest area that WHS is lacking...we need good teachers and extra help for students who are not born scholars. These 'regular' students are being left behind due to non-support in this school. We owe it to our children to educate them.
--Submitted by a parent