Myer Park High School

Your child's education begins at home. This is an excellent school. And gives an excellent opportunity for students to experience what College will be like. Take control of your education. Expecting staff or teachers to babysit your children while you remain uninvolved, and then complain about the staff and teachers? No wonder many of the parents on here have complaints-- get involved. They can't do it alone. By comparison to other schools this is a large school-- you should want your kids to be in a larger school-- the ratio of students to teachers is still excellent, there are just a lot more of them... that's the real world. I graduated from a high school with over 5,000 students and 1800 in my senior class-- MPHS is half that size. The student body if very diverse. From underpriveledged students to those that are from the most expensive neighborhoods in Charlotte. Welcome to the real world.

There are a lot of fights at this school, and my child was in the class the lady spoke of previously where the boy was pleasuring himself. The teacher was not aware of what was going on! How can this be? I don't fault the staff for the numerous fights, there are just so many kids and some are not from good homes. I've had two children attend Myers Park and I don't love it because of its size. Also, the lady on the left in the front office is rude and puts her personal calls above helping anyone at the front desk. Why is her rudeness permitted?
—Submitted by a parent

I am not sure what all the praise about Myers Park is about. The school is average, at best. The math teachers are poorly qualified. My child's teacher for Algebra I and Geometry was completely incompetent. My child tells me of fights at the school on a daily basis and not a week goes by that someone is not arrested at the school. The administration is not engaged. I asked for a meeting with the principal three times and was turned down each time. Middle management is good, but a fish rots from the head first. If I had is all to do over again I would not move to this school's attendance zone.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has a bad drug problem....I'm seriously thinking of not sending my second child to this school. I have been through a very rough 1 1/2 yrs...Drug education classes, counseling and finally a new school mid year. It all went down hill when she started at MP. We are now doing much better at a small private school, which I'm lucky we can afford. Now my child enjoys going to school. Before she use to cry. I was on the verge of taking her for major psycho therapy.
—Submitted by a parent

I graduated from Myers Park in 2011.....I think it's one of the best schools in Charlotte.. We had our share of problems just like every school but it's not a bad school.......if you associate with the right people you won't have any problems
—Submitted by a student

No support for exceptional chidren here. Not sure why the lady with the desk in the left corner of front office always has an attitude.Staff can be inflexible , and patronizing at times. Be careful of them telling you what they can't do for your child and require them to show you in the policy. Push for your childs rights and best interests.Get an advocate or you will be run over .The squeaky wheel get the oil.
—Submitted by a parent

We have a student in Myers Park High School as a freshman this year. My husband has custody and his mother has taken him and refuses to bring him back. Courts don't help much and the school allowed his mother to enroll him, even though they have a court order on file from 2008 stating that my husband has custody. They will not give us information about our son that we ask for and avoid answering most all questions, although my husband is the legal custodian. His mother legally only has visitation rights. This school has acted very unethically by allowing a knowingly non-custodial parent to enroll a child.
—Submitted by a parent

I went to Myers Park High School for my freshman year and i was very dismayed at leaving. It is a great school. The student body is diverse, the campus is beautiful and gives a college like expierience and the teachers and adminstrators are so kind and caring and there are so many after school tutoring opportunites etc.
—Submitted by a student

Hi the only thing I can say about Myers Park School is that some teachers care some don't also goes for the front desk and counselors they don't help much... Well that's my point of view.
—Submitted by a parent

My son started as a freshman this fall. He has been a public school kid the whole time so we had heard great things about Myers Park and were excited to start. While some of the teachers are great, others not so good. I agree the the previous post--staff is impersonal. Principal and teachers will not directly answer questions. Schedules are very difficult to change. There is no space for everyone to have a seat at lunch so in the winter months, kids have to sit on the floor in the buildings. Know your kid before you start school here.
—Submitted by a parent

It depends on individual experience. My daughter has attended MP for two years transferring from a different county in NC. I can say that im glad she has gotten to experience a diverse group of students and seemes to fit in well but perhaps she would be better served in smaller more personal setting. This school is very big and the administration seems to have an impersonal 'theres too many students here to care about yours' approach which can make a parent defensive and have a sense of helplessness. Im sure its a totally different experience for students who have either come through this system since elementary or has 'other' personal connections here. Perhaps we should seek a school that can provide more personal approach in terms of academics.
—Submitted by a parent

The school has been slipping for years...it is no longer one of the top 3 best high schools in CMS. The IB program is a watered-down version of the more rigorous honors/AP track. Still a good school...just not on level with Providence, Audrey Kell, or even Butler.
—Submitted by a teacher

myers park is really great. i'm a junior in the IB program, and the teachers are really fantastic. all the teachers are really eager to help, but don't suffocate you, and let you be independent at the same time. campus is pretty big at first, but they give you plenty of time to get to class, and soon you get used to it. there is never a dull moment at myers park. the performing arts program is really great, and the sports teams do really well. the vast number of students only contributes to the diversity that myers park offers. there is never a lack of school spirit. it's a really great school and i wouldn't go anywhere else.
—Submitted by a student

Overall the school is almost decent, but would have been a whole load better if Paul Bunyan took his giant ax and split the whole thing right down the middle. Becuase as it is right now there is way too little connecting between teachers and students. I think that most teachers want to help kids indivudally, and would, but are so strectched out between so many diffrent things that they cant. But wanting isnt doing, and the students are suffering. The school desperately needs to be divided. I mean, health classes in the cafetiria and buisness classes in cramped computer storage rooms?! come on. The city needs to find a soultuion. Maybe in a couple of years this Myers park would be a great place to send your kids, but now....I highly do not recommend anyone sending any kid here.
—Submitted by a student

Myers Park offers great academics and they have great school spirit. It is a fun place to be, and a fabulous place to learn!
—Submitted by a student

I just started school here as a freshman who just moved from Cincinnati. The students were very welcoming and the teachers were absolutely wonderful. not to mention they will help you on any topic you are struggling with. In a school this big (3000 students) it is hard to believe you can find that kind of one on one relationship with your teachers, and yet you can. i am now immersed in debate here and it has pretty much become my life. I would recommend this school to anyone in the Charlotte area.
—Submitted by a student

I agree with you below. My son is a gifted student and plays on the football team. The school seems top heavy--loads of administrators but not enough teachers. I know this school has been around for a long time and has a good reputation. I'm concerned with the size. If it sits of 62 acres (plus or minus) then I would think splitting it would be an excellent idea. I went to the 9th grade class orientation and was stunned by how overloaded the teachers are, that health was taught in the cafeteria.
—Submitted by a parent

if you were to split the school in half you'd end up with two pretty decent schools. it's just too big. either double the staff or reduce the number of students. teachers have no connection with students. the staff overall are very cold to the students. the ib curriculum is challenging and there many ways for a student to fall through the cracks, don't assume the faculty are there to help catch them.
—Submitted by Constance w, a parent

I recently attended Myers Park High School for my first semester freshmen year. This experience was completely horrifying. I was told to go to class, and find my own way, being new to campus, Charlotte, and high school. It was overwhelming. They apparently recently switched over to a block schedule, and in my opinion, forgot how to teach. The teachers give way too much busy work, they dont care about the individual students, and they are undeserving of the small amount of smart students at Myers Park. I have no idea why this school was rated 30 on Newsweeks list of the best high schools in the nation. It is competely unworthy of that title. I hated my entire experience there, the teachers were cold, the atmosphere, colder, and the entire staff was uncaring. No one wanted to be there. I would not recommend this school, bootcamp even, to anyone.
—Submitted by a student

Myers Park is a great school for preparing your child for college. The teachers challenge the students and as shown by test scores the students respond well! Every school has some problems but after hearing about other schools in the area - I'm happy my child is at Myers Park.
—Submitted by a parent