Pine Forest High School

This school has a very on the ball Principal "Jane Fields", she has a brilliant vision on how to fix whats not working for the school and she enhances was is working for the school she has a zero tolerance of foolishness but deals with it head on if and when it arises she has a understanding staff that knows when they get out of line she will be very professional in her discipline. The school has a awesome come up with their academics Biology,Math, English teams meet with her to find better challenges on how the students can just continously maintain excellence you may can't get the all but the press hard for excellence PFHS you have my 5 stars.
—Submitted by a parent

North Carolina has some of the best universities in the Nation; however, generally speaking their k-12 schools are in need of an education revolution. I went to PFHS and honestly, it is an awful school. I never knew how awful it was until I went to a University in NC and realized how teachers are supposed to teach, and how much fun learning can be. I now have an extreme passion for learning anything and everything. When I think back to my time at PFHS I am overcome with sadness. School should be a place of inspiration, not a place where you are allowed to jump out of your classroom window without the teacher noticing or caring. Many of my friends from high school are doing wonderful things with their life, but that is due more from inspiration in college than from PFHS. In short, PFHS does more to hurt innovation within NC and USA than inspire innovation. So please think twice before enrolling your child in PFHS or if your child is a student there, take action.

We have two children at PFHS. 11th and 9th grade. We have seen some great things happening at this school. The band program is top notch and the staff seems to care about the well being of the children.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers and administrators really care about the students at this school. There is a lot of parent involvement which makes the school really feel like a family. Despite budget cuts, the staff has gone out of their way to ensure the children have access to enriching experiences and extracurricular activities.
—Submitted by a parent

This school could really be a great school if the pricipal would have a more pressed concern about the students education and less of a conern about how many she can suspend.
—Submitted by a parent

I go to Pine Forest High and I believe it is a turnover school, 2 years ago, we were a wreck and now we are doing much better and in much better hands thanks to our principal.
—Submitted by a student

This school is making progress. I have a child who is graduating this year and going on to a four year college. We like the school and the new principal is on the job, making things happen for the better, although we really did like the previous principal, he had test scores moving in the right direction and worked hard to maintain discipline. We love this district.
—Submitted by a parent

Pine Forest High School needs a vast improvement in discipline and use of classroom time. Morever, it is in desperate need of improved teacher and administrator quality.
—Submitted by a student

I've been at Pine Forest High School for two years and can very honestly say that if you're looking for a good education, teachers who actually interact with the students and a classroom environment that doesn't make you want to rip out your hair, go to a different school! The Pine Forest Administration thinks they're doing the best for the students by mandating weekly Scantron tests (If a students does not pass this test the entire class must review it the same day and the failing students must retake that day as well!) and cutting down on lunches, but in reality they're destroying teachers well laid out plans of how to run things. I am in Honors and AP courses, and to be blunt they are not what you'd expect from a class of that level. If you value your education, go to a different school.
—Submitted by a student

I'm currently in the 10th grade, and the school I can honestly say isn't that bad. People just make it out to be worse than it is. If you are in honors or AP classes you won't have any problems with your teachers or your classmates usually.
—Submitted by a student

My granddaughter graduated in 07 from PFSH. I feel she has gotten a great education thanks to the teachers at Pine Forest. She is doing very well at UNC Chapel Hill. Ms. McCormic had done a terrific job and you can find her in the halls and classrooms, not hiding behind her desk. Thanks to all the faculty and staff at PFHS, because of you I feel Hanna will suceed at Chapel Hill and whatever she tries to accomplish.
—Submitted by Gloria Mullinax

This school is the worst. My kids went there and the advisors or counselor were always busy and they were not help at all. the principal isnot help to students.
—Submitted by a parent

My son was a 10th grader at Pine Forest High School this year. Thank goodness they got a new principal. She is fantastic! There are very few discipline problems anymore and the teachers are really having to teach. Great school!!
—Submitted by a parent

I graduated from Pine Forest in 2005. I hated the high school experience in general, but most students will tell you that this is a pretty good school. Alot of people criticize the oh so horrible discipline that students get, but not to worry. It is not some urban jungle where your kid is going to get hurt. Any trouble makers are just immature youth without good direction from either the faculty or, more than likely, their parents. The honors and advanced placement classes are great if you are a good student or if you can get your parents to waiver entrance. This school has good academic, arts, and sports extracurriculars. If you are a gifted student try classical or private school if you can because Pine Forest is not intellectually stimulating, nor does it nurture overachievers.
—Submitted by a former student

My son is due to graduate this year from Pine Forest High School and I can't be happier. Although things have been bad in the past, this year may be the worst yet. I hope future students have the opportunity to be in a better atmosphere than mine has in.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a 2001 graduate of PFHS...my mother is a 1975 graduate...my brother is a senior. I was absolutely blessed to be able to spend all 4 years at this particular school. Although things have changed since I have left, the school spirit has not. Because of my experiences at the school, I am horrified to hear anyone speak badly about it. I believe that if more parents would be active at the school, there would not be as much disciplinary problems. PFHS...KEEP ON GOING!
—Submitted by a former student

As of right now, I am a Junior attending PFHS. Overall, it's an excellent public school. The administration is excellent. Like the person said below me, Mrs. Grunke, Mrs. Vallery, Mrs. Johnston, and others keep everything in line. The staff and teachers are wonderful and experienced. Students are allowed to schedule 1-on-1 sessions if they need help with a class or in general. They have great extra-curricular activities....you will never be bored. Recently, we have a new system of organizing our courses, where the student can gain more credits. It's called the 4x4 schedule. They call it this because you only have 4 classes each semester; there is 8 total. In the 2003-2004 school year, they had the whole school except the Seniors vote on whether or not to have this schedule. Majority vote counted and we have it to this day. We have it still and students love it.
—Submitted by a student

Pine Forest High School is a difficult school. There is a large problem with discipline and parents are encouraged to seek alternative education.
—Submitted by a parent

I Just wanted to say I am a former student of Pine Forest, I graduated in 2003. I abosolutley loved attending school there. It wasn't a perfect school of course, but it wasn't the worst school in the district either. If you ask me, I don't think bashing Pine Forest is the way to go. If parents have a problem with the adminstration, please let the school board know. There are excellent teachers there and excellent staff as well. Just like with any school though there are the teachers, administration, and staff that really don't realize how much they impact our lives. Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Grunkie, Mrs. Vallery, and Mrs. Gale are all wonderful teachers and staff. I also am very glad to have been a part of a school I actually liked attending. Think about that when deciding to enter your child into a cumberland county school.Go Trojans!
—Submitted by a former student

When our first child entered PFHS as a freshman 6 yrs ago, we were excited about the opportunities this school had to offer, both for academics & athletics. We have been sorely disappointed, watching classroom discipline decline and inconsistencies in policies by athletic coaches increase. We have been very active parents hoping to see beneficial changes. Administrative roadblocks and unhearing ears about systemic problems that the administration doesn't care to address will continue to hurt this school. Our second child graduates this year and we are releaved to be finally finished with what we see as deteriorating conditions both academically (look at poor test scores) and thru athletics. Until coaches are made accountable for their attitudes and fair treatment of student athletes, PFHS won't have the reputation it so eagerly strives for--leadership is lacking from the administration on down. Sadly, moving to Fayetteville today, we would not choose this school.
—Submitted by a parent