Ottawa Hills High School

The review posted 1/15/2011 is grossly misleading. I graduated from OHHS as did both my children. In between, I lived on the east coast for 19 years and, as a result, have some perspective on the school. First, to call the academic program as merely "decent" is to ignore numerous indicators of the school's academic excellence. It is regularly ranked by the State of Ohio as one of the three best public school in the state. It has repeatedly been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the US DoE. Close to 100% of its graduates go on to college every year, and several members of its graduating class (usually around 90 students) go on to Ivy League or comparably highly selective institutions. It has a goodly number of stellar teachers. Yes, the tiny Village of Ottawa Hills has a disproportionate number of upper-middle class folks and very little, if any, poverty. Yes, as in many schools, some parents attempt to throw their weight around--and sometimes, unfortunately, they succeed. In this respect it is a lot like other public schools situated in similar socioecomonic communities. To suggest, though, that the school "cannot possibly create good members of society" is absurd.

The academic programs here may be decent, but the people are horrible. A wealthy community that has no consequences for children breeds a school filled with bullies. The administration is easily cowed by rich or influential parents, so any child with a parent who knows a lawyer will get away with everything. The social environment here cannot possibly create good members of society, since none of the students have experienced the "real world" of consequences.

Ottawa Hills is an excellent school with very friendly, welcoming people.
--Submitted by a student