South Fayette Township High School

Excellent school district elementary to middle to high school! Great teachers who are involved and like to teach. Storng leadership from the principals. Excellent opportunities for advanced learning and each student is enouraged to try their very hardest. The coursework can be demanding, but the kids push themselves and each other. SF focuses on the academics, arts and athletics equally. Where other school districts are cutting the arts and athletics, as well as AP opportunities, SF is a strong supporter of each of these. TRADITION, PRIDE AND EXCELLECE do matter at SF, and it shows!
—Submitted by a parent

I am a current student at South Fayette High School and i've realized everything the first person said. I love my school don't get me wrong, but when teachers CANNOT afford books but they're building a NEW k-2 building, there's something wrong. Another point of concern, is the high school only pay attention to the students with High GPA's or Low GPA's, no one in the middle. They push us to do well in academics and athlelics that if you aren't good in those two areas, you don't get paid attention to PERIOD. The majority of the teachers are GREAT, however there are a few that aren't liked, but thats every high school, you can tell what teachers care and what ones don't. Overall, if you have a child that is a shining star in academics or athleltics, this is the school where they'll get recongized. Other than that, it's really not worth the time.
—Submitted by a student

My children enjoy being in this district and wouldn't hear of moving elsewhere. They are doing well academically. There are technology courses available. On the minus side, there's not enough communication to the parents in the high school if the child is not keeping up and most homework is not posted anywhere. There's too much homework. They don't have enough variety in their sports program. The neighboring districts have a wider selection of sports available. They don't do enough for special needs students. What's with not letting the kids used the restroom in high school? They have a few minutes between classes and can barely make it to their next class but are not allowed to use the restroom during class time. The activity bus is too late. Most clubs or activities last a half hour to an hour and the kids are stuck waiting hours for the activity bus if there's no one available at that time of day to pick them up.
—Submitted by a parent

Too much money spent needlessly on extravagant buildings and too much teaching to the test. School administration is more concerned with achieving high state test scores than they are with truly educating students and teaching them a love for learning
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent curriculum amd sports programs.
—Submitted by a parent

I went to south Fayette myself. I have loved my kids being there also. Very involved teachers and staff.
—Submitted by a parent

This is not the school district for you if your child is interested in the performing arts. If you are not in the marching band, where the students do all of the choreography, then you are definitely inline for an inadequate education. The drama program is a joke, and the seniors this year were cheated out of a spring musical.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is in need of an educational re-structure. The focus needs to be taken off of how much money they receive from the state for high test scores, and back into the classrooms. You cannot learn if it is all geared toward a good score on a standardized test.

The quality of academics has trended positive for the past 15 years. The availability of extracurricular activities has also trended positive. Parental involvement is greatly encouraged. Overall this is a wonderful school district. My son was a very bright child and was accepted to an exclusive college, was granted a prestigious scholarship, and began with a head start due to his high scores on the AP courses. The investment in the school campus infrastructure will be proven beneficial when considered in historical perspective.
—Submitted by a parent

It has become a very political climate ruled by an elite few. The good teachers are leaving the school district, 2 have left in the past year. Some of the remaining teachers are mediocre. The administration is more concerned with state test scores than if the students are actually learning anything. Above average students get left behind, too few classes for them to take, or none offered at their level. Hiring is influenced by favoritism and nepotism. Discipline is handed out unequally and in a black or white philosophy, no gray areas. Definitely going downhill.
—Submitted by a parent

With all due respect to the person who posted prior to me, as an 2003 graduate of South Fayette, SF has an excellent educational program. The computer labs, wireless classrooms, numerous AP courses with labs, and many other aspects contribute to the overall educational atmosphere.
—Submitted by a former student

This school is run by people who only care about how the school looks to other districts and spare no cost. They built a 25 million dollar high school while teachers don't have textbooks because there is 'no money ' in the budget for books. Meanwhile they throw a lavish dedication for the new high school, with filet migon, ice sculptures, and purchased dishes, flatware, stemware, etc. for 400 though we had older dishes that they could have used. The teachers could do alot with the students given the opportunity but the door is always slammed in their face because apparently teaching our students is lower on the totem pole than the elite image of how the school looks to others.
—Submitted by a parent