Fels Samuel High School

I am a current student at Fels I assure you that this school is far better than what is described in the reviews below. We have recently got a new building and the school is now located on 5000 Langdon St. We have also have been removed from the persistantly dangerous list under our new and powerful leader and principal, Shawn McGuigan. Fels is excelling academically, have had rare truancy issues, and become united with one another. This includes teachers, staff and students. Its just like one big family. I would certainly recommend the school to any student or parent. We have some many extra-curricular activity that you can participate in and the more you get invovled the more you'll love it here. We are a zero tolerance school, so we will remove any joker. Samuel Fels High School is currently professional.
—Submitted by a student

I went to Samuel Fels intermediate school for one year from Sept. '64 to June '65. At that time the school was only 7th & 8th grades and was located a few blocks north of its present location at Devereaux & Algon. The building is still there but it's called something else now. I had a great time there. In addition to the usual academic curriculum I also had music, metal & electric shops. This school was the first time where I became aware of the Jewish faith because again, at that time, the neighborhood had many Jewish families. It used to bug me that us Gentiles didn't get off for the Jewish holidays! It saddens me to know that, not only is the school I remember gone, but that the present school is, apparently, not very good. The Philadelphia public schools of the 50's & 60's were still very good then. Whatever is happening there now, it's clearly not working. It didn't used to be that way.

I'm one of the first students to graduate from the original Fels High in 92. In those years it was like a little family, and the education was one of the best you could receive in this city. I don't know what going on in the new Fels, but it does not sound good at all. At that time we had pride, but today may children and the attitudes are victims of this society.

This is probably one of the worst schools that I went to. I left the school just 1 year before it turned into a high school. After reading some of the reviews today, it is clear that the same problems are still going on in the school. In the winter time the whole school smelled like trash and it was COLD in there. People would do whatever they wanted. If they didn't want to stay in the class... they would simply get up and leave. This school was not good for a junior high, let alone a high school. There is no football field, and none of the amenities that you would find in normal high schools. If any parents are reading this... please do what you can to get your children out of this place! This is not a good learning environment and will make it so your kids don't want to go! This place felt more like a jail than a school.

I graduated from Fels nearly 6 years ago and I must say there have been some difficult times but the Fels Family came through for me at the time I needed them the most. In return I became one of the Aides during the Junior year and for 2 years straight a class officer. 6 six years later I still remained in contact with Fels after all years but I must say this "Do what you believe"

Even though I graduated from this school, Id have to say that teachers try to do their part. Administration is not doing what they should and this effects the rest. Disciplinarians are where the problem lie within the school. They are quick to make out a pink slip not realizing that they child really doesnt want to be there anyway. This is just a favor. If something is wrong with the student, let the parent know right away so it can be stopped before it escalates.
—Submitted by a student

S. Fels h.S. Has far too few staff members tasked with walking the school building's halls in order to keep the students in their assigned classrooms during class hours. Consequently, many students simply get up from their seats whenever they feel like it, ignore their teacher, walk out of their assigned classroom without the teacher's permission, and simply roam the halls at will for as long as they wish. The teachers are powerless to prevent this egregious and totally unacceptable student behavior. Yet the administration continues to hold the teachers responsible for the outrageous behavior of many of their students. Sending 'pink slips' to the principal's office does little or nothing, as the volume of these complaints tends to overwhelm the responsible staff members. The students fully realize that most likely no punitive action will be taken against them for their outrageous and disruptive behavior, so, they continue this behavior.

Parents are not made aware of things until it has escalated, and most times at the last minute. The communication is horrible.
—Submitted by a parent

I beleive your parent involvement is low because parents are not given proper opportunity to be a part. for example: Parent teacher conference is scheduled between 1:00 and 2:30. Most parents today work. Plan activities and conference so that more parents can attend. Also the quality of academic in the school is horrible. Some of the teachers do not teach, they open a book and the kids teach themselves. How can children learn from an example in a book, I thought you were suppose to show them how to do it.
—Submitted by a parent