Penn Hills Senior High School

Penn Hills is not as bad as many who go here want to make it appear. The education I've recieved here is very high intensity and full of options for every student. Our issue is not in the education system here as much as it is in the behavior of the students. Many would rather do anything then be in school, which takes away from classes and gives the illusion the education system is bad. Every teacher I have had here in the past 12 years has been informative and curteous. So please don't blame the school, blame the subgroup of students who choose to not take these tests seriously for our reputation.
—Submitted by a student

I currently attend the High School. I personally think I am getting a good education. I have the opportunity to particiapte in many Advanced Placement classes and after school activities. The majority of my teachers are there to help me, and I enjoy my interactions with them. I have made a great many friends here. I am sorry to see people who don't attend the school put it down..
—Submitted by a student

Drastically under performing school. School board needs renovated. Some teachers are much worse than others but the collection is very unimpressive. The school is actually much smaller than it appears on paper. Not many people actually do work. It is not just the classes. Guidance, teachers, no one is really there to make you believe that you have legitimate options. The school has much lower aspirations for their students and it shows.

Penn Hills is a wonderful, diverse area. We have our problems, and they do show through in the school. However, the students who want to excel are highly encouraged and receive a quality education. Work with the teachers, they'll be happy to work you.
—Submitted by a former student

Excelling in horrible leadership, an education becomes hard to get when it is disrupted by idiotic security practices and constant policy change that never remains enforced for longer than a few weeks. The school has a handful of dedicated teachers that are educated in their field. The management remains a joke because of micro management and unresolved conflicts after taking them to the principal. The view of administration is viewed just as bad by the teachers. Fights are a common occurrence, most likely at least one a month. Pssa failure has caused the school to constantly provide testing for failures which cuts out of classroom time. District is unstable and on the brink of failure. If you can accept a poor education, then it can possibly be sufficed by an assortment of after school actives which are normally ran by parent involvement leading to their excellence.
—Submitted by a parent

I currently attend penn hills high. I have to say it is much better than the middle school, But many of the teachers are new and unexperienced, or just don't care. I am not getting a quality education. The school is also very dirty. There is too many issues, aka fights.
—Submitted by a student

I actually graduated from Penn Hills Sr. High in 2005 and yes the school is very diverse but I loved it. I was on the Varsity Cheerleading squad and I am African American and was not one of the wrong people?as stated in another comment. I now am a sophomore at Harvard with a 3.8 GPA. I was also accepted to Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, Duke, and UNC at Chapel Hill. So I would defiantly recommend this school to any parent.
—Submitted by a former student

I graduated from Penn Hills in 1993, my sister in 1987, my mother, aunts, and uncles all went to PHHHS. Therefore, I couldn't have imagined sending my kids anywhere else, but the reality is Penn Hills is not what it once was..not even close. The teachers are under qualified and the principles are lax.
—Submitted by a parent

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at PHHS. My daughter is involved in the chorus and theatre programs and really loves it all. There are a group of caring parents that do everything from fundraise to 'you name it' for these programs, and it really shows. PHHS is more than just football! It's arts, theatre, chorus...even dance. It's all there, just seek it out. Academically, I've been able to speak with most teachers via email when necessary. The counselors are always willing to let you know where you child stands with simply a phone call. Extra help is almost always available after school for the students who want/need it. I wish more of these good things were printed about PHHS..it would give more parents peace of mind...at least the ones that care.
—Submitted by Tresa Lovio-Slattery, a parent

Penn Hills High is a good school, they have many good teachers,they have a lot of extracurricular activties but getting on those teams or shows can be a problem at times, I certainly feel their is a lot of favortism in that school and I don't think they give each child a chance, that could be because there are too many children in the school. There a many good teachers, my daughter graduated with honors and my son is on honor roll, I can't say enough about the teachers they have helped my children in a lot of ways, some more than others. I guess parent involvement could be better, but with both parents having to work these days that can be hard. I wish I could devote more time as I did when my kids were younger.There is still need for improvement in all areas but that will take time.
—Submitted by a parent

I love Penn Hills. Having raised three kids in the district, I think that the quality of teaching, the opportunities for extracurricular activities and the overall experience has been good for my children. It is a district that is racially and economically, and culturally diverse. I still have a 10th grader in the district. My other two have academic scholarships to both a public and private college. My daughter recieved remdial reading help when needed and also advanced placement courses. I have relatives who teach in other districts and comment that the curriculum is superior. Even after my last child goes on to college I will continue to live in Penn Hills. It is affordable, close to the Pittsburgh, and unpretentious.
—Submitted by a parent

i personally dont feel that penn hills has a good school district. i was attending there and it was almost impossible to recieve a good eduction. a good majority of teachers dont really put any effort into teaching their classes.there is always fight. i now attend gateway and the school is so much diferrent. not as many fights,only a few security guards,and teachers put there heart into. i personally wouldnt suggest sending any students to penn hills.
—Submitted by a former student

this school is too diverse and they dont put enough into educating the students.
—Submitted by a student

Two of my children have been educated in the Penn Hill School District and I am very pleased with the education they have received. They have performed well on standardized tests. The resources within the District, i.e. computer labs, television studio, music studios, athletic facilities, are excellent. Both of my children participated in the marching band and the first comments are inconsistent with my experience. In fact the entire band and visual ensemble were outfitted with new uniforms in 2003! As far as the 'wrong types of people' there are children who misbehave in every school district. Unfortunately, diverse schools such as Penn Hills seem to get all of the attention, while schools such as Mt. Lebanon and Fox Chapel are able to hide their problems. I have friends across every socio-economic level, and they are all concerned about discipline in the schools. This is not unique to Penn Hills.
—Submitted by a parent

I agree with the first person here. A lot of the town on welfare says a lot about the money that the district has at its disposal. Furthermore, there are a lot of discipline problems. There are too many of the 'wrong kind of people' at Penn Hills, if you know what I mean. The school district is just on a never ending ride down hill. I do not recommend anyone moving their child into the Penn Hills School District. It's not worth it. There are plenty of other districts around that have all of 'the 'right' kind of people.'
—Submitted by Sal Suriano, a parent

Penn Hills is the second largest district in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and yet, we never seem to have money for anything. Our high school looks the same as it did when my parents went here. We do have good programs, but everything in this schools is cheap. I'm in the the marching band and the funds directed toward the music program is a disgrace. We had to borrow a Tuba from another band at several of our football games. Although, when a third of the town is on welfare, tax money is low. Other than that, there are drugs here just like anywhere else, and fights quite often. If you are very, very smart, you can get an education, but if you're anything less, you have a harder time getting along in this schools compared to other schools.
—Submitted by Your MOM, a student