Plum Senior High School

I am very pleased with this high school. The guidance counselors and teachers have been incredible and worked hard to meet my child's needs. The music department is top notched with the best music wing and auditorium in the entire Pittsburgh region. Plum's auditorium rivals theaters in Pittsburgh's downtown cultural district. I do believe a lot of attention is focused on PSSAs. The high school grading scale is much higher than all the schools in the region, but I have heard that scale is being adjusted to the same level as the other high schools. I truly recommend this high school and the districts other schools. The area and district have become much more progressive. It you are looking for an area with good schools, safe and growing neighborhoods and reasonable housing (150-500k) than Plum is definately the place for you.
--Submitted by a parent

Very well educated teacher base, and I guess that justifies one of the highest teachers salaries in the region. Strong teacher union. Not sure if that is negitive or positive. Probably positive in attracting top teachers. It is known that Plum has an incredible retirement packages for their teachers and it appears younger and well educated instructors are filling positions throughout the school district. The high school is very lovely and I feel very safe here after relocating my family from DC. A lot of new homes are being built and will continue to drive up prices, but for excellent schools, low-crime and easy access into Pittsburgh, it makes it very worth it.
--Submitted by a parent

The school year just ended and qualified teachers is something that is definitely missing from this high school. This should be a major concern for all parents with students in this school district. Administrators and guidance help is positively nonexistant! I am looking for an alternative place for my children to attend school next year!!
--Submitted by a parent

My child is a special education student with an IEP. He has yet to pass a PSSA test and can barely write. Guidance/adminstration assures me he will graduate, but I don't know how if he can't pass the PSSA tests.
--Submitted by a parent

I only have one child but if I had other children I would definitely move out of the Plum Borough School District before that child reached high school age. It has to be among one of the worse high schools I have ever seen. If the teachers teach at all, it is to the PSSA tests. Try getting help for your child who is struggling and you get pushed around from guidance to teachers and back and forth. NO ONE will help and NO ONE wants to take responsibility for your child's learning!!!!! If you have a gifted child get out of Plum as soon as you can!
--Submitted by a parent

This is the last year I will have to deal with this school and am anxious for it to be over. If an average school, teach for standardized testing is for you, this is it. Keep in mind, it is a public school and they teach to the general population. If you have an above average student or an achiever, find somewhere else. If you think things will improve as your child gets higher in the grades, it doesn't.
--Submitted by a parent

PHS is just an 'ok' school. The administration is lacking, yes, and the teachers are a mixed bag. Some teachers are gems and others are just awaiting retirement and coasting throuugh. Some genuinely care about their students and some are just there for the paycheck. In my experience, PHS teaches extremely to standardized tests. The school in general is far too focused on athletics. There is very little student motivation and teachers do little to engage students in learning and excite students about education. There is a huge divide and tons of tension between teachers/administration and students/administration. Don't get me wrong though, PHS is not as bad as I make it sound, but with so many other brilliant high schools in the surrounding areas, one should explore other options before choosing Plum High School.
--Submitted by a student

Teachers who teach AP classes seem more motivated than others. Most of AP teachers follow the requirement of the College Board guidelines. Most of teaches at this school do not cover enough materials so that students are not able to take various College Board SAT II tests. The honor classes are not very challenging and teaching pace is slow.
--Submitted by a parent

Despite long-held perceptions about Plum's dominance, I would say that Plum SHS is average at best. I graduated in 2009 and feel that my education was good in some ways and poor in many others. For example, the teachers at Plum Senior High are all intelligent individuals capable of teaching compelling, extensive concepts, but the overall faculty attitude is based in static apathy. The unfaltering trend amongst teachers is to find a methods of teaching that yield average results, and to rarely go the extra mile. Enriched courses are great but in regular classes, little is expected of students beyond staying awake. Very few students see knowledge as uplifting or helpful. There's a 50/50 chance that a given classroom will be noisy, disruptive and lacking respect and control. Students can be verbally bullied within earshot of teachers and they will ignore it. There's definitely an athelete obsession at Plum as well.
--Submitted by a student

Moving into Plum was a great mistake for my kids. The kids here are mean and hateful. If you aren't born and raised here, you will never fit in unless you are an athlete or among the popular kids. Parents involved in the school system are out of control. PTA rules the school here. They hold the hands of these kids until they reach high school then release them and expect them to act like pre-adults. The teachers don't care and my kids have stated the classroom environment is out of control. I personally am pulling my children out and enrolling them in cyber-school.
--Submitted by a parent