William Tennent High School

I went to Tennent 20 years ago and thought it was a good school. My son attends now and the school is not the same. Teachers have lost their way. Teachers have not treated my son like he is a human being. It's very sad that the school has declined in my opinion. I am hoping they clean up the school by weeding out the bad apples in the faculty basket. I am so sorry I enrolled my son in this school and if I could go back I would never have done it!!!
—Submitted by a parent

Your school experience is what you make of it. I have a daughter who graduated from this school and she went on to excel in college and is now a public school teacher herself. I have a son and daughter there now and theyre doing well and participating in some sports and some honors classes and after school activities. Tennent serves an average suburban area. It's neither affluent nor poor and the local schools will reflect that. To some extent were all products of our environment. In a few short months there will be a brand new William Tennent HS for the students to go to. Remember, this school is free to attend from our property taxes! If you want to, send your kids to Germantown Academy for $26,000 a year in tuition!
—Submitted by a parent

I am a recent graduate from William Tennent HS and a current student a BCCC. This school is pathetic in almost every thing that is offered there. As a current college student, I am actually learning what is going to help me succeed in life and William Tennent did nothing besides down talking me that im not good enough to succeed in my future because i was not a all star football player or a einstein in certain academics. Most staff and teachers alike tell most student this and thats one of the reasons why those student turn to drugs and wanna-be thugs. I give this school no credibility for what I am today.
—Submitted by a student

The school board does not put students first. The result has been loss of families with children going to communities where the kids and their education is a priority. Enrollment has been declining and the Centennial SD ranks in the bottom third of schools in Bucks County and has ranked that way for the past 15 years.
—Submitted by a parent

As a former student and a current educator I must say Tennent had a lot to offer. The problem was many kids, like myself, didn't care to take advantage of all the opportunities Tennent provided. If you took easy classes they were easy, if you challenged yourself, you would be working hard to earn your grades. My years at Tennent were not the best, but mostly due to my own self destruction. I finally blossomed in College, but believe my foundational education at Tennent enabled me to graduate Magna Cum Laude from a Division 1 school. Tennent is what you make of it. You can't force kids to care, you can only hope you inspire them. As for the PSSA pressure, that is state wide. Every school from Urban Philadelphia to Council Rock is under the same pressure and is often pushing test taking skills. Call your congressman!
—Submitted by a student

All this school district cares about is sports and pssa's im in the schools music program and although there are good teachers, the funding is just not there. The district braggs about fine arts week wich they have once a year. The marching band is the only really good thing about the school's music program, thank god for Mr. Lovecchio!!!
—Submitted by a student

A school is what you make of it. Having 3 daughters attend over the years I feel the school is above average in nearly all categories.
—Submitted by a parent

School is poor teachers only can talk by emial and only if you try to rech them first.
—Submitted by a parent

do not send your kids here! all the school cares about is sports and pssa's
—Submitted by a parent

Do your child a favor do not send the there
—Submitted by a parent

I think our school is great and both the positive and negative comments on this site pretty much hits the nail on the head. No school is perfect.
—Submitted by a student

As a parent I am not happy with Tennent. The whole focus is PSSA's. Kids who want AP courses can't always get them because they are only offered once a day. THe music program is the districts shining star which they bring out to brag about at Fine Arts Festival once a year . The music kids schedules are always difficult bcause the school has difficulty fittin it into rosters. And if a parent emails the principal and ?school board there is no response.
—Submitted by a parent

Though Tennent is not the greatest school in PA it is a great school. If a person does not participate in a sport or club it is not the schools fault. They offer good sports with well qualified coaches and the teachers are as nice and helpful as anywhere else. Let alone the nationally award winning marching band. No one is looked down on for not doing activities but we are encouraged to do so to reach our full potential and go to a good school with great credentials.
—Submitted by a student

The only thing admins care about is the PSSAs. Teachers don't care about the students, and the only enforced rules are about iPods and cell phones. Teachers/guidance councellors/admins make a huge deal out of our horrible football team and look down upon those who cannot participate in sorts becasue they have to work every day. The classes are anything but challenging, and my honours class is less work than my A-track class. The only acceptable thing in this school is our music program.
—Submitted by a student

Just an ok school. Rarely students make it to top colleges. Staff does neither give nor keep students information/requirements regarding top colleges. Counselors are insignificant. Most teachers uninspiring.
—Submitted by a parent

An ok school that I would be willing to send my own children to (speaking as an alumni). Parent involment could be greater though. Has good sports team and other extra curricular programs (their music program is decent too), though the administration is not always consistent in decisions regarding student participation.
—Submitted by a former student

I graduated from William Tennent in 2002 and I can honestly say that I enjoyed my four years there. Centennial is not among the most elite Bucks County school disticts but still does a very repsectable job. Tennent has several levels of classes for its students but distributes resources among them (ex. ALL biology students have the option to dissect a fetal pig, not just honors!) Tennent has a good variety of classes, especially music, art, and AP. A slough of teachers just retired, meaning that the staff is fairly young right now. The school pushes very strongly for performance on the PSSAs, for better or worse. Extracurriculars are great. Tennent has a strong music program, several great sports, and it's welcoming to students before and after school. Violence is a minor problem, but that's true almost anywhere.
—Submitted by a former student

I attended William Tennent HIgh school, in the honors and AP classes I was challenged and learned, However and A-track classes seemed to be boring and often actually required mroe work. Tennet puts a large amount of focus on their sports teams, and has reccently cut back funding on their once excellent musical programs. Tennent also offers many extra cirricular activites, which are more important than most parents seem to realize, good after school activities give kids other things to look forward to than getting trashed.
—Submitted by a former student

It's acedemic programs are sad, at best, and the school revolves around standards that the average student cannot meet. In terms of policy, the school board is opressive to the student, limiting even the most basic freedoms they have, and also some of their policies are outright idiotic. They fail to take into account the wellbeing of the student, and any acedemic needs/advantages they may have, as well as they fail to recognize that a class can only be judged by it's most challenged member, instead of it's best student.
—Submitted by a student

While receiving some bad rap compared to other local high schools, I believe that William Tennent provides more than adequate academic programs and the teaching is excellent. Year after year students place highly on the SATs and the AP tests. William Tennent just recently sent students to MIT, Dartmouth, and West Point. Tennent also has several singing groups and musical groups and preform one play and one musical per year. Tennent also hosts many extracurricular groups ranging from S.A.D.D. to G.S.A. to the Trading Card Club. Tennent also year in and year out put out terrific varsity teams that have won several awards not only for excellence record wise, but also for sportsmanship. William Tennent is an excellent high school for any student to attend.
—Submitted by a former student