Summerville High School

This school is far too large to be effective in teaching our children. At 3100+ enrolled students the school becomes a small city when in session. There are multiple full time police officers assigned to the school. Due to it's location the school often goes on lockdown when violent crime is reported in the adjacent neighborhood. I do have to say, however, that the new principal seems to be very effective and has a great background. Our son really enjoyed his time there and had many great friends. Academically the schools offerings are diverse and challenging. DD2 needs to keep up with it's booming population and build another high school.
—Submitted by a parent

I received an excellent education at Summerville High. The Honors and AP courses I took were challenging, and I learned a great deal. I scored well on the SAT and ACT and graduated from with honors from Furman University. My teachers at SHS genuinely cared about their students' well-being and success. I remember fondly my time at Summerville and know each student can receive a high-quality education there if they put forth their best effort.

My son excelled at SHS. Their math, science, and counseling staff include military veterans who, along with JROTC, are helping my son make successful applications for the Naval and Air Force Academies. My daughter had a very negative experience her freshman year. Teachers assigned to freshman academy acted more like college buddies than professionals, then struggled to contain personal feelings when they later tried to regain authority. Overall, student population is too large for the facility. Ashley Ridge should be considered when buying. The new principal (2011) is outstanding, renewing professionalism in staff dress code, staff conduct, and student leadership.
—Submitted by a parent

The academics at SHS if mobilized would be substantial. Our children would have purpose,vision,responsibility,opportunity and be successful members of our communities or other places they live. Our elementary schools put so much time ,energy,compassion,devotion,love and an awesome foundation of education into our children.The communicaton between parent and teacher gets lost in middle school. At SHS you have to make sure your chidren are taking the proper courses for thier desired education goals.SHS does have many chidren left by the wayside.As parents its our responsibility to instill love,morals values,beliefs,responsibiliyt, accountability,experience and goals in thier lives.Hopefully no more students with high academic achievements and community involvement won't be left behind. I feel The PTA should not worry so much about fundrasing, and more about communication from teacher to parent. and to help diminish SHS high drop out rate.
—Submitted by a parent

The school itself was an awesome experience for myself. The school is huge but its not big enough for the overpopulation of students attending. Coming from someone who has moved around their entire life i feel like Summerville High offered the most opportunities for young adults. The cons are that with it being so BIG and with 3500 + students there is not enough supervision. I had never gotten into any trouble in my life until i graduated to a freshman and summerville high made it so easy to mess up. But overall i loved the school.!
—Submitted by a student

I loved going to Summerville. I can't say that I agree with all the things that the school does, but I had a lot of fun and enjoyed being a part of the green wave community.
—Submitted by a student

they put the children first!
—Submitted by a parent

Summerville High School is the largest school in the state and has great kids and great teachers!!
—Submitted by a parent

I am a former student and graduate of SHS and the four years I spent there were great. The teachers are very helpful and concerned with their students.

First of all, Summerville High School has an extremely large student body. Many of the teachers are either not interested or overwhelmed or just bad teachers in general. I am an honor student who always had at least a 95 average in English, but when I moved, I began classes at Summerville, my grades slipped to barely passing. It was nothing on my part, the teacher was lazy and simply didn't teach. There are some really great teachers who put their all into what they do, but most (esspecially with cp classes) don't help their students to excell. The guidence counselors are impossible to get intouch with! As a senior, I think that was one of my biggest disadvantages here. The school tends to obsess over little things such as IDs and dress code violations, which in the end results in the lack of intimacy in the classroom.
—Submitted by a student

this school has way more advantages than others and has a willing of doing good to the students that go to this school!! great job and keep it up

Summerville High has been a great high school for my three children. One graduated and is now in college. I also have a sophomore and senior attending the school. Yes, it is over crowded, but it is the size of a small college campus. I feel it will help prepare my children for the college experience. Parents need to be involved with their children. Supporting, following-up and most of all communicating with the teachers. This goes for ANY high school. Like most things in life, you get out of it what you put into it. I am pleased with the education my children have received in Dorchester District Two, thus far. They are not perfect, but do a great job, overall. With the increasing amount of discipline problems with children now days, and lack of action a teachers is able to take....I don't know how they do it.
—Submitted by a parent

I love Summerville High School. I attended Summerville for 2 1/2 years, and loved every minute of it. I would recommend it to anybody who enjoys not only the academic part of school, but the social aspect as well. Most of the teachers are fun and well qualified in the Honors or AP programs, but CP is rather hit or miss. If your child is well disciplined and understands what it takes to perform well in school, I recommend Summerville High. If they need a teacher all over them all the time about keeping up with school work, I recommend Pinewood.
—Submitted by a student

Overall it is a good school. Over crowding is a major problem (3500+ students) and with continued influx of folks to Dorchester II it will continue that way for sometime. The kids and the parents are the ones who are responsible for making sure a good education is received. If there are problems with teachers not being quailfied then they should be reported.
—Submitted by a parent

Summerville is a great school. opportunities are endless and the environment is terrific. It is basically based around athletics, but you don't have to be an amazing athlete to be someone. Alsowhoever says you have to have lived here your entire life to be known is wrong. I run on the track team and all the coaches know my name. I moved here a year ago. everyone has a possitive attitude and anyone who goes there should love it.
—Submitted by a student

This is one of the worst schools ever. I have attended Summerville High School for 2 years now and I am very unsatisified with many aspects of the school. First of which being the overpopulation. there are around 3,500 kids that attend Summerville High School. Secondly, many teachers are extremely slack and unqualified in the teaching field. Thisrdly the school is filled with many kids who dont care and are just waiting to be hold enough so that they can drop out.
—Submitted by a student

This school has a nice enviroment, but it is too big and the population is too huge. the halls are crowed and people push each other just to get to their next class. The hallways are not the only thing, the peoples attitudes towards the new principle are really low. They don't like the fact that they have to wear their ids everyday and the fact about no electronics for example; ipods, cell phones, cd players, ect. But I think that it is a good idea having these rules so that the learning enviroment is not disturbed.
—Submitted by a student

This school is perfect! Parents, I am a mother of three ,all of which attend SHS and I cannot praise it enough. -A happy parent
—Submitted by a parent

Came here from SD, CA with 3 children, all in the GATE program, full time academics. Problem is that a bright student can get by if parents do not push their children! I say that parents must be there for their children! If your child is not into something: Mock Trial, SHS sports or band, then they are a number to this school. You don't have to have lots of $ to be able to support your child. Teachers can't do it by themselves! Parents get in there and get YOUR hands directing your child! My kids did wonderful. Graduated and went: Clemson, Naval Academy, MIT in Boston, but both parents were involved and pushed kids and teachers and counselors to higher heights!
—Submitted by a parent

I feel sorry for the students and parents that are not originally from Summerville. Summerville is an old southern town from which everyone originally knew everyone else. My whole family is from here and my grandmother and grandfather even attended shs not to mention my mother and countless other relatives. I feel that it is harder for kids who are transplants to feel accepted and the school has a HUGE emphasis on its athletics program as do many other towns in the area. The same coach who coached my grandmother, mother, and myself is now coaching my son. I love the feel of this school and all in all I believe it has a lot to offer...although some aspects of its academics program could use improvement.
—Submitted by a former student