West High School

I currently have 2 children attending West right now, and I have nothing but good things to say about it! They offer so many challenging AP and honors classes, and the faculty is wonderful.
--Submitted by a parent

Diverse student body, attention to the needs of the bright, accelerated students
--Submitted by a parent

I have nothing but admiration for the teachers and administration at West. I have had children at the 5 star rated school, but I prefer West. The teachers really care, and the emphasis is on learning and preparing for college or AP courses. I do hate the new dress code, though.
--Submitted by a parent

I've worked at West for 3 years now and I can't imagine working anywhere else! The kids are fantastic, the parent support is excellent, and the administration is second to none. Even when I was offered jobs to leave and go to Oak Ridge and Maryville (both pay much more than Knox County!) I didn't hesitate to turn them down just to stay at West!
--Submitted by a teacher

I graduated from West in 2008. I really enjoyed my first three years at West, but my final year left much to be desired. There was always problems with fighting or something that would cause a whole problem for the school. I also think that something should be done about the cafeteria, they have a whole 'new' section, but the lunch lines are way too crowded. Most of the time I would wait until lunch was almost over to go through the line just so I would not have to worry about getting pushed! I think that if you take AP classes you learn a lot, however, I took mostly CP classes. The classes got boring at times and most of the class was spend listening to the teacher telling someone to stop talking or put up the cell phone.
--Submitted by a student

It's interesting to note that students have rated this school highly, while several parents have given it a low rating. I'm with the parents who think this school is worse than average. Because West does have some great teachers, I've given it two stars rather than one. Low-income, disabled, non-English speaking students are treated like second-class citizens. Administrators are generally deaf to any feedback that is not positive. Diversity of creed, race, and political outlook is not respected. Students who have excelled in both academics and citizenship are nonetheless treated like criminals--'Where's your pass?' barked at them in the halls--guilty until proven innocent. This school could be much better. As a parent who has spent many volunteer hours there, I am still at a loss as to how to effect real improvement.
--Submitted by a parent

Not only for rich and gifted kids. In fact, we are working class and my child had severe problems. West High School was the only school in Knox County that was concerned for my daughter enough to eventually have her diagnosed with a form of autism. No school or teacher had ever bothered before. The classes are challenging, but the teachers truly care. The guidance staff is phenomenal and did everything they could to help my daughter.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a great school with wonderful parent involment
--Submitted by a parent

West High Schools has both good and bad qualities. The teachers are great. Except for a few exceptions, teachers stayed in tune on how each student performed. The office staff was rude at times, but I think they did the best job they could. I would not recommend this school to a student who takes just CP classes. A lot of them are not high quality, and have many students who slow the class down. AP program is great though. Extra-Curricular activities tend to be cliquish. The janitorial staff could be better. Many dirty rooms and bathrooms. Food service is about the same as any other KCS school. And in some cases bullying is not handled well enough. Overall average in most areas (compared to other KCS schoold). However I would strongly recommend the AP program.
--Submitted by a parent

I am the parent of a just graduated senior and a rising sophomore. We have been so pleased to be a part of West High School. My daughter took loads of AP and Honors courses and loved the Art teacher, Mr. Eng, who taught her so much. Also the strong science AP classes she took opened her mind to the possiblility of majoring in science in college. And my son was excited about the dedicated soccer team who went to the state semi-finals this year. We are very fortunate to be able to go to this school and we like the fact that it is a little smaller than some of our neighboring high schools.
--Submitted by a parent