Alamo Heights Junior High School

I currently attend this school, and the GT classes are great. In the advanced and grade level classes, there are a lot more disruptions. There is a LOT OF peer pressure, cliques, prejudice, and bullying on anything from race, affluency, intelligence, and your definitely ostracized if your not a rich, blond haired, blue eyed anglo girl, and the administration does nothing about it. The social environment is terrible, and the academic environment is only good if your in GT classes. -Current 7th Grade Student

Horrible principal. She is a total snob and she gossips about the kids. She is friends with some of the parents and tries to fit in socially. A total social climber that does not care to resolve the issues she is causing. PRINCIPAL KERSHNER HAS TO GO
--Submitted by a parent

Wow, as a parent, taxpayer and additional financial supporter of the district and specifically AHJS, I happen to stumble on this site. I think all the schools in our district do an amazing job. The negative remarks regarding ahjs are obviously from a bitter and hurt parent. Maybe they could pull themselves up by the bootstraps and teach their children how to over come instead of sit UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES, no matter what they may be. America and our own community is about forging new solutions when times get you down. Stop complaining and look at the bright side. YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT FREE EDUCATION no matter where you go to school. There are always ways to improve, so why not llook into being a part of that instead of part of the "whining"!!
--Submitted by a parent

Not a very positive environment. They have tons of great technology, but not much time to use it, too many clowns. The teachers are pretty good, but they don't do anything about the misbehavior in the halls and stuff. There is a lot of snobbiness, and racism. You can't participate in any of the extracurricular stuff unless you have money. If you don't they offer scholarships that EVERY body ends up knowing about, and teasing about. The principal seems to be snob too, only talks to the wealthy white kids, which there are ALOT of here. They have a councelor that is totally lame and awkward, she cries everytime she talks about kids, and she gossips about the kids who have problems with the other kids! You should consider going somewhere else if you aren't rich and white.
--Submitted by a parent

I went to this school and I was pretty satisfied. The coaches are good. The teachers are pretty good. I guess it was fun, because you could get by with doing anything there. They kind of let you break the rules, like the dress code, and cell phones in class. The teachers are laid back, they don't jump down your throat if u cuss sometimes. It probably isn't so good if you are not white. You can really get picked on, if your not. My advice to them would be stay out of the poor line in the cafeteria and you'll probably not get noticed or picked on. I liked this school. But not as much as the High School.
--Submitted by a student

The school district should replace the administration at this school. The other schools in the district easily out perform this school in TEA scores, for no apparent reason other than poor discipline, and weak leadership. The children are the same kids that ranked well at the elementary schools and HS, but they are lost, uninspired or too anxious about this junior school environment to do well here. This is a smart and savvy district. I'm not quite sure why they have given up on AHJS.
--Submitted by a parent

I personally loved this school, and the english and art departments are amazing. The GT/PreAP department was great for me, too. But I will agree that socially some kids are picked on endlessly.
--Submitted by a student

I am so disappointed in this school. Students are rude and unruly, the administation is weak to non-existent, and teachers teach to the lowest common denominator. Disuptive kids in classes ruin learning for good kids. Technology is unavailable. The few good teachers are so outnumbered they might as well not be there. We are going to St. Lukes until high school.
--Submitted by a parent

the teachers fall short of expectations and so to the councilers. Out of all the administration, i'm most let down by the principal and councilers. The students are racist and the teachers do nothing to stop them..
--Submitted by a parent

For those of us who have been around awhile, the change has beem heartbreaking. 5 years ago the school was full of dedicated, caring, experienced teachers. The massive exodus of these teachers since the arrival of the new administration has left the school with teachers who are there just for the paycheck, who have no classroom management skills, who are more concerned about being cool and popular with the kids than actually having the kids actually learn anything. There are notable exeptions of course, but they are few and far between.
--Submitted by a parent