Bainbridge High School

BHS is comparable to the other schools in the Bainbridge school system. Many of the teachers are excellent, most are competent and some are less than that. With a great deal of parental support our child did very well there, graduating in the top ten percent of his class and gaining admission to a "highly selective" eastern college. But I had to teach him how to write a proper grammatical sentence (the BI school system isn't very interested in that), and earlier in his BI educational career, basic math (Sakai is a wretched school, top to bottom). The big problem at BHS is a lot of a student's success depends on which teacher you get. And so far as I can tell the counselors do little college counseling -- I don't think our counselor ever talked to our son about college. So don't be afraid to send your child there, but know what you're getting in to. Good but not great.
—Submitted by a parent

Our family moved onto the island just over a year ago. We have children in the 7th, 10th and 12th grades. The counselors at Bainbridge High School and Sakai Intermediate School are exceptional and helped my children make a smooth transition. The teachers are oustanding as well. I laugh when I read some of the reviews - what community doesn't have "cliques" amongst the students and parents? Our family has opted to find friends outside the "cliques" and have found there to be many friendly and inclusive people. It's your attitude that makes the difference!
—Submitted by a parent

This is an exceptional public high school with plenty of advanced classes as well as a stellar art department. The guidance department is stretched to painfully thin levels. I found my children (one very shy and one very outgoing) to be exceptionally well prepared for college, with a rich social, athletic and academic experience that could easily be tailored to fit their needs.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are the only thing this school got right. I attended BHS for my 9th and 10th grade years and I hated it. You get three varieties of kids; snotty, stoner, or bully. All the "nice" kids go to Eagle Harbor or other schools in the area. I was bullied mercilessly to the point where I could not be coaxed out of my room to leave the house, and the administration did nothing to the kids involved, who in fact continued to bully me until I finally moved away! I eventually decided to continue schooling at home until I moved away because the school was so bad. Parents, DO NOT SEND YOUR KIDS HERE.
—Submitted by a student

Bullying and drugs are rampant here if you only look behind the "great test scores." Students have a sense of entitlement, which I think they get from their parents. I moved here from Northern California and can honestly say I was bored in class - my previous school in CA was much more rigorous. My parents decided to enroll me in private school in Seattle and I have never looked back!
—Submitted by a student

My four children have all grown up on "The Island", and we have had the worst experiences with BHS. The Mean Girl Syndrome has gone to a whole new extreme. Drugs and alcohol are rampant. I mean, what are wealthy kids to do with their time and money? The school academic advisors are a joke. The teachers are very good. They seem to really take interest in the students. That is, if you have a self-motivated student. If you have a student that needs extra help or communication about missing homework, forget it. All of our kids transferred to Running Start to complete their education, except for our youngest. We enrolled that one in private school and have had exceptional success. BHS has left some major scars in our family.
—Submitted by a parent

I think it is a great school and very exciting and perfect teachers
—Submitted by a parent

I just graduated from BHS and I feel it has really prepared me for college. The teachers are excellent and every year I had at least one teacher/class that I couldn't wait to go to. The teachers are very responsive to questions, and there were a countless number of times that I stayed after to ask questions. I understand how some parents feel about the clique-ishness at BHS, and having lived on Bainbridge my whole life, I haven't directly experienced it, but I know that some of my good friends moved here during highschool and were able to fit in just fine. It is definately the most clique-ish during freshman year; during the following years students become more accepting.
—Submitted by a student

After living here a couple of years, I find extreme clique-ishness among parents and students, and a sense of grandeur that seems ill founded. To me, the social costs (it appears impossible to make friends here if you haven't lived here all your life) do not seem worth the academic challenges offered.
—Submitted by a parent

going to BHS has been a great expirence. and with the construction i know it will only get better and better. the teachers love what they do. they are willing to help a student, and they really know what they are talking about. theres an amazing selection of classes offered (both electives and not). on of my favorites was AMW a new freshman class that gave students an understanding of the mordern world. another favorite was the photography class. i highly recomend this school, even over the private schools in the area. GO SPARTAN!
—Submitted by a student

Pretty much best high school ever! Go Spartans!!
—Submitted by a student

Horrible environment! The kids are extremely cliquish. If you are just moving in from somewhere else, forget it! The kids are only a reflection of the community, which is very snotty. Don't be fooled by the facade of exceptional academics. They are very over-rated. There isn't much else except really good extra-curricular activities on Bainbridge island.
—Submitted by a parent

Great School! The academics at BHS are phenomenal and are reflected in the school's high test scores. The teachers and parents here are very involved in ensuring student success. There are many extracurricular activities for students to participate in. With most students going on to attend a four-year college, the academic atmosphere at BHS is stressful, and courses are rigorous with lots of homework every night.
—Submitted by a student

The structure of BHS created an excellent framework for my future. I excelled in college- have been successful in my career- as well I find that I have been able to make independent decisions & form my own personality without feeling the need to cater to the pressures of conforming to a specific norm in society. I embrace pieces of the BHS mentality (excellence, creativity, leadership, teamwork) but I am also able to stand on my own feet with confidence. The skills are extremely valuable and necessary in society.
—Submitted by a former student

WE came to BI when our son was starting HS. We left a school in CA that was rated in the top three statewide year in and year out. Our son's experience was very good at BI, he had no trouble making friends, the school offers a highly rated academic program and many extracurricular activities, and the community supports the programs. Overall Bi HS is an excellent example of program that includes many types and styles of student learning and coordinates it's class offerings with the local community college and the state university system. It's success can be attested to by the number of graduates that are accepted into so many of the nations highest rated universities. I would recommend this HS to anyone interested in a good solid education in preparation for college and those who are interested in technical careers.
—Submitted by Robert King, a parent

Bainbridge High is a great school - if you fit their mold. If you do not, they do not have much to offer. Kids are academically stressed, not all the teachers are great, and their overall perception of themselves is greater than it really is. Having grown up on the island is not always a plus as kids tend to peg you which may not work in your favor. Not a bad school for some, just not the best as most people think.
—Submitted by a parent

I came to the small community this school was based in last year. I found it difficult to fit in with students at the school. Basically, if you hadn't gone there since middle school, you might as well not be there now. The extracurricular activities are impressive. The education is fairly well, but could be improved. The discipline however, was horrendous. The school has constantly been trashed, in and out of school hours, and the students rarely get harshly punished. I find that this school may be really great if you have lived in Bainbridge Island, but if you are new, I would recommend you look at some private school in Kitsap.
—Submitted by a former student

i go to this school and i love BHS so much. It is and amazing school. i feel so welcomed here and a lot of the other students do to. they have a very good spechal education programe. i have dislexcia and the spechal ed. programe has helped me so much. over all this shool is amazing.
—Submitted by a student

High Quality, high achieving school
—Submitted by a parent

Bainbridge has something for everyone! Great teachers that care about the students and it shows in overall scores.
—Submitted by a parent