Decatur High School

Perhaps if schools are to be rated on "Spirit" or athletics this might be an OK option. If "Education" in the traditional sense is what you are interested in.......
--Submitted by a parent

I am currently a senior here at Decatur High School. The majority of these critiques are older so maybe my perception of the school could help... Decatur is what you make of it. There is an assortment of activities that can occupy anyones' life. It is true that our athletics are not as strong but your son or daughter could make a difference. Our boys basketball team has been ranked in state every year that I have gone to DHS. We do support every sport and are especially proud of our spirt. Some teachers are a bit more abrasive than other s but if your student actually goes beyond what he/she are required to do such as go after school or go to study club then they should be fine. While most would say they have hated high school, I am proud to say that I have loved every single minute of it. Decatur has throughly prepared me for life after high school.
--Submitted by a student

the theatre and arts program is amazing, come see a show there if you haven't XD
--Submitted by a student

Decatur is a great school. It is dealing with a huge change in the population. School spirit, pride in academics and athletics are the core to the success of DHS. It has many (not all) teachers. I would rate it a 4.
--Submitted by a parent

Aside from being like a prison Decatur is a fairly good school. If you pay attention in class and don't fall into peer pressure then you will succeed. The teachers there are fairly good if you ask them for help they will help you. Hanging out with some of them durring lunch like ms. Beaver is very fun. School is highly spirited great music program and state wide recognize basketball program. If you are into marketing DECA is right for you the instructor is very dedicated in helping you succeed. Final note your are either in DECA, Dance team, Cheer, Jock or honor student to have a great highschool life
--Submitted by a student

Pre-AP or AP is a must if you want your child to develop academically and eventually go to college. As a freshman at UW, I would compare most AP classes to am entry level college course. The 'normal' classes at Decatur (with the possible exception of math) are a joke... I have had varying experiences with teachers...some of them have been very dedicated, some of them wouldn't care if a student was having a seizure on the floor in front of them.
--Submitted by a student

I pulled my son out of school after one semester. Socially, the kids seemd to be gang posers. The staff seemed unconcerend about this. Their sports programs were a joke (dont expect any athletic scholars our of this school), the teachers didn't seem to care as much whether kids were engaged or not, the counselors also had somewhat of the same non-chalant attitude with snapshot judgements based solely on their opinions. For example, they dont offer placement exams so they have no individualized learning plan for your child based on his aptitude or current learning level. They also have no remedial interventions to mitigate the ignorance of their wrong placement decisions. A waste of federal funds!
--Submitted by a parent

Decatur has proven to be challenging in most of its courses although there are some discipline issues such as fights in lunchrooms and hallways. Despite that, the AP and pre-AP seems to a well-constructed program which provides some great couse content and challenging discussions. A lot of the extracurriculur programs sound interesting but working through the sign-up process is annoying, especially with sports programs.
--Submitted by a parent

i currently go to decatur high school as a sophomore. its a fairly good school...there are plenty of nice kids. as far as academics go, there are some kids who arent very committed to their schoolwork, and others who work very hard. They have a great orchestra and choir program under Mr.Gorringe's leadership, and a state-championship winning swim team. Athletics are a big deal at decatur...and i think it is a very good school overall.
--Submitted by a student

The schools academic reviews are frighteningly below state and national average. I would not recommend this school to parents, I would consider other forms of education outside the district
--Submitted by a parent