Peninsula High School

I graduated a few years ago and I'm a junior now at the University of Washington, Seattle. PHS has its flaws, but if a student wants to succeed and be prepared for top colleges, they can be. My first quarter at UW surprised me by being easier than my previous year at PHS (and I was taking chemistry and biology-major related courses). There's an endless list of great AP classes to take (I took nine over my four years) with great teachers. There's definitely a lot to take advantage of, if a student wants to.
--Submitted by a student

I graduated from Peninsula in 2009. Peninsula is a school that offers students opportunities to really do well and succeed, but students have to take some of their own initiative and drive to take those opportunities. I took 9 AP classes (Peninsula so many--the most in the area), and I passed 7 of them. I credit this to the great teachers. They really believe in the students, and if a student puts in the effort and wants to do well, teachers will respond to him/her. The school provides incredible academic programs, students just need to have the motivation to take advantage of them (but a lot don't). Plus, the students are awesome and accepting-- everyone in my graduating class was friends and there really isn't cliques or defining social lines.
--Submitted by a student

As a second generation graduate from PHS and raising a third generation, I have to strongly support the school's outstanding leadership and dedication to student achievement.
--Submitted by a parent

Peninsula High School is amazing. The teachers are so nice and the band and theatre and sports programs are so fantastic!! They have improved me personally in many ways. I really love Peninsula High School.
--Submitted by a student

I attended PHS and the staff is extremely committed to excellence and the student body is full of pride and creates a non-hostile environment.

I was a student of PHS who has just graduated from college. When I look back I found PHS to be very interesting. It literally had many different aspects to it; some good and some bad. I found the teachers to be very supportive of the students. The administration did focus on punishment a lot more than encouragement though and that wasn't a great thing. I would do it all again if I could. There were countless extracurricular activities to do and I really do owe a thanks to those teachers who were involved but weren't paid for it. It didn't have as much snobbiness as another nearby school I visited. Overall PHS is great in many different aspects and I would definitely send my own kid there.
--Submitted by a former student

Alot of the teachers do not have their hearts in the job, and the ones that do have their hands tied behind their backs by having to teach for the wasl test. The security is getting better but it still needs work. Too much drugs are getting into the school still. The extracurricular activities are very good. The level of parent involvement varies depending on what activity or subject you are talking about. I wish more parents would voice their oppinions on the wasl and ited tests. Everything is based around them and not around preparing us for the real world. I would have to say the same thing about the senior projects. Too much hype is put into the senior projects. The skills that you are practicing, reasearch and presenting for example, are practiced all though school. This really is a waste of time for everyone.
--Submitted by a former student

Great teachers but not a lot of parent involvement. It lacks greatly in funding for after-school activities. A good school for the area though. They have a great science department. Overall, I had a pretty good experience there. A bit too much drug activity in the school.
--Submitted by a former student

As my child has went up the ranks from elementary, middle and high school, it has become very clear that if you know the right people or teach within the district, your child will be given preferential treatment. My child had to meet standards to be placed in honors level or accelerated classes, but as the years have passed almost every student who's parent is a teacher or very involved within the school is eventually placed in these classes. Unfortunately this brings down the level of learning in the higher level classes and then my child is bored. Athletics are the same way. The athletic director for peninsula high school hires parents for positions that they are not qualified for and are only there because their child is finally a freshman. I hope other districts and high schools are more professional.
--Submitted by a parent

I attended Peninsula High School for 2 years and I loved it! I always felt safe there. The teachers are great! They do an excellent job of explaining every thing. The school does a wonderful job of encouraging all the students to join some sort of club, and they offer a club for every type of person. The school spirt is high at times, but when it is low, the school finds some way to encourage the students to bring it back up.
--Submitted by a student