Oak Harbor High School

One important note:the school was completely renovated in 2010 so all prior reviews on the facilities are not completely valid. This school is competent, and beautiful. Offers a wide variety of award winning career and technical training: auto shop,metal design,CAD,culinary and video production. The school website will reveal many AP courses (13). My child took 5 over the course of 2 years. He scored a 4 on AP-History and 2/1 on the AP physics, language, calc, and World History; so not stellar performance. Can't necessarily blame the educators,but want to note that he received A's in regular class room; possibly due to the RE-DO policy. I am not impressed with the English instruction - see parent Nov 2010 review, still holds true today. Only major complaint is the fact that my child will receive A's on work that I would evaluate as B- or below. There is hardly any homework, and the school implements a "RE-DO" policy that hardly encourages the kids to try hard the first time around. As with any school, there are great teachers and teachers that should have retired long ago,who have lost their zest for education. Staff parental communication is hit or miss.
—Submitted by a parent

I enjoyed this school. I just graduated last year, the first class to graduate from the completely renovated school. The hallways are slightly bigger and classrooms are too, but I think they could have better shaped classes and all indoor hallways. All of the teachers and administrators are interested in the well being of students and their success. I felt very close to each of my teachers. I think it helps that many teachers are in their 20's or 30's, and are coaches and club leaders, making them more relatable to students and more access-able. The perception that "drug use is on the rise" can be misleading as the students move through the grade levels and more people are exposed and start using. But no one knows how many people in each grade are using drugs except if they see them using. accusations and surveys cannot be an accurate representation because nothing is honest. I think that the career and tech classes and AP classes prepared me well for college and the school definitely works very hard to prepare students for a future that will be productive. Some rules seem unreasonable from a student stand point, but they are not up to the school, rather the district and state.
—Submitted by a student

Our family is very happy with OHHS. A lot of schools are cutting important programs like AP and career and tech. Others are eliminating sports and activites. OHHS has maintained very strong programs in all these areas. Plus, the school facilities are amazing! We are impressed!
—Submitted by a parent

This school has so much potential, the facilities are fantastic but true to the entire district, appearances are more important than substance. Teachers here are generally uninvolved and uninterested, administrators are worse, a large number of students are miltary and fairly transient, only here for a few years so the staffs accountability level is pathetic. The english and math departments are rediculously lacking. Example of staff involvement.. the last teacher or staff post here was dated 2006.
—Submitted by a parent

OHHS is such a good school and we are very happy we moved to Oak Harbor! Compared with other high schools in the region, OHHS has superior facilities and much better programs and options for kids. Plus, the students in Oak Harbor are much better behaved and respectful than those in some other schools I have seen.
—Submitted by a parent

the new building is nice, but the curb appeal doesn't bring excellence into the classrooms. I would say from watching my student, the English dept. is extremely lacking. There is little accountability to be held by the teachers and unless you have a very proactive teacher, students slip through the cracks. Thankfully our student has been blessed with 3 good teachers the past 2 years; teachers who try different teaching methods for different students and work with the parents for added success. Other than that, if it wasn't for additional home-schooling, my student wouldn't even know how to use punctuation, capitalization or proper grammer. It's hard to only blame the middle school, when the high schools giving him A's on such work.
—Submitted by a parent

Hi-- No offense to the student posting on 8/25, but OHHS's WASL scores are far from outstanding. Look at the state average and see how the hgh school compares--I haven't seen 2008 data, but science and math scores from last year aren't outstanding
—Submitted by a student

Everyone keeps saying how awful ohhs is, but I've been to 2 other highschools and I think it's amazing. Our wasl scores are outstanding and all of the problem are finally getting fixed.
—Submitted by a student

I'm a student at this school and I agree with the poster two posts ago. Drug use is pretty much on the rise. I know of several fellow freshman that are at least smoking and skipping their afternoon classes. A few sophmores that smoke pot and skip days entirely. I also feel that the acidemic level of this school is terribly low. Maybe i just had too high of an expectation. I also would like to add that I'm glad we got a new stadium. Our old stadium was muddy, and horrible. Band was a complete disaster for the marching season. Our new one is nice, but I'm glad there is going to be a modernization of our high school. Our hallways are so small, and the doors open into the hallways sometimes making everything come to a stand still. (there is mold in the stage and the band room leaks)
—Submitted by a student

The previous writer is not being fair or honest. A new $8 million stadium, yes, but the writer fails to mention that a $74 million modernization of the entire high school is underway. They're not just going to fix Parker Hall. They're building a complete new one, along with bigger classrooms and wider hallways. And, by the way, drug use is NOT on the rise. Iit is well below state averages, according to very thorough and long-term surveys.

Oak Harbor High School lacks in maintaining the educatonal levels found in other school districts in the state. The disciplinary problems a the high school are rampant with drug use on on the rise. The school board found it appropriate to build a nine million dollar football stadium, yet Parker Hall continues to flood when it rains, the classrooms are small and the hall ways very narrow. Overall, Oak Harbor High School is a disgrace to the community unless of course you are a football fan.
—Submitted by a parent

I think the running start program and other alternatives to the high school are the best things about Oak Harbor High School. There are some really good people that work at the school, but its the exception not the rule. I have had three children attend this school over the past six years and feel the overall condition is only getting worse.
—Submitted by a parent

Running Start is fantastic Acedemics at the High School needs more funding to be successful. Plenty of Extracurricular activities with good competitivness considering this school has a large military attendence that comes and goes over few years. There is plenty of opportunity for parent involvement, just ask where needed.
—Submitted by Lori, a parent

Although the school is up for a 'remodel,' it's too late to help those students already there. Hopefully, with the onset of the remodel, they will further improve the quality of their staff. There is a good selection of electives and, as long as you are willing to keep 'on them,' you can make sure your student has 'good' teacher. The sports teams will, hopefully, have a stadium soon.
—Submitted by a parent

Oak Harbor High School is intentional about improvement. The administration, staff and parents are engaged in ongoing data collection and review in an effort to improved student learning and student experience. It is an exceptionally caring community.
—Submitted by a teacher

Great experience. Lots of extracurricular activities and opportunities for future planning. Nice campus.
—Submitted by a former student

this is truely a great school i recomind it to anyone that wants to raise thier child in a good academic atmostshpere.
—Submitted by a student

The administration needs to take better control of their special needs children, whether they are on an IEP or 504. They lack the complete knowledge/training to identify and be responsable for these kids. What is important is not only the advanced kids, but ALL kids in the district.
—Submitted by a parent

Teachers do the best with what the district funds them for, however school is overcrowded and facilities/technology need to be expanded/upgraded. Navy school partnering programs are a plus - there are a tremendous number of Navy single sailors and parents who volunteer time to mentor students. School safety and disciplline is pretty good because it's a small relatively remote rural town heavily influenced by the discipline, demeanor and relative conservative nature of military and civil service personnel.
—Submitted by a parent

As a Junior attending this school I would have to say it is alright. It has great teachers and alot of promise. The only bad thing about it is the quality or the campus which is in dier need of renovation or just being torn down and rebuilt do to its lack of saftey codes and whatnot. The extra coricular is pretty good and it offers alot of Media Communications classes that from research myself alot of other schools don't. Over all I think this school is the best in the district.
—Submitted by Amanda, a student