Middleton High School

I love Middleton High School! I always feel supported. We recently switched to block scheduling. I actually like it! I didn't think I would. It gives me a chance to become more personal with my teachers and they can get more done in a lesson plan. The only complaints that I would have are that the lunch is WAY too short and sometimes there is a lot of homework. Other than that, I love it! But we have great academics, athletics, arts and music departments! Our drama department is exceptional. Our student council is filled with outstanding leaders. We have SO much school spirit! I can't imagine going anywhere else. This is a GREAT school to go to if you wish to have a positive high school experience.
--Submitted by a student

I believe Middleton has the potential to do even better things as a school. However, recently, the new principal has decided to go to block scheduling which I believe is a horrible mistake. Middleton has an EXCELLENT music and athletic department. You have to play sports to fit in. The classes could be more challenging, but I think it is one of the best schools in the district.
--Submitted by a student

Great school for white students! I can't speak for the other side. All I know is that when I went there not too long ago, there were less than a dozen African-Americans students in the whole school, and there were no colored teachers or administrators. The Madison area in general is fairly racist (not diverse), so sadly I don't see this being viewed as an issue (or noticed at all) by most in the community. Btw, I am white and have no learning disabilities.
--Submitted by a student

Repeated attempts to get my son who has a chronic illness the support he needs went unattended until I contacted the district. Should I have to work that hard? I was contacting the right people at MHS per the district, they just didn't respond. There are some great teachers, but a lot of teachers who are waiting out their time until they get their good retirement package. And, the administration seems to have no control over the system that is MHS or the teachers; there is very little accountability. Very slow to react on everyone's part.
--Submitted by a parent

Middleton High School deserves 0 stars for special education programming. The staff are unresponsive to communication with parents, they don't understand (& seem not to care) about recognizing special education needs & how they manifest in students who are truly in need of extra care. It appears to be through the formal DPI grievance system that they are only minimally responsive to significant concerns. While Middleton HS may boast about their ratings for mainstream students, those students are seemingly unaware of how their school discriminates against their disabled peers.
--Submitted by a parent

Middleton High School as an outstanding special education department which is doing great things for my grand daughter.

Middleton is the best high school in the Madison area IMHO with perhaps the exception of Verona High School. We have two kids at Middleton - one who is about to graduate - and have been very impressed with the school's well thought out curriculum and student advisee program that prepares students at each stage of their high school experience. This begins with the freshman advisory program where students are assigned to a home room that is used to focus on individual needs, develop learning skills and to promote a learning community. As in any school, you will find a few, bad apple teachers, but overall they are very supportive of students and excellent at what they do. The other nice thing about Middleton Public Schools is that you avoid much of the negative politicization such as what occurs in the Madison School District. Middleton focuses on students first.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a school of excellence! The wide variety of opportunities and high standards for learning and leadership are only part of the reason this is a top high school.
--Submitted by a parent

Response to March 12, 2008 post- I am wondering what you mean by 'the curriculum and staff are not culturally sensitive'? As far as truancy rates and academic performance issues, I would argue this is more a reflections of student drive/determination and parental involvement, not the job of the teachers. Any student at this school that wants to succeed has plenty of opportunity to achieve at a very high level, regardless of race or religion or any other demographic. This goes for co-curriculars as well, no student has ever been turned down for a team based on race. The Middleton population as a whole is not all that diverse and therefore neither is the high school, although minority numbers have increased in recent years. I don't understand how you can discount a school for this fact. I am also wondering what area high school you ended up placing your daughter and why?
--Submitted by a parent

I do not rate this school very high for an African-American student. My daughter and I did not have a welcoming or positive experience here. The curriculum and staff are not culturally sensitive, nor are any trained in this area. There are no African-american teachers or administrators on staff, and little diversity exists in its co-curricular activities. The stats for minority students are very daunting: academic achievement is low and truancy is very high for students of color and there are no support programs or activities to promote these students' connectedness to the school. Also, they do not honor Martin Luther King Jr. day as a holiday, and when the teachers/administrators and union had an opportunity to observe it as one in 2006, in spite of parent and student petitions, they voted against it. I withdrew my child from this school due to racial disparities and inequities.
--Submitted by a parent