Portage High School

I think this school lacks in support and communication between parents and students. I have 3 kids a junior and two freshman which all transferred to montello schools after half the year of portage. I would not recommend this school at all it has been a struggle getting my kids to succeed and I think we have better chances in montello then portage schools. The school may sound nice and big and welcoming but the teachers and staff seem to not take anything seriously.
—Submitted by a parent

Portage offers a lot of great opportunities for students. It has a lot of what big schools have but in a small school setting. The band choir departments are phenomenal. The tech ed department is incredible. The quality of education is outstanding! The semester honor rolls always have a great amount of students.
—Submitted by a student

Both of my kids graduated from this district and are doing well at Universities. We had no communication problems with teachers and they both enjoyed the school, its clubs and sports as well a most of their classes. AP courses were often pushed at the expense of electives that would have given them a better start in their majors. Foreign Language (German), Art and Music were all big parts of their high school experience. We found that all students who wanted to be part of the school were welcome.
—Submitted by a parent

Unfortunately, Portage High School used to be a fantastic place. Since the current principal and administration have been in place, since 2000, the atmosphere has gone downhill, fast. Yes, the music program is Wonderful as are the foreign language and science programs. The arts used to be wonderful as well, until the current controversy to cut positions. PHS does inspire students to think and lead, yet fails short of preparing them for further education. There is something for everyone to be involved in, but unfortunately there is a definite athletics vs arts divide, with the arts losing. Abstinence only education is failing the students and the quality of teaching has steadly declined. The guidance counselors are worthless and block scheduling has, I believe, been detrimental to courses offered to students and the ability to take core, AP, foreign language, and arts courses. The cutting of the newspaper was a great loss.
—Submitted by a former student

We have two children that attend this school. Our Senior can't wait to get out of this school. Our Freshman dislikes it so much that she has asked to be transferred to another school. A lot of the problems with this school has a lot to do with lack of communication with parents. Whether your child is an A student or doing poorly, the parents has to be the one to contact the school. In order for a child to be successful in this school, the parents have to be very persistent with contact with the teachers and staff, or your child will fall through the cracks.
—Submitted by a parent

I graduated from the new High School in 1998 and I was VERY please with the education that I recieved. They had a wonderful Art and Band department. I never attended school there with the block scheduling but I hear from teachers and staff that it works very well. I would apsolutely enroll my children in this school!
—Submitted by a former student

Portage Hi is set up with block scheduling. This means that the students attend few classes per day for an extended period.They complete a years course in one semester and then move on to anouther class during 2nd semester. The special needs program at this school reaches above and beyond what I have seen in other schools. Children with special needs are actually able to join sports. The have two wonderfull and collaberative teachers Mr. Wooling and Ms. Lawrance.
—Submitted by a parent

I've had two daughters attend this school and they were very unhappy there to the point one dropped out and one refuses to return to this school for her senior year. I've also heard alot of negative comments from their friends.
—Submitted by a parent