Research Mountain Ridge High School public Schools in Phoenix, Arizona

“I love Mt. Ridge! My daughter has attended there for 3 years and will be a senior this fall. She works hard and has taken all of the honors and AP classes that she can. I have two older children who attended another high school and I can tell you that Ridge is higher academically. A large percentage of kids pass their AP courses with 4's or 5's, thereby getting college credit. The teachers are helpful and very caring. They want each student to succeed. The band department is awesome. Any school is what you make of it--if you work hard, you'll succeed. There are so many choices of clubs that any student will find something he's interested in. The campus is clean, and very safe. Class sizes are small. I recommend Ridge very highly--I'm sure you will be pleased as well.”

“I am the mother of one present Mountain Ridge student and two Mountain Ridge graduates. I have been happy with the school. It has a place for every type of student. The academics are what the child makes of them. If a student wants to take AP and Honors classes, then they get a great education. There are plenty of clubs for everyone. Most importantly, all of my children have felt safe there. I have actually received many calls over the years from teachers with praise and concern over my children.”

“This school needs to pay more attention to the students. And make school an actual fun experience for them. The management here seems to be not focused on the right things. I believe that we will be switching schools if things don't change soon.”

“The school seems to be so concerned about making sure that nothing goes wrong or any possible problems arrive at the school, that they themselves have become the problem. There is a no tolerance policy here that seems to have gone anal.”

“Mountain ridge is awful the way I see it. They need a whole new staff badly! The people in charge there do not think of the students and are really only focused on making things easier for themselves. The teachers are not quality. The discipline at this school has gone way passed overboard.”

“I agree with the previous review. The staff at Mountain Ridge only cater to the students who participate in extra curricular activities; Sports, Cheer or the academic activities. I have had one child graduate, one that is a junior and one that will be a freshman next year. The Child that graduated was a football player and top of his class. He got anything he wanted as well as un solicited extra care when his grades started to show a problem. The child I have there now is a normal teenage boy who likes rock music and is not into sports. Getting a staff member to respond to an email or phone call is like pulling teeth. I have to explain who my child is every time I speak to them. The staff are there to get a paycheck and have summers off, not educate.”

“I have a child in the second year of Ridge. I have to say some teachers are great and some are bad.”

“Mountain Ridge is horrible. Most teachers that I have encountered are uncaring and cater to the students that are involved with sports and/or cheer, etc... or the 'smart' students. The average student or one that has something going on in his life does not stand a chance. The school must realize that there are many other types of students and not just the 'successful' student; many students need assistance, guidance and just someone who cares if they succeed. I have had eight years worth of this school with my children.”

“Mountain Ridge is a huge academic disappointment.The teachers are average at best. I do not feel this school adequately prepares dtudents for the intense competition they will face when competing to enter college.”

“The teachers are great there, always ready to help out the students”

“The quality of programs are great, the teachers are for the most part very good.”

“I am a parent of 2 Mt. Ridge students. One is a senior, the other a freshman. I find the atmosphere at Ridge to be one of learning and discipline, while still letting the students learn the social aspects of life. Neither of my kids fall into a single category. They associate with different groups and have had no problems at the school. The teachers are helpful and caring. If my child doesn't understand a lesson, they have always been encouraged to talk directly with the teacher to resolve the block and learn. I feel that Mt. Ridge has a very high standard of schooling and am very happy my children are students here.”

“The academics are standard at best. We came from NY to try AZ and found the schools and the real estate a big disappointment. My daughter was a B student in NY and she was quite challenged. Here in AZ at Mountain Ridge, she is A+ and not challenged, I know my daughter and she didn't blossom overnight. I would be lying to myself if I thought she did. So it doesn't say much for the school. We will probably be moving back to NY and paying the high taxes so that the education is there. I guess that is why the taxes are so low here, there is no $$ going towards education.”

“The program excels in all areas, but especially with regard to academics. The standards are taught and enforced.”

“This is an excellent school tbat incorporates extracurricular activities and academics. The school is highly rated for academics.”

“school was average my daughter was not able to take any computor classes due to overcrowding”

“Mountain Ridge sports are among some of the best in the state, but as such the competitive sports can be hard to make cuts. They also have many theatre and music programs. The only way to really get a good education is to take honors/AP courses as the regular courses are much to easy to prepare most students for college.”

“Mountain Ridge has a lot to offer bright students. There are many Advanced Placement classes, and dual enrollment at Glendale Community College. Teachers seem to be caring, and the school has good discipline. The band program is wonderful--175 students with great directors. They have received many, many 'Superiors' over the years. The kids seem happy there, even though some at other schools call Mt. Ridge 'Mt. Rich'. The economic class of most families is middle class to upper middle class. My daughter loves it, her test scores are topnotch, and we are very happy!”

“The academic programs are of high quality. This school is an Arizona A+ school. There are many sport and extracurricular activities as well as dance, music, art, and theatre programs. Parents seem to be very involved in the school.”

“I love this school and my son loves it too!”

“I am a parent of Mt. Ridge student. I work for the Peoria Unified School District and I fail to see how Mt. Ridge is preparing students who don't further their education past graduation. I understand that the demographics in this neighborhood is white collar with a background of college, but not everyone is interested in becoming a white collar worker. The school needs to provide more programs for kids with interest in mechanical, industrial, and agricultural fields.”

“I am not a parent but a student who graduated in 2003 and I would like to speak out. Mountain Ridge was an excellent school and I am so happy I had the opportunity to go there. I do not believe anywhere else would have had the quality teachers that I had. I had teachers who gave me their home phone numbers and adresses in case I ever had questions. I have teachers from my freshman year who stopped me in the halls senior year to see how I was doing. I had counselors who helped me apply to every known scholarship, even though I wasnt a graduating senior. I had coaches who not only were there for me in sports but in life. And the administration may seem too strict at times, I felt safe everyday. And it is hard for 5 monitors to keep track of 3,000 kids, and I can tell you I was stopped countless times when walking around the halls. Mountain Ridge is a very high quality school and anyone who has the chance to go there is extremely lucky.”

“Although I myself am not a parent of a MRHS student I was in fact a student there who recently graduated and I can completly dissagree with all the parents. The school is not as bad as it is made out to be yes there are some social upper class issues with money or lack there of but the staff and principal do make an effort. I moved here three years ago and they have never been anything but nice. Every school has its problems but unkind teacher and staff is definetly not one of them at Mountain Ridge. Maybe if your children arent anti social then they wouldnt come crying home to you. I know I dont have all the money in the world and I have to work for what I want and I still did fine and fit in just nicely.”

“My daughter was a 'straight A' student and dropped out of Mountain Ridge due to harassment from other students and apathy on part of the staff. She was unable to see a counselor because they were all 'too busy with graduating seniors'. These are the same counselors that a suicidal kid would see. They failed my daughter and probably countless others. If you think your kid will get a better education because it's a fancy new school in a rich neighborhood, you are mistaken. I agree with the other parent, I wish my kid had gone to a smaller school with more diversity.”

“As a past graduate from Mtn Ridge, I can speak on how I feel without the faculty creating backlash on the students ourselves.. Mtn Ridge and it's faculty are people who live in the mindframe that 'we are arrowhead and northern glendale's diamond in the desert' while allowing everything else to fail horribly.The upper echelon are more concerned with the image the school provides to the media and parents. As far as security goes my younger cousin goes there now and tells me dailey that students are freely walking off campus during lunch to smoke and do other activities while the security guards turn a blind eye as long as the student comes back by the end of lunch. Instead they continue to police the 0 Tolerance on things that have no true relevance in the school's student society. A few years ago there was the shotgun incident which raised many eyebrows...That student was expelled, but the teacher that taught and was to 'go shooting with the student' never had a single ounce of backlash. I would say Mtn Ridge HS is a school more interested in their public status than their student's learning.”

“Ridge is an absolutly amazing school. In other reviews I read, people are trying to say how they just care about AP kids. From my experience this isn't true. I myself was in honors classes my freshman year, and will be taking them again this year. But I had friends who weren't in honors and they got just as much attention as I did. The teachers are very nice and will do anything they can to help you succeed in their classes. I participated in the musical this past spring and plan to do more with theatre in the next three years. The theatre department is an amazing group of people and they easily accept you as their new friend and cast mate if you are new to the department. For me so far, Ridge has been an amazing experience.”

“I am a senior who attends Ridge. There are several things I dislike about it but I know it could be worse. The school only supports the athletic and AP students, all others are ignored and disrespected. The only way to get personal attention is to send million's of emails. Then you get a condesending attitude. The lack of different classes is horrible. I actually enjoy learning and I do not feel that the school does not offer enough non-AP classes. I am too busy to take AP classes and my grades do leave something to be desired. The arts departments, besides band, are dissapointingly underfunded.”

“I graduated in 2007 from MRHS, and I feel the need to defend my alma mater. The main problem here is that students are not as interested in getting an education as they used to be. When I was a teaching assistant in my senior year, I was able to read essays and such that sophomores were writing. Let me tell you, they were horrible. Not only was the grammar aweful, but there was no thought whatsoever behind them. As for the teachers, they work hard to come up with interesting assignments to engage students in the work, but students just aren't interested in anything other than what's happening outside of school. Education doesn't have to be limited to school. Help your children out. Let them know they can come to you with their inquiries and their homework. Rather than make comments from the outide, get involved in your students education.There.is.always.room.for.improvement.so.get.involved.”

“Not the best school my kid attended this school and the teachers were just bad and didnt really care about what you do in class”

“I am very disappointed in Mountain Ridge. Many of the teachers and administrative personnel consider you just a number unless you're an athlete or exceptional learner. You will get no respect if you're an average or below-average student. Teachers treat you like a second-class citizen if you don't get straight A's. I had a homework assignment in math. Out of 30 problems, I didn't understand two of them so I left them blank. I' earned' a zero on the assignment even though I answered the other 28 questions correctly. I give up...why try???”

“The school's rotating schedules are counterproductive and do not resemble real-life college and typical job/work scheduling. For a 'rich' school, it is very stingy with the books and other learning materials. Students are rarely allowed to take the books home. Crime is unusually high at this school. Very few teachers return tests and quizzes and other work so that students can see where they lack and learn through feedback and review. Extra credit work is almost non-existent. This is unfortunate because an extra-credit incentive prompts some students to get engaged in the area of study & provides the potential of greater learning, which is the goal of learning...maybe not the goal of Mountain Ridge.”

“If you're kids a jock and an excellent student this school will be great. If your kids average it's terrible. My son went 4 years to Mountain Ridge. He wasn't allowed to repeat the class because he got a C, how can a kid do the next level if they didn't get it, we could pay in the summer? Rotating schedules are bad for students and teachers. The school's teachers while some are great, many of the admin and teacher don't treat the students with respect and look for any opportunity to kick kids out of the classroom. What ever happened to afterschool or saturday detention, kids love to get out class this isn't a punishment. They really need to put some sort of community together here, so the kids aren't just alienated by all the teachers and staff and feel left out.”

“I have not found the leadership to be of an encouragement to the student. The staff have a condensending additude toward students.”

“Okay, so I'm a student at Mountain Ridge high school. I am going to be a sophmore of this year 08-09. First semester of my freshman year I went to Ridge, and I HATED it, so second semester I moved to Centennial. Yes, they are both very great schools, but this year I have realized what great teachers there are at mountain ridge, and how great the security and teaching skills are. And the way the school is run, its just OUTSTANDING. Yes, many students and parents disagree on their teaching skills, and the way things are run, but me, as a student, and only a sophmore, saying how wonderful this school is, should be more than you need to know. Yes, there are always going to be problems with schools and crime, even with schools that aren't public or that are in high ranks that you wouldn't believe.”

“Mountain Ridge is an amazing school. I have attended four different valley schools and Mountain Ridge has been the best out of all of them, by far. The students are really accepting and don't have the clich d cliques that all the other high schools gave. The teachers are wonderful and are really supportive, especially the AP teachers. This is a great school for AP classes and if they don't offer the class you want, they'll coordinate a way for you to independently study the material. I have really enjoyed my stay at Ridge and I'm excited to go back on the 11th.”

“The grounds are nice. The security is great. however i dont believe the teachers are that experienced or as knowledgable.”

“This is an excelling school ,but the administrators at this school need people skills when dealing with parents or students. Professionalism and respect, not demeaning sarcasm,can also educate our students.”

“Watch out for this school. Principal is very poor and the school suffers for it.”

“I'm currently a sophomore at 'the Ridge,' and I've found many of the teachers to be unsatisfactory, unpleasant, and unhelpful.”

“I went to Ridge all through high school and absolutely loved it! The teachers that I had were amazing and the experiences I had there were exceptional. The campus is amazing and I would recommend anyone send their student to the Ridge.”

“I went to Ridge fir all four years of high school and I wouldn't change any of the experiences I had there. Not only are the teachers awesome there but the campus itself is gorgeous and very innovative”

“My son has been at Mountain Ridge for 3 years now, and is going to be a senior this year. He has gotten a fabulous education, and has had many opportunities to excel in any area. He has been able to take college level classes, and has excelled in them, special thanks to Mr. Tutt! What a fantastic math teacher! The only area lacking is in the coaching of the basketball teams. After loving basketball for most of his life, the JV coach found a way to make him sorry he ever tried out for the team there. He has not played since. He was one of the better 'team' players. Not the star of the team, but a great asset.”

“Mountain ridge is over rated and should get new management. There are way to many restrictions as well as the school making things easier for themselves which takes away privileges and experiences away from the children. Mountain ridge needs more flexibility because right now the have none what so ever. No wonder so many kids are leaving here”

“I have gone to Mountain Ridge for 1 year and i have to say i was very pleased with the most of the teachers, the computer programs, and the large choices of sports. the school is a great place for you high schooler.”

“I believe Mountain Ridge has a wonderful teaching staff who can do so much more than the 'survival' mode that most of them live under. The district and school administration have teachers doing so many things that are just going to get filed away and won't help much. Teacher morale is okay when you tally the people who actually take the survey but if you accounted for all of the teachers it would be lower. As a teacher, it seems like we are battled by the administration, students and parents. Having said all of that, you have to realize that the teachers are passionate about wanting to teach. Otherwise, why would they be there? We aren't just collecting our paychecks and having summer's off. Most teachers spend many hours on their classes and take college courses over the summer. It's not as easy as some perceive it. Teachers need your support!”

“I am a student at mountain ridge and from the student perspective the school has major issues. I agree that unless you are in a sport, club, or some other activity within the school the teachers and staff could really care less. Mountain ridge also spends so much time trying to fix problems that their own overbearing enforcement and discipline soon becomes an annoyance and influences more students to rebel. They think they know what is going on in their classrooms at all times when the reality is that they HAVE NO IDEA. And to compensate for their ignorance they believe they can stop and interrogate you whenever they feel is necessary.”

“After wanting to go to a large city school for 2 years and then getting her wish my daughter has discovered that 'the grass is truly not greener' as the saying goes. She left a much smaller school with much more ethnic and income diversity and has found her new classmates to be for the most part quite materialistic and shallow. She has said 'it is sad when the students' greatest concern is the limit of ketchup packets permitted in the cafeteria and if the clothes they are wearing are the right style.' The class sizes are also large. She will be moving back home with me and starting school next year back in her previous school, where the Principal and the teachers know all of their students by name. In all fairness, there have been teachers that she likes and dislikes at each school.”

“0 tolerance is ridiculous - I agree - too many suspensions for the wrong reasons - is this a police state?”

“Mountain Ridge, 'talked about with high regards'. I'm not sure why, my son has ADHD. I have been dealing with this all his life, he is a sophmore now, he has maybe 2 credits. My son is very intelligent, but is alway seen as a dicipline problem, so they don't want to take the effort to help hime. I'm still working with the school, to get him help, I hope they don't let me down.”

“The school is unorganized. They worry about the wrong things when they should be worried about what goes on behind closed doors. The suspensions are being handed out like candy, and for all the wrong reasons. I'm disappointed with the way they handle the school itself.”

“Some of the teachers are awesome and allow my daughter to succeed in schooling.”

“Mr. Smit is an excellent and enthusiastic Chorus instructor.”