Research Academy of Oak Park - High School charter Schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“I had been recently hired as a teacher by AOP and recent leave as well. I have never seen such a group of disrespectful young adults in my entire life. They do what they want, whenever they want and continuely get away with it. The formalities and procedures of the school are in need of improvement. Teachers are great and all make a full attempt to teach, but unfortunately you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. I think a lot of this schools problems stem from the parental involvement and leadership of them outside the classroom and school.”

“This school is horrible. I am a senior who just transferred from there as soon as I had the opportunity. You don't learn anything there. They don't have that many qualified teachers and they will tell you that themselves. Most of the qualified ones left and were replaced with substitute teachers. Any school is better than Academy of Oak Park. If you want your child to go to a real high school that has activities for them to be involved in other than basketball and want them to actually learn something, don't go there.”

“As a Former student of this school and by reading the reviews that have been submitted i have come to an aggreence that everyone has somethng negative to say about the school. Wether it is a teacher or a parent or a stuent. When the real issue is, is that AOP is a building like any other building or school, but its who's in it that makes the bulding. The ignorant parents whom support there childs ignorant behavior the teachers who do not care everyone plays apart in the misconception of this school. I think that the school is below its academic capabilities and that is the reason i went to another school and if so many have a problem with the school leave and provide yourself with a better education if not leave it be because at the end of the day you all are still there.”

“I've been goin to this school for two years and I think it's broke. They're tryin to upgrade the school now by painting and putting stuff in but it's still a brokedown school. The teachers are great and give us real work to do but the security don't enforce the rules like they should. I don't have a problem with it though because I don't follow some of the dress code rules anyway. Our school is fun sometimes but we need more things to do like extracurricular activities and trips. It's a lot of good students there and I have a lot of fun, though.”

“This school is the same.They want you to think just because they changed the colors, combined AOM and AOP and fired some of the teachers that this school has gotten better.Actually it has gotten worser. Most of the teachers are not even teaching at the correct level.I think as a former student at Academy Of Oak Park that the students there are getting cheated out of their educations. The teachers are getting paid but the students are not getting the education the deserve.”

“The level of parent involvement is very poor. I never receive any notices requesting parents to get more involved in the academics and activities of the students. There are not enough extracurricular activities that the students can get involved in. I would like to see more, maybe a chess team, an academic games team, and more activities period. Many of the students are interested in a football team. Will that ever happen? I would like to see more afterschool programs and weekend programs that the students could involve themselves in.”

“I worked at the Academy of Oak Park. I love students and believe they and the parents deserve a more appropriate atmosphere of positive leadership. This school does not provide this type of environment. I especially feel for the students with no other choice but to attend the Academy of Oak Park. The director and office staff have no regard for parent involvement students, or the type of teaching staff employed there. The dean and so-called assistant principal serve as a joke. The main concern is money received on count day. Is painful not to give a positive review. This school would better serve as an alternative education facility.”

“As a teacher at this school, I must say that learning does take place in my classroom and the majority of the teachers care very much about their students. However, students think nothing of coming in 10 or 15 minutes late to class, or skipping class entirely for days. The hallways and lunchroom are chaotic, filled with vulgar language and unbelievably noisy. Students do not want to take responsibility for their own education, instead, they blame others for their own shortcomings or argue with teachers. They always have excuses. Frankly, I don't think there is much hope for most of them, and they make their people look very bad.”

“The Academy of Oak Park in Ferndale located on Mendota is unacceptable for anyone to send their children. Especially, if they want the best for there young adults entering high school. There were several incidents where their were no teachers in classrooms. The students would go weeks without being taught and sit for hours. Some of the teachers are not certified by the state of Michigan.They are not being brought up to the standards for entering college. The feedback when giving information is listen too at the moment but goes no further. I suggest looking and investing time in the school and classroom if anyone wants to place their child in this school. I would't want anyone to go through what my friends and I have gone though. The old saying everything that looks good isn't good is so true. Good luck to the parents!”

“I wanted to comment on all of the negatives this school has received. I have seen changes in the school over the past few months and they have been for the positive. They are trying to clean up the school but it doesnt help when the students them selves are not taught to respect at home. As for the staff, yes there is the occasional bad one but majority of the teachers have a positive out look and enjoy working with the students. It is a challenge, the teachers need is parental support to help make it better. The supplies aren't the best but its also hard when the school has a budget. Overall I think that this school has alot of potential and the current administrative/teaching staff is trying its hardest to make it happen. It just needs support from outside to help.”

“I was hired to teach at this school. After a week and half (not sure why it took me so long) I realized the place was all about making a profit and not about education at all. The place is filthy. The text books are all 10 years old (not that there are enough for all the kids anyway). They actually do have a great group of teachers there, in spite of some of the other comments on this site. I don't know about the past teachers, but the current group is dedicated and professional. They do as much as they can in a bad situation. They use a portion of their ridiculously low salaries to buy supplies (and sometimes lunches) for the kids. Public schools should not be businesses run for profit.”

“Although I admit the students are out of control, The teachers aren't doing their job. I just think it is funny that other schools are being closed while this one stands. This school is a TOTAL JOKE. The lunchrooms smell like urine and the food isn't being stored at the correct temperature. Kids are sick all of the time and I believe its because of the pestilence and the fact that it's unsanitary. My child says that he has 3 teachers (out of 8) that actually control their class. The others are just overpaid babysitters. The vicous cycle of bad parenting and this system keeps kids stupid.”

“I taught at this school and it was the biggest mistake of my career. They are only concerned about money. Students did not have books to take home. The principal at that time(1997-1998) was a tyrant. He was the most unprofessional man I have ever worked for. He constantly berated teachers in front of students. Students were always fighting and the lunches were horrible. I would not recommend this school to my worst enemy.”

“It is truly amazing as parents we point our fingers and do nothing to improve the schools. We don't become involved and when something happens it is the administations failure and the teachers don't care! We must stop this because the bottom line is our children are getting the short end of the deal. I have seen parents come in and attempt to jump on the teachers and yell at the principals;nevertheless, I can not recall but 5 or 10 who actually gave there time to help. You are right, there are some changes to be made- start with who you allow in the school! Most times the ones with the concerns/problems had the same concerns/problems at the other schools their child attented. Let us all be accountable for what is going on in our schools. Stop pointing the fingers and make a difference in the outcome of our children success!”

“If you are a concerned parent looking for a place to send your child for a good education, DO NOT send your child to Academy of Oak Park. My daughter attended AOP for only 1.5 years as I was new to Michigan and had a very good experience at Academy of Business & Technology in Toledo, OH. I assumed the curriculum was similar. I was COMPLETELY WRONG!! There was always fighting and my daughter was not challenged (as she is a gifted child) in her learnings. There were many situations where knives were brought to school and the teachers were always quitting or just not showing up for work. One teacher was absent 3 out of 5 days every week from March until year end. Nothing was ever done about it. That was when I had had enough and that was (thankfully) the last I will see of that school.”

“This school is awful. The majority of the staff was unprofessional. A teacher, in an attempt to connect with kids on their level, used street slang and expletives. One administrator relayed, to a uninvolved student, a conversation between she and I about my child, adding negative opinions as to whether my input was important. The 'Dean' allowed a parent and her children to confront my child without the benefit of her parent being present. There were fights constantly and no conflict resolution methods in use. There seemed to be no organization or control at all. Extracurricular activities were limited to basketball and cheerleading. There may have been one or two others. The teachers were constantly quitting, my child had 2 or 3 of the same teachers all year. In a three-week span, there were three different math teachers. Tutoring was miniscule, at best. If quality of education, safety, extra-curricular activities, examples of professionalism and good leadership are what you look for in a good school, I would not recommend this school.”

“This school is not good at all. I never saw a high turn-over rate as I saw with teachers at this school. My son had to wait outside until sometimes 9:15 before his teacher would show up for work. So far this year he has had 9 Math teachers, 5 Business teachers, and 3 English teachers. The lunch program consist of pizza, drink, or salad. Somedays they offer nachos. What ever happend to vegetables, or fruit or even a desent meal? There's too many children in the lunch areas and fights are common.”