Research Pioneer High School public Schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“My 3 kids have had wonderful opportunities available to them, especially in the arts and in the number of AP classes offered at PiHi. I've always found the counselors most helpful.”

“This school was wonderful, number one music program in the country throughout the years. I like how the teachers are mostly dedicated teachers, with a smile on their faces most of the time. I especially liked the way the teacher really reached out to connect with the students. If i could, i would definately go back.”

“The school is great for both social and non-social students, it has an open, diverse group of students that allows every student a chance at finding something they're interested in. Being a current student there, I think that it is a great school, with only one exception: The Counciling department at Pioneer High School is a total disaster, it is lost, and unable to properly handle the diverse student body. Many students, myself included, feel that they do very little to better the school.”

“Lack of leadership and vision have created issues for a school that should be thriving given its site in an affluent community, a diverse student body, and highly educated parents who are committed to educational success. The administration, including the counselor, suffers from a bureaucratic mentality and are unable to give individual attention except in crisis situations. That being said, the extracurricular opportunities are impressive, there are a number of outstanding teachers, and the culture is progressive and positive.”

“As the parent of 3 (2 recent graduates and 1 current student) at PHS, I have experienced many of the good and negative aspects of this school. Currently, staff morale is very low; budget cuts have lead to very large class sizes. The administration is weak, verbalizing their hesitation to act on issues, fearing job security. The student body is quite diverse. Lunch time is total chaos; when my kids call home, the noise is SO loud, you can't even articulate a basic message. The AP class selection is excellent, but expect your child to be with 35+ other students and often not enough textbooks or desks. Cliques are minimized.”

“After moving to Ann Arbor this year from another community, we have been delighted with Huron. Yes, it is currently over crowded but opening the third high school should eliminate that problem. Our daughter came from a very small K-8 school and has adjusted well, even with the large numbers. She is in varsity band and has made numerous friends there. We love the opportunities that Huron has for her and have been so impressed with the Huron Music Association and with the entire band/music program at Huron. We would not hesitate to recommend this school to anyone interested in attending.”

“I attended Pioneer last year (2004-2005). I believe that it is a great school for NON-Minority students. However, the expecatations for minority students is very low. There are teachers who do not in any way expect minority students to achieve and this is what often held me back from doin better than I di (2.7 g.p.a.) However, the school is not all bad, there are plenty of after school activites and sports to involve yourself in and these are what saved me from failing.”

“Pioneer is a great school for the academically talented but a poor place for the average or struggling student. There are many opportunities for gifted students and athlethes but very limited to poor opportunities for others. Many, many students are lost at Pioneer and there are many wild and unsupervised upper middle class students that are often causing trouble in the community.”

“The education is great. I think it prepares students for college and for the real world. My complaints are: The school is to big, athletics are hard to be a part of. Teachers are so busy because they have so many students that the extra help is not always there. The counselors, pretty worthless. Try changing your schudule or getting it fixed, plan on waiting a couple of hours to see your counselor. Every place has its pluses and minus, Pioneer is no exception. It has been a great place for my daughter. Hopefully the new high school will take care of some of the issues at Pioneer”

“I attended this school from 1998-2002 and had a great experience. I'm obviously not a parent, however I stumbled upon this site by accident and thought that I should add my input as I was just a student there and who would know it better than a student? I agree that a student must be involved in an activity outside of school, this will help the student to find friends as well as having something to keep them busy and on track. This school offers great diversity and opened up doors to many oppurtunities, I am currently attending a four year University and feel as though Pionner really prepared me for the college environment. Don't hesitate to send your child to this school.”

“Students will only succeed if they are involved in some form of activity, i.e. music, athletics, and clubs, etc. Without positive peer pressure, many are lost. Counselors do not have time to truly assess your child unless they are failing, and those that are failing have been lost in the system for some time. A quick fix is too late at this level. Encourage your student to seek out their counselor and get direction in their future choices. They, too, should be a priority in their counselor's eyes. This high school is too large to benefit all students equally.”