Smith High School

2335 North Josey Lane

School District

Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

public

School Map for Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 12, 2023

When our son started at Newman Smith HS, it was the the first year back from the pandemic and he happened to be a freshman. He immediately felt welcomed and we could tell that there was something special able the school. What makes Newman Smith the BEST school in CFBISD and NTX is how genuine the teachers and the administrators are. They care, they are concerned and they want EVERY scholar to succeed! Dr. Jimenez, the principal, is spirited, supportive and every engaged in the school and the community. She shows up for everything and is always willing to speak with parents. She also is a parent of a student at the school and treats every student as though they were her own. There is an overwhelming sense of pride and togetherness at this school that makes us as parents feel as though we’ve made the best choice for our son! He’s involved in so many activities at the school and actually looks forward to going every day. Aside from the activities, we have seen our son excel in his grades and he looking forward to attending college in the next two years. We really can say enough about Newman Smith, it has become a second family for us.
Submitted by parent on June 03, 2022

El 58% de los estudiantes son hispanos pero no hay ningún niño latino liderando los grupos como Drill team es muy raro que haya capitanes hispanos se me hace que hay favoritismo
Submitted by parent on June 15, 2021

This school has been under new, much needed leadership for the last two school years. Dr Jimenez has developed a team of admin and professors that care about their scholars (these are the school-wide terms used) and do whatever they can to help. Our experience with two boys going through Smith has improved DRAMATICALLY the last two years. The entire culture of the school has made a 180 and kids’ best interest and high expectations for all is at the forefront of all they do at Smith. Behavior has improved dramatically and zero nonsense is tolerated. The CTE certifications now available- also a new thing- are amazing! Construction, Tourism, Engineering, Business- there are so many opportunities available to get kids ahead and ready to launch into a career or college. My oldest graduated with 30 credit hours and began college as a sophomore due to AP classes and Brookhaven summer dual credit courses, all due to the excellent guidance of teachers and counselors.I hope Dr J stays at Smith for a long time! I would recommend this school to anyone.
Submitted by parent on November 29, 2018

The lack of involvement from the principal and the the inappropriate behavior of the vice principal Elliot has been terrible. I have always found CFBISD schools the perfect environment for my four children until this year. We have two children that graduated from Ranchview high school and we had a great experience. Smith has been a nightmare from the beginning. The principal is MIA despite sending him messages, while the vice principal Elliott bullies and harasses my child to the point of anxiety attacks. Why? My child went from all pre-AP classes in middle school to dropping them and depending on anxiety medication in a couple months of this administration. There are violent bullies at this school, but this woman is worse than any child. It is amazing how different schools in the same district can be. Crossing my fingers to find a place where my child can be supported and flourish. As a note, the only thing that gives me hope is the tireless work that the associate principal has invested in rectifying the situation and keeping my child mentally and physically safe. Also, I have encountered some amazing teachers at this school, but I have to remove her to save what's left of her sanity from the child bullies and the adult bully vice principal Elliott.
Submitted by parent on August 15, 2017

I withdrew my daughter from this school and honestly wish I had done so a lot sooner. The administration team (Led by the principal who somehow thinks he's starring in a real life version of the movie Lean On Me...seriously) is rude, condescending and not there to help all students; it's quote obvious who they show their favoritism to. It's really unfortunate because there are some amazing teachers here. My honor student is flourishing at her new school and I am so glad I got her out of here when I did. Her new administration is open and welcoming and make it very clear to the parents that they want to see your child succeed. AS IT SHOULD BE.
Submitted by other on January 07, 2016

I, a sophomore student just withdrew from this terrible, rude school. I can't explain how much this school is horrible in terms of curriculum goes, and the teachers. The teachers do not want to help you and if you even dare ask them for help, they will give you the most disgusting look ever! I pray that anyone that goes to this school that you go at your own risk. Be blessed.
Submitted by parent on September 21, 2015

I have never had such a bad experience with a school. I finally decided that I had to pull my daughter out of this school so that she could continue to move forward in her life. My daughter is a great student (3.8 gpa). Her teachers loved her and left great comments on her report card. She was harassed so badly by the administration that she began to have severe anxiety every morning before school. Some people are meant to be in the education field and others are there simply to earn a paycheck with the added bonus of having captive victims to act out their power trips.
Submitted by student on July 06, 2015

Let me make this very clear. No other school nearly could have prepared me for college than Newman Smith High School. You can take that to the bank. In fact, our principal, Mr. Joe Pouncy is hands down the most no-nonsense, fun-loving principals I have ever had. He will lay it down to you and instill into our students that college is the future and that we are all here for one reason: to be great future leaders in the community.
Submitted by parent on April 07, 2015

This school is great if you only look at the teachers. The office staff and administration are among the most incompetent "professionals" I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with. If I were to do my job with the care and concern that they do I would certainly be without a job. BEWARE OF THIS SCHOOL. My daughter's grades are outstanding. She gets along well with her teachers (receives very positive comments on her report card). In spite of this she suffers constant harassment from the office and administrative staff. I am heartbroken because I would like for my daughter to finish school here yet I can't continue to subject her to this nonsense. She will be completing her studies online.
Submitted by principal on August 11, 2014

The 2014 academic year was marked by positive milestones and academic achievement for Newman Smith High School students. For the 14th consecutive year, Smith was listed among the top high schools in America by various national news magazines and out-performed academically 93 percent of high schools in Texas! In 2013, Smith was ranked as the #2 academic school in the state (academic performance index) by the Education Resource Group. In 2014, 393 students took 756 Advanced Placement exams with 61 percent earning passing grades of 3 to 5. In 2014, Smith had 43 AP Scholars, 18 AP Scholars with Honors, and 27 AP Scholars with Distinction. Also, Smith had 18 Academic All-State/Honorable Mention Academic All-State team selections from its girls and boys athletic programs in 2014. The graduating class of 2014 received over $6.5 million in local and national scholarships. Newman Smith High School is about academic rigor with a focus on student learning and achievement. The school's culture is college prep with a focus on preparing students to compete at the post-secondary level and in the 21st Century Economy (labor force). The school's graduation rate for 2014 was 97.4 percent for all students, 97.8 percent for African Americans, 95.7 percent for Hispanics, 100 percent for White students, 100 percent for Asian, and 100 percent for Two or More Races. Approximately 91 percent of graduates from the Class of 2014 enrolled in a 2-year or 4-year college. The campus curriculum is one of the best in America offering learners 26 college level courses plus the innovative International Business Academy, Science/Engineering Pathway, Culinary Arts Program, a nationally recognized Fine/Performing Arts Program, and vital foreign languages including Chinese (Mandarin). Newman Smith High School received 6 out of 6 Texas Education Agency Academic Distinctions in 2014 (Academic Achievement in Reading/English Language Arts, Academic Achievement in Mathematics, Acaedemic Achievement in Science, Academic Achievement in Social Studies, Top 25 Percent Closing Performance Gaps, and Postsecondary Readiness).
Submitted by other on June 25, 2013

I attended Newman Smith for two and a half years and I think it is one of the worst schools I have ever attended in my life. The teachers are unprofessional (making sexual jokes in class, giving bonuses and changing grades at request, ect.) and not always qualified ( sometimes cannot answer specific questions). I was treated with overall condescension and learned very, very little for the time I wasted at this school. The administrators are more concerned with acsertaining that all students are wearing ID badges than anything academic or educational. Disiplinary action is lopsided and uneven -- in my experience, administrators will discipline what and whom they wish. A lot of students who should otherwise be in a regulars course are pressured to be in AP courses so that the school is held in a positive light to its audience. This made the AP classes move slowly, hindered by the (for lack of a better word) stupid questions. Also, it tilted unfairly (to those students appropriate to AP who had been making good grades) an already intellectually dishonest AP curve.
Submitted by parent on June 21, 2013

Both my kids have attended Smith their entire high school career. My daughter graduated two years ago, and my son will graduate next year. Their involvement in music, athletics, and the business academy, in addition to excellent academics, has prepared them for college and for life. CFBISD is consistently rated among the very best in Texas for their fine arts programs. And Smith is one very good reason for that. We have a great principal who has been in that position for many, many years. He sets high standards, and insists that his teachers do also. Students that work hard and control themselves have no problems. In the seven school-years we've experienced, there has been only ONE teacher that I regret having encountered, and I consider that a pretty good record.
Submitted by student on November 02, 2011

For the first year and a half of high school I attended Newman Smith High School down the street from Turner. I had a horrible experience with Newman Smith as a whole. The teachers, principals, and counselors have absolutely no sympathy for their students. Their philosophy seems to be guilty until proven innocent and they certainly enforce this. Because of this and other issues with them, my mother and I agreed to transfer over to R. L. Turner where she and my older brother had graduated from. We were very pleased with the change because immediately I was accepted with my peers and with the administration. Turner allows their students to make the right decisions on their own and because of this it builds great character in their students. I recommend this school for students who want to have a great relationship with their peers and teachers who are also wonderful.