Chagrin Falls High School

400 East Washington Street

School District

Chagrin Falls Exempted Village
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:15
Type

public

School Map for Chagrin Falls Exempted Village 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 October 31, 2024

While this school does not have the diversity that some area schools have (but is slowly getting there), it is clearly and without a doubt, a nurturing and wonderful environment for kids. The teachers are second to none. The parents have been more than welcoming. My kids are absolutely in love with their teachers. There are tons of clubs and extracurricular activities, opportunities for advancement within courses and honors programs. The best thing about the schools is the community of parents that have high involvement and care about decisions made by the school system. A truly magical place to live and learn.
Submitted by other on January 07, 2023

This is an all-white school with no tolerance for anyone that does not look like them. Greatschools.org usually deducts points for lack of diversity however in this case, they claim the State of Ohio does not provide enough data on race, under priviledged students, ethnicity, or diversity.
Submitted by parent on January 28, 2019

I transferred from another school district during my freshman year and absolutely hated it! The principle stalked me! I have Scopophobia & therefore refused to have my school picture taken. The principle started harassing me- pulling me out of the classroom & demanding I have a picture taken on retake day. I just ignored him & thought this was weird. He continued to disrupt my classes & would sometimes be waiting for me outside of the room when classes ended. He would follow me around the hallways and even nag me at lunch. This went on for over two months until he finally stopped. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable, confused and on edge all the time. I never knew when this creep was going to appear. It was also difficult to transition from one school to Chagrin. My previous school taught in a way that I felt was easier to understand and offered classes to more advanced students. However, when I attended Chagrin; they taught college level classes that were boring and confusing. I really struggled & eventually stopped trying. If you have children who come from a school district that's not so great & want to move to Chagrin, this is something to consider.
Submitted by parent on May 06, 2015

Chagrin Falls is a beautiful place to live but unfortunately it is a homogenous town with very little tolerance for individuality. There is an attitude of superiority in the community and that is reflected in the schools. Cliques, mean-spirited competitiveness, and gossip are big problems in the schools. Sure, these things exist in all school settings. However, at this school, the parents and teachers tolerate the exclusionary behavior. The vast majority of parents care more about their childrens' popularity than anything else. Because the parents are obsessed with their children's popularity, in addition to wanting to look like the "cool" parents, risky behavior runs rampant. The vast majority of kids are drinking too much and most of the parents are happy to allow their kids to drink in their basement while they have their adult party on the first floor. They defend their behavior by saying, "I'd rather them drink at home than to be driving around risking their lives and the lives of others." These clueless parents really believe that their kids only drink at home. Many of these parents end up in rehab themselves and that's exactly where their kids will be in the future.
Submitted by teacher on December 16, 2014

As a staff member I find this school to be a very excellent place. Students are bright and they care about learning. The district has many community and parent support organizations. The programming opportunities for a school of this size is amazing. The school even does a great job to support the lower achieving child and the middle of the road learner as well as high achievers. The school recently put together a five year strategic plan with a vision to "provide a personalized education for all students." This is a school that has warm and genuine staff and leaders. It is a very unique and special.
Submitted by parent on October 08, 2014

Newsweek top 100 US high school Provides outstanding opportunities for all students to excel through strong curricular and extracurricular activities.
Submitted by parent on July 21, 2014

While there are some true strengths that can attributed to the Chagrin Falls School District - small class size, some very dedicated teachers and administrators,and a strong offering of AP and Honors classes, the weaknesses so accurately described by the student reviewer below unfortunately negate any pluses of this school system. There is a pervasive cliquishness that permeates virtually all aspects of the Chagrin Falls schools . Bullying, extensive use of drug and alcohol, and interference of educational programs and activities by over involved parent groups - seeking to promote the agendas of their own small group of children- make this a school district to steer clear of. A Favorite term "Lifers" used to describe students and parents who have never lived elsewhere sort of says it all. In the end, this problematic culture only hurts the students - many can't transition to college or to life beyond their comfortable cliques.
Submitted by parent on April 21, 2012

Chagrin schools are complacent and reluctant to change. They teach to the test and as a result score well on state tests, which in turn leads to their over inflated reputation. They do not expect the child to think and become an independent thinker, merely to learn by rote. In addition their teaching method does not allow the more able child to reach their full potential. Frequently the curriculum is dull and stale, and consists of worksheets and assignments that have been handed out for many years [15+]. The school district is not open to new ideas or indeed any criticism from parents. There is a well known unwritten rule within the Chagrin community 'Do not criticize or complain'.
Submitted by parent on December 21, 2011

Chagrin Schools is blessed to have great families. Almost all families have two college educated parents many with advanced degrees. They score wel on state tests as do most middle upper class white families. Serves the gifted student well but does not produce National Merit Scholars and limited entries into top schools. WHY? This is a question they cannot answer. The classes are set in stone and are repeated over and over. Not a lot of innovation. Is this the reason they have the same result each year ?