Desert Junior-Senior High School

1575 Payne Ave.

School District

Muroc Joint Unified
Grade

7-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:19
Type

public

School Map for Muroc Joint Unified 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 March 13, 2020

My children now attend the junior high and have had a great first year. The current leadership communicates with parents via phone or email quickly about anything that arises on campus. The school is a lot safer and more academically challenging than other schools in the nearby area and my children have had no issues with bullying. If you work on base (even with no military affiliation) you are eligible to send your children to Desert (all you have to do is show proof of working on base) which is very convenient for being able to still attend school functions when the base is so far away from surrounding cities. Between the Honors and AP courses and the fact that students are able to attend college courses through the school's partnership with Cerro Coso Commnity College and get both high school and college credit, there is no reason a student should go unchallenged. There aren't as many after school clubs or activities as we've had at previous schools because the school is small, but if there is something available that your kids are interested in trying, they are almost guaranteed to get a spot on the team, activity, or club which might not be possible at a larger school.
Submitted by other on February 12, 2017

I am an alumnus of Desert High class of 2003. While I agree that there is a severe lack of activities outside of class, it must be acknowledged that the number of students is low. My year was only a graduating class of 89. At the time, the student body was somewhere around 350. I can appreciate the difficultly of having mutltiple organizations outside of sports with enough interest. I thought that the teachers genuinely cared and the environment was safe and inviting. However, I think that there is an opportunity for the teachers to push students harder. I generally felt under-stimulated and bored because classes were too simple. Being challenged should always be present at an educational institution.
Submitted by other on December 21, 2013

I am an alumni of this school. I attended Desert High School in 1968. It was one of the best high schools in California. Academics, social activities and sports. I pulled out my 1968 Year Book and remembered how lucky I was. I am heartbroken about some of the previous comments about Desert H.S. We were some of the best & brightest! John Manley Class of "69"
Submitted by parent on August 08, 2013

It seems like being a school on an Air Force base that also has NASA on it, the kids would have opportunities available to them that outside schools don't. I'm disappointed that this does not seem to be the case. Robotics, Lego, Rocket and similar clubs have been attempted but it seems like there's such a lack of student participation or drive, esp. in high school that they fizzle out. Branch finally has what appears to be a decent Robotics team and a budding garden. Great!! Maybe the high school can have similar opportunities. AP, IB, Honors classes, and ROP is slim pickings also and just this summer, at least 4 off-base schools had the opportunity to participate in a mini-test pilot training program which Desert was not. It does not seem like there's a whole lot this school has to offer. Not sure why that is. Academics is ok and there are some good, motivated teachers but a lot are retiring and it seems like we're in a period of a lot of new teachers still trying to get their routines down.
Submitted by parent on March 25, 2013

It has been disheartening to watch the decline of this school and the district as a whole. My child's privacy has been violated in emails from teachers as well as other students in which a teacher announced in front of the class certain students' GPAs. The quality of education continues to decline as teachers are not held accountable for managing their classrooms. Most teachers are doing what they can with what they have, but the like norm it is the bad ones that leave the lasting impression, and sadly many of the good ones have chosen to leave. If the district, and each of its employees, could remember the reason why they have a job...THE STUDENTS....I believe the entire culture of the school would improve.
Submitted by other on January 09, 2013

Desert staff has violated privacy of their students. The current principal has harassed parents at their jobs and homes, threatened to call law enforcement if students did not admit to an action they may or may not have performed. My experience with the 2012-2013 principal was alarming. He has threatened to report me to the SARB board for absences that were excused by his signature on an independent study packet. He screamed at a student while "interrogating" him and grilling for answers. The quasy "Vice Principal" is just a school counselor with extra duties. The two have tendency to "team up" against students. Students have been ordered to report to the office during their lunch and nutritian breaks if they have been accused of theft and other, granted, serious infractions. School officials are also very condecending to their students and have little respect for their rights. ---Current student at DHS
Submitted by other on September 07, 2012

I'm a current 8th grader at Desert Jr/Sr High, and I have to say that this school is excellent in teaching education. I have a mixture of teachers I like and dislike. However, one of my biggest problems at this school is making new friends. I also hate how the teachers presume that you went to the elementary schools previously, which I haven't because I moved here this summer. It seems that everyone who has friends were either in the elementary school or came here in the 7th grade. When I graduate from 8th grade, I'm going to Highland High School in Palmdale since my parents recently bought a new house there. Hopefully there I can make new friends there.