Tuscarora High School

5312 Ballenger Creek Pike

School District

Frederick County Public Schools
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
Type

public

School Map for Frederick County Public Schools

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 student on April 30, 2024

I’m a disabled senior at Tuscarora currently and have been having a lot of issues. With my disabilities I can barely access school and have been discriminated against for the last 4 years. They refused to give me an emergency evacuation plan for me since I am semi-wheelchair bound and cannot use the stairs to leave the building until we got the fire chief involved. I’ve been told that I should move to HHT (home hospitalized teaching) because they didn’t want to handle my issues. I’ve had a teacher quite literally take my wheelchair and tell me to stop faking being disabled. This school is friendly for able bodied people and people who don’t have mental issues, but for people like me who are physically and mentally disabled they treat us horribly. I would never recommend this school because there are far more issues than the ones I’ve listed.
Submitted by parent on May 22, 2023

Went here for 4 years. The staff does not care about its students at all and could care less. They just want to get them to the next grade level and push out to the streets. Better off going to another school in the county further away from the city.
Submitted by other on April 18, 2020

Tuscarora has many opportunities for their students to excel. Majority of the teachers are very passionate and want their students to succeed. However, the one aspect of this school that could be improved is the progression of junior/senior preparation for college. Otherwise, Tuscarora is a great school, and the football program is very groovy. Coaches are very knowledgeable and assist students with self-growth and improvement.
Submitted by parent on December 25, 2019

I’d rate this school as a 10
Submitted by parent on September 08, 2017

The last principal was recently demoted due to myriad issues which I won't write (NOTE: most rumors I've heard are wrong) but he wasn't an effective leader so it'd a good thing. It's too early to rate the new principal but I have heard excellent things about him so I am encouraged! :-)
Submitted by parent on September 22, 2016

We moved to the district 5 years ago. When we did (after we closed) we were told of all these horror stories. Turns out frederick high has the horror we have been blessed to have encountered a great curriculum, with awesome parents and teachers. My oldest plays football and they are very much so a family. The bond the kids have is amazing. I don't usually write reviews but I'm very happy with the school.
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2015

I feind the post from October 2011 to be slightly amusing since the poster indicated that THS is "mediocre, at best"...but according to the stars, could NOT have rated THS less than 3 stars which is average (which falls above mediocre on the dissatisfaction scale...). I have two children who have gone through the halls of THS--one who has graduated and one who is still there. We have found the vast majority of teachers to be engaging and yes, there is a lot of standardizied testing but it is mandated at the county/state leval and NOT at THS's level so to blame the faculty for following the guidelines set forth by others is unfair. Sure, the COUNTY and STATE could EASILY do away with some abominations such as Common Core but, guess what? THS didn't choose it. When my graduate went to THS, he took an abundance ot AP courses. AP testing is NOT THS driven. His AP scores were great and they were great because the teachers prepped him accordingly. Some teachers (one in particular) will offer review sessions on their own time, bring in food for the students and go above and beyond to ensure success on behalf of the students. I feel that the block scheduling/AP courses were a good segue for the "real world". Only complaint is that some classes have too few students that prevent further expansion of their learning, mainly in languages (French--no Advanced Studies/AP, sadly and ASL--only goes to ASL II--WAS going to go to ASL III for the first time ever this year but the teacher had health issues and is not there this year). Prior to either child of mine attending THS, I was leery because there had been some student violence but neother child of mine has ever felt one bit afraid at all. I think that THS doesn't have the greatest reputation in the county--past history is a bit to blame--but the reality is that THS is no less safe than any other school in the county...and safer than some others. I would recommend it.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2011

Mostly bureaucratic based, policy driven public school. The staff practices a paradigm of C.Y.A., and students are treated as just a resource to facilitate promotions, based solely on aggregated standardized test scores. Individual student progress appears to be irrelevant as long as the standard test score train can be kept going. Mediocre school at best................ Any person that gives this school a rating of 4 or more stars either has a personal, vested interest in the school, or is obviously NOT paying attention to the inner workings at this school.