Patrick Henry Middle School

17340 San Jose St.

School District

Los Angeles Unified
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:22
Type

public

School Map for Los Angeles 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 02, 2024

My daughter is in 6th grade at the STEM magnet, and so far we could not be happier. The Academics are great; her courses are rigorous but there is support for the students to meet the demands, and she is excited about what she is learning in each of her classes. Her teachers have helped her navigate the huge transition from elementary school, all while keeping her engaged and challenged. The rotating schedule, clubs, and I&E are innovative and are one of the ways PHMS stands out. The biggest reason I'd recommend this school, though, is that every day she is coming home happy. Honestly, that is not what I was expecting with middle school, and it has a lot to do with the school community there. The teachers are kind, the kids seem nice and chill for middle schoolers, and the uniform keeps the middle-school clothes drama at bay. Her friends from elementary school all went to other middle schools, so we hear about a bunch of them, and they all seem to be facing a much harder social environment. I don't know what their secret is at PHMS, but I appreciate the outcome of their hard work and would recommend PHMS to anyone.
Submitted by student on October 20, 2023

I am a student at Patrick Henry and there are a lot of thing that this school could change or look out for more.
Submitted by parent on July 14, 2023

My daughter recently graduated from Patrick Henry's STEM program and had a great experience. The principal is supportive, and the staff is dedicated to making a difference in their student's lives. Yes, there may be a few teachers that aren't so great - but that's the case at all schools, but our experience was that the overwhelming majority care about students as individuals and go above and beyond to help them succeed and make lesson plans that are educational, engaging, and bring learning to life. Teachers would take time to volunteer outside of class to put on fun lunchtime and after school events and 8th grade students were given the opportunity to go to DC and Northern California to tour colleges. As a parent, I loved how the curriculum was integrated between subjects. For example, my daughter wrote a report on Egypt in History and had to create a website for Computers. Her teachers also prepared her for high school by making Cornell notes a standard for everyday work. PH is unique to other schools as it has a built in I&E period during the day to assist students who need additional academic support. Yes, their test scores may be low, but they are doing something to address the gap. And for those students who don't need the additional support, they get an additional enrichment class to take during the period (it's like having two electives). I am personally a fan of the CTE elective that allows students to get a jump start on career exploration. Another unique thing about PHMS is they do a rotational schedule for classes. My daughter loved this because under a regular schedule she would have struggled having math and history after lunch the whole year, but under the rotational schedule, those classes moved to the morning through the week, so it balanced things out. With respect to the downside, the biggest challenge was finding friends she identified with. My suggestion would be to come into the school with a couple of friends so they have their core group to hang with. Otherwise, it can be hard to find your place. Yes, my daughter probably grew up faster than she would have been at other schools, but the school does a good job to keep it a safe environment and I feel she is better prepared and a stronger person going into high school. In closing, there are so many wonderful opportunities to rise and shine if you make the effort to take advantage of them. You just need to know your child and have faith in them to to make the right choices.
Submitted by other on June 13, 2023

My 14 yr old transferred to this school from another Valley middle school and PHMS is far superior in community and support for the kids. My child loves school again because of the administration, counselors and teachers at this middle school. I highly recommend both Magnet programs at this school as I have children in both.
Submitted by parent on May 30, 2023

My son have a great time, learn a lot, take advanced classes, he atend at. STEM Magnet program and enjoy his Robotics class also make new friends, I really recommend this school. All the teachers very professional. Thanks!
Submitted by parent on May 12, 2023

Patrick Henry Middle School is a wonderful middle school that students and families should consider attending. The staff is caring and they promote that ALL STUDENTS succeed and be well prepared for high school. My son has attended this school since sixth grade and he will be culminating next month with all the necessary tools to be successful in high school. The electives offered at this school are top notch and tap into the different hobbies and likes that children have. The school offers classes like Robotics, Engineering, Coding (Minecraft Education), Horticulture, Dance Company, Art, Theater, etc. The school has different Magnet Programs and also offers SAS (School for Advanced Studies) which accommodates students that are gifted and provides honors classes to these children. The Open House from last month did not end at 6:30; teachers were there until after 7:00 pm because I was there visiting my child's classes. This school has a diverse population of students and welcomes everyone. Families should definitely consider this school if they want their children to be successful and ready for the future.
Submitted by parent on April 27, 2023

Very disappointed!! Open house closed sooner than it stated. I arrived 630pm and there were closed. Ppl leaving and I did not get to visit my son's classrooms! Open should have the front doors closed. The lady sitting there did not bothered to acknowledge me at the door! Wow.
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2022

The staff at PHMS is dedicated and committed to helping their students achieve. There are a variety of options in the arts and sciences for students to enroll in, and there really is truly something for every student here.The campus is safe and clean, and perhaps more importantly, SMALL! There are only 1,000 students compared with over 2,000 or more at most other local middle schools. This gives students the opportunity to really get to know each other, and teachers the chance to really get to know their students. Whereas many local area middle schools have 40 or more students in their classes, most classes at Patrick Henry have fewer than 30 students.It really is a hidden gem in the north valley!
Submitted by parent on August 21, 2022

Excellent teachers, principal, and staff. Quickly respond to parents and truly care about the students! Even better this year that they have expanded their elective and now have new music and theater teachers :)
Submitted by student on April 25, 2022

Im taking Algebra 1 & every other class is honors for me. Im a 7th grader & this school is not bad. My math teacher (Mr.Bascara) is great & so is my science teacher (Ms.Oh). Besides that my other teachers are mediocre, the work isn’t too much. An average of 3 assignments a day I would say. This school is easy to fit into, & the people are cool. The staff are strict but don’t care. The teachers are probably the best thing here. (If anyone reading this went to Granda Charter High School, or is currently going, can I speak with you? Granada is one of my top picks but I have some questions.)
Submitted by parent on July 07, 2021

My son's first year at Patrick Henry was during the Covid pandemic. However, he absolutely loved his first year. He is in the Math, Science, and Technology Magnet program which seems to be a perfect fit for him at this time. His teachers had clear and accessible online classes in the LMS. And, we knew that they worked together to make the transition to online learning a breeze for their students. Teachers used the latest and most efficient digital tools ensuring access for all kids. Courses were rigorous, inviting, and engaging. I saw him engage in group work, cross-curricular projects, and so much more. He was able to take an active role in learning during class time and work on academic tasks with his peers. His classes often gave him voice and choice to how he worked and in ways to show his learning. For example, one day his teacher had breakout rooms set up where he could work alone, work with a partner, work with a small group, or work with the teacher. He was allowed to choose, which is huge for a sixth-grader. His teachers were empathic but not sympathetic and work to prepare him for ...not just high school...but college! Yes...college...even during a pandemic when there is "learning loss". Well, I do not believe my son has experienced the loss of learning due to the clear expectations for learning and support from his teachers. And the learning gained from these new LAUSD modalities is huge. My son now knows how to balance his workload with his own personal interests, which he figured out on his own. He knows how to be a successful online student, which opens so many doors and opportunities to learn more. Although my son said he enjoyed all of his classes and teachers, his absolute favorite class was advisory where his teacher worked to create a community with her students. I am extremely happy my son had an opportunity to experience a different teacher for each subject area (math, English, history, science, etc..) and that his technology/computer science course, invited him to produce projects relevant to his core content classes. My son actually applies his learning to his real-life personal projects in media arts. We are so happy we chose Henry for our son. He looks forward to on-campus life and cant wait to meet his teachers and peers in person. And on a personal note, my son has always been extremely bright and TALKATIVE...and not once did his teachers make him feel as if he was BAD! And for that, I thank them.
Submitted by parent on August 12, 2019

A 6. My daughter made honor roll every semester since the 6th grade except one. She culminated with honors in June. This was due in part to a number of wonderful teachers at PHMS.
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2018

If k knew then what I know now my daughter would have never gone to this school
Submitted by parent on December 19, 2016

I want to give kudos to one of the new teachers in the new PAVA Magnet. My daughter has always struggled in math until this year. She comes home excited about school. Her teacher, Mr. Mullen explains the subject matter very well and helps her make connections between math and real life. She and her friends feel welcome and cared about in his class. What else can a parent ask for? I feel blessed to have a great teacher at Patrick Henry!!!
Submitted by parent on March 16, 2016

There are so many fights and bullying going on here. There is absolutely no communication between school and parents other than edline. They send you useless weekly email which contains nothing.The principal loves the fact that she is bilingual but I'd rather send my kids to a school where English is the first language.My kid is in magnet program. Good thing about this programs is teachers make sure projects don't overlap and computer lab is incorporated to help.The new science teacher was brought from High Ability school. Guess the students here aren't the level he's used to teaching, so he lowered the standard to pass them. Yes, he said so during Back to School Night.It is nice that it being a title 1 school, no donation is required and we don't need to mess with fund raising.
Submitted by parent on August 01, 2015

Hi, I have 2 daughters in Honors in this school, and my experience is "amazing" school, the staff is friendly, they always help you, you can always speak with the principal Dr. Sandra Cruz, and assistant principal Mrs. Burton they are "amazing", they are all the time around the children, checking how they are doing, the teachers are professional, they care of the children, they are always promoting the children to do their best, their tutoring really help the children improve. They are always in touch with the parents. The programs they have are above the average, my girls were English Learners and they have the programs to help them succeed. The school is a safe place. And the after-school programs are simply great for them, they have a gym where they can do exercise, and sports, and theater. I strongly recommend this school. Visit them, take the tour.
Submitted by other on February 24, 2015

This school is the most amazing school there is! I graduated from here from the HGM (highly gifted magnet) with top grades. I honestly couldn't imagine going anywhere else. No matter what they say about Patrick Henry being a bad school, this school challenged me both as a student and as a person. I got to think outside the box and learn different ways of finding solutions. Not only that, but their electives are great especially Model United Nations with Mr. Neil. Overall, Patrick Henry is the best school anyone can go to because they have the grades, but don't act like snobs about it, and they also have the best staff in the world. I'd recommend this school over Nobel anytime!
Submitted by teacher on October 06, 2014

Jose Castelo is no longer the principal of this school - the current principal is Sandra Cruz.. She's great and the school is excelling under her leadership. Good principles are hard to find, so I suggest strongly considering that when deciding in what school to enroll your children.
Submitted by other on July 31, 2014

This school has been a great experience for me, not only they provide great education but they also provide a great experience that one can never forget. I miss patrick henry so much and I BARELY GRADUATED.
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2013

Our girls love the teachers, the classmates and the campus! They have learned alot of techniques to improve their grades and comprehension. The teachers are excellent, very knowledgeable in their subjects and dealing with teenagers! We feel very lucky to have a great computer lab, science lab, art classes and interesting PE activities. The dress code makes everyone behave appropriately and the spirit shirts are fun!!!