Half Moon Bay High School

1 Lewis Foster Drive

School District

Cabrillo Unified
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:22
Type

public

School Map for Cabrillo 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 other on November 26, 2024

Terrible! Do not send your child here.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2023

The school counselors appear to need improvement in effectively supporting students, as there have been instances where some interactions were perceived as less than helpful. This has led to students feeling a lack of support. While most teachers demonstrate excellence in their roles, there have been reported cases of certain tenured teachers displaying behavior that could be seen as impolite and biased, particularly in their interactions with male students. The administration's primary focus seems to be supporting sports teams, which may affect other areas. Moreover, there appears to be a recurring reduction in the availability of Advanced Placement (AP) classes within the curriculum. The school's trajectory is a matter of concern, leaving students and parents frustrated.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2022

Male students harass female teachers. Female teachers spread unfounded gossip about one another. The racism among adult women is appalling. My time on this campus often felt hurtful, disheartening, and outright disgusting. To think that people this ignorant are responsible for molding future adults is revolting. I will NEVER return to this campus.
Submitted by student on April 23, 2019

1 out of 5. Went to the school for a year and cant handle it to the point where I skipped the end of the day constantly because I couldnt mentally handle this school. Should be ashamed.
Submitted by other on January 22, 2017

I enjoyed my stay at Half Moon Bay High School from 2010-2014. All of my teachers had great personalities and almost all of them were excellent at teaching their respective subjects. From personal experience, my classmates were generally respectful/courteous towards each other. The only downsides were that the class options were kind of limited (I've heard that they have gotten better since then) and that faculty tends to leave for more lucrative positions at other schools. However, none of these greatly affected my experience at Half Moon Bay, and I hope that the high school continues on its upwards trend.
Submitted by parent on July 07, 2014

Half Moon Bay High School is a " diamond in the rough." I know that may not sound great but it expresses the new energy and commitment by the faculty, staff and parent community to create and sustain top notch academic programs. My daughter graduated two years ago, along with five other children from our neighborhood. All of them got into the college of their choice and, more importantly, all of them are excelling. The AP programs were great - challenging and engaging. Also, the school is making its mark in sports (Bay Area top 25 basketball team; superior swim program despite a terrible pool, etc). The only drawback seems to be the district's inability to hold onto top level management. The last two principals left for higher pay in what may be perceived as "superior" districts. My daughter petitioned to go to HMBHS (we wanted her to go to one of the private schools in the area). Reluctantly, we said yes and we're super happy we did. We're proud to be a cougar family!
Submitted by principal on January 31, 2014

Thank you for submitting your review of Half Moon Bay High School on greatschool.org. Our faculty, staff members, and administration take great pride in providing a high quality and comprehensive educational program to our Coastside youth. Any concerns regarding particular programming, curriculum, extracurriculars, etc can be relayed by contacting us directly. Please visit our website at hmbhs.schoolloop.com for contact information. We look forward to discussing the concerns and opinions of our valued community members and parents. Go Cougars!
Submitted by parent on January 23, 2014

I have two children at Half Moon Bay High School. I think the teachers at the school are generally excellent. I do think there is a lot of pressure to have kids take AP courses if they are college bound. This would not be a problem but in such a small school this leads to essentially a two tier educational track. Sometimes there is a large discrepancy between the academic demands of the higher level courses and "basic" non AP courses with little in between. However for bright motivated kids the rigor and quality of the AP classes is comparable to what is available in private schools. Graduates from HMB HS can and have gone to competitive Ivy League universities and more than hold their own. I do find the administation lacking in warmth and support and seem more motivated on advancing their own agendas. The music program at this high school is small and underfunded but a marvelous director makes it a highlight of most band and chorus student's high school careers. I would like to see less emphasis on sports achievement and more on academic achievement. You might have a 5.0 average but if you are a sports star you will find you get a lot more attention at this school.
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2014

After two years with a child at Half Moon Bay HS, I feel I must post a cautionary warning. This is a tiny agricultural community barely keeping up with the competitive academic atmosphere of the Bay Area. The administration and especially the office staff are cold and not interested in the individual needs of students. The class offerings are slim and the teachers are simply sub par. Avoid this high school if you can or plan to pay for supplementary tutors and programs so your child can be college ready. I hoped for better and I am sorely disappointed by our experience with this school and this community. Parent involvement is average, at best, although the community takes great pride in their support of the school! It's a little sad.