Harrison High School

401 Kingsland Avenue

School District

Harrison Public
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:12
Type

public

School Map for Harrison Public 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 student on June 20, 2024

I've moved here because apparently the high school was great, but it really is just a joke. While I am still a freshmen, all the praise about thr school is outdated. None of the teachers seem to care to teach, simply giving work to satisfy grades, so many accomodations have been made that even honor classes are too easy for anyone with 2 braincells, and literally none of the students care about school at all. The extra curriculars are the only thing worth in this school, although I doubt its better than most other high schools. Do not recommend this, High Tech is a much better option.
Submitted by student on November 01, 2023

I'm not sure I'm experienced enough to be writing this. I'm a freshman so I'm not completely sure how it is, but this is just my experience from 2 months and a bit from others. The school got the National Blue RIbbion in 2013, which seems pretty good but I'm not that sure now. That was 10 years ago and the rating as of now is a 3/10. Not exactly sure what happened but I've heard from other reviews that there was an administration change that messed up the school. I'm assuming it made the necessary learning for school go down the drain. The school is pretty good for an experience though, plenty of sports and clubs to join and the students are pretty friendly. Some teachers don't really teach though, they just hand out work to complete, which isn't helping us prepare for college. Safety is all right, but there have been a few fights before. We have student councilors to help us but some don't seem motivated to do so. What the school needs to do is to focus on learning and giving more opportunities to help us really prepare for college. Many kids from Washington Middle School or High School are leaving for better schools with better learning opportunities, specifically High Tech in Secaucus and County Prep in Jersey City. They have a better rating then Harrison and seem better at teaching than here. I'd somewhat recommend this school just for an experience of the fun stuff but not for the learning experience.
Submitted by student on February 13, 2018

I don't know how it was before the administration change but I do know that the current administration is rather... lacking. Just this year, the school implemented a new block schedule, shoved PARCC down our throats, and in all honesty it was just too much all at once and frustrating. PARCC scores now count for 20% of our final grades. Even the teachers comment here and there about the administration being so different from before and not in a good way. More should also be done about reaching out to parents about SATs, college, financial aid, and etc. Most of the school is Hispanic but it's always been so hard to find help easily in the school whether it be because of the language barrier or because most parents (being of low-income) actually work during "special" meetings or seminars.
Submitted by student on June 07, 2017

I am graduating this year and I am terribly embarrassed to be one of the first classes to graduate after the administration change. In the last four years the school has become a joke, even to the teachers that decided to stay. The good ones are always pushed out or left because they saw the ship sinking.
Submitted by student on October 21, 2013

To be honest Harrison High School is one of the most amazing high schools ever. We've got a lot of sports, bands, singing, amazing teachers, the principal Mrs. Shields is an amazing perso (sorry if I misspelled your name). All the opportunities that the high schools offers. Being able to tell people that I'm a Blue Tide feels amazing. Well spending my 4 years in HHS will be amazing, i love that school and everyone in it, it's so easy to make friends because they're friendly haha. All I have to say is that HHS has a lot to offer and it is an amazing high school, definitely the best one i've ever visit. I AM A BLUE TIDE.
Submitted by parent on June 14, 2013

My Daugther is attending this school and she statered as a freshman i was completely terrified that she was going to be bulied or anything like that because we just move to the neighborhood but my daughter attidute towards school completely changed even the way she interact towards students. This school is just like a private school just that is public but the oder and everything looks just like if its was public