Whitehaven High School

4851 Elvis Presley Boulevard

School District

Shelby County Schools
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

public

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 February 20, 2023

My daughter is currently a senior at THEE Whitehaven High School under the leadership of the incomparable Dr. Vincent Hunter. Where do I start? This has been a great experience for my daughter from start to finish! They have so much to offer the students. From their amazing sports program to their million-dollar scholar program and dual enrollment classes. My daughter was very shy and withdrawn when she started at Havenview (the middle school connected to Whitehaven). The teachers are very firsthand, and they will help your child reach their potential if it is a desire of the child. Even if your child is struggling, they will do all they can to help your child. Parent involvement is very important, and you see it a lot at Whitehaven. I am not from Memphis, but they sure make you feel like you are. They are also a community-based organization. WEZ is constantly giving back to their community through community involvement, parent support, and student engagement. Do they have issues with crime, violence etc.? Yes, what school doesn't in the city of Memphis? However, do I feel like my child is safe? Absolutely! Once a Tiger, always a Tiger! Go WHS!!
Submitted by student on September 16, 2014

I am currently a senior at Whitehaven High School. I have attended this school since my freshman year and I understand almost everything about what goes on here. Many people (mainly students and parents) are constantly talking about how our school is unorganized. But just stop and think: How organized would you be if you were one of very few adults in a school with over 2,000 kids each year? Of course we are over crowded, but only because so many people feel that Whitehaven High is such a great school with great teachers and administrators and principal. And as for the entire school being punished for a few people's wrong doings? Well, it's like Dr. Hunter always says, we are a family, if one of us mess up then it makes us all look bad. And obviously we have NOT learned that yet, so of course there are still going to be punishments. There has to be some level of discipline giving because we are still CHILDREN! That is what so many students fail to realize. It used to be a proud honor to be able to say that you or your child got into or goes to Whitehaven High... Now many people choose to disgrace the name... It's a real shame what kind of people we have in our community now-a-days.
Submitted by other on January 12, 2014

Whitehaven's a tough nut to crack. The zoning is impressive but the guardrails in the lower teacher's parking lot absolutely need to be fixed. Just a cautionary note: the surrounding area is relatively unsafe for people of a caucasian background (hence: 'whitehaven'). Great band though
Submitted by parent on December 16, 2013

The review by the 9th grader below is on point. Whitehaven does a better job than most Memphis schools of projecting a decent public image, mainly due to its championship caliber football team and good band. However, there is much to be desired behind closed doors. There is a small pocket of excellence, if your child is self-motivated and disciplined he/she will thrive within that pocket. Otherwise, they will have to do their best to find some sense of order amongst chaos, if they are not contributing to the chaos themselves.
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2013

This is a school that yes has it's flaws like every other public school. It has it's fights and drama, but I can honestly say that it is a school that is mainly well behaved and has great administration. Scholarships are very prominent here because of the great counselors. It has a balance of academics and excellent extra curricular activities. It has an excellent football and basketball team. And they have a 3-time national championship winning band. All in all, this is a pretty okay school.
Submitted by student on July 03, 2012

I am a 9th grader at whitehaven and i HATE IT! The students are ridiculously wild and most of the time the good have to suffer with the bad and thats ALOT. The school is WAY overcrowded and the staff are extremely disorganized and never communicate, so you can get suspended over something unnecessary. Its more like a prison than a school and i dreaded going there. Most kids could care less about their education and just come to talk. We spent half of the year sitting in the auditorium watching movies and were woefully unprepared for exams. Some of the teachers try so hard to help but they dont have the power to do whatever the need to. Sports are put over academics. Band is put over everything. Please dont send your kids here just because of the scholarships. Your kids wont be fully prepared to finish the full years on that scholarship!
Submitted by student on September 26, 2011

School rating: -3. I think the school is catostrophic. Everytime I ask 'How is the school?' my answer is always 'They have a great band!'. Honestly no matter how great the band is the school is not so great. It's overcrowded and underfunded. Also it's not very organized. They can't control their students. This school needs atleast a 250% improvement to get a 3 star rating from me.
Submitted by student on March 12, 2011

im a student that attends whitehaven high and the experience is great. i love everything about the school. some of the adminstrators are strict but they're strict for a good reason and that's to make sure that we (the students) get our wonderful education that whitehaven has to offer. i absolutely love the principal...he's the BEST PRINCIPAL EVER.!!! he deserves every little piece of respect that he receives.! the teachers are great too...and personally i think that whitehaven has some of the finest teaching teachers in memphis because my learning experience has been great since 9th grade and i'm in the 11th grade now. so if u wondering where to send your child for a great education send them to whitehaven high school...so that's my review of whitehaven high school... :)