Whitefish Bay High School

1200 East Fairmount Avenue

School District

Whitefish Bay
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:15
Type

public

School Map for Whitefish Bay 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 January 27, 2025

Not good for students with disabilities. Whitefish Bay high school likes to pride themselves on being an inclusive safe space for everybody... except it's not true for students with disabilities. Little to no support is offered and the support that is there is horrible and IEPs are constantly broken. I would like to express my dismay at how little this school seems to care to support students with disabilities of any type. This school is NOT an inclusive space, the school culture is snobbish and arrogant. If I could go back to when my child was in middle school, I most definitely would not send them to Whitefish Bay high school.
Submitted by other on May 28, 2024

I attended Boston University in Boston MA after completion of 4 years at WFB high school. The excellent WFB teaching staff did a great job and i was better prepared for college courses than my classmates from all over the US - including Long Island NY where i currently live. yeah the teachers were tough - WFB is a college prep high School . It's a tough world out there.I am a bit befuddled by some of the previous comments about social behavior.... don't know a grade school, middle school, or high school anywhere that doesn't have cliques. it's human nature and prepares you for adulthood - similar things happen in the office environment.You need to learn how to stand up for yourself if you want to make it in this world. I believe these parents who are complaining about hard work and pressure from cliques need to foster strength and positivity . Ignore the social drama inherent in every school (or workplace). let your child learn how to stand up for themselves and not buy into the daily emotions of teenagers and they become adults
Submitted by other on June 02, 2021

This review is based on personal experience and it is not to say your student won't flourish here. This review is an opinion only- you may have a different experience here.To begin, the school's main focus is "academic rigor". This school is a 5/5 *if* you are academically talented/gifted, and athletic- there is no room for being average here or for being a square peg. Many B level students have been in tears from the pressure at this school. There is another high school a few miles south where the focus is diversity, arts, sports and academics. A seemingly much more balanced approach.Teachers: 8/10. Overall, quite good. There are certainly a few who leave much to be desired and yet nothing is done to help move them along despite feedback from students and families directly to counselors and administration.Counseling department: 8/10. Responsive, kind. Helpful to a degree, as this is a school of high achievers.Administration: 3/10 There seems to be a lot of box checking and chatter but not actual care for the student's well being when issues arise which is fairly transparent. The newest administrator within the last 2 years seems quite rude to students and parents. Dealing with a parent population that is fairly intense, this administrator may want to reign that in. The principal: 6/10 She receives the highest mark in this category. Recommendation: own some of the issues at the school and do not place it on the students.The students are working hard to keep their head above water in a cut throat school for academics and athletics while trying to navigate being a teenager and they do not need any additional pressure put on them from administration for school based activities/planning.College readiness: 10/10"Academic rigor". HOURS of homework. Take home:There are many schools in the area besides this one that offer an excellent education and prepare students for college. A high school student should have a balanced experience and overall enjoy their time in high school. Academic rigor, the pressure to be the best at everything, and acceptance based on fitting the mold of this school is not worth the detriment to a teenager's happiness, mental health, confidence/self esteem and well being.
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2018

Disappointing. We moved to this area for the schools. Grade school and middle school were mostly very good. The high school has been frustrating due to lack of balance, a culture that does not promote tolerance and an abject refusal to address the toxic stress experienced by students. However, there are several teachers at this school who are truly exceptional.
Submitted by other on May 22, 2017

I feel obligated to respond to the most recent posting by a parent on January 23, 2016. I could not disagree more with the advice to never send your child to WFBHS.First, and foremost, the teachers at WFBHS truly care deeply about their students and their professions. They are committed to providing the highest caliber of education to ALL students, not just a few students. The staff are incredible, caring, and compassionate as well.Second, the opportunities made available to current and alumni WFBHS students are uncommon and made more remarkable by the reality that WFBHS is a public school.Third, WFBHS is small enough for personalized attention, but large enough to provide a myriad of intellectual and social outlets for students to develop.Finally, the parents and community are committed to the school. While there is no denying that this commitment carries its own baggage too, I would prefer to send my children to a school where the teachers, parents, and community are active than one where they are not.The aforementioned is not intended to dismiss the previous parent's concerns. I would agree that the homogeneity of Whitefish Bay as a community ultimately impacts the culture at WFBHS in a negative way. Diversity is encouraged on the surface, but not always supported with any rigor or depth. Still, the description offered is more of an exception than a rule at WFBHS.I would strongly recommend WFBHS to any and all parents.
Submitted by parent on January 23, 2016

Whitefish Bay High School has an extraordinary academic record and exemplary staff. For college-prep students, there probably are only a few other school systems in Wisconsin that measure up to the high bar set by WFBHS. However, after sending three children through the system, with one thankfully transferring out as a freshman, I would NEVER advise anyone to send their child to WFBHS. The social climate is cruel and toxic. There is a little outright physical bullying, but social intimidation and subordination -- rejection, hostility, and exclusion -- are really the norm. I do not fault the school system as much as the broader social environment of the community for this abhorrent condition. I fault the parents for not recognizing -- and even contributing -- to the social jungle that pervades WFBHS. The "popular" groups within the caste system make "Mean Girls" look like a nursery school. If you are not "accepted," you are outcast. To be "accepted," you must buy into the system and prey on other students. And this is true not just for the girls, although they are definitely more prone to social murder. I realize this kind of behavior exists at most schools, but I would hope it is the exception not the rule. In WFB it is institutionalized. I also realize that my criticisms could be dismissed as the whining of a mother of social misfits (which I am not). To prove my point: I have discussed this with other parents and students who fully agree with my assessment. I have done my homework to confirm this reality exists, not just for my children but for all that attend the school, on the top or bottom of the social ladder.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2015

Whitefish Bay High School is an outstanding college preparatory school. The students are well instructed, treated as adults, and challenged in every way. The school offers a wide variety of extra-curricular activities and opportunities: music, athletics, art, drama, service, leadership... Students are encouraged to participate in and out of the classroom. The character, growth and mental well-being of all students are priorities for the administration and staff. They are well prepared for success in college and many go on to top universities around the country. So proud and fortunate that my children attend this school.