Gates County High School

I am very proud to say my two sons had the opportunity to attend and graduate from GCHS. Both left school prepared for two very different paths. One left to attend NC State and graduated Magna Cum Laud while the other is in his third year in the Norfolk Navy Apprenticeship program. Even though the school is small, it gives students the opportunity to participate in arts courses, career and technical education, courses offered on NC Virtual Public Schools as well as those offered by College of the Albemarle. I am biased because I graduated from GCHS many years ago and taught at the school for 25 years. A large portion of your high school experience is what you make of it. If your goal is to work hard and succeed then that is what you will do. If it is to form lasting friendships with your classmates then that is what you will do. If it is to be a disruption, have a negative attitude and not contribute, in a positive way, to the school community then that is what you will do. Are ALL teachers perfect? No. Do ALL have an "I don't care attitude"? NO. I wish the disgruntled parents and students could see the amount of time, heart and MONEY many teachers put in their profession. In few other professions does blame fall on the professional when the desired outcomes are not reached. Do you blame your dentist when you have a cavity? No. The dentist sees you twice a year and then it is your responsibility to brush and floss your teeth the other 363 days to prevent cavities. If you do not brush and floss then you should expect cavities. Do you call the dentist and berate them when your child has a cavity because your child chose not to brush their teeth? Very doubtful. Then why is it the responsibility of the teacher when your student does not succeed because they have missed 15 days of school out of 30, when they sleep in class, when they disrupt the class and have to be removed, and when they do not complete assignments or come in for tutoring? The teacher should most certainly let you know when your child is not performing and in the age of modern technology you can now check your student's grades 24 hours a day. So with all of that said, I am sorry for those of you who have had a negative experience at any of the schools in Gates County. I challenge you to be a beacon of change if you see the problems are so severe. As for the air conditioning, it would be great if it were always 55 degrees for me but then the rest would complain.

A great school for our young adults to learn what is necessary so that when they turn their attention towards the goals of leadership of our county, state, country....they will have a solid foundation set in academics, morality, and social skills that will guide them on what ever path they chose for their future.

A descent school for such a small country area. It could be improved with a higher budget. A better HVAC system would be a huge improvement on students grades/scores and everyone's attitude.