8909 Mountain Shadows Cv #8909A
Austin, TX 78735

A few safety issues. For a long period of time the front door was unlocked at all times, the lock did not work. My main concern is that it is well known that random people not attending the school can come in and walk around for hours without being noticed by staff. I attended for four years and the same sinks that were broken freshman year still did not work senior year. Some staff are great, while others are punitive. Parking spots are also few and far between. There’s also no measurements taken against bullying. I’ve seen students throw drinks at other students in the midst of class and the teachers would not say anything. Pickup at the end of the day is also a nightmare, as parents park in the middle of the road or on the grass to pick up their children, it is an unsafe environment for novice drivers to navigate.

OHE is a great school with so much heart. The teachers LOVE their students, with many teachers having taught at OHE their entire careers (20+ years!!) Academically, OHE is a great school, particularly pre-pandemic. The last two years however, there has been less challenging work assigned. This seems to be the case all over the country. All that being said, the school does a great job with student's mental health and supporting their kids.The OHE PTA is very involved, welcoming and help supplement the school where state funding lacks. There are so many ways to get involved, big and small. The school has a great mix of after school clubs and PTA events.

Pros: teachers are highly qualified and have engaging lessons, the office staff are phenomenal, the band program is strongCons: Due to negligent admin, the school has a violence and substance problem. Students in 6th grade get beaten up regularly and their aggressors get a 2 day holiday which only teaches them to keep doing what they are doing. The classes are about 30+ students per class and there are several classes that have broken air conditioning and the school doesn't have the money for repair. The report card looks great. I predict that the new administration's lack of positive leadership and dismissal of school safety will cause problems in the near future. I gave two stars because I guess it could be worse.