97 Brackett Ave
Portland, ME 04108

Deering high school is a great school. It has had some issues in the past but has, in my experience as a student, consistently progressed in quality and attention to the needs of the students. Although members of the student body can sometimes be rambunctious go over the top (which can be said to some extent about almost all schools), the majority of the students are kind and chill. Deering is a great school with very diverse cultures and community overall.

Both of my children went to Reiche. I don't usually post reviews online, but after seeing the horrible rating on this site, I felt compelled. The teachers are incredible: hardworking, intelligent, creative, and caring. They are so good at building community in an amazingly diverse school for Maine. The international potluck will rock your tastebuds and the talent show will have you weepy at least once. I am a teacher in one of the rich suburban schools nearby and am so glad my kids went to Reiche!

Worst school I've ever seen. The administrator's, not all of them, but enough of them, were petty and mean, enough to warrant an investigation by the U. S. Office of Civil Rights into rampant unbridled bullying that resulted in a signed agreement for the school to improve. A handful of teachers went above and beyond, but the rest were clearly there to collect a paycheck, including their librarian. Just mean to kids. The science and math curriculum was pathetic. My six-grade son was sent out with his class and ditto sheets where they were supposed to check off whether things like grass and rocks were alive or not. Sixth grade! Current parents need to wake up and demand better!

My son is a student at PHS and is receiving an excellent education. He is being challenged and has an extensive selection of STEM electives to choose from. AP classes senior year offer courses at local colleges. As a violinist, he finds the orchestra a great group with exceptional instruction. Sports are competitive with a strong emphasis on true sportsman/woman ship and teamwork. The diversity makes for a rich experience. Highly recommend.

In complete honesty, this school has both its pros and its cons. However, one major issue I want to address is how little teachers motivate students to truly push themselves, especially during freshman year. A common conversation among upperclassmen is how they wish they had tried harder as freshmen, and how little encouragement they received from teachers to go beyond the minimum.It’s frustrating that lower grades are often treated as impressive when they really shouldn’t be. Instead of challenging students to exceed expectations, the minimum effort is frequently praised. I say this wholeheartedly: students are rarely pushed to reach their full potential.Additionally, I don’t believe the school adequately prepares students for college. We are often allowed to revise assignments repeatedly, receive honor-level grades on second attempts, and still be considered “above and beyond” even when the work doesn’t truly reflect that level of effort.While I do agree that this school has a strong sense of community and care for its students and staff, when it comes to academic rigor and preparation for college, I would not recommend it.