8824 Old Ocean View Rd
Norfolk, VA 23503

To initially clarify, this review is both highly personalized and subjective; and it won't cover the full scope a typical student at Granby would face. In order to ascertain my credibility, I shall establish my ethos (credibility). I'm a current student at Granby High school - sophomore, to be specific - and in the IB program, I will become a Junior rather shortly, as it is June, I take multiple IB/AP classes, and also attend the Governor's School for the arts in tandem with Granby.Firstly; the positives. Granby has an amazing teaching staff...Somewhat. From my 2 years of experience, on average, you will get 2 absolutely amazing teachers, a bunch of decent teachers, and 1 to 2 teachers that would make you genuinely consider self-mutilation as better than taking their class. Let's focus on the good teachers, however. Practically all of the teachers are open to criticism and emails, having quite amicable personalities. Those amazing teachers that you get (Props out to Dr. Ford, absolute legend) will make your classes more than just bearable, it will be an actual sensation that, for once, you actually desire to attend. Unfortunately, this is probably where all the positives end...Now...the myriad of negatives. It would take too much time to explain them all, so I'm just going to list them. -Certain abhorrent teachers-Condescending staff (New principal Thomas Smigiel is pretty decent, though)-10s of people skipping class in the bathrooms-Some hallways smell like weed...constantly. -Fights daily (emphasize on the daily) -You are practically treated like herd animals or any other equivalent.-Our "Track" is actually non-existent (we have good tennis courts and baseball field, however)-Infrastructure standard/grade is barely legal; dismal. (this is hyperbole, but the point stands)-School food...might as well eat straight from the dumpster, provides the same nutritional benefits and has a better taste.-Real lack of emotional support, we may have more counselors than any other school, but does it matter if the school environment itself is more mentally taxing than if you were to take 2 AP exams at once with half the allotted time?In short; the academic facilities at Granby - even within the IB program, and especially the regular courses - are mediocre, borderline purgatory, at the very most. In reality, it's probably not as bad as I make it out to seem, I tend to exaggerate things - hence my introduction - But I agree with all that I said.

Overall, just an average school. I think it could be a great school if the class sizes were smaller and the teachers not so overwhelmed. Administratively there should be some improvement too.

I went here all years of my middle school and I have mixed emotions of this school. The teachers were excellent and very supportive of all kids and treated all equally and respectively, but I wish I could say the same about the students that went here. Had to deal with an insane amount of bullying through each year of middle school, and never got a break. I always felt depressed and unsafe at this school and when trying to bring it to the attention of authorities, no one helped and it was brushed under the rug. Honestly this school changed my whole life, I went from being a happy child, to being a depressed one, and I’m still struggling to try to bring myself to happiness. God bless any kid that goes to this school.