William W. Hall Academy

"Horrible school. Attended WHA for multiple years, and it wasn’t until I went to an actual school that I realized how horrid it was. I’ve always been at the top of my classes, why you may ask? Not because i’m a genius, but because compared to the people I go to school with are below average. The “honors” classes were just average students. In my 5 years of going to WHA, i’ve learned nothing in World History but the three branches of government. It’s the same thing. Every single year. The students at William Hall are even worse. There are fights almost every week, because people have 0 home training. Nobody is eager to learn. Don’t blame it on the education system, blame it on the parents and kids. Teachers are supposed to be teaching the next generation, not breaking fights between them. The staff… underpaid. I’ve seen so many wonderful teachers who understand why most of these kids are acting out and try to stop it. This is not “kids incarcerated”. They shouldn’t be trying to rip two students apart from a fight whilst real administration does nothing. The principals, sad. Do you think suspending someone for 2 days is gonna stop their crazy behavior? No. Ms Moore and Mr Evans should be fired. They don’t care for these kids, they care for the money in their wallets. If you were a good parent, you would roll your car windows up and slam the gas and drive back home. William Hall Academy is a disgrace of a school. Im so excited that my younger siblings don’t have to experience the trauma I did at that school. (Also, my older sibling(s) have told me multiple stories about inappropriate things that happened at WHA. There have been multiple occasions where people would get jumped. He’s seen someone with a gun in their backpack. It’s just sad.) PGCPS as a whole is disgusting. If you wanted the best for your child, go to AACPS. In fact, you’re better of being behind bars for not taking your child to school then taking them to william hall academy. If I could give it zero starts I would. Don’t even let me mention the instagram accounts. Just look up “william hall academy” or “wha”. So disgusting. - A former PGCPS “scholar”, turned AACPS student"

"I give one star because there are a few teachers in this school that are good at teaching students and communicating with the parents. I dealt with a few of them for years and have grown to love them. The huge problem with this school is #1. the principle, #2. the vice principle #3. the counselor and number #4. the person who conducts IEP's but is not labeled as an IEP Coordinator. The principle always lie and tries to cover up his lies and the lies of his staff members. They are protecting each other. I have voiced so many complaints and violations this school has made with the education of my speacial needs child. His first dedicated aid was fired because of there personal reasons, and the second one quit leaving my son with half of the school year with no aid. They sometimes randomly found someone working in the school to aid him. At times it would be security, in school suspension personal, even the janitor, or at times he had no one at all and I would complain. My son is in a wheelchair the school gets paid for the services of a dedicated aid. If he went without an aid for so long. Where is this money going? The person who conducts the IEP's does not know how to properly deal with my son's speacial needs. I had to advise him on this and make contacts as to what my child needs are for him to get the help he needs. Most of his meetings were schedle way after they should have been and with short term notice for me to wave the proper time frame that he is supposed to give you. The counselor you would see playing in the hallway all the time. Male students would come up to him and punch him all in his chest, ribs and stomach hard. He would play like he is boxing them back and throw jabs at them, and now I see why they disrespect him. I have noted so many cover ups that this principle has made. It's sad, and when I just saw my child in class today sitting at a large desk all by himself with no aid to help him in class or to get around school safely. It hurt me and I cried for my child because they have proven over and over again that my child does not matter. Infact they have been wanting to get rid of him so they don't have to deal with him because he has speacial needs and I have been his only advocate. When he started this school 3 years ago. I was told by the man who conducts the IEPs that I will need a doctor's note in order for my son to use his wheechair. Now let me inform you that my son is a quadriplegic with Cerebral Palsy. His speacialist was furious when I told her this. He can stand at times and even walk some, but he falls a lot, his legs get week really fast and he has bent knees, with one leg being longer then the other. When he first came he was coming from a special needs school and and the principle said to me that he does not understand why he was sent to his school. He has never dealt with a speacial needs child such as my son. I was so afraid after he made those statements. This school will not meet the needs of your speacial needs child. You have to be your child's advocate and in the process you are lied, treated like nothing, they make you feel unwanted, stop being polite all because you are fighting to have your child's needs met, and it never has. I'm not the only parent going through this with there special needs child. I may be the only one who is out spoken about this issue and more need to speak on this matter. I have spoken to others, I have watched others pull there children out of school because the education sucks. I heard one teacher state that they are just coming to collect a check. Told by another that he became a teacher from delivering items to school and was asked if he wanted a job as a teacher and got it with no credentials. My children have been going to this school for eight years. I can say that it's a good 12 teachers in this school. If these bad apples get exposed and out of this school. I can see William Hall being the school it needs to be. More students and parents need to speak out about the truth that is going on in this school."

"My grand daughter goes there and has been having some ISSUES with a BULLY and after my daughter has been there SEVERAL times,no real resolution with the parent(s)and staff,a fight occurred. There has been another "MEETING",my daughter still NOT meeting the parent(s),lockers "ALLEGEDLY" moved away from each other which they have NOT,the little girl IS STILL BULLYING my grand daughter"

"The staff at this school are disrespectful, rude, they lie and cover each other tracks. They will not provide you with the resources you need. You have to search for them on your own. I had to make a lot of complaints about multiple staff members. My child's IEP information was discussed with the secretary who is now fired because of money laundering. The person who conducts the IEP meeting is not a IEP coordinator and does not understand what to do, he has made a few changes and that is because of my complaints. The principle is always out of the building and their is not leadership. It's the blind leading the blind. The elementary school principal came to my middle schoolers class and told my disabled son that he does not need his dedicated aid for his physical disability. I must state that he is in a wheelchair. They tried to ban me from entering the school for no reason other then me voicings my complaints. Their is no system set up to give my son the extra help he needs to succeed other then to accommodate his work (shorten his lesson). I spoke with his math specialist because he was saying things to and around my child that made him feel like he is stupid. I asked him do you give extra help he told me no that's not his job he works with the entire class. I don't understand the class has a math teacher and you are the specialist my son's math specialist and you don't give one on one help if he needs it. He tells me is higher up said that is what his duties are. He tells me my child has an E in his class and the class that his wife teaches. It's so much more to this story but let me continue. I over heard a teacher saying he just come to get a check. A teacher has told me he went from being a trashman to a teacher in that school with no college credits. Two teachers told me their is lead in the water and the parents are not informed. The kitchen has roaches and and one of my children saw a member smash one in the food then scooped it out. A elementary teacher was fired for physically assaulting a child. Two staff members had inappropriate conduct Infront of the students was put on leave and was able to return. Their are other inappropriate actions that has happened, but can't state. The bathrooms are filthy and nasty. My children tell me this all of the time. I even went to one of the bathrooms that had a a broken pipe with a bucket underneath and water was scurrying out all over the floor. I had to turn and walk out, they didn't even close off this bathroom. This is not a school you would want to send you're child to. I can see why academically this school is doing so poorly. Unfortunately this is my children boundary school. If a lot of the staff members get replaced then I see this school getting better, but if not then William Hall will continue to decline. I am fighting to make things right for not only my children, but all of the children in this school. I can't do it alone if enough parents speak out and find out what's going on in this school then the bad apples will be replaced making William Hall a better and safer school for our children. One other thing the principle fired my son's personal aid after my complaints and meeting I had with the specialist today. He tells me that it had nothing to do with my son and that he has been going around talking to all of his teachers though gathering information on her. His words exactly. What does this sound like hmmm. During my meeting three of the staff members came in and interrupted. First the principle saying he thought he was suppose to be a part of it. Then the elementary school principle saying his parent is here for the next meeting, then the middle school principle making sure he left the meeting room at that moment. This was all in 30 mins. Might I add that I asked this specialist does he have some place else he has to be and he stated know and was not rushing our meeting. They were afraid of what information I may find out because I ask detailed questions and take notes, oh and another staff, the councilor kept watching through the door window. Cover-up"

"The staff is rude. The principle main secretary was fired. The office secretary do not greet you no smile or anything and will act as if you did not enter into the office unless you are the same race as her then it's hello how may I help you in spanish. The assistant principle has a very nasty attitude and she does not know how to speak with parents. You have some really good teachers, and then you have some that are not even qualified to be a teacher."