Park City High School is the number-one ranked high school in the state of Utah, and was ranked by Newsweek magazine as one of the top 200 US high schools—putting it in the top .008% of all high schools nationwide. One of eight public schools in the Park City School District, PCHS serves 10th, 11th and 12th grades.
Established in 1928, PCHS was originally at 1255 Park Avenue in Park City in what is now the Park City Library. Park City High moved to its current home on Kearns Blvd in 1981. Renovated in 2008, the school sits on a 35-acre campus.
Besides being ranked #1 in the state for academics, Park City High ranks number one for students in Advanced Placement (A.P.) courses. There are more than 23 A.P. classes available. KSL Schools, a division of Bonneville International (owner of the local NBC affiliate) also ranks PCHS number one in the state.
In 2012, Park City High implemented a one-to-one personal computer program. Each student gets a Macbook Air, and both teachers and students use Canvas, a common learning management system for information and assignments. There’s school-wide internet access. Students take their laptops home, but can access only websites and applications approved by the administration.
VISIT THE PARK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT WEBSITE
E7 Park City Luxury Realty Agent Nick Caravaglia On The Park City School District—As Both A Student And A Parent
When I was growing up here, it was great fun going to school in Park City. There would be ski days every Friday. Kids would come to school with their ski gear, it was a half day, then we’d take off and go skiing.
I think I got an excellent education in the Park City school system, considering that I was what would be called in politically correct terms, “unmotivated.” (I thknk the word my parents used was “lazy.”) The teachers here have always been motivated enough to help compensate for students like me. And the Park City school system was one of the first in the state to create advanced placement courses, offering college credit for AP math, science and history.
As a dad, I’m happy to have my kids in Park City schools. My youngest daughter is in second grade, and they started a bi-lingual dual immersion program. Half of her day is spent learning in English, and half of her day is spent learning in Spanish. She’s getting an excellent education that includes learning to speak Spanish. It’s an incredible program. Originally, it had been optional and my daughter was chosen. But there were so many children that didn’t get in, and parents were so vocal about it, the optional program was eliminated and it became part of the standard curriculum.
For the kids who excel, they push them more. My daughter was an incredible reader coming out of kindergarten and first grade, and I was concerned. Would the half the day in Spanish regress her reading in English? Didn’t happen. The reading program is designed so that each child reads to their own level. And as that child advances, they get pushed higher and higher. My daughter’s reading is great. She’s reached the point where she’s reading books with chapters, and we’ll each sit down next to each other on the couch and we’ll read our books for twenty minutes at a time. It’s great.
The class sizes are relatively small. She has about fifteen kids in her class, with one teacher and an assistant. And the teachers are phenomenal.
I definitely recommend the Park City school system for anyone relocating here. It’s a great public school system. Lots of children from different nationalities here. The schools are well financed. And the teachers are excellent. I have friends with kids in virtually the grades, and the consensus is a big thumbs up.
The after school programs are also good. My daughter’s taking theater classes one day a week. They have science classes after school for kids who want more science. During the summer, they have programs with Egyptian theater where actors come in and talk to the kids. Ultimately, they’ll put on a performance at the Egyptian. And speaking as a parent, it’s very cool to go and sit down in the Egyptian theater and watch your child up on stage singing and acting in a play. It’s an absolute ball.
DESERET NEWS: Gov. Gary Herbert praises Park City School District programPARK CITY — May 15, 2014. A program in the Park City School District is receiving high praise for its innovative approach to career preparedness. On Thursday, Gov. Gary Herbert toured the district’s Center for Advanced Professional Studies. The program partners with businesses to prepare high school students for professional environments and careers “by inspiring them to find their passion through industry driven projects,” explained program director Jennifer Jackenthal. (READ MORE…)