My own kids thrived when the culture supported strong academics but also emphasized community service, social justice involvement, etc. And to my surprise- athletics. We are not a sporty family, and I HATED gym in HS. But a HS which emphasizes fitness, getting outside and running, vs. competition-- my kids had that and I wish I had…
HS’s have all sorts of cultures and finding one which has strong instruction and great teachers but doesn’t shred a kid’s self-confidence is the golden ticket.