The freshmen and sophomores were accommodated in the afternoon–early evening, while juniors and seniors were instructed in the early to late morning.

[2] South Shore High School participated in City University of New York's College Now program, which provided senior-year students the opportunity to take courses for college credit on the high school campus.

[3][4][5] Several student riots occurred during that opening year,[6][7][8] forcing its first principal, Max Bromer, to resign.

A riot occurred outside the school on the last day of classes in June 1987;[9] one student was shot to death off campus in May 1990;[10] in July 1990 a student was shot right outside the school in the rotunda and died in the hospital five days later.

[13] Because of increasing security problems, South Shore High School is now closed and its final class graduated in June 2014.