The school’s iconic clock tower was the site of a grisly accidental death in 1994, and supposedly that gentleman’s ghost still haunts the area. Students swear they hear a “ghost bell” through the speakers, and the elevator in the clock tower building emanates a definitively “eerie” feeling. A nearby cemetery (Osteen Cemetery) may be to blame, as some believe the teachers parking lot was built on top of some unmarked graves.
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Geographic Information
- Address:
- 926 Howland Blvd
Deltona, FL 32738
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 28.886889, -81.16217389999997
- County:
- Volusia County, Florida
- Nearest Towns:
- Deltona, FL (6.2 mi.)
Lake Helen, FL (7.8 mi.)
Midway, FL (7.9 mi.)
DeBary, FL (8.9 mi.)
Sanford, FL (9.0 mi.)
Orange City, FL (9.3 mi.)
Geneva, FL (10.6 mi.)
De Land Southwest, FL (12.3 mi.)
Samsula-Spruce Creek, FL (12.8 mi.)
Lake Mary, FL (12.9 mi.)
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Okay. I actually attended the school last year (from November 2012 to May 2013) for my Senior year. We had recently moved from NY state, so the school set ups down here were very different from what I was used to. You can call BS, because it is coincidental, but just hear me out.
I first walked onto the school grounds on November 13th for an orientation. When I walked onto the school grounds, I couldn’t help but feel I was being watched. We went to the main office, had my schedule made and so on and I went on with the day. The next day I officially started school. The very first thing I did after the Guidance Counselor had showed me around was walk to my first class. It was actually near the Clock Tower, so of course I had to pass it to get to my first class. Again I had the feeling that I was being watched and I even ran up the stairs to my first class. After that, I did my best to avoid the Clock Tower. I had a friend who was disabled, so I would meet up with her and ride the elevator up and down the floors with her. The atmosphere in that shaft was very dense, and sometimes you felt like the elevator would break down or the cables would just break.
It wasn’t until February I had learned about the proclaimed “Ghost Bell”. Most students I asked about the bell didn’t know the story, s I took it into my own hands to ask some seniors and even the teachers. After I got the same story from a few people, I actually went on the internet to see for myself. Again this story popped up and it seemed no matter what I typed into the search box, my High School always popped up. Even though I never found evidence for the incident that occurred, I couldn’t help but feel obligated to look more into it. I walked to school so I would actually leave my house early so I can get to the school grounds while they were empty. A couple of times I had even walked to the cemetery- mostly to pay my respects, but as well to investigate. I never saw anything at the cemetery, but the school was a different story.
The one thing that will always stand out to me was when I had came after school for an Astronomy lab. I was trying to look for the parking lot my teacher told me to meet her at, but the school was so much bigger than I was used to… So I ended up walking into every building and hall to try to find my way. I was rounding the corner near the Media Center (which is in front of the clock tower) when I felt a chill. It was cold out, yes, but it was a different chill. When I looked I saw an apparition. It was shadowy and I could see no distinguishing features like it’s face or clothes, but just seeing it there was enough to make me uncomfortable. Instead of turning away I actually walked down the hall. I had to get this grade for the lab or my grade would have dropped dramatically. It seemed the closer I got to the end of that hall, the colder it got. I could even see my breath. When I looked back up I didn’t see the shadow anymore but the hall was still very cold. When I stepped out of the hall to the other side the temperature had risen again and the chills were gone. I looked around to see if maybe it was a janitor who had ran off, but I heard no foot steps or the wheels of their cart. So I went back down the hall, which was back to it’s normal temperature, and set off to find my teacher again.
That is one experience I will not forget anytime soon. It didn’t freak me out, and even when I look back it doesn’t scare me. But I still feel uneasy with what happened, and I wonder if anyone has ever experienced what I have. Or if maybe it was my imagination. It’s hard to tell when no one will even talk to you about the “ghost bell”, or the incident. I don’t think the incident in 1994 happened and maybe that part was a hoax to scare the new kids, but the feeling of being watched in that bell tower is undeniable.
Hi maam I don’t know exactly when you posted this but I would love some more information from you. I’m a paranormal investigator named Johnathon. I reside in Texas cleasing negative energy and demonic influences and am wondering does the school still feel the same.
PRHS does have ghost bells, it’s been that way since the school opened. My whole family has gone to that school and I now teach there, I have always had a feeling of unease when I attended the school like I was being watched. Some days it was worse than others. The ghost bell is distinct as it’s lower than the regular school bell and instead of ringing multiple times it’ll ring once and then it sort of like hums or carries that one ring for about a minute. It’ll go off at any time: before school, middle of class, after school at functions I’ve had to tell students, especially newer ones not to leave class because they get confused on why the bell is going off fifteen minutes into class. My favorite is when it goes off during school events like plays, football games and home coming.
I’ve never encountered an apparition but I have experienced the cold spots, odd things happening like you’ll put something down and be the only one in the room and it’ll end up some place else. The weirdest thing to happen was during pre-planning, which is where teachers come to set up their classrooms. I came in earlier than most so I could get everything set up and as I’m walking through the hallway which was dark as it was 6:30 in the morning and the light switch was on the opposite end, I entered my classroom and started putting my stuff on a desk. I had an odd feeling but passed it off as nerves as it was my first year and continued hauling boxes and crates from my car to my room. About the 5th trip in, I noticed the lights were on in a classroom down the hall, I thought it weird as I was the only teacher still there at the time. When I went to go back to get the last box, the lights in the classroom started flickering on and off rapidly and I had the feeling of being watched except no one was there. I quickly went to the office to report the issue to our maintenance staff when we returned the light was turned off, the door hadn’t unlocked and no one was anywhere around.
prhs is not haunted. no one ever died in the clock tower. story is fake. ghost bell is a glitch in the system. cemetary is a few streets over but not back to back with the school. people are dumb and believe everything. previous commentors for example. i graduated from prhs in 2013. went there all 4 years. i believe in and enjoy paranormal activity, etc. i can tell u pine ridge has none. ask any of the teachers or administration and they will tell u the same. except for the teacher who apparently commented on this.
I attend the school as my freshman year I always here a ghost bell at this school and I was told it was a huanting so I searched it up and it is true this place is haunted
I attended prhs my whole hs career. I think the ghost bell is just a glitch in the system bc of the changing schedules each year. As for the actual clock tower story I think it was just to scare people away from going in it.
I believe pine ridge is definitely haunted. First off, my grandparents stay on osteen cemetery rd. I moved in with them in 2004 and graduated from pine ridge in 2008. I walked to school everyday. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school that i started experiencing paranormal activity. For instance, i would get to school late everyday just because i didn’t like waking up and when i got to school my first class was right next to the clock tower and i would call myself crazy because before going to class i would always go to the bathroom right next to the clock tower and hear a women’s voice. It always sounded ghostly and i remember a toilet flushing and nobody being there. I would definitely feel like i was being followed and watched sometimes when i walked to.my first class. I do know that my grandparents house is now haunted being that its right behind the high school. Both of my grandparents passed away in this house and i believe they are still there doing the crazy things my brother, his girlfriend, my dad and i have experienced over the years.
I was part of the first freshman class at Pine Ridge. I was there during the 1993/94 school year. I don’t remember hearing anything about a grisly death happening at the clock tower. You would think that parents, teachers and students would know something about it if it were true even if they thought it was a rumor.
I have no idea if its haunted but I don’t believe anyone died in the tower in 1994.
I went to school here up until my Junior year, I had my Psychology class right behind the clock tower, and lemme tell ya, there were always noises. And I’m not talking about the classroom next to or below us either. In a quite room we would hear what sounded like scratching on the windows, or a sound like something had fallen in the middle of the class room. It was spooky.
The death that happened in the clock tower is true that’s why it’s not chained up and blocked so no one can go up there
I went to Pine Ridge High School all four-years and the eminent “ghost bell” was heard through all four years of my high school. I remember my freshman year we’d all look around and be like “oh it’s time to go?” but my teacher had briefly chuckled and said no that wasn’t it and then continued with the lesson. I had heard about the story before even going there and so I knew the statements quite literally rang true. It wasn’t something that happened every single day but there is no way you graduated or spent at least one year there and didn’t hear the ghost bell. They capped the bell tower with a panther logo and said it was old and didn’t work so obviously it was useless but, I’ll tell you i always tried my best to make sure I never went in the elevator. I went in it 3 times, twice with my best friend and he said it was so eerie and I could only agree with his statement so the second time we had to go on it we tried to be silly to keep our mind off the six seconds it took to ride. The one time I was in it alone it was the worst six seconds ever because it felt like 1 minute instead. The elevator was so cold and felt like the doors were never gonna open. I am one who has always believed in ghost and whether Pine Ridge is actually haunted, is beyond me. Yet you can’t help but to wonder… the eerie feeling that lurks the campus from time to time.
i dont wanna sound like crazy or nothing but ive been known to have psycosis episodes and i take meds for it though so i never had one for years… BUT when i transferred over i started hearing and seeing things over and over and my life felt like it was dwindling down but at the same time but for no actual reason, i eventually left this school cause it got so bad i almost hung myself in school but i left and now its still bad but it wasn’t as bad as being there i do homeschool now. so bassically if you have mental illnesses or are just not stable DO NOT go here under any circumstances