Dunmore High School

Administration

Opportunity Scholarship

In April 2014, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) released a report identifying Dunmore High School as among the 15% lowest achieving schools in the Commonwealth in 2013-14 and 2014-15. Parents and students may be eligible for scholarships to transfer to another public or nonpublic school through the state's Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program passed in June 2012. The scholarships are limited to those students whose family's income is less than $60,000 annually, with another $12,000 allowed per dependent. Maximum scholarship award is $8,500, with special education students receiving up to $15,000 for a year's tuition. Parents pay any difference between the scholarship amount and the receiving school's tuition rate. Students may seek admission to neighboring public school districts. Each year the PDE publishes the tuition rate for each individual public school district. Funding for the scholarships comes from donations by businesses which receive a state tax credit for donating.

Graduation Rate

In 2014, the District’s graduation rate was 95%.

Academic achievement

Dunmore High School achieved 79.9 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 79% of students were on grade level. In Algebra 1, just 61% showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology, only 56% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. Statewide, the percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in Algebra I increased to 39.7% to 40.1%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in reading/literature declined to 52.5%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in biology improved from 39.7% to 41.4%.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,134 of 2,947 Pennsylvania public schools (72 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Fifty-three percent of schools statewide received lower SPP scores compared with last year's, while 46 percent improved. A handful were unchanged.

Dunmore High School achieved 64.3 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 72.7% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 62.8% showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology, 47.54% showed on grade level science understanding, at the end of the course. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools (less than 73 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Pennsylvania 11th grade students no longer take the PSSAs. Instead, beginning in 2012, they take the Keystone Exams at the end of the associated course.

AYP history

In 2012, Dunmore High School declined to Warning Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status, due to missing all academic achievement metrics measured. In 2010 and 2011, Dunmore High School achieved AYP status. Effective with Spring 2013, the Pennsylvania Department of Education discontinued administering the PSSA's to 11th graders. Dunmore High School achieved AYP status each school year from 2004 through 2010. In 2003, Dunmore High School was in Warning status due to lagging student achievement.

PSSA history

Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012, in all Pennsylvania public high schools. The exams were administered in the Spring of each school year. The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam included content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies. The mathematics exam included: algebra I, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry. The standards were first published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.

In 2013, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania changed its high school assessments to the Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Reading/literature and Biology1. The exams are given at the end of the course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade year.

Science in Motion Dunmore High School took advantage of a state program called Science in Motion which brought college professors and sophisticated science equipment to the school to raise science awareness and to provide inquiry-based experiences for the students. The Science in Motion program was funded by a state appropriation and cost the school nothing to participate. Wilkes University provided the science enrichment experiences to schools in the region.

Classes Offered

Dunmore High School offers the following classes:

College Remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 27% of Dunmore High School graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education or community colleges. Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.

Dual Enrollment

The high school offers a Dual Enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.

For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $6,226 for the program.

Graduation requirements

The Dunmore School Board has determined that students must earn 22 credits to graduate, including: English 4 credits, Math 3 credits, Social Studies 4 credits, Science 3 credits, Physical Education/Health/Driver's Ed 1 credit, Arts and Humanities 2.25 credits, Music .25 credit, Computer Literacy .5 credits and Electives 4 credits.

By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students must complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district. Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the class of 2017, public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the Keystone Exams. The exam is given at the end of the course. Keystone Exams replace the PSSAs for 11th grade.

Students have several opportunities to pass the exam. Schools are mandated to provide targeted assistance to help the student be successful. Those who do not pass after several attempts can perform a project in order to graduate. For the class of 2019, a Composition exam will be added. For the class of 2020, passing a civics and government exam will be added to the graduation requirements. In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level. Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program (IEP) may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.

Challenge Program

The Challenge Program offers $250.00 cash incentives to Dunmore High School students who excel in the categories of: Academic Improvement, Attendance, Community Service and Academic Excellence. The program partners with businesses to motivate students both in and out of the classroom by encouraging good habits in students that will last throughout their education and into their future careers. For the 2010-2011 school year, the top 10% of students in each of the categories will be eligible to win $250.00.

SAT scores

In 2014, 98 Dunmore School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 482. The Math average score was 482. The Writing average score was 471.> Statewide in Pennsylvania, Verbal Average Score was 497. The Math average score was 504. The Writing average score was 480. The College Board also reported that nationwide scores were: 497 in reading, 513 in math and 487 in writing.

In 2013, 85 Dunmore School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 449. The Math average score was 464. The Writing average score was 458. The College Board reported that statewide scores were: 494 in reading, 504 in math and 482 in writing. The nationwide SAT results were the same as in 2012.

In 2012, 93 Dunmore School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 468. The Math average score was 460. The Writing average score was 471. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the USA, 1.65 million students took the exams achieving scores: Verbal 496, Math 514, Writing 488. According to the College Board the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400.

In 2011, 125 Dunmore School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 466. The Math average score was 472. The Writing average score was 464. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479. In the United States, 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a research arm of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, compared the SAT data of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania to students in urban areas. From 2003 to 2005, the average total SAT score for students in rural Pennsylvania was 992, while urban students averaged 1,006. During the same period, 28 percent of 11th and 12th graders in rural school districts took the exam, compared to 32 percent of urban students in the same grades. The average math and verbal scores were 495 and 497, respectively, for rural students, while urban test-takers averaged 499 and 507, respectively. Pennsylvania’s SAT composite score ranked low on the national scale in 2004. The composite SAT score of 1,003 left Pennsylvania ranking 44 out of the 50 states and Washington, DC.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education reported that 71 percent of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania chose to continue their education after high school in 2003, whereas 79 percent of urban high school graduates opted to continue their education.

AP Courses

In 2014, Dunmore High School offered 3 Advanced Placement (AP) courses at a higher cost than regular courses. Students may take the AP exam after they take an AP course. The fee for each AP Exam is $91 (2014). The school normally retains $9 of that fee as a rebate to help with administrative costs. In 2012, the fee was $89 per test per pupil. Students have the option of taking College Board approved courses and then taking the College Board's examination in the Spring. Students, who achieve a 3 or better on the exam, may be awarded college credits at US universities and colleges. Each higher education institution sets its own standards about what level of credits are awarded to a student based on their AP exam score. Most higher education give credits for scores of 4 or 5. Some schools also give credits for scores of 3. High schools give credits towards graduation to students who take the school's AP class. At Dunmore High School 12.5% of students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam. In 2013, Dunmore High School offered 4 AP course, with less than 10 pupils achieving a 3 or better after taking the course.

Tuition

Students who live in the Dunmore School District's attendance area may choose to attend one of Pennsylvania's 157 public charter schools. A student living in a neighboring public school district or a foreign exchange student may seek admission to Dunmore School District. For these cases, the Pennsylvania Department of Education sets an annual tuition rate for each school district. It is the amount the public school district pays to a charter school for each resident student that attends the charter and it is the amount a nonresident student's parents must pay to attend the District's schools. The 2012 tuition rates are Elementary School - $7,615, High School - $8,516.

Classrooms for the Future grant

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands of extra state funding to buy laptop computers for each core curriculum high school class (English, Science, History, Math) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Dunmore School District did not apply for funding in 2006-07. In 2007-08, Dunmore School District received $209,743. For the 2008-09, school year the District received $45,413 for a total of $255,156. In Lackawanna County, Scranton School District received the largest funding. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards. The highest funding statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. The grant program was discontinued by Governor Edward Rendell as part of the 2009-10 state budget.

Other state grants

Dunmore HIgh School not participate in: 2013 Safe Schools and Resource Officer grants; 2012 and 2013 Pennsylvania Hybrid Learning Grants; nor Project 720 High School Reform grants (discontinued effective with 2011-12 budget).

Wellness policy

Dunmore School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006. The policy deals with nutritious meals served at school, the control of access to some foods and beverages during school hours, age appropriate nutrition education for all students, and physical education for students K-12. The policy is in response to state mandates and federal legislation (P.L. 108 – 265). The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006." Most districts identified the superintendent and school foodservice director as responsible for ensuring local wellness policy implementation.

The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts were required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Districts were offered a choice of levels of implementation for limiting or prohibiting low nutrition foods on the school campus. In final implementation these regulations prohibit some foods and beverages on the school campus. The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

Dunmore HIgh School offers both a free school breakfast and a free or reduced-price lunch to children in low income families. All students attending the school can eat breakfast and lunch. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are provided a breakfast and lunch at no cost to the family. Children from families with incomes between 130 and 185 percent of the federal poverty level can be charged no more than 30 cents per breakfast. A foster child whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State or who is placed by a court with a caretaker household is eligible for both a free breakfast and a free lunch. Runaway, homeless and Migrant Youth are also automatically eligible for free meals. The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.

In 2013, the USDA issued new restrictions to foods in public schools. The rules apply to foods and beverages sold on all public school district campuses during the day. They limit vending machine snacks to a maximum of 200 calories per item. Additionally, all snack foods sold at school must meet competitive nutrient standards, meaning they must have fruits, vegetables, dairy or protein in them or contain at least 10 percent of the daily value of fiber, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D. In order to comply with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 all US public school districts are required to raise the price of their school lunches to $2.60 regardless of the actual cost of providing the lunch. The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandates that Districts raise their full pay lunch prices every year until the price of non-subsidized lunches equals the amount the federal government reimburses schools for free meals. That subsidy in 2013-2014 was $2.93.

In 2014, President Barack Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day.

The Food and Drug Administration requires that students take milk as their beverage at lunch. In accordance with this law, any student requesting water in place of milk with their lunch must present a written request, signed by a doctor, documenting the need for water instead of milk.

Dunmore High School provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. A nurse is available in the building to conduct annual health screenings (data reported to the PDE and state Department of Health) and to dispense prescribed medications to students during the school day. Students can be excluded from school unless they comply with all the State Department of Health’s extensive immunization mandates. School nurses monitor each pupil for this compliance. The nurse also monitor each child's weight.

Health-promoting programs are provided to Dunmore High School students. The students are involved in CPR training, physical fitness competitions, and programs that are intended to promote healthy behavior decision making: Teenagers Against Corporate Tobacco and Teenagers Against Tobacco Use (TACT-TATU) program; Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD); and HIV/AIDíS education.

Extracurriculars

Dunmore School District offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive sports program. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA).

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.

According to PA Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Act 126 of 2014, all volunteer coaches and all those who assist in student activities, must have criminal background checks. Like all school district employees, they must also attend an anti child abuse training once every three years.

Athletics

Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid. Dunmore School District provides its athletics disclosure form on its web site. Article XVI-C of the Public School Code requires the disclosure of interscholastic athletic opportunities for all public secondary school entities in Pennsylvania. All school entities with grades 7-12 are required to annually collect data concerning team and financial information for all male and female athletes beginning with the 2012-13 school year and submit the information to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, all non-school (booster club and alumni) contributions and purchases must also be reported to PDE.

The varsity football program is coached by Jack Henzes. In 2007, the Dunmore Bucks traveled to Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania to play against Terrell Pryor and the Jeanette Jayhawks for the PIAA Class AA State Title. However, they lost the game with a score of 49-21. Furthermore, the Dunmore Bucks returned to Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania on December 14, 2012 to play for the PIAA State Title; however, this time the Bucks took on the Clairton Bears. Unfortunately, the Bucks lost with a final score of 20-0. In addition to its football program, Dunmore is also home to a girls basketball program, coached by Ben O'Brien. In 2011, the Lady Bucks traveled to the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pennsylvania to play for the PIAA Class AA Girls Basketball Championship. The girls battled against Villa Maria Academy, but they were unsuccessful, losing the game with a score of 62-39.

Student-athletes from Dunmore High School have accepted scholarships to many nationally ranked colleges and universities including: Bucknell University, Bryant University, University of Hartford, University of Delaware, University of Connecticut and Temple University.

According to Pennsylvania’s Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching.

Overall, Dunmore High School offers numerous varsity sports, under the direction of Athletic Director Mr. Mark Rinaldi, including:

According to PIAA directory July 2015

Activities

Dunmore High School's student body is very active within the school and in the local community. In 2011, the Crimson Courier, Dunmore High School's newspaper, was nationally recognized for its work on an ongoing piece, entitled "Made In America". The newspaper staff was briefly shown on World News With Diane Sawyer in a segment featuring the push to buy American-made products. A more complete article with the students' work was published on ABC News' website.

Overall, Dunmore High School has numerous organizations for its students to become involved with including:

Alma Mater

The following are the lyrics to Dunmore High School's Alma Mater:

Dear Dunmore, thy honor is safe in the hands
Of thy sons and thy daughters so true.
Thy students and athletes fresh victories each year
Shall win for the Crimson and Blue.

We will strive with our might
Thy fond name to exalt.
We will sacrifice self to thee aim,
And united in heart and in hand will achieve,
Only deeds that shall add to thy fame.

Notable Alumni