Harman Patil (Editor)

Mahanoy Area High School

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Type
  
Public

Faculty
  
30 teachers (2013)

Mascot
  
Golden bear

School board
  
9 elected members

Phone
  
+1 570-773-1484

Mahanoy Area High School

Superintendent
  
Joie Green Contract July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2021) salary $119,480 (2013)

Administrator
  
John J Hurst, Business manager, salary $106,906 (2013) Brandy Paul, $82,257 (2013)

Principal
  
Tom Smith, salary $74,263

Address
  
1 Golden Bear Dr, Mahanoy City, PA 17948, USA

Mahanoy area high school marching band memorial day 2015


Mahanoy Area High School is located at 1 Golden Bear Drive, Mahanoy City. In 2016, enrollment continued to decline to 271 pupils in grades 9th-12, with 57% receiving a free or reduced price lunch due to family poverty. Additionally, 21.4% of pupils received special education services, while 0.7% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed 30 teachers. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. It is the sole high school operated by Mahanoy Area School District.

Contents

In 2015, enrollment was reported as 286 pupils in 9th through 12th grades, with 47.9% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to the family meeting the federal federal poverty level. Additionally, 23% of pupils received special education services, while 1% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed 30 teachers.

In 2011, Mahanoy Area High School enrolled 299 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 148 students receiving a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The School is a federally designated Title I school. The school employed 32 teachers with a student to teacher ratio of 9:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 1 teacher was rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.

Mahanoy Area High School students may choose to attend the Schuylkill Technology Centers for training in the construction and mechanical trades. IN 2015, 22 Mahanoy Area High School students attend the tech school. The Schuylkill Intermediate Unit IU29 provides the School with a wide variety of services like: specialized education for disabled students; state mandated training on recognizing and reporting child abuse; speech and visual disability services; criminal background check processing for prospective employees and professional development for staff and faculty.

Mahanoy area high school chorus 2015


Graduation rate

In 2016, Mahanoy Area High School graduation rate was 96.39%.

  • 2015 - 91.14%.
  • 2014 - 90.70%
  • 2013 - 81.25%
  • 2012 - declined to 76%
  • 2011 - 89%.
  • 2010 - 81%, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate.
  • According to traditional graduation rate calculations
  • 2010 - 88%
  • 2009 - 90%
  • 2008 - 94%
  • 2007 - 94%
  • Academic achievement

    Opportunity Scholarship - lowest achieving schools

    In May 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) released a report identifying one school in Mahanoy Area School District school as among the lowest achieving schools for reading and mathematics in the state. Mahanoy Area High School remained on the list of lowest achieving schools in the state. The school has been on the lowest achievement list every year since 2013. Parents and students are potentially eligible for scholarships to transfer to another local public school district, a charter school or a nonpublic school through the state's Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in June 2012.

    In May 2014, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released a report identifying one school in Mahanoy Area School District school as among the lowest achieving schools for reading and mathematics in the state. Mahanoy Area High School was on the list of lowest achieving schools in the state. One hundred four (104) public school districts in Pennsylvania had one or more schools on the list. In 2015 the high school remained on the lowest achievement list. 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.

    In October 2015, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale reported that Mahanoy Area High School was among the 561 academically challenged schools that have been overlooked by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. He also reported the Pennsylvania Department of Education failed to take any action to remediate the poorly performing schools to raise student academic achievement or to provide them with targeted professional assistance.

    2016 School Performance Profile

    SPP 69.6 points out of 100 points. Berwick Area High School Keystone Exams mandated testing results were: 81% of students were on grade level in reading literature and 67.9% of students demonstrated on grade level in Algebra I. In Biology I, 55.7% of pupils demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the Biology course. The requirement that pupils pass the Keystone Exams in reading, algebra I and bIology I in order to graduate was postponed until 2019 by the Pennsylvania General Assembly because less than 60% of 12 grade pupils statewide would have been eligible for graduation from high school due to failing one or more Keystone Exams. Fifty-four percent of the 2,676 public schools in Pennsylvania achieved a passing score of 70 or better.

    2015 School Performance Profile

    Mahanoy Area High School achieved a score of just 56.1 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. The PDE reported that 60% of the High School’s students were on grade level in reading/literature. In Algebra 1, 56% of students showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology I, just 45.6% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. Statewide, 53 percent of schools with an eleventh grade achieved an academic score of 70 or better. Five percent of the 2,033 schools with 11th grade were scored at 90 and above; 20 percent were scored between 80 and 89; 28 percent between 70 and 79; 25 percent between 60 and 69 and 22 percent below 60. The Keystone Exam results showed: 73 percent of students statewide scored at grade-level in English, 64 percent in Algebra I and 59 percent in biology.

    2014 School Performance Profile

    Mahanoy Area High School achieved a score of 61.9 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature, 68% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 53.5% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, just 46% 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.

    2013 School Performance Profile

    Mahanoy Area High School achieved 58.9 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature just 66% of pupils tested were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 57% students showed on grade level skills. In Biology, just 24% showed on grade level science understanding. 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, Mahanoy Area High School declined further to School Improvement level I Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), due to a declining graduation rate and chronic, low student academic achievement in reading and mathematics. Mahanoy Area High School missed every academic metric in 2012 in both reading and math. Mahanoy Area High School administration was required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to develop a School Improvement Plan to address the low student achievement. Under the Pennsylvania Accountability System, the school district was required to pay for additional tutoring for struggling students.

  • 2011 - declined to Warning AYP status due to chronic low student achievement in mathematics.
  • 2010 - achieved Adequate Yearly Progess status.
  • 2004 to 2010, Mahanoy Area High School achieved AYP status each year typically under special modification. This achievement was due largely to the low levels set by the state to achieve AYP (less than 50% on grade level).
  • PSSA Results
    11th Grade Reading
  • 2012 - 51% on grade level, (25% below basic). State - 67% of 11th graders are on grade level.
  • 2011 - 73% (14% below basic). State - 69.1%
  • 2010 - 57% (27% below basic). State - 66%
  • 2009 - 60%. State - 65%
  • 2008 - 58%. State - 65%
  • In order to advance reading achievement Mahanoy Area High School requires all high school students to read two novels during the summer months. The specific books are mandated. An assessment is done at the beginning of the school year that is based on the books. This is in conflict with Pennsylvania Common Core standards which calls for an emphasis and instruction in reading biographies and informational texts.

    11th Grade Math
  • 2012 - 29% on grade level (44% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
  • 2011 - 46% (27% below basic). State - 60.3%
  • 2010 - 47% (29% below basic). State - 59%
  • 2009 - 58%. State - 56%
  • 2008 - 34%. State - 56%
  • 11th Grade Science:
  • 2012 - 30% (16% below basic). State - 42%
  • 2011 - 30% (14% below basic). State - 40%
  • 2010 - 32% (27% below basic). State - 39%
  • 2009 - 30%, State - 40%
  • 2008 - 23%, State - 39%
  • 2007 - tested, results withheld from public by PdE.
  • Science in Motion Mahanoy Area High School did not take 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. Susquehanna University provided the enrichment experiences to schools in the region.

    AP Courses

    In 2015, Mahanoy Area High School offered 7 Advanced Placement (AP) courses at a higher cost than regular courses. 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 Mahanoy Area High School, just 6% of the students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.

    In 2014, 10% of the pupils at Mahanoy Area who took an AP course achieved a 3 or better. In 2016, less than 10 of the pupils at Mahanoy Area who took an AP course achieved a 3 or better. The school offered 8 AP courses.

    Mahanoy Area Offers; AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP English, and AP U.S. History. Successful completion of an AP course earns the pupil 1.10 credits.

    Dual enrollment

    Mahanoy Area 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. Mahanoy Area School District works with Lehigh Carbon Community College to provide the course opportunities. Originally, the state offered 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. Under state rules, other students that reside in the district, who attend a private school, a charter school or are homeschooled are eligible to participate in this program. In 2010, Governor Edward Rendell eliminated the grants to students, from the Commonwealth, in his state budget plan.

    For the 2009-10 funding year, the Mahanory Area School District received a state grant of $4,139 for the program. Governor Edward G. Rendell discontinued the grants effective 2011 as a part of his final state budget. In 2016, students are responsible for the cost of tuition as well as all college fees and books.

    Penn College NOW

    In 2014, Mahanoy Area School District did not offer dual enrollment courses in conjunction with Pennsylvania College of Technology. Penn College NOW classes are taught by approved local high school teachers, at their high school. Penn College NOW is partially funded by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-270) through the Pennsylvania Department of Education, by the support of Pennsylvania companies through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and by Pennsylvania College of Technology.

    SAT scores

    In 2015, 55 Mahanoy Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 451. The Math average score was 444. The Writing average score was 421. The College Board also reported that statewide 96,826 pupils took the exams with average scores declining in all three measurers to: 495 in reading, 511 in math and 484 in writing.

    In 2014, just 45 Mahanoy Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 454. The Math average score was 463. The Writing average score was 437. 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 2014, 1,672,395 students took the SATs in the United States.

    In 2013, 51 Mahanoy Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 442. The Math average score was 450. The Writing average score was 422. 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, 56 Mahanoy Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 447. The Math average score was 451. The Writing average score was 436. 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, 51 Mahanoy Area High School students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 435. The Math average score was 457. The Writing average score was 425.

    Tuition

    Students who live in Mahanoy Area 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 Mahanoy Area 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 public 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 2013 tuition rates for Mahanoy Area High School was $9,929.22. In 2015, the tuition rate for Mahanoy Area High School rose to $11,194.03.

    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 to 2009. Mahanoy Area School District applied but was denied funding in 2006-07. In 2007-08, Mahaony Area School District applied again receiving $144,611. The District received $45,413 in 2008-09. Among the public school districts in Schuylkill County the highest award was given to North Schuylkill School District which received $245,673. 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.

    Project 720

    Project 720 was a high school reform program implemented for three years under the Rendell administration. The intent was to increase academic rigor and improve the instruction of teachers in the Commonwealth’s high schools. Teachers were expected to use data driven instructional practices and to meet the needs of diverse learners. The 720 in the name referred to the number of days a student was in high school in ninth through 12th grades. High schools applied for funding and were required to agree to report to the PDE their plans, their actions and the outcomes. In 2007-08 budget year, the Commonwealth provided $11 million in funding. Mahanoy Area School District was one of 161 PA public school districts to apply, receiving $222,000 funding over three years. For 2010-11, Project 720 funding was decreased to $1.7 million by Governor Rendell. The grant program was discontinued effective with the 2011-12 state budget.

    Wellness policy

    Mahanoy Area 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.

    The 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 2015, federal reimbursement rates were: $3.07 per meal for students who are income-eligible for free lunches and $2.67 for those who qualify for a reduced price. School lunch participation nationally dropped from 31.6 million students in 2012 to 30.4 million in 2014, according to the federal Department of Agriculture. Pennsylvania statistics show school lunch participation dropped by 86,950 students in the same two years, from 1,127,444 in 2012 to 1,040,494 in 2014.

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

    The US Department of Agriculture 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.

    Mahanoy Area 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. Nurses also monitor each child's weight.

    Health eTools program

    The entire District, including the high school, participated in Highmark Foundation’s Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools grant which enabled mobile data collection of pertinent health and physical fitness screening data on students K-12 in a database held by InnerLink, Inc. in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Health eTools for Schools also provided interdisciplinary research-based curriculum in nutrition, physical education and physical activity to participating districts. The program was discontinued by the company in 2013.

    Drug and alcohol abuse intervention

    Mahanoy Area High School operates an aggressive drug and alcohol intervention program. A local coalition meets regularly to discuss issues and effective interventions. The group also works to eliminate tobacco use by high school students. Effectiveness is measured through the Pennsylvania Youth Survey which is conducted biannually asking youth about drug and alcohol behaviors. According to the survey, Mahanoy Area students are increasing their use of drugs in 2015 over 2013 use when it peaked.

    In 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Health distributed to each Pennsylvania high school the overdose antidote drug naloxone in a nasal spray. School nurses were also provided with educational materials and training developed by the National Association of School Nurses. The cost was covered by a grant from a private foundation.

    School safety and bullying

    Mahanoy Area School District administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying in the High School in 2015. Additionally, there was one assault on a student and no sexual incidents involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in one incident at the school. One student was caught with an illegal substance at the school. Each year the school safety data is reported by the district to the Safe School Center which then publishes the compiled reports online. Nationally, nearly 20% of pupils report being bullied at school.

    Mahanoy Area School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online. All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the District must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. The Center for Schools and Communities works with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives. According to the Center for Disease Control’s biannual national study of high school students in 2009, five percent of Pennsylvania students did not go to school for at least one day because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school.

    Extracurriculars

    Mahanoy Area High School offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, costly sports program. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). Mahanoy Area School District is within PIAA District 11. The PIAA mandates that student athletes must be passing at least four full-credit subjects to participate in sports.

    By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing 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 in Mahanoy Area School District, must have criminal background checks. Like all school district employees, they must also attend an anti child abuse training once every three years.

    Sports

    Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid.

    The District is noncompliant with state law, due to failing to post its Interscholastic Athletic Opportunities Disclosure Form on its website. 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.

    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.

    The District funds:

    According to PIAA directory July 2016

    References

    Mahanoy Area High School Wikipedia