Shamokin Area High School

Graduation rate

In 2014, Shamokin Area High School's graduation rate was 82.84%.

2014 School Performance Profile

Shamokin Area High School achieved 55 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - only 53% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, just 62% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 42.7% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. 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.

Compared with last year, the percentage of schools that earned below 60 declined by nearly 1 percent per Secretary of Education Carolyn Dumaresq. She reported that this is an indication that student achievement is improving as school resources are being used better.

2013 School Performance Profile

Shamokin Area High School achieved 58.8 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 64.23% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 65% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 41% 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 status

In 2012, Shamokin Area High School declined to School Improvement I Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status due to missing all of the eight academic metrics in reading and mathematics.

Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the school administration was required to notify parents of the school's poor achievement outcomes and to offer the parent the opportunity to transfer to a successful school within the District. Additionally, Shamokin Area High School's administration was required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to develop a School Improvement Plan to address the school's low student achievement. Under the Pennsylvania Accountability System, the school district must pay for additional tutoring for struggling students. The High School is eligible for special, extra funding under School Improvement Grants which the school must apply for each year.

PSSA results

Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012. 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.

11th Grade Mathematics

11th grade Reading

11th grade Science

Science in Motion Shamokin Area 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. Susquehanna University provided the science enrichment experiences to schools in the region.

College Remediation

In January 2009, higher education research was presented to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. The research examined course enrollment trends at the state’s 14 community colleges and the 14 institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The data, provided by PASSHE and the community colleges, showed that during the 2007–08 school year 19% of Shamokin Area High School graduates required costly remediation in math and/or reading before they could take regular college courses. This was the average remediation rate among the IU16 region's high schools. 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.

SAT scores

In 2014, School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 466. The Math average score was 480. The Writing average score was 426. 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, Shamokin Area School District students' Verbal Average Score was 451. The Math average score was 481. The Writing average score was 431. 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, 103 Shamokin Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 463. The Math average score was 483. 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, 99 Shamokin Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 456. The Math average score was 488. The Writing average score was 432. 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 Pennsylvania Department of Education 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.

Dual enrollment

Shamokin 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, including the graduation ceremony. 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 Shamokin Area School District received a state grant of $30,670 for the program. In 2010, Governor Edward Rendell eliminated the grants to students, from the Commonwealth, due to a state budget crisis.

Graduation requirements

Among Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts, graduation requirements widely vary. The Shamokin Area School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 24 credits to graduate, including: a required class every year in math, English, plus social studies 3 credits, science 3 credits, Physical Education 2 credits, health 0.5 credits, Arts/Humanities 2 credits, and electives.

By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students were required to complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school from 1998 to 2016. 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. Those who do not pass after several attempts may 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.

AP Courses

In 2013, Shamokin Area High School offered 7 Advanced Placement (AP) courses at a higher cost than regular courses. 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 Berwick Area High School just 10% of students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.

In 2014, Shamokin Area High School offered 7 AP courses. Just 17% of SAHS students, who took an AP course, earned a 3 or better on the exam.

Tuition

Students who live in the Shamokin 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 Shamokin 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 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 - $7,180.20, Shamokin Area High School - $7,050.50.

School safety and bullying

The Shamokin Area School District administration reported there was one incident of bullying in the High School in 2012. Additionally, the Administration reported no sexual incidents involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in eight incidents at the schools, with eight arrests. Each year the school safety data is reported by the district to the Safe School Center which then publishes the compiled reports online.

In May 2014, a teacher's aide at the school was arrested, charged with repeatedly having sex, in the school, with an 18-year-old student at the school.

In 2013, the Shamkoin Area School Board voted unanimously to place metal detectors in all three schools, including the high school. The metal detectors cost $16,400.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act established the Unsafe School Choice Option. Each state that receives federal funds was mandated to establish a statewide policy requiring that a student at a “persistently dangerous” public school be allowed to transfer/enroll in a safe public school. The policy permitted a student who becomes the victim of a violent criminal offense, while in or on the grounds of any public school that he or she attends, to transfer to a safe public school. Each year since 2006, the Pennsylvania Department of Education has released a list of Persistently Dangerous Schools. Shamokin Area School District schools have not been on the lists.

The Shamokin 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 in partnership 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.

Education standards relating to student safety and anti-harassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.

Safe School grant

In 2013, Shamokin Area School District was awarded $25,000 in a state Safe Schools Targeted Grant. The maximum of $25,000 grants were awarded through a competitive application process. The funds must be used for research based interventions, like: peer mediation, staff training in managing behavioral issues and creating a positive school climate.

School Resource Officer and Police Officer grant

In 2014, Pennsylvania began a grant program providing funding for programs to address school violence and security. Eligible schools and municipalities could apply for up to $60,000 for a school resource officer and up to $40,000 for a school police officer. Area School District applied and was awarded $39,344 to place an officer in the high school.

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, Mathematics) and paid for mandatory teacher training to optimize the computers' use in the classroom for improving instruction. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Shamokin Area School District administration did not apply for the grant in 2006-07. In 2007-08, Shamokin Area School District received $211,342 in funding. For the 2008-09, school year the High School received a final $45,413 for a total funding of $256,755 Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards.

Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant

In Spring 2014, Shamokin Area School District was awarded a $537,167 federal US Department of Education grant for physical fitness. The funds will come to the District over three years. It will be used to purchase: rock climbing walls, treadmills and elliptical machines, new strength training machines, outdoor adventure equipment like intricate rope climbs and zip lines and a large video screen for interactive dance exercise program. A full-time project director to oversee the program will be paid using the grant funds. The Carol M. White Physical Education Program provides taxpayer funded grants to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to initiate, expand, or enhance physical education programs, including after-school programs, for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Facilities

The middle/high school building houses grades 7 through 12. The building was constructed in 1973–1975. The multi-floor building houses a 1280-seat auditorium, a 3000-seat gymnasium, and a regulation pool with spectator seating. This building was renovated in 1995–1996 to provide additional classroom space to accommodate grades 7 and 8. The building's HVAC system was renovated in this project, and modifications were made to meet American Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.

Wellness policy

Shamokin Area School Board was mandated by the state and federal government to establish 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 District reports that it is 50% compliant with the Academic Standards at the High School. Additionally, it reported the development and implementation of its Local Wellness Program (in compliance with Public Law 108-265, Section 204).

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.

Shamokin Area High School offers a free school breakfast and free or reduced-price lunch to children living 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 the lunch.

Shamokin Area School District provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. Nurses are available in each 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.

Highmark Healthy High 5 grant

In 2008, Shamokin Area High School received a grant through the Highmark Healthy High 5 grant program of the Highmark Foundation. Beginning in 2006, Highmark Foundation engaged in a 5-year, $100 million program to promote lifelong healthy behaviors in children and adolescents through local nonprofits and schools.

The District also participated in Highmark Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools 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 in 2013.

Extracurriculars

Shamokin Area High School offers a variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, sports program. The District reports spending $630,068 for student activities in 2015, with $80,000 being generated from revenues. Eligibility for participation in extracurricular activities is determined by the school board and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I. The Shamokin Area School District is a member of the Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference. The Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference is a voluntary association of 25 PIAA High Schools within the central Pennsylvania region.

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.

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

Shamokin Area High School has a student-run television program. SATV covers school events and sports broadcasting via the internet and a local cable television network. The School also operates a chapter of the National Honor Society.

Shamokin Area School District maintains an extensive outdoor athletic complex. Kemp Memorial Stadium is a large football and track complex with a seating capacity of 6000, with artificial turf and lighting for night games. The outdoor athletic complex also features practice fields, a lighted soccer stadium, and a baseball field that is dedicated to Douglas Dobson. The athletic facilities of the district are utilized not only by the home teams, but also by various league organizations for hosting playoff games and events. Weight room and athletic training facilities are located in the middle/high school.

Sports

The District is compliant with state law, by posting its Interscholastic Athletic Opportunities Disclosure Form on its website.

The District funds:

According to PIAA School Directory July 2012