Octorara Area School District

Octorara Area School District

A partnership among school, community, and family.
Location
Atglen, Pennsylvania
Chester County

United States
District information
Established 1956[1]
Superintendent Thomas L. Newcome II[2]
Other information
Website www.octorara.k12.pa.us

The Octorara Area School District is a small, rural–urban fringe, public school district serving Parkesburg, Atglen, Christiana, West Sadsbury Township, Sadsbury Township (Lancaster County), West Fallowfield Township, Highland Township, and Londonderry Township in Pennsylvania.

The district encompasses approximately 93 square miles, with access along Route 41, just 10 miles south of Route 30 and 9 miles north of Route 1, the district is within 30 miles of Lancaster, Reading and Wilmington, DE.

As of 2009, the Octorara Area School District employed 203 professional staff and 157 support staff. Within the faculty, 31 have over 20 years of experience, 161 have a Master's degree or equivalent, and 5 have Doctorate degrees. Octorara teachers have an average of 12 years experience.

The district consists of three elementary schools, and a combined middle school and high schools. The Primary Learning Center includes grades K-2, Elementary School grades 3-4, Intermediate School grades 5-6, Middle School grades 7-8, and High School 9-12.

Mission statement

The mission of the Octorara Area School District is "...to promote educational excellence in a safe, secure environment, empowering our students with the skills necessary to be successful, responsible members of society.".[3]

Academic achievement

Graduation rate

Effective with the 2009-10 school year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) began implementation of a new methodology to calculate graduation rates for all public high schools, comprehensive Career and Technical Centers (CTCs) and charter schools that graduate students from 12th grade. Octorara Area School District's 2013-14 graduation rate was 91.88%,[4] compared to the state average of 85.45%.

PSSA results

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, also known as PSSA, measures how well students have achieved in reading, mathematics, science and writing according to Pennsylvania's academic standards. By using these standards, educators, parents and administrators can evaluate their students' strengths and weaknesses to increase students' achievement scores.

Reading - Proficient or Above
2012 - 71%, Pennsylvania - 73.8%[5]

Math - Proficient or Above
2012 - 78%, Pennsylvania - 80%[6]

Science - Proficient or Above
2012 - 86.9%, Pennsylvania - 82.3%[7]

Writing - Proficient or Above
2012 - 57.3%, Pennsylvania - 64.2%[8]

Graduate Data and statistics

The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Data Quality, provides a compilation of statistical information covering high school graduates in Pennsylvania's public schools. Pennsylvania's public high schools with enrollment in grade 12; including secondary ungraded, provide the graduate data through the Pennsylvania Information Management System (PIMS).

Graduates Public 2013-14[9]
Total Postsecondary Bound - 72.28%

Total College Bound - 71.2%
2- or 4- Year College or University - 63.04%
Specialized Associate Degree-Granting Institution- 8.15%
Non-Degree Granting Postsecondary - 1.09%

Schools

References

  1. "District Information". Octorara Area School District. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  2. "Staff Directory". Octorara Area School District. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  3. "Octorara Area School District Mission Statement". Octorara Area School District. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  4. http://www.education.pa.gov/Data-and-Statistics/Pages/Cohort-Graduation-Rate-.aspx#.Vv7enMdrJFI
  5. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report PSSA Math and Reading by School and Grade 2011-12
  6. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report PSSA Math and Reading by School and Grade 2011-12
  7. Pennsylvania Department of Education PSSA Science results by School and Grade 2012
  8. Pennsylvania Department of Education PSSA Writing results by School and Grade 2012
  9. http://www.education.pa.gov/Data-and-Statistics/Pages/Graduates.aspx#.Vv7f88drJFI
  10. "Octorara Primary Learning Center". Octorara Area School District. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  11. "Octorara Elementary". Octorara Area School District. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  12. "Octorara Intermediate School". Octorara Area School District. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  13. "Octorara Middle School". Octorara Area School District. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  14. "Octorara High School". Octorara Area School District. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
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