Wellsboro Area High School

Wellsboro Area HIgh School
Address
227 Nichols Street Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, Tioga County 16901 United States
Coordinates	41°45′32″N 77°18′12″W / 41.7589°N 77.3033°W / 41.7589; -77.3033Coordinates: 41°45′32″N 77°18′12″W / 41.7589°N 77.3033°W / 41.7589; -77.3033
Information
Type	Public
School board	9 locally elected members
School district	Wellsboro Area School District
Superintendent	Christopher Morral (salary $101,365 in 2012)
Administrator	Mrs. Bonnie Thompson, Business Manager
Principal	Mr. Robert Kreger, WHS
Faculty	38 teachers (2013)[1] 40 teachers (2010)[2]
Grades	9-12
Age	14 years old to 21 years old for special education
Pupils	469 pupils (2015)[3] 462 pupils (2014) 489 pupils (2012) 487 pupils (2010)[4][5]
• Grade 9	125 (2014), 134 (2010)
• Grade 10	110 (2014), 112
• Grade 11	125 (2014), 114
• Grade 12	109 (2014), 127 (2010)
Language	English
Feeder schools	Rock L Butler Middle School
Per pupil Spending	$13,365 in 2008
Per pupil Spending	$13,939.87 (2010)
Website	http://whs.wellsborosd.org/

Wellsboro Area High School is a small, rural public high school located at 225 Nichols Street, Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, USA. In 2015, enrollment was reported as 469 pupils in 9th through 12th grades, with 35% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Additionally, 17% of pupils received special education services, while 9% of pupils were identified as gifted.^[6] Wellsboro Area High School employed 38 teachers.^[7] Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Wellsboro Area High School is the sole high school operated by the Wellsboro Area School District.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, Wellsboro Area High School reported an enrollment of 487 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 129 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch. The school employed 40 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 12:1.^[8] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 56 classes were taught by teachers who were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.^[9]

The District also offers Wellsboro Online Academy to pupils permitting k-12 students to opt for an online learning environment, rather than attending the traditional brick and mortar high school building.^[10]

The BLaST Intermediate Unit IU17 provides the HIgh School with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, background checks for employees, state mandated recognizing and reporting child abuse training, speech and visual disability services and criminal background check processing for prospective employees and professional development for staff and faculty.

Graduation rate

In 2015, Wellsboro Area School District graduation rate declined again to 85.71%.^[11]

• 2014 - 88.24%
• 2013 - 81.67%.^[12]
• 2012 - 83%.^[13]
• 2011 - 89%.^[14]
• 2010 - 92%, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate.^[15]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2010 - 89% ^[16]
• 2009 - 91%
• 2008 - 95% ^[17]
• 2007 - 95% ^[18]

Academics

2015 School Performance Profile

Wellsboro Area High School achieved 89 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. The PDE reported that 85.9% of the High School’s students were on grade level in reading/literature. In Algebra 1, 74.5% of students showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology I, 85% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course.^[19] 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.^[20][21]

2014 School Performance Profile

Wellsboro Area High School achieved 87 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 87% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 68% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 79% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course.^[22][23] 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%.^[24]

2013 School Performance Profile

Wellsboro Area High School achieved 83.8 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature -74% were on grade level. In Algebra 1 68.93% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 64% showed on grade level science understanding.^[25]

AYP History

In 2012, Wellsboro Area High School remained in Warning Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status due to a low graduation rate.^[26]

• 2011 - declined to Warning level due to low math achievement.^[27]
• 2004-2010 - achieved Adequate Yearly Progress status each school year^[28]
• 2003 - Warning AYP status due to lagging academic achievement.

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, 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.^[29] 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 applicable course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade year.^[30]

11th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 83% on grade level, (8% below basic). State - 67% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[31]
• 2011 - 71% (11% below basic). State - 69.1% ^[32]
• 2010 - 67% (17% below basic). State - 67%.^[33]
• 2009 - 78%, State - 65%^[34]
• 2008 - 68%, State - 65% ^[35]
• 2007 - 69%, State - 65% ^[36]

11th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 67% on grade level (14% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[37]
• 2011 - 57% (20% below basic). State - 60.3% ^[38]
• 2010 - 63.7% (19% below basic). State - 59% ^[39]
• 2009 - 67.5%, State - 56%^[40]
• 2008 - 69%, State - 55%^[41]
• 2007 - 47%, State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2012 - 66% on grade level (5% below basic). State - 42% of 11th graders were on grade level.^[42]
• 2011 - 47% (10% below basic). State - 40% ^[43]
• 2010 - 36% (18% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 47%, State - 40%
• 2008 - 54%, State - 39%

Science in Motion Wellsboro 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.^[44]

Graduation requirements

The Wellsboro School Board requires students to earn 25 credits to graduate. The following credits are required of all students for graduation: English 4 credits, Social Studies 4 credits, Mathematics 4 credits, Science 4 credits, Arts & Humanities 2 credits, Health 0.5 credit, Physical Education 2 credits, Driver Education .25 credit, Computer 0.5 credit, Career Pathway Electives 3.50 credits and the Graduation project .25 credit.^[45]

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.^[46][47] 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.^[48]

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 2019,^[49] students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.^{[50][51][52][49]} In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Literature exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level.^[53] 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 Individual Education Plan (IEP).

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.^[51][52] 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.^[54] 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.^[53] 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.

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 16% of Wellsboro Area 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.^[55] 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.^[56] 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

Wellsboro 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 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.^[57] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.^[58] For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $11,588 for the program. Wellsboro Area High School has a dual enrollment agreement with Mansfield University.^[59] In 2010, Governor Edward Rendell eliminated the grants to students.

The District is not participating in the Penn College NOW program offered by the Pennsylvania College of Technology. Penn College NOW classes are taught by approved local high school teachers, at the high school.^[60] 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 2014, 68 Wellsboro Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 512. The Math average score was 479. The Writing average score was 481.^[61][62] 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.^[63] In 2014, 1,672,395 students took the SATs in the United States.

In 2013, 83 Wellsboro Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 534.7. The Math average score was 528. The Writing average score was 499. 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.^[64]

In 2012, 72 Wellsboro Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 497. The Math average score was 500. The Writing average score was 477. 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, 81 Wellsboro students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 489. The Math average score was 484. The Writing average score was 462.^[65] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among state with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.^[66] 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.^[67]

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.^[68]

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 2015, Wellsboro Area High School offered 7 Advanced Placement (AP) courses at a higher cost than regular courses. Berwick Area High School requires students to take the AP exam if they take an AP course. The fee for each AP Exam is $91 (2014).^[69] 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. In 2015, at Wellsboro Area High School only 24.27% of the students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.^[70]

In 2014, 30% of pupils at Wellsboro Area High School who took the AP exam given by the College Board achieved a 3 or better on the exam.^[71] In 2013, 29% of pupils at Wellsboro Area High School who took an AP exam achieved a 3 or better on the exam.^[72]

School safety and bullying

The Wellsboro Area High School administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying in the school in 2014. Additionally, there were no sexual incidents involving students reported. The local law enforcement was involved in four incidents at the school with two arrests.^{[73] [74]} 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.^[75]

Wellsboro Area HIgh School administration reported there were five incidents of bullying in the School in 2012. Additionally, there were several incidents of racial harassments and one sexual incidents involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in zero incidents at the schools.^{[74] [76]}

The Wellsboro Area School Board provides the District's antibully policy online.^[77] 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.^[78] The Center for Schools and Communities works in 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.^[79][80] 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.^[81]

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.^[82]

Wellsboro Area School District did not apply for the state's: Safe Schools grants nor the School Resource Officer and Police Officer grants.

Tuition

Students who live in the Wellsboro 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 Wellsboro 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 - $8,343.38, High School - $9,951.51.^[83]

Grants

The Wellsboro Area School District Administration failed to apply for Project 720 High School Reform grants.^[84] The grants were discontinued effective with 2011-12 state education budget;^[85]

Classrooms for the Future

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. Wellsboro Area School District was denied funding by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, in 2006-07. In 2007-08, the District received $161,987. The District received $45,413 in 2008-09.^[86][87] Among the public school districts in Tioga County, the highest award was given to Southern Tioga School District which received $514,344. 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 his 2009-10 state education budget.

Wellness policy

Wellsboro Area School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006.^[88] 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.^[89]

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.^[90] The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

Wellsboro Area 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.^[91] The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.^[92]

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.^[93] 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.^[94] 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.^[95][96]

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.^[97][98]

Wellsboro 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.^[99][100] Nurses also monitor each child's weight.^[101]

Extracurriculars

Wellsboro Area School District offers an extensive extracurricular program, including clubs, arts and an extensive interscholastic athletics program. Eligibility to participate is determined by school board policy.^[102][103] The sports programs are in association with the Northern Tier League, consisting of other public high schools in Tioga, Bradford and Lycoming Counties. The sports are also in association with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). The PIAA mandates that student athletes must be passing at least four full-credit subjects to participate in sports.^[104] At Wellsboro Area any student failing more than .38 of a credit per marking period or its equivalence is ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities.^[105]

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 home schooled, 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.^[106]

According to Pennsylvania 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.^{[107][108][109]}

Sports

Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid.^[110] 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.^[111][112]

Wellsboro Area School District provides its athletics disclosure form on its web site.^[113] 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.^[114]

The District funds:

Middle School Sports

According to PIAA directory July 2015.^[115]

References