East Stroudsburg High School South


East Stroudsburg Senior High School South is a public high school located at 279 North Courtland Street in East Stroudsburg, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The school's mascot is the cavalier. The school is part of the East Stroudsburg Area School District. The school's total enrollment is 1501 students. Overall, the student to teacher ration is 1 teacher to 13.0 students, as opposed to the state average of 1 to 15. The student body is 62.9% White, 17.6% African American, 17.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 2.3% Asian American, and less than 1% Native American. The administration reports that 39.2% of the student body is currently eligible for reduced or free lunch due to family poverty.
According to an enrollment study done by the district's administration in 2012, the school faces a steady decline in enrollment. 2010-11 - 1520 students, 2011-12 - 1474 students, Projections: 2012-13 - 1454 students, 2013-14 - 1356 students, 2014-15 - 1303 students. Cumulatively, the administration expects a loss of 217 students at East Stroudsburg Senior High School South, by 2015.
In 2013, East Stroudsburg South was awarded a Bronze Medal by the U.S. News & World Report.

Administration

The current principal is Mr. Michael Catrillo who replaced Ms. Lois Palio in the summer of 2010. Mrs. Dawn Dailey and Mr. David Evans are the assistant principals.

College Remediation Rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 28% of the East Stroudsburg Area School District 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.

Academics

In 2011, East Stroudsburg Senior High School South achieved Making Progress: in Corrective Action II status due to making ayp and fulfilling 25 out of 25 areas. Additionally, the school improvement team was required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to develop a School Improvement Plan to raise student achievement in core subjects, which it successfully submitted for approval.

Graduation rate

East Stroudsburg Senior High School South's graduation rate was 95% in 2011 and in 2010.

Core Academics

;PSSA Results:
11th Grade Reading
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
From January to June 2011, 228 East Strousburg Area High School South students took the SAT exams. The school's Verbal Average Score was 478. The Math average score was 478. The Writing average score was 470. 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 verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.

Dual enrollment

Both East Stroudsburg Area High Schools offer 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 school district received a state grant of $20,616 for the program.

AP Courses

All exams are offered, but the following AP exams have corresponding classes that are available at this school:
East Stroudsburg Area School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 26 credits to graduate including: Math 4 credits, English 4 credits, social studies 4 credits, science 3 credits, Technology 1 credit, Physical Education 1.0 credits, Drivers Ed, Humanities 2 credits and electives.
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. The district requires students to complete a career exploration project and a research paper.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 2016, 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. 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.

Scheduling

The school utilizes block scheduling. Each block is 90 minutes long. Most classes only last for half of a year. Each period is 45 minutes long, with the exception of those during block 3. 1st and 2nd periods are in Block 1, 3rd and 4th periods are in Block 2, and 9th and 10th periods are in Block 4. Block 3 is 120 minutes long and the four periods are each 30 minutes long, one of which will be lunch. Normally on a student's schedule it may say a class, then lunch, and then back to the original class. This means that in the middle of the class, the bell will ring to signal that the class should go to lunch. After lunch, the class will then return.
Because of block scheduling, most of the classes only take a half of a year to complete. Full credit classes will be a full block for a half of a year, and a half credit class will be a period for a half of a year. Some exceptions to this rule are the AP Sciences, which both run a full block for the entire year, Band and Chorus, which run a half a block for the entire year, and Edge classes, which also run a half a block for the entire year.

School Map

The school is split into 2 divisions: the Maple Building and the regular building. These two buildings are connected by a single hallway, which runs by the cafeteria.

South Side Live

Every morning after first block, teachers turn on their TVs for South Side Live, a student broadcast, which is generally about 10 minutes long. It is a morning announcement about updates in the school such as weather, announcements for activities, and sports. It will often include special videos, that can feature special school events or important events occurring in the world. The school's Studio Broadcasting class produces the broadcast.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy.
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. The extracurriculars are also open to students enrolled at the District's Virtual Academy.

Athletics

East Stroudsburg South is a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District XI of Pennsylvania.
East Stroudsburg South has a thriving athletic tradition. Many of its teams have won several awards throughout the school's history. Current sports offered at this school are the following, along with their records for the most recent competition season in parentheses:

Accomplishments

Turkey Day Rivalry

East Stroudsburg High School has always found a firm rivalry with its neighbors Stroudsburg High School. They have played every year since 1945, and starting in 1952—with a few exceptions—the teams have met on Thanksgiving morning is what is known as the Turkey Day Game. The winning team receives the Little Brown Jug trophy, which stays with the winning school until the next Turkey Day Game. If the winner is away they walk home with a police escort through the other team's town, a tradition that began in 1967. The competition has gained the attention of Sports Illustrated. The rivalry is presented in the American football on Thanksgiving page.
From 1995-98, the teams met during the regular season. Starting in 1999, they began playing each other twice each year, once during the regular season and again on Thanksgiving. The early games do not count in the Turkey Day rivalry records.
Through 2013, Stroudsburg holds a 37–26–5 edge over East Stroudsburg South in the Little Brown Jug series.
Outcomes Since 1945:
All-Time Turkey Day W-L-T Pct. :

Clubs and Activities

East Stroudsburg South has a thriving music program. Concert Choir and Concert Band are offered as electives during school, and the choir currently consists of over 200 members, while the band contains almost 100 members. The school regularly sends several students to PMEA District Chorus, Band, and Orchestra festivals. The school also offers extracurricular musical activities, such as Marching Band, Jazz Band, Choraliers, and the musical.

Musical

Every year, East Stroudsburg South stages a musical. These musicals have been praised for the participants' musicianship, acting, and the overall production of the show. They receive many nominations at the annual Spotlight Awards at the Sherman Theater, several of which result in awards.
YearMusical
1997Into the Woods
1998Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
1999Anything Goes
2000Brigadoon
2001Fiddler on the Roof
2002Kiss Me, Kate
2003Annie Get Your Gun
2004Man of La Mancha
2005Pirates of Penzance
2006Titanic
2007Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
2008Babes in Arms
2009Pippin
2010The Secret Garden
2011Les Misérables
2012Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
2013Carousel

Choraliers

The Choraliers are the select choir in East Stroudsburg South. In order to be eligible, a student must be enrolled in the regular Chorus class and audition successfully for a spot. The group usually is composed of about 40 members. All grade levels in the school are represented in the group. The Choraliers function as the chorus that represents the entire school at school district events. They also are evaluated at adjudications, and participated in Music in the Parks at Hersheypark in 2009 and 2011, both times winning best overall high school choir with a superior rating.

Academic clubs

East Stroudsburg South has several clubs that compete against other schools, including FBLA and DECA. The Chess Team and Speech and Debate also regularly place in the top three in the Mountain Valley Conference, and the Science Olympiad team consistently finishes in the top half of the regional competition.
In 2010, one of the Reading Olympics teams placed first at the regional competition at Easton Area High School. In 2011, one of the teams placed third. In 2012, one of the Reading Olympics teams placed first with a score of 72.
In 2011, the Mock Trial team placed first at the Monroe County Bar Association Invitational.
In 2012, the Science Olympiad team qualified for the state finals for the first time in school history, placing second overall at the regional finals.
In 2013, one of the Envirothon teams placed 1st at the county Envirothon and qualified for the state finals, the first team from the school to do so in school history.

Notable alumni

The school has undergone a 92 million dollar renovation project. The district added a new 3 story wing, cafeteria, Gym as well as renovating the existing building. The stadium has been fitted with a turf field and an all-weather track, as well as improvements to the visitors' team's stands.
The necessary renovation effort comes to a loss of local history. To make room for expansion, the district demolished the historic 19th century J.S. Bunnell School, which was adjacent to the high school. "The Bunnell" once housed grades 1 through 12 until 1963 when the current high school opened. The Bunnell then became a junior high until 1993 when JTL opened. Between then and it’s destruction in 2008, it served as an extension of the high school. Because the district failed to maintain the building, it fell into disrepair and was determined that it would cost the district more money to update it than the district was willing to spend.
The current spot of the Bunnell School has been made into a faculty parking area. Another building that was torn down for parking was the old District Administration building, which was the former North Courtland Elementary School.