Newport High School (Pennsylvania)


Newport High School is a diminutive, rural, public high school located in Newport, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Newport School District. Newport High School serves: the borough of Newport; Buffalo Township, Howe Township, Juniata Township, Miller Township, and Oliver Township. In 2016, enrollment continued to decline with just 311 pupils in 9th through 12th grades, with 47% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Additionally, 22% of pupils received special education services, while 2.89% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed teachers. Per the PA Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The district provides Newport Cyber Academy Program to its high school pupils. Student who choose this option continue to have access to all school activities including extracurriculars.
In 2014, Newport High School enrollment is 302 pupils 9th through 12th, with 39% of eligible for a free or reduced priced lunch due to family poverty. Additionally, 23.8% receive special education services, while 3.3% are identified as gifted. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The Building's construction was finished in 2008. The third floor of the school houses the District's middle school. The other two floors are for the high school, including the new gym.
In 2013, Newport High School enrollment was reported as 333 pupils in 9th through 12th grades, with 33% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to family poverty. Additionally, 22% of pupils received special education services, while 3% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed 27 teachers. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified".
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, Newport High School reported an enrollment of 361 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 129 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. The school employed 25 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 14:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified".
;Opportunity Scholarship - lowest achieving schools:
In January 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Education identified Newport High as in the bottom 5% of the state's public schools, for student academic achievement. 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. Fifty-three public schools in Allegheny County are among the lowest-achieving schools in 2011. According to the report, parents in 414 public schools were offered access to these scholarships. For the 2012-13 school year, nine public school districts in Pennsylvania had all of their schools placed on the list including: Steelton-Highspire School District, Sto-Rox School District, Chester Upland School District, Clairton City School District, Duquesne City School District, Farrell Area School District, Wilkinsburg Borough School District, William Penn School District and Steelton-Highspire School District. In 2014, Monessen City School District had all three of its schools added to the list. Funding for the scholarships comes from donations by businesses which receive a state tax credit for donating. In 2014, Newport High School was removed from the low achievement list.
In a November 2010 report by the 21st Century Partnership for STEM Education, Newport High School was cited as the most regressed district in Pennsylvania on the 11th Grade Math PSSA from 2004 to 2010. The study found the 11th grade math average dropped almost 30 percentage points on the test.

Graduation rate

In 2016, the District's graduation rate increased to 94.44%.
;According to traditional graduation rate calculations:

2016 School Performance Profile

SPP declined to 62.6 out of 100 points.
Newport High School Keystone Exams mandated testing results were: 80% of students were on grade level in reading.literature and 67% of students demonstrated on grade level in Algebra I. In Biology I, 67% 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

Newport High School achieved 63.2 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. The PDE reported that 78% of the High School's students were on grade level in reading/literature. In Algebra 1, 71% of students showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology I, 70% 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

Newport High School achieved 76.8 of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 82.8% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 67.5% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 57.69% 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%.

2013 School Performance Profile

Newport High School achieved 86.2 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 81% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 76% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 60% showed on grade level science understanding. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 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.

Project720

Newport High School was an inaugural participant in Project720. It was a participant in Project540 through the University of Pennsylvania. The high school offers an academy system which allows students to specialize in one of two areas; Arts & Humanities or Science & Industry. AP courses are offered in all core subject areas and full-range agricultural education, business education and technology education programs are available for all students. Approximately 50 students attend Cumberland Perry Career and Technical School annually.

AYP history

In 2012, Newport High School achieved Adequate YEarly Progress status even though it missed all measured metrics and the graduation rate. In 2011, the Newport High School was in Making Progress: in School Improvement I AYP status. Newport High School was in School Improvement Level 1 AYP status due to chronically low academic achievement through 2011.
In August 2010, the high school was required by the No Child Left Behind law to notify students that they could transfer out of the Newport High School to another high school within the district, due to Newport High School's chronic low achievement in reading and mathematics.
In a February 2011, Newport School District Strategic Plan Report to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the school administration acknowledged it had not revised the curriculum, nor implemented other academic achievement improvement strategies that had been stated in its 2008 strategic plan.

PSSA Results

s, 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. Governor Edward Rendell signed the Common Core Standards compact for Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania State Board of Education, in March 2013, adopted a revised version of Common Core, called the Pennsylvania Common Core.
;11th Grade Reading
;11th Grade Math
;11th Grade Science:
Science in Motion Newport 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. Elizabethtown College provides the experiences to schools in the region.

College Remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 44% of Newport 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 mathematics, reading or English.

Dual enrollment

The Newport 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. 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 2009-2010 funding year, the Newport School District received a state grant of $5,008 for the program.

Graduation requirements

The Newport School Board requires that each candidate for graduation shall have earned twenty-four credits.
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. Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania 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 2019, public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the Keystone Exams. 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.
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 may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP. School district superintendents have the discretion to graduate up to 10% of pupils who do not pass the exams or project.

AP Courses

In 2013, Newport High School offered 4 Advanced Placement courses at a higher cost than regular courses. The student pays the fee for the exam which was $89 per test per pupil in 2012. 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 Newport High School 64% of students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.
In 2016, 24 Newport School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 524. The Math average score was 535. The Writing average score was 493. The College Board also reported that statewide 92,569 pupils took the exams with average scores declining again in all three measurers to: 494 in reading, 508 in math and 482 in writing. Among the 12 high schools in the CSIU16 region, Area High School ranked th which was above the state average. Nationally, 1,681,134 students took the SATs.
In 2015, 39 Newport School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 473. The Math average score was 483. The Writing average score was 457. 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, 42 Newport School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 495. The Math average score was 489. The Writing average score was 470. 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, 37 Newport School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 481. The Math average score was 473. The Writing average score was 455. 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, 37 Newport School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 513. The Math average score was 491. The Writing average score was 496. 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, 28 Newport School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 460. The Math average score was 476. The Writing average score was 442. 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.
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.

School safety and bullying

Newport High School administration reported there was one incident of bullying in the School in 2015. Additionally, there were a few assaults on students and no sexual incidents involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in seven incidents at the schools, with four arrests.
Newport High School administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying in the School in 2012. Additionally, there were five assaults on students and no sexual incidents involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in five incidents at the schools, with three arrests. Each year the school safety data is reported by the Newport School District to the Safe School Center which then publishes the compiled reports online. Nationally, nearly 20% of pupils report being bullied at school.
The Newport 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.

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, along with other specialized equipment and provided funding for teacher training to optimize the use of the computers. The program was funded from 2006 to 2009. Newport School District was not approved for funding in 2006-07. The Newport School District received $152,561 in 2007-2008 and was given $45,413 for the 2008-2009 school year. Among the public school districts in Perry County, West Perry School District received the highest grant $361,599.

Tuition

Students who live in the Newport 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 Newport 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 Newport School District's schools. The 2012 tuition rate at Newport High School were $7,705.36. By 2015-16 school year, the tuition rate for Newport HIgh School had risen to $11,067.55, while the District spent $15,898.18 per pupil.

Wellness policy and program

Newport School Board established a district-wide 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. The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 "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 Newport School District 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. In 2014, President Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day. 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.
In 2014, President Barack Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day.
Newport High School provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. Nurses are available in each building to conduct annual health screenings 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.
;Narcan access
In 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Health made available 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.
;eTools grant
The District 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 in 2013.

Extracurriculars

Newport Schools offer a full range of extracurricular activities, including: sports, band and orchestra, chorus, and a wide variety of clubs and organizations. Eligibility for participation is determined by the school board.
The athletic stadium is named after George Katchmer who coached the school to its only undefeated season in 1953. There is a Buffalo pattern made from rocks displayed proudly behind the field. Newport School Board entered into a three-year contract with Central Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Services to provide an athletic trainer at practices and home games. The contract is for 25 hours a week for 40 weeks at $18,500 a year. Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid.
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 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.
Newport School District has an athletic partnership with the Greenwood High School for football, track, soccer, and wrestling.
The District funds:
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According to PIAA directory July 2013