Oswayo Valley High School


Oswayo Valley High School is a tiny, rural public high school located at located at 318 Oswayo Street, Shinglehouse, Potter County, Pennsylvania. In 2014, its enrollment was reported as 165 pupils, in 9th through 12th grades, with 48% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Additionally, 15% of pupils received special education services, while 1% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed 14 teachers. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The school serves the boroughs of Oswayo and Shinglehouse, as well as Clara Township, Sharon Township, and Oswayo Township. McKean County's Ceres Township is also within district's service boundaries.
Oswayo Valley High School students may choose to attend Seneca Highlands Career and Technical Center for training in the construction and mechanical trades. The Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit IU9 provides the district with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, speech and visual disability services and professional development for staff and faculty. The school is the sole high school operated by the Oswayo Valley School District.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, Oswayo Valley High School reported an enrollment of 195 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 83 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch. The school is a federally designated Title I school. The school employed 12 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 15:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of Oswayo Valley High School teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.

Graduation rate

In 2014, Oswayo Valley School District’s graduation rate was 95%.
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2014 School Performance Profile

Oswayo Valley High School achieved 65.6 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 68% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 56% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 70.7% 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%.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,134 of 2,947 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.

2013 School Performance Profile

Oswayo Valley High School achieved 70.7 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 78% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 75% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, just 35% 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.

AYP History

In 2012 and 2011, Oswayo Valley High School achieved Adequate Yearly Progress. In grades 9-12, tutoring is built into the school day schedule where students are at risk of failing or not attaining proficiency receive mandatory small group tutoring from highly qualified teachers. From 2003 through 2010, Oswayo Valley High School achieved AYP status each school 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, 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. 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.
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Science in Motion Oswayo Valley 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. University of Pittsburgh at Bradford provided the science enrichment experiences to schools in the region.

College remediation rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 44% of the Pennsylvania 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. In Potter County, 20% of high school graduates required remediation in college. 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.
Dual enrollment The high school does not offer the Pennsylvania dual enrollment program which permits students to earn deeply discounted college credits while still enrolled in high school. The program is offered through over 400 school districts with the assistance of a state grant.
AP courses Oswayo Valley High School does not offer Advanced Placement courses.

Graduation requirements

Among Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts, graduation requirements widely vary. The Oswayo Valley School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 27 credits to graduate, including: a required classed in math, English, social studies, and science each school year, as well as Physical Education 2.4 credits and electives. Eligible veterans who left high school prior to graduation to serve in World War II or the Korean War, may be granted a high school diploma if the veteran meets the applicable requirements of law and completes the required application to the school board.
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 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. 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.

SAT scores

In 2014, Oswayo Valley School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 463. The Math average score was 484. The Writing average score was 418. 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, 20 Oswayo Valley School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 500. The Math average score was 501. The Writing average score was 469. 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, 15 Oswayo Valley School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 444. The Math average score was 481. The Writing average score was 418. 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, 29 Oswayo Valley School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 486. The Math average score was 493. The Writing average score was 461. 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.

Wellness policy

Oswayo Valley School Board established 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. 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. e
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 district offers a free oral screening, sealants and dental education program for children ages 7–15.
Oswayo Valley High School provides a free school breakfast to low-income children each school day, as well as the National School Lunch Program which provides a free and reduced price school lunch. Both programs are funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture. Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced‐price meals, for which students. The district receives a per meal served reimbursement from the USDA: $2.86 for each free lunch and $2.46 for each reduced-price lunch. When the district's meals comply with the nutrition mandates from the Healthy, Hunger‐Free Kids Act of 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the district is given an additional 6 cents for meal served.
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. 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 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.
Oswayo Valley High School provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. A nurse is available the 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.
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.

School safety and bullying

The Oswayo Valley HIgh School administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying in the school in 2014. There were 3 assaults on students and no sexual incidents involving students were reported. The local law enforcement was involved in six incidents at the school, with no arrests.
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.
The Oswayo Valley 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.

Extracurriculars

Oswayo Valley offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is set by school board Extracurriculars 122 Policy and Interscholastic Athletics 123 Policy.
By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, a cyber charter school, a charter school and those who are homeschooled, are all eligible to participate in the district's extracurricular programs, including all athletics. The child must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.
According to PA 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.

Sports

Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid. 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 contributions and purchases must also be reported to PDE.
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.
The district funds:
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According to PIAA directory July 2012