Saint Marys Area School District


The Saint Marys Area School District is a midsized rural/suburban public school district serving parts of Elk County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the city of St. Marys and the townships of Fox Township, Jay Township, and Benezette Township. Saint Marys Area School District encompasses approximately. According to 2000 federal census data, the District serves a resident population of 20,557. In 2009, the district residents’ per capita income was $18,669, while the median family income was $48,121. In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501 and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010.
According to District officials, in school year 2009-10 the Saint Marys Area School District provided basic educational services to 2,296 pupils through the employment of 162 teachers, 115 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 14 administrators. Saint Marys Area School District received more than $9.3 million in state funding in school year 2009-10.
The district contains five schools: Fox Elementary, Bennett's Valley Elementary, South Elementary, Saint Marys Area Middle School, and Saint Marys Area High School.

Governance

The school district is governed by 9 individually elected board members, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low-income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act, which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.

Academic achievement

Saint Marys Area School District was ranked 165th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2012. The ranking was based on student academic achievement as demonstrated on the last three years of the PSSAs for: reading, writing math and science. The PSSAs are given to all children in grades 3rd through 8th and the 11th grade in high school. Adapted examinations are given to children in the special education programs.
In 2012, the Pittsburgh Business Times also reported an Overachievers Ranking for 498 Pennsylvania school districts. Saint Marys Area School District ranked 126th. In 2011, the district was 75th. The editor describes the ranking as: "a ranking answers the question - which school districts do better than expectations based upon economics? This rank takes the Honor Roll rank and adds the percentage of students in the district eligible for free and reduced-price lunch into the formula. A district finishing high on this rank is smashing expectations, and any district above the median point is exceeding expectations."
In 2010 and 2011, Saint Marys Area School District achieved AYP status under the federal No Child Left Behind act. In 2011, 94 percent of the 500 Pennsylvania Public School Districts achieved the No Child Left Behind Act progress level of 72% of students reading on grade level and 67% of students demonstrating on grade level math. In 2011, 46.9 percent of Pennsylvania school districts achieved Adequate Yearly Progress based on student performance. An additional 37.8 percent of school districts made AYP based on a calculated method called safe harbor, 8.2 percent on the growth model and 0.8 percent on a two-year average performance.

Graduation rate

In 2011, the Saint Marys Area High School graduation rate was 90%. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate. Saint Marys High School's rate was 90% for 2010.
;According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
Saint Marys Area High School is located at 977 S Saint Marys Rd, Saint Marys. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 781 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 208 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch. The school employed 51 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 15:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 4 teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.
In 2011, Saint Marys Area High School declined to Warning status due to lagging student achievement in reading and math. In 2010, the high school achieved AYP status.
11th Grade Reading
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 15% of the Saint Marys 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. 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

Saint Marys 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 and programs at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offered 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 $9,348 for the program.

Graduation requirements

The Saint Marys Area School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 24.25 credits to graduate, including: Mathematics 4 credits, English 4 credits, social studies 3 credits, science 3 credits, Arts and Humanities, including speech 2.5 credits, Physical Education 2 credits, Health 0.5 credit, Personal Development 0.5 credit, Classroom Drivers Ed.25 credit, and electives 4.5 credits. Each student is required to carry a minimum of seven credits per academic year and complete specific curriculum requirements. Students are ability grouped in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies so that they may achieve their maximum academic potential. Credits earned in the eighth grade or earlier are not counted towards the credits required for graduation from the senior high school; however, an eighth grade credit in German, Spanish or Algebra meets the prerequisite requirements for German 2, Spanish 2, or Algebra 2.
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. At Saint Marys Area High School students complete a career exploration portfolio, including a Personal Development Class in 9th grade, a research paper on higher education institutions and career interests and a School-to-Work/Co-Op experience or the Career Exploration/Service Learning program in the junior year. This process addresses the state's Career Education and Work Standards.
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.

SAT scores

From January to June 2011, 110 students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 475. The Math average score was 493. The Writing average score was 454. 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.

Middle school

Saint Marys Area Middle School is located at 979 S Saint Marys Road, Saint Marys. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 530 pupils in grades 6th through 8th, with 199 pupils receiving a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 35 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 15:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 8 teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.
In 2010 and 2011, Saint Marys Area Middle School achieved AYP status.
;PSSA Results:
8th Grade Reading
8th Grade Math:
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading:
6th Grade Math:
Bennetts Valley Elementary School is located at Route 255, Weedville. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 125 pupils in grades kindergarten through 5th, with 56 pupils receiving a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 9.90 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 12.63:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind. In 2010 and 2011, Bennetts Valley Elementary School achieved AYP status. In 2011, only 71% of the students were reading on grade level in grades 3rd through 5th. In math, 85% of the students in 3rd through 5th grades were on grade level and 47% scored advanced. In 4th grade science, 80% of the pupils were on grade level, which lagged the statewide level of 83% on grade level.
Fox Elementary School is located at 376 Main Street, Kersey. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 233 pupils in grades kindergarten through 5th, with 101 pupils receiving a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 15 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 15:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind. In 2010 and 2011, Fox Elementary School achieved AYP status. In 2011, only 83% of the students were reading on grade level in grades 3rd through 5th. In math, 95% of the students in 3rd through 5th grades were on grade level and 71% scored advanced. In 4th grade science, 93% of the pupils were on grade level, with 52% advanced.
South Saint Marys Street Elementary School is located at South Saint Marys Street, Saint Marys. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 619 pupils in grades kindergarten through 5th, with 241 pupils receiving a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 38 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 16:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind. In 2011, South St Marys Street Elementary School declined to Warning AYP status due to lagging reading skills of its students. In 2010, the school achieved AYP status under No Child Left Behind. In 2011, only 70% of the students were reading on grade level in grades 3rd through 5th. In math, 90% of the students in 3rd through 5th grades were on grade level and 62% scored advanced. In 4th grade science, 88% of the pupils were on grade level.