Schuylkill Haven High School


Schuylkill Haven High School is a small rural public high school located at 120 Haven Street in Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. In 2015, enrollment was reported as 511 pupils in 8th through 12th grades, with 42% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Additionally, 20.9% of pupils received special education services, while 3.9% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed 34 teachers. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. This is the sole high school operated by Schuylkill Haven Area School District.
In 2010, Schuylkill Haven High School enrolled 523 students in grades 8th through 12th, with 172 students qualifying for the federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The school reported employing 40 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 13:1.
Schuylkill Haven High School students may choose to attend the Schuylkill Technology Center for training in: practical nursing; the construction and mechanical trades, as well as other careers. The Schuylkill Intermediate Unit IU29 provides the school, with a wide variety of services like: specialized education for disabled students; state mandated training on recognizing and reporting child abuse; speech and visual disability services; criminal background check processing for prospective employees and professional development for staff and faculty. Schuylkill Haven does not participate in its online credit recovery program.

Graduation rate

In 2016, Schuylkill Haven HIgh School's graduation rate was 96%.
;According to traditional graduation rate calculations:

2016 School Performance Profile

Schuylkill Haven High School achieved 73.4 out of 100. Schuylkill Haven Area High School Keystone Exams mandated testing results were: 65.6% of students were on grade level in reading/literature and just 52% of students demonstrated on grade level in Algebra I at the end of the course. In Biology I, only 68.6% 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.

2015 School Performance Profile

Schuylkill Haven High School achieved 71.8 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. The PDE reported that 74.7% of the High School’s students were on grade level in reading/literature. In Algebra 1, 68.9% of students showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology I, 67.9% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. Among eighth graders, 59% demonstrated on grade level reading and writing skills. Just 21% were on grade level in mathematics in eighth grade. In science, 62% showed on grade level science understanding. 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

Schuylkill Haven High School achieved 75 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 81% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 74% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, just 56% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. Among eighth graders, 88.7% demonstrated on grade level writing skills. 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

Schuylkill Haven High School achieved 79 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature, 80% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 69% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 55.9% showed on grade level science understanding. Among eighth graders, 87% demonstrated on grade level writing skills. 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, Schulykill Haven High School improved to achieving Adequate Yearly Progress status due to safe harbor provisions. Safe Harbor is achieved when a subgroup has greatly improved since the previous year, even though they did not meet the state goal. In 2011, the school declined to Warning status due to low student achievement in reading and math. In 2010, Schuylkill Haven High School achieved AYP. In 2010, the attendance rate was reported at 95%. From 2004 to 2009, Schuylkill Haven HIgh School achieved AYP status each school year. In 2003 the School was in Warning status due to lagging student achievement especially in mathematics.
;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 applicable course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade year. The state announced the change in 2010 and made it in order to comply with Governor Edward G. Rendell's agreement to change to the national Common Core standards.
; 11th Grade Reading:
; 11th Grade Math:
;11th Grade Science:
Science in Motion Schuylkill Haven High School did not 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. Gettysburg College provided the science enrichment experiences to schools in the region.

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 75% of Schuylkill Haven 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

Schuylkill Haven High School offers the Pennsylvania 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 School works in cooperation with Penn State Schuylkill to offer the courses. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions. The Pennsylvania College Credit Transfer System reported in 2009, that students saved nearly $35.4 million by having their transferred credits count towards a degree under the new system.

SAT scores

In 2015, 72 Schuylkill Haven Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 487. The Math average score was 483. The Writing average score was 468. 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, 78 Schuylkill Haven Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 476. The Math average score was 486. The Writing average score was 442. 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, 72 Schuylkill Haven School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 491. The Math average score was 493. The Writing average score was 441. 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, 67 Schuylkill Haven School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 482. The Math average score was 494. The Writing average score was 451. 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, 74 Schuylkill Haven High School students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 472. The Math average score was 487. The Writing average score was 428. 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 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. 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, Schuylkill Haven High School offered 8 Advanced Placement courses at a higher cost than regular courses. The fee for each AP Exam is $91. 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 2016, the school again offered 8 AP courses. Just 45.8% of the pupils, who took the exam associated with their course, achieved a 3 or better on the exam.
In 2015, Schuylkill Haven High School reported that just 39% of the students who took an AP course in 2015 earned a 3 or better on the exam.
In 2014, 8 AP courses were offered at SHHS, with only 23.58% of pupils who took the exam achieving a 3 or better. In 2013, the School reported that only 30% of student who took Schuylkill Haven HIgh School's AP courses achieved a 3 or better on the associated AP exam.

Graduation requirements

The Schuylkill Haven Area School Board has determined that a total of 24.50 credits are required for graduation, including English 4 credits, Science 4 credits, Math 4 credits, Social Studies 4 credits, Physical Education 2 credits, Health/safety 0.50 credits, Art/Music 0.5 credits and more. Students must also complete a community service requirement. The high school is one of 37 Pennsylvania public high schools that require students take a personal finance course in order to graduate in 2012.
;Project mandate
Beginning in 1984, all Pennsylvania secondary school students were required to 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 State Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.
;Keystone exams
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating classes of 2019, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature.
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. Plans call for the class of 2019 a Composition exam is to 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 Individual Education Plan.

Eighth grade

; 8th Grade Reading:
; 8th Grade Math:
; 8th Grade Science:
The Schuylkill Haven High School administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying in the school in 2015. Additionally, there was one incident of harassment and no sexual incidents involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in three 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.
In 2013, there were two incidents of bullying in the high school. Additionally there were ten incidents involving the police with one arrest. One case of sexual harassment was also reported as well as a case of stalking. In 2011, there was one incident of bullying in the high school. Additionally there were thirteen incidents involving the police with no arrests. One case of sassault on a student was also reported.
Schuylkill Haven Area 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 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. 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.
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.

Wellness policy

Schuylkill Haven Area School Board established a district wellness policy in July 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."
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 Schuylkill Haven Area School District to submit a copy of the policy for approval. A study was conducted of the submitted policies. It found that the majority of districts complied with the mandates of the law. Most districts identified the superintendent and school foodservice director as responsible for ensuring local wellness policy implementation.
Schuylkill Haven 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. 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. 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 2015, federal reimbursement rates were: $3.07 per meal for students who are income-eligible for free lunches and $2.67 for those who qualify for a reduced price. School lunch participation nationally dropped from 31.6 million students in 2012 to 30.4 million in 2014, according to the federal Department of Agriculture. Pennsylvania statistics show school lunch participation dropped by 86,950 students in the same two years, from 1,127,444 in 2012 to 1,040,494 in 2014.
In 2014, President Barack Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day.
The US Department of Agriculture 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.
Schuylkill Haven HIgh School provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. A school nurse is available 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.
In 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Health distributed 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.
;Health eTools program:
Schuylkill Haven Area School 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 by the company in 2013.

Extracurriculars

Schuylkill Haven Area School District offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, publicly funded, sports program. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The District has a mandatory random drug testing policy for all students who participate in ports or other extracurriculars as well as those who drive to school. The PIAA mandates that student athletes must be passing at least four full-credit subjects to participate in sports.
The district operates an indoor swimming pool and has a turf football field since 2006.
By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing in the school district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, a Pennsylvania public cyber charter school, charter school and those who are homeschooled, are all 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.
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. The District is noncompliant with state law, due to failing to post its Interscholastic Athletic Opportunities Disclosure Form on its website since 2012. 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 Pennsylvania Department of Education.
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 2016