Kittanning High School

Kittanning Senior High School was a small, public high school located in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, United States. The school serves grades 9 through 12 and is one of three high schools operated by Armstrong School District (ASD). Kittanning Senior High School is located at 1200 Orr Avenue, Kittanning. In 2013, the school reported an enrollment of 612 pupils in grades 9th through12th, with 38% of pupils receiving a federal free lunch due to family poverty. Additionally, 11% of pupils received special education services and 4% were identified as gifted. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[1]

Kittanning Senior High School
Location
1200 Orr Avenue
Kittanning, Pennsylvania

Armstrong County
16201-1033

United States
Coordinates40.8303°N 79.5267°W / 40.8303; -79.5267
Information
TypePublic
MottoBy the Winding Allegheny
Closed2015
School districtArmstrong School District
SuperintendentDr Stan J Chapp (2010-2015 salary $160,850 2010)
PrincipalJames Rummel salary $96,364 (2012)
Faculty51 teachers (2010)
Grades9–12
Number of students604 pupils (2012)
 • Grade 91158
 • Grade 101182
 • Grade 111126
 • Grade 121138
Color(s)Red and white         
AthleticsBaseball, Basketball, Marching Band, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Hockey, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Volleyball, Wrestling
MascotWildcat
Websitehttps://web.archive.org/web/20120215073555/http://www.asd.k12.pa.us/ks/
School District region in Armstrong County

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2011, Kittanning Senior High School reported an enrollment of 632 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 209 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. The school is not a federally designated Title I school. The school employed 51 teachers, yielding a student-teacher ratio of 12:1.[2] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.[3]

Kittanning Senior high school students may also choose to attend Lenape Tech for vocational training. The district also operates a Cyber Academy for students in grades 7th through 12th.

Kittanning Senior High School closed its door on June 5, 2015.

Graduation Rate
  • 2013 - 87%
  • 2012 - 91%[4]
  • 2011 - 88% [5]
  • 2010 – 90% [6]
  • 2009 – 87%[7]
  • 2008 – 89%[8]

Academic achievement
2013 School Performance Profile

Kittanning Senior High School achieved 67.2 out of 100. Reflects on-grade-level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 71% of tested pupils were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 61.7% showed on-grade-level skills. In Biology, just 43.8% showed on-grade-level science understanding.[9]

Western Pennsylvania ranking

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Business Times ranked Kittanning Senior High School’s eleventh (11th) grade 67th out of 105 western Pennsylvania high schools, based on the last three years of student academic achievement in Pennsylvania System of School Assessments (PSSA) in: reading, math, writing and three years of science.[10] (Includes schools in: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Westmoreland County, and Washington County) In 2012, the high school ranked 73rd in the western Pennsylvania region. In 2009, Kittanning Senior High School was ranked 90th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools, by the Pittsburgh Business Times, for student academic achievement as demonstrated on three years of PSSAs on: reading, writing, math and one year of science.[11]

AYP Status history

In 2012, Kittanning Senior High School remained in Warning AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) status due to missing all metrics in reading and mathematics.[12] In 2011, Kittanning Senior High School declined to Warning AYP status.

  • 2009 and 2010 - achieved AYP status.[13]
  • 2008 - declined to Warning AYP status due to lagging academic achievement. -
  • 2004 - 2007 - achieved AYP status.
  • 2003 - Warning AYP status.[14]
PSSA history

PSSAs are NCLB related examinations which were administered to 11th graders, from 2003 through 2012. 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 year.

11th grade Reading

  • 2012 - 64% on grade level, (15% below basic). State - 67% of 11th graders are on grade level.
  • 2011 - 70%, (16% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.[15]
  • 2010 - 73% (16% below basic). State - 66%
  • 2009 - 69% (17% below basic), State – 65%[16]
11th grade Math:
  • 2012 - 63% on grade level (19% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.[17]
  • 2011 - 58%, (16% below basic). State - 60.3%
  • 2010 - 64% (22% below basic). State - 59%[18]
  • 2009 - 60%, State – 56%
  • 2008 - 46%, State – 56%
  • 2007 - 49%, State – 53%
11th grade Science:
  • 2012 - 42% on grade level (10% below basic). State - 42% of 11th graders were on grade level.[19]
  • 2011 - 44%, (13% below basic). State - 40%
  • 2010 - 42%, (12% below basic). State – 39%
  • 2009 - 47%, State – 40%
  • 2008 - 37%, State – 39%[20]

Science in Motion Kittanning Senior 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.[21] Clarion University 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, 20% of the Armstrong School District 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.[22] 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.[23] 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

Kittanning Senior 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.[24] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[25] For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $12,125 for the program.

A total of 20 dual enrollment course options are available in the district throughout the school year in areas such as Music, Art, Psychology, Anthropology, Algebra, Calculus, Microeconomics, Spanish, French, History, and Political Science. Armstrong School District partners with Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), Butler County Community College (BC3) and California University of Pennsylvania (Cal U) to offer these courses. The course costs are discounted by up to 75%.

Graduation requirements

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.[26]

SAT scores

In 2013, Kittanning Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 494. The Math average score was 486. The Writing average score was 458. 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.[27]

In 2012, 79 Kittanning Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 496. The Math average score was 498. The Writing average score was 472. 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, 107 Kittanning Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 486. The Math average score was 489. The Writing average score was 456.[28] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[29] In the United States, 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.[30]

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.[31]

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 2013, Kittanning Senior High School offered 5 Advanced Placement (AP) courses at a higher cost than regular courses. 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. Kittanning Senior High School awards credits towards graduation to students who pass the school's AP class. At Armstrong School District the AP courses are weighted credits towards class ranking.[32] At Kittanning Senior High School 24% of students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.[33]

Wellness policy

Armstrong School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006.[34] 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 (P.L. 108 – 265). The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) "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.[35]

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.[36] The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

The Armstrong School District offers a free school breakfast and 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.[37] The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.[38] Armstrong School District has adopted a set of standards on foods to be served in schools.[39]

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.[40] 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.[41] In 2014, President Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day.[42]

Armstrong School District provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. Nurses are available in each building to conduct annual health screenings (data reported to the PDE and state Department of Health) 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.[43] Nurses also monitor each child's weight.

School safety and bullying

The Armstrong School District administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying at Kittanning Senior High School in 2012.[44] Each year the school safety data is reported by the district to the Safe School Center which publishes the reports online. There were three incidents involving local police.[45]

The Armstrong School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online.[46] By state law, Pennsylvania public 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 the board is required to review its policy every three years. Additionally, Armstrong School District is mandated to conduct an annual review of that policy with students.[47] 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.[48][49]

Education standards relating to student safety and antiharassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.[50]

Classrooms for the Future technology 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 (English, Science, History, Math) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006 to 2009. The Armstrong School District did not apply to participate in 2006-07. In 2007-08, Armstrong School District received $413,503. The district received $181,651 in 2008-09 for a total funding $595,154.[51] Among the public school districts in Armstrong County the highest award was given to Armstrong School District. The highest funding statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. The grant program was discontinued by Governor Edward Rendell as part of the 2009-10 state budget.

Tuition

Students who live in the Armstrong 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 Area 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 district's schools. The 2012 tuition rates at the Junior High Schools and Senior High Schools is $11,468.59.[52]

Extracurriculars

The Kittanning Senior High School students have access to clubs, activities and an extensive, costly sports program. Eligibility for participation is determined by Armstrong School Board policies and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA).[53][54][55] The district is mandated by state law to post its Interscholastic Athletic Opportunities Disclosure Form on its website which outlines by sports its spending on sports, not including the cost of facilities.[56]

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing 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.[57]

Clubs
Sports
Varsity and JV

According to PIAA directory July 2013 [58]

gollark: It isn't as far as I can tell against the rules to offend people.
gollark: I don't think it is.
gollark: Offending people is *breaking the rules*?!
gollark: In the crow of judgement?
gollark: I was going to post this, but it needed recompression.

References
  1. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Kittanning Senior High School 2013, October 3, 2013
  2. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core Data - High School, 2010
  3. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Kittanning Senior High School 2012, September 21, 2012
  4. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "Kittanning Senior High School AYP Data Table 2012". Archived from the original on February 11, 2012.
  5. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Kittanning Senior High School AYP Data Table 2011, September 29, 2011
  6. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Kittanning Senior High School AYP Data Table 2010, October 20, 2010
  7. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2009). "Kittanning Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009". Archived from the original on 2011-07-19.
  8. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Kittanning Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2008, August 15, 2008
  9. Pennsylvania Department of Education (October 4, 2013). "Kittanning Senior High School Academic Performance Data 2013".
  10. The Rankings: Eleventh grade, Pittsburgh Business Times, April 6, 2012.
  11. Pittsburgh Business Times, The Rankings: 11th Grade, Guide to Western Pennsylvania Schools, May 15, 2009
  12. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "KITTANNING Senior High School AYP Overview 2012". Archived from the original on July 19, 2011.
  13. Pennsylvania Department of Education, KITTANNING Senior High School AYP Overview 2011, September 29, 2011
  14. Pennsylvania Department of Education, AYP status by LEA 2003-2012, 2012
  15. Pennsylvania Department of Education, KITTANNING Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2011, September 29, 2011
  16. The Times-Tribune (September 20, 2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 PSSA results".
  17. "How is your school doing?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 15, 2012.
  18. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Kittanning Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010, October 27, 2010
  19. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "Kittanning Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2012" (PDF).
  20. Pennsylvania Department of Education PSSA Science results by school and grade 2008, August 2008.
  21. The Pennsylvania Basic Education/Higher Education Science and Technology Partnership, Science in Motion annual report, 2012
  22. Pennsylvania Department of Education (January 20, 2009). "Pennsylvania College Remediation Report". Archived from the original on December 11, 2013.
  23. National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, 2008
  24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-10-17. Retrieved 2010-01-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Pennsylvania Department of Education - Dual Enrollment Guidelines.
  25. Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement. site accessed March 2010. http://www.patrac.org/
  26. Pennsylvania Code §4.24 (a) High school graduation requirements
  27. College Board (2013). "The 2013 SAT Report on College & Career Readiness".
  28. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Public School SAT Scores 2011". Archived from the original on 2011-10-15.
  29. College Board (September 2011). "SAT Scores State By State - Pennsylvania". Archived from the original on 2011-10-08.
  30. "While U.S. SAT scores dip across the board, N.J. test-takers hold steady". NJ.com. September 2011.
  31. The Center for Rural Pennsylvania (August 2006). "SAT Scores and Other School Data".
  32. Armstrong School District Administration, Advanced Placement Courses information for Parents and Students, 2013
  33. PDE, School Performance Profile - Academic Performance Data - Kittanning Senior High School, December 2013
  34. Armstrong School Board Policy Manual, Student Wellness Policy 246, April 24, 2006
  35. Probart C, McDonnell E, Weirich JE, Schilling L, Fekete V (September 2008). "Statewide assessment of local wellness policies in Pennsylvania public school districts". J Am Diet Assoc. 108 (9): 1497–502. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.06.429. PMID 18755322.
  36. Pennsylvania Department of Education – Division of Food and Nutrition (July 2008). "Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods in Pennsylvania Schools for the School Nutrition Incentive".
  37. USDA, Child Nutrition Programs - Eligibility Manual for School Meals, 2012
  38. Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, The Pennsylvania School Breakfast Report Card, 2009
  39. Pennsylvania Department of Education Division of Food and Nutrition (July 2008). "Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods in Pennsylvania Schools" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-03-22.
  40. USDA, Child Nutrition Programs, June 27, 2013
  41. United States Department of Agriculture (2011). "Food and Nutrition Service Equity in School Lunch Pricing Fact Sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-22.
  42. Denver Nicks (February 25, 2014). "White House Sets New Limits on Junk Food Ads in Schools". Time Magazine.
  43. Pennsylvania State Department of Health (2010). "Pennsylvania Bulletin Doc. No. 10-984 School Immunizations; Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases".
  44. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Safe School Center (2012). "Pennsylvania Safe Schools Online Reports". Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  45. PDE Safe Schools (2012). "Kittanning Senior High School safety report 2012" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-03-21. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  46. Armstrong School Board, Bullying Cyber Bullying Policy 253, April 23, 2007
  47. Pennsylvania General Assembly (2006). "Regular Session 2007–2008 House Bill 1067, Act 61 Section 6 page 8".
  48. Center for Safe Schools of Pennsylvania (2006). "Bullying Prevention advisory".
  49. Pennsylvania Department of 10Education (2012). "Bullying, Hazing, and Harassment Resources". Archived from the original on 2011-11-21.
  50. Pennsylvania State Board of Education (January 11, 2003). "Pennsylvania Academic Standards Health, Safety and Physical Education".
  51. Pennsylvania Auditor General (December 22, 2008). "Classrooms for the Future grants audit" (PDF).
  52. Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2012). "Pennsylvania Public School District Tuition Rates".
  53. Armstrong School Board (June 28, 2004). "Interscholastic Athletics Policy 123" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  54. Armstrong School Board (June 28, 2004). "Co-Curricular Policy 122" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  55. Armstrong School Board (June 27, 2012). "Concussion Management Policy 123.1". Archived from the original on March 20, 2014.
  56. State Board of Education Regulations – 22 PA Code Section 4.27, 12.1, 12.4; Discrimination in Athletics, 2012
  57. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release (November 10, 2005). "Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities". Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  58. Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association (2013). "PIAA School Directory".
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