Susquehanna Township Middle School

Susquehanna Township Middle School is a midsized, suburban, public middle school located at 801 Wood Street, Harrisburg. In 2013, the School reported an enrollment of 717 pupils, with 34.5% receiving a free or reduced price lunch, due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Additionally, 13.8% of pupils received special education services and 4.6% of pupils identified as gifted. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of Susquehanna Township Middle School teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[5] The school is not a federally designated Title I school.

Susquehanna Township Middle School
Address
801 Wood Street

Harrisburg
,
Dauphin County
,
Pennsylvania
17109-3845

United States
Information
TypePublic
School board9 locally elected members
School districtSusquehanna Township School District
SuperintendentDr. Susan M. Kegerise hired 2009 3 year contract [1] salary $134,734 (2012)
School number717 -657-5125
AdministratorMrs. Erica Hamilton, 6th Grade and 7th Grade Last Names N-Z Guidance
Mr. Ted Witmer, 8th Grade and 7th Grade Last Names A-M
PrincipalMr. Harold Wilson, Principal and 8th Grade Supervisor
Faculty54 teachers (2011)[2]
Grades6th through 8th
Number of pupils717 pupils (2012-13),[3] 733 pupil (2009-10) [4]
 • Grade 6243
 • Grade 7255
 • Grade 8235
Feeder schoolsThomas W. Holtzman Jr. Elementary School 3-5
Affiliationpublic
Student/Teacher Ratio13:1
Websitehttp://hannasd.org/Domain/9

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2012, Susquehanna Township Middle School reported an enrollment of 717 pupils in grades 6th through 8th, with 245 pupils receiving a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 56 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 12:1.[6] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2 teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[7]

The Susquehanna Township Middle School offers a Homework Hotline for students and an electronic portal for students and parents to access grades/assignments and other information. The School provides Academic Assistance Program which provides after school tutoring in most major subject areas. A state mandated Student Assistance Team identifies and offers help to students with drug and alcohol problems and mental health issues.

Academic achievement
2013 School Performance Profile

Susquehanna Township Middle School achieved 71.6 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, writing, mathematics and science achievement. In reading, only 64% of the students were on grade level. In Mathematics, 68% of the students showed on grade level skills. In Science, 51% of the 8th graders demonstrated on grade level understanding. In writing, just 52.5% of the 8th grade students demonstrated on grade level writing skills.[8] According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools (less than 73 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher.

AYP History

In 2012, Susquehanna Township Middle School further declined to School Improvement I Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status due to lagging student achievement in both reading and mathematics. The attendance rate was 95% in both years.[9]

  • 2011 - declined to Warning AYP status.[10]
  • 2010 - achieved AYP status.
  • 2009 - remained in Warning AYP status due to low student academic achievement.[11]
  • 2008 - Warning AYP status due to low student academic achievement.
  • 2007 - achieved AYP status[12]
  • 2006 - Warning AYP status[13]
  • 2005 - achieved AYP status.
  • 2004 - Warning AYP status.
  • 2003 - Warning AYP status.

Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the school administration was required to notify parents of the school's poor achievement outcomes. Additionally the school administration was required, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to develop a School Improvement Plan to address the school's low student achievement. Under the Pennsylvania Accountability System, the school district must pay for additional tutoring for struggling students.[14]

PSSAs history

The PSSAs (Pennsylvania System of School Assessments) are No Child Left Behind Act related achievement tests which assess student achievement over one school year. In sixth and seventh grades reading and mathematics are tested. In eighth grade, reading, writing, mathematics and science are tested. Students who take Algebra 1 take the Keystone Exam at the end of the course. The test were first administered in 1999.[15]

8th Grade Science:
  • 2012 - 60% on grade level (24% below basic). State - 59%
  • 2011 - 52% (27% below basic). State – 58.3%
  • 2010 – 55%, State - 57%[26]
  • 2009 – 54%, State – 54% [27]
  • 2008 – 60%, State – 52% [28]

School safety and bullying

The Susquehanna Township School District administration reported there were three (3) incidents of bullying in the Susquehanna Township Middle School, in 2012. Additionally, there were 7 incidents involving local police. Several incidents of assault on staff were reported. No incidents of sexual misconduct of the faculty were noted.[29] Each year the school safety data is reported by the District's administration to the Pennsylvania Safe School Center which publishes the reports online.

The Susquehanna Township School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online.[30] 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, Susquehanna Township School District must conduct an annual review of that policy with students.[31] 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.[32][33]

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.[34]

Tuition

Students who live in Susquehanna Township School District's attendance area may choose to attend one of Pennsylvania's 157 public charter schools. Or a student living in a neighboring public school district may seek admission to Susquehanna Township 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 rate for Susquehanna Township School District's Middle School and High School is $8,826.01.[35]

Wellness policy

Susquehanna Township School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006 – Student Wellness Policy 246.[36] 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."

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.[37] The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for its approval.[38] This includes classroom party guidelines from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.[39]

Susquehanna Township School District offers both 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 at school. 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.[40] The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.[41]

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.[42] 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 the lunch.[43]

Susquehanna Township Middle School 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.[44] Nurses also annually monitor each child's weight and report the data to the state.

Extracurriculars

Students at Susquehanna Township Middle School offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive sports program. The sports are open to sports to 7th and 8th graders. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). To receive automatic academic eligibility to participate in any extra-curricular activities (athletic, music) sponsored by the Susquehanna Township School District, students must not fail two or more classes on their previous report card.

In 2012, the Obama Administration's US Department of Education issued a directive requiring that schools include students with disabilities in extracurricular activities, including sports.[45]

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.[46]

Susquehanna Township Middle School Sports

According to PIAA directory July 2013 [47]

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References
  1. McCormick, Diane., Susquehanna Township schools names Kegerise as superintendent, Pennlive, July 10, 2009
  2. National Center for Education Statistics (2012). "Common Core of Data - Susquehanna Township Middle School".
  3. Pennsylvania Department of Education (December 5, 2013). "School District School Performance report fast facts".
  4. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Enrollment and Projections by LEA, 2010
  5. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Susquehanna Township Middle School - School Performance Profile Fast Facts, 2013
  6. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Care Data – Susquehanna Township Middle School, 2010
  7. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Susquehanna Township Middle School, September 29, 2011
  8. Pennsylvania Department of Education (October 4, 2013). "Susquehanna Township Middle School Academic Performance Data 2013".
  9. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Susquehanna Township Middle School AYP Data Table". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22.
  10. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Susquehanna Township Middle School AYP report". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22.
  11. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Susquehanna Township Middle School AYP Overview 2009". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22.
  12. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Susquehanna Township Middle School AYP Overview 2007, 2007
  13. Pennsylvania Department of Education, School AYP Overview 2003-2012, 2013
  14. US Deptartment of Education (2003). "NCLB Parental Notices" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-10-15.
  15. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2014). "State Assessment System".
  16. Pittsburgh Post Gazette (October 15, 2012). "How is your school doing?".
  17. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "2010-2011 PSSA and AYP Results".
  18. The Scranton Times-Tribune. "Grading Our Schools Susquehanna Township School District PSSA results 2010".
  19. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2009). "2009 PSSAs: Reading, Math, Writing and Science Results".
  20. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 15, 2008). "Reading and Math PSSA 2008 by Schools".
  21. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "Susquehanna Township Middle School Academic Achievement Report Card 2012" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016.
  22. Pennsylvania Department of Education (October 20, 2010). "Susquehanna Township Middle School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010".
  23. Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Susquehanna Township Middle School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009". Archived from the original on 2012-11-05.
  24. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Susquehanna Township Middle School Academic Achievement Report Card 2008, August 15, 2008
  25. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Susquehanna Township Middle School Academic Achievement Report Card 2007, 2007
  26. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (August 2010). "Science PSSA 2010 by Schools".
  27. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (August 2009). "Science PSSA 2009 by Schools".
  28. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (August 15, 2008). "Science PSSA 2008 by Schools".
  29. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Safe School Center (2012). "Pennsylvania Safe Schools Online Reports - Susquehanna Township Middle School 2012" (PDF).
  30. Susquehanna Township School Board (September 24, 2012). "Bullying Cyber Bullying Policy 249".
  31. Pennsylvania General Assembly (2006). "Regular Session 2007–2008 House Bill 1067, Act 61 Section 6 page 8".
  32. Center for Safe Schools of Pennsylvania (2006). "Bullying Prevention advisory".
  33. Pennsylvania Department of 10Education (2012). "Bullying, Hazing, and Harassment Resources". Archived from the original on 2011-11-21.
  34. Pennsylvania State Board of Education (January 11, 2003). "Pennsylvania Academic Standards Health, Safety and Physical Education".
  35. Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2012). "Pennsylvania Public School District Tuition Rates".
  36. Susquehanna Township School Board (2006). "Susquehanna Township School Board Policy Manual Student Wellness Policy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-16.
  37. Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods in Pennsylvania Schools for the School Nutrition Incentive, Pennsylvania Department of Education – Division of Food and Nutrition. July 2008
  38. Probart, C.; McDonnell, E.; Weirich, J. E.; Schilling, L.; Fekete, V. (September 2008). "Statewide Assessment of Local Wellness Policies in Pennsylvania Public School Districts". Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 108 (9): 1497–1502. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.06.429. PMID 18755322.
  39. Classroom party foods guidelines
  40. USDA, Child Nutrition Programs - Eligibility Manual for School Meals, 2012
  41. Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, The Pennsylvania School Breakfast Report Card, 2009
  42. USDA, Child Nutrition Programs, June 27, 2013
  43. 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.
  44. Pennsylvania State Department of Health (2010). "Pennsylvania Bulletin Doc. No. 10-984 School Immunizations; Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases".
  45. US Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education Clarifies Schools' Obligation to Provide Equal Opportunity to Students with Disabilities to Participate in Extracurricular Athletics, January 25, 2013
  46. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release (November 10, 2005). "Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities".
  47. Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association (2013). "PIAA School Directory".

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