East Penn School District
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| East Penn School District | |
 Location of East Penn School District in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.
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East Penn School District is a public school district located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Originally known as the East Penn Union School District, it was established in 1952, and serves the boroughs of Alburtis, Emmaus, Macungie, Lower and Upper in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania.
The district maintains one high school, Emmaus High School, two middle schools, Eyer Middle School and Lower Macungie Middle School, and six elementary schools.
East Penn School District is noted for its academic excellence as measured by post-graduate collegiate admissions. As of the Class of 1999, 68% of Emmaus High School graduates attended four-year colleges or universities, 9% attended two-year colleges and 5% entered business, nursing or technical schools for a total of 82 percent pursuing higher education following graduation.
East Penn School District also has one of the most developed advanced placement programs in eastern Pennsylvania. Thirteen advanced placement courses and 14 honors courses are offered at Emmaus High School. Also reflecting the quality of its academic programs and the intelligence of its students, Emmaus High School has won more Scholastic Scrimmage championships than any Lehigh Valley high school in the history of this popular academic quiz show.
Citing the academic excellence of East Penn School District, Money magazine, in 2007, listed Emmaus as one the "Top 100 places to live" in the United States.
Emmaus High School competes athletically in the Lehigh Valley Conference, which is renowned for the high quality of its athletic programs and has produced numerous professional and Olympic athletes. Emmaus High School fields teams in all of the conference's sports. Since Emmaus High School's founding in 1955, the school has won the Lehigh Valley Conference at least once in each of the conference's sports.
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[edit] Schools
- Emmaus High School
- Eyer Middle School
- Lower Macungie Middle School
- Alburtis Elementary School
- Lincoln Elementary School
- Jefferson Elementary School
- Macungie Elementary School
- Shoemaker Elementary School
- Wescosville Elementary School
- Willow Lane Elementary School (Opening Fall 2009)
[edit] Future development
On March 27, 2006, the East Penn School District board issued a strategic growth plan to meet the district's rapid growth in its student population. By 2008, Eyer Middle School will be expanded and a new elementary school will be opened. By 2012, the plan calls for the construction of a second high school, a third middle school and two more elementary schools in the district.
[edit] March 2002 "fat letter" controversy
In March 2002, East Penn School District received national media attention for their attempts to battle obesity. Articles appeared in hundreds of newspapers and television channels and their effort was the subject of numerous political cartoons. These articles were in response to East Penn School District's "fat letter" program, which began in November 2001. At the time, obesity was becoming a growing national health concern, especially due to its increasing prevalence in children. As a result, the school district took each student's body mass index. For students who were found to be overweight or obese, letters were mailed to their parents. The letters informed the parents of the effects that being overweight have on one's health and requested that parents consult a family doctor or attend a free health session. Many parents reportedly were offended by the letters, especially their approach and language.[1] Many parents responded by saying that the school was merely pointing blame without taking action. Partly in result to this criticism, Emmaus High School removed the schools soda and candy machines and replaced the cafeteria's whole milk with skim and non-fat milk. It continued its programs with the letters, and the school district since has realized a 2.86 percent drop in its obesity levels.[2]
[edit] Prominent alumni
- Charles Bierbauer, former CNN correspondent.
- Keith Dorney, former Detroit Lions professional football player.
- Aaron Gray, professional basketball player, Chicago Bulls.
- Scott Haltzman, author and psychiatrist.
- Michael Johns, health care executive and former White House speechwriter.
- Nicole Reinhart, two-time Pan American Games gold-medal winner, track cycling.
- Marty Nothstein, 2000 Olympic Games gold medal winner, track cycling.
- Cindy Werley, 1996 Olympian, U.S. field hockey team.
