| Pocono Mountain School District | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Monroe County, Pennsylvania |
Pocono Mountain School District (PMSD for short) is located in Northeast Pennsylvania, USA, in Monroe County. It encompasses approximately 304 square miles. According to 2000 local census data, it serves a resident population of approximately 60,000. District officials, reported that in school year 2007-08 the Pocono Mountain School District provided basic educational services to 11,506 pupils through the employment of 984 teachers, 622 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 51 administrators. The Pocono Mountain School District received more than $42.4 million in state funding in school year 2007-08.
The district is split in two: Pocono Mountain East and Pocono Mountain West. Pocono Mountain East High School is located in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania in the heart of the Poconos. The school currently houses students in grades ten through twelve and is joined on the campus by East Junior High School, Swiftwater Intermediate School and the newly constructed Swiftwater Elementary Center. Motto: Our mission is to prepare all students for tomorrow's challenges and opportunities. . [1]
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Before the need for another campus complex, one high school served the entire district. The first high school of the district and originally called Pocono Mountain High School, Pocono Mountain East High School (PMEHS) is located in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, along with Swiftwater Elementary Center (SEC), Swiftwater Intermediate School (SIS), and Pocono Mountain East Junior High School (PMEJHS). All four schools share the same campus. Those who attend the East campus attend either SEC, Pocono Elementary Center (PEC- Tannersville), or Barrett Elementary Center (BEC- Mountainhome). Students all then attend SIS for two years, before going to PMEHS for the last four years of school. Before 2008, the building that is now SEC did not exist. The current intermediate school was then the elementary school, and the junior high school was the intermediate school. Students will now attend PMEJHS for two years before going to PMEHS for the remaining three.
Once the district split, the West high school was built in 2002. Those who attend the West campus attend either Tobyhanna Elementary Center (TEC- Pocono Pines), Clear Run Elementary Center (CREC -Mt. Pocono), or Coolbaugh Elementary and Learning Centers (CEC/CLC -Tobyhanna). Students then all come together and attend the middle school at Clear Run Intermediate School (CRIS- Mt.Pocono) across from CREC. After spending two years there, students are then moved over to the West Junior High School on the Sullivan Trail Campus, across from the West high school. The Class of 2006 was the first graduating class to attend West for the full four years.
To Pocono Mountain praise we sing
That thy hallowed halls might ring
For the knowledge that will guide our lives
We look to thee.
On mountaintop poised in majesty
Nature enfolds
The school that in our hearts will always be
PO-CO-NO.
[2]
The Pocono Mountain School District was ranked 412th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts, in 2010, by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic performance on three years of PSSA results in: reading, writing, mathematics and two years of science.[3]
2009 - 415th
2008 - 396th
2007 - 399th of 501 school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times.[4]
In 2009, the academic achievement of the students in the Pocono Mountain School District was in the 30th percentile among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best) [5]
In 2010, the Pocono Mountain School District was in Corrective Action II - Making Progress AYP status due to chronically low student achievement. In 2009 the AYP status was Corrective Action II. [6]
In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Pocono Mountain School District's rate was 82% for 2010.[7]
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
Pocono Mountain West High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010 - Making Progress: in Corrective Action II Level AYP status. [1]
Pocono Mountain East High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010 - School Improvement II Level AYP status [2]
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 26% of Pocono Mountain School Districts 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. [15] 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.[16]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.
The district 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. 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.[17] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[18] 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.[19]
In 2010, the district received a 33,131 state grant to be used to assist students with tuition, fees and books.
In December 2009, the district administration reported that 1878 pupils or 16% of the district's pupils received Special Education services.[20]
The District engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Instructional Support Team. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the Special Education Department.[21]
In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for Special Education services. The funds were distributed to districts based on a state policy which estimates that 16% of the district's pupils are receiving special education services. This funding is in addition to the state's basic education per pupil funding, as well as, all other state and federal funding.[22]
Pocono Mountain School District received a $4,975,423 supplement for special education services in 2010.[23]
The District Administration reported that 264 or 2.42% of its students were gifted in 2009. [24] By law, the district must provide mentally gifted programs at all grade levels. The primary emphasis is on enrichment and acceleration of the regular education curriculum through a push in model with the gifted instructor in the classroom with the regular instructor. This approach permits such specialized instructional strategies as tiered assignments, curriculum compacting, flexible grouping, learning stations, independent projects and independent contracts. Students identified as gifted attending the High School have access to honors and advanced placement courses, and dual enrollment with local colleges. The referral process for a gifted evaluation can be initiated by teachers or parents by contacting the student’s building principal and requesting an evaluation. All requests must be made in writing. To be eligible for mentally gifted programs in Pennsylvania, a student must have a cognitive ability of at least 130 as measured on a standardized ability test by a certified school psychologist. Other factors that indicate giftedness will also be considered for eligibility. [25] [26]
The Pocono Mountain School District administration reported there were no incidents of bullying in the district in 2009.[27][28]
The Pocono Mountain School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online.[29] 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.[30] 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.[31]
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.[32]
The Pocono Mountain School District offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is set by school board policies.[33] [34] [35]
By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those home schooled, 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.[36]
The entire district was originally home of the Cardinals. However, when it was determined that a new school would have to be built, another squad was then needed. The Cardinals still remain at the original high school, the East high school. Barrett Elementary Center, Pocono Elementary Center, and Swiftwater Elementary Center are also cardinals. PM West is home to the Panthers. The Cardinals are red and white, and the Panthers are blue and silver.
The Pocono Mountain School District belongs to District 11 of the PIAA. Their local conference is the Mountain Valley Conference. Both high schools are AAAA.
The Pocono Mountain School District has a new newspaper club website http://wjhsnewpaperclub.webs.com/.