| Unionville High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | High School |
| Established | 1924 |
| School district | Unionville-Chadds Ford School District |
| Principal | Paula Massanari |
| Assistant Principals | Kurt Barker, Rudi Reif |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Number of students | Approximately 1450 |
| School Color(s) | Blue & Gold- although many sports teams use white and navy |
| Athletics | Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association |
| Mascot | Indians |
| School Paper | Indian Post |
| Website | official website |
Unionville High School is the only public high school in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. It is located on the same property as Charles F. Patton Middle School and one mile from Unionville Elementary School, one of four elementary schools in the district.
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Unionville has a 1:15 teacher-to-student ratio,[1] allowing it to offer a wide range of both core and elective classes for its students. Its core departments- English, Social Studies, Math, and Science- are based on a four-tier system in order to allow for the variety of student capabilities, from First Level and Academic classes to Honors and Advanced Placement (only available to juniors and seniors); in an attempt to broaden its curriculum, the school recently began to offer differentiated classes within those tiers, such as a choice between an American Literature Survey and Contemporary Young Adult Fiction for 11th grade Academic English students.[2] Every graduating student must take four years each of English and Social Studies and three years each of Math and Science, among other requirements.[3]
Unionville High School has received state recognition for excellence and high achievement in preparing students for higher education; it consistently ranks as one of the top public high schools in the state of Pennsylvania, according to Pennsylvania's high school's standardized tests, the PSSAs,[4] and in 2008 the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District had the highest PSSA scores in the State of Pennsylvania.[3]
Unionville employs a 6-member full-time counseling staff,[5] much of whose time is spent on the college application process, including meeting with every junior and senior at least once per year to determine their post-secondary educational needs and how the office can best facilitate them;[5] 94% of graduating seniors in 2008 are currently attending college, 96% of which are four-year institutions.[3] Additionally, Unionville's SAT results are significantly higher than the national average, with a combined average of 1716 on the 2400 scale in 2008;[6] there were 4 National Merit Semifinalists in 2010.[7]
Unionville High School has a total of 72 registered clubs (about one club for every 20 students), including five intra-school academic competition teams (such as Debate Team and Future Business Leaders of America), four honor societies, and several national and international organizations (such as Amnesty International and Habitat for Humanity), in addition to quirks such as the Bocce Club and the Unionville Signers (promoting the education of sign language).[8]
Unionville High School is home to many successful athletic teams. Unionville had been, consistently, a dominant team in the SCCL (Southern Chester County League); however, the league merged in 2006 with the Chest-Mont League. The Unionville Indians Football team was the 2005 and 2006 SCCL Champion, making back-to-back playoff appearances. In 2007 the football team won the Ches-Mont League American Division after going undefeated. Other athletic teams at Unionville High School are equally high-performing.
Unionville High School was the alma mater of "John David Stutts", the man who (fictionally) killed "Buckwheat" -both played by Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Live. The school was credited and shown briefly on SNL out of recognition to the drama club who had put on a production of "Who Shot Buckwheat".[9]
Notable alumni of Unionville High School include Kate Barber,[10] captain of the US Women's Field Hockey Team in the 2008 Summer Olympics, and Amanda McGrory , paralympic gold medalist.[10]