Francis D. Raub Middle School

Francis D Raub Middle School
Address
102 S Saint Cloud Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania, Lehigh County, 18104-6726
United States
Information
Type Public
School board 9 locally elected school board members
Superintendent C. Russell Mayo, Ed.D (contract 2012-2017) $170,000 (2012)[1]
School number (484 )765-5301
Administrator

Supervisor of Instruction- John Monahan
Mrs. Shalynda Morton - Outreach

Maria Figueroa Bonilla - Parent Liaison
Principal Mrs. Susan Elliott
Vice principal Mr. Benjamin McConnell
Vice principal Ms. Erin Oleksa
Faculty 21.5 teachers[2]
Grades K-12
Enrollment 846 pupils (2012-13),[3] (2009-10) [4]
  Grade 6 309 (2012), 297 (2010)[5]
  Grade 7 292 (2012), 287 (2010)
  Grade 8 245 (2012), 290 (2010)
Website http://www.allentownsd.org/

Francis D. Raub Middle School is located at 102 S Saint Cloud Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania. It is one of four middle schools operated by Allentown School District. In 2013, the School reported an enrollment of 846 pupils, with 94% of its pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Additionally, 16.5% of the pupils received special education services and 4% were identified as gifted. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, several teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[6] The school is a federally designated Title I school. The school has a mandatory uniform policy in the colors: white, black and maroon.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2011, the school reported an enrollment of 874 pupils in grades 6th through 8th, with 748 pupils coming from a family that meets the federal poverty level. The school employed 22 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 40:1.[7] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, several teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.[8]

Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program

In July 2012, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) released a report identifying Allentown School District schools as among the lowest achieving schools for reading and mathematics in 2011. Francis D. Raub Middle School, as well as, the other three middle schools operated by Allentown School District were all among the 15% lowest achieving schools in the Commonwealth. Parents and students may be eligible for scholarships to transfer to another public or nonpublic school through the state's Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program passed in June 2012.[9] The scholarships are limited to those students whose family's income is less than $60,000 annually, with another $12,000 allowed per dependent. Maximum scholarship award is $8,500, with special education students receiving up to $15,000 for a year's tuition. Parents pay any difference between the scholarship amount and the receiving school's tuition rate. Students may seek admission to neighboring public school districts. Each year the PDE publishes the tuition rate for each individual public school district.[10] Fifty-three public schools in Allegheny County are among the lowest-achieving schools in 2011. According to the report, parents in 414 public schools (74 school districts) were offered access to these scholarships. For the 2012-13 school year, eight public school districts in Pennsylvania had all of their schools placed on the list including: Sto-Rox School District, Chester Upland School District, Clairton City School District, Duquesne City School District, Farrell Area School District, Wilkinsburg Borough School District, William Penn School District and Steelton-Highspire School District.[11] Funding for the scholarships comes from donations by businesses which receive a state tax credit for donating.

School Performance Profile 2013

Francis D. Raub Middle School achieved just 58.8 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, writing, mathematics and science achievement. In reading, 41.67% of the students were on grade level. In Algebra I/ Mathematics, 49.86% of the students showed on grade level math skills. In Science/Biology, 18.10% of the 8th graders demonstrated on grade level understanding. In writing, 44.28% of the 8th grade students were on grade level.[12] 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, Francis D. Raub Middle School declined to Corrective Action II 6th Year Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status, due to chronic, low academic achievement in both reading and mathematics.[13]

Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the school administration was required to notify parents of the school's poor achievement outcomes and to offer the parent the opportunity to transfer to a successful middle school within the District. 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.[15] The Middle School is eligible for targeted, extra funding under School Improvement Grants which the school must apply for each year.[16]

School Improvement Grant

In 2011, Francis Raub Middle School received $500,000 federal grant dollars to Transform the school.[17] In 2010, Allentown School District received multiple School Improvement Grants totaling $433,672. Francis D. Raub Middle School received $80,676. In 2010, Pennsylvania received $141 million from the federal – US Department of Education, to turn around its worst-performing schools. The funds were disbursed via a competitive grant program.[18] The Pennsylvania Department of Education has identified 200 Pennsylvania schools as "persistently lowest achieving," making them eligible for this special funding.[19] Pennsylvania required low performing schools to apply or provide documentation about why they had not applied. The funds must be used, by the district, to turn around schools in one of four ways: school closure, restart - close the school and reopen it as a charter school. The other two options involve firing the principal. One would require at least half the faculty in a chronically poor performing school be dismissed. The second involves intensive teacher training coupled with strong curriculum revision or a longer school day.[20]

PSSA Results

Pennsylvania System of School Assessments commonly called the PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered beginning in 1999. Under NCLB they were extended from 8th grader reading, writing and mathematics, to include reading and mathematics in sixth grade and seventh grade. Each year goals were established for the percentage on students who were achieving on grade level skills

8th Grade Reading:

  • 2012 - 49% on grade level (27% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 79% of 8th graders on grade level.[21]
  • 2011 - 45% (35% below basic) State - 81.8%
  • 2010 - 60% (21% below basic). State - 81%[22]
  • 2009 - 53% (28% below basic), State - 80%[23]
  • 2008 - 44% (39% below basic), State - 78%[24]
  • 2007 - 48% (28% below basic). State - 75%

8th Grade Math:

  • 2012 - 36% on grade level (42% below basic). State - 76% [25]
  • 2011 - 41% (38% below basic). State - 76.9%
  • 2010 - 50% (35.6% below basic). State - 75% [26]
  • 2009 - 39% (35% below basic). State - 71% [27]
  • 2008 - 43% (36% below basic). State - 70%
  • 2007 - 44% (32% below basic). State - 68%

8th Grade Science:

7th Grade Reading:

  • 2012 - 42% (38% below basic). State – 76%
  • 2011 - 45% (34% below basic). State – 76%
  • 2010 - 42% (32% below basic). State - 73%
  • 2009 - 38% (31% below basic). State - 71%
  • 2008 - 43% (32% below basic). State - 70%
  • 2007 - 35% (42% below basic). State - 67%

7th Grade Math:

  • 2012 - 35% (41% below basic). State - 80%
  • 2011 - 42% (38% below basic). State - 78.6%
  • 2010 - 46% (35% below basic). State - 77%
  • 2009 - 49% (26% below basic), State - 75%
  • 2008 - 39% (41% below basic), State - 71%
  • 2007 - 46% (31% below basic), State - 67%

6th Grade Reading:

  • 2012 - 31% (49% below basic). State - 68%
  • 2011 - 33% (40% below basic). State - 69.9%
  • 2010 - 34% (39% below basic). State - 68%
  • 2009 - 29% (45% below basic). State - 67%
  • 2008 - 29% (43% below basic). State - 67%
  • 2007 - 34% (36% below basic). State - 63%

6th Grade Math:

  • 2012 - 53% (26% below basic). State - 77%
  • 2011 - 45% (38% below basic). State - 78.8%
  • 2010 - 44% (26% below basic). State - 78%
  • 2009 - 37% (38% below basic). State - 75%
  • 2008 - 48% (33% below basic). State - 72%
  • 2007 - 53% (26% below basic). State - 69%

5th Grade Reading
  • 2008 - 13%, (74% below basic). State - 62%
  • 2007 - 25%, (59% below basic). State - 60%

5th Grade Math
  • 2008 - 23%, (48% below basic). State - 73%
  • 2007 - 56%, (35% below basic). State - 71%

Wellness policy

Allentown School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006.[31] 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.[32]

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

Francis D. Raub Middle School offers both a free school breakfast and a 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.[34] The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.[35]

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.[36] 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.[37] In 2014, President Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day.[38]

Allentown School District's Francis D. Raub 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.[39] Nurses also monitor each child's weight.

Highmark Healthy High 5 grant

In 2011, the Allentown School District received funding through a Highmark Healthy High 5 grant. Francis D. Raub Middle School received $5,662 which was used to implement in-school SPARK program.[40] Beginning in 2006, Highmark Foundation engaged in a 5 year, $100 million program to promote lifelong healthy behaviors in children and adolescents through local nonprofits and schools.

School safety and bullying

The Allentown School District administration reported there were forty incidents of bullying in Francis D. Raub Middle School in 2012. There were 86 incidents involving local law enforcement and four arrests. Additionally, there were 29 incidents of assault on a student and 16 reported sexual harassments.[41][42] Each year the school safety data is reported by the district to the Safe School Center which publishes the reports online.

The Allentown School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online.[43] 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.[44] 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.[45][46]

Education standards relating to student safety and anti-harassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.[47]

Extracurriculars

The Allentown School District offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, costly sports program. Francis D. Raub MIddle School students have access to these sports and activities. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA).

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.[48]

Middle School Sports

Boys

Girls
  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Field Hockey
  • Soccer (Fall)
  • Softball
  • Swimming and Diving
  • Volleyball

According to PIAA directory July 2013 [49]

References

  1. Colin McEvoy (January 27, 2012). "Allentown School District hires Russell Mayo as superintendent, approves teachers contract". The Express-Times.
  2. Nation Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data, 2013
  3. Pennsylvania Department of Education (December 5, 2013). "Francis D Raub Middle School - School Performance report fast facts 2013".
  4. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Enrollment and Projections by LEA, 2010
  5. NCES, Common Core of Data - Francis D Raub Middle School, 2012
  6. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Francis D. Raub Middle School 2012, September 21, 2012
  7. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core Data - Francis D. Raub Middle School, 2010
  8. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Francis D. Raub Middle School 2012, September 21, 2012
  9. Pennsylvania Department of Education (July 2012). "Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program".
  10. Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2012). "Tuition rate Fiscal Year 2011-2012".
  11. Olsen, Laura, State list of failing schools has 53 in county, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, July 26, 2012
  12. Pennsylvania Department of Education (October 4, 2013). "Francis D. Raub Middle School Academic Performance Data 2013".
  13. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "Francis D. Raub School AYP Overview 2012".
  14. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Francis D. Raub School AYP Overview 2010, October 20, 2010
  15. US Deptartment of Education, (2003). "NCLB Parental Notices".
  16. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "School Improvement Grant".
  17. US Department of Education, School Improvement Grants 2010-11, April 16, 2012
  18. Pennsylvania Department of Education. "School Improvement information".
  19. Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Pennsylvania School Improvement Grant Components_Stat_Requirements".
  20. Pennsylvania Department of Education (June 9, 2010). "Pennsylvania School Improvement Grant Components_Stat_Requirements".
  21. Pittsburgh Post Gazette (October 15, 2012). "How is your school doing?".
  22. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Francis D. Raub School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010, October 20, 2010
  23. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Francis D. Raub School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009, September 14, 2009
  24. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 15, 2008). "Reading and Math PSSA 2008 by Schools".
  25. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 21, 2012). "Francis D. Raub School Academic Achievement Report Card 2012".
  26. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (September 14, 2010). "2010 PSSAs: Reading, Math, Writing Results".
  27. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2009). "2009 PSSAs: Reading, Math, Writing and Science Results".
  28. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (August 2010). "Science PSSA 2010 by Schools".
  29. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (August 2009). "Science PSSA 2009 by Schools".
  30. Pennsylvania Department of Education Report (August 15, 2008). "Science PSSA 2008 by Schools".
  31. Allentown School Board (June 21, 2007). "Allentown School Board Policy Manual - Student Wellness Policy 246,".
  32. 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.
  33. Pennsylvania Department of Education – Division of Food and Nutrition (July 2008). "Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods in Pennsylvania Schools for the School Nutrition Incentive".
  34. USDA, Child Nutrition Programs - Eligibility Manual for School Meals, 2012
  35. Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, The Pennsylvania School Breakfast Report Card, 2009
  36. USDA, Child Nutrition Programs, June 27, 2013
  37. United States Department of Agriculture (2011). "Food and Nutrition Service Equity in School Lunch Pricing Fact Sheet".
  38. Denver Nicks (February 25, 2014). "White House Sets New Limits on Junk Food Ads in Schools". Time Magazine.
  39. Pennsylvania State Department of Health (2010). "Pennsylvania Bulletin Doc. No. 10-984 School Immunizations; Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases".
  40. Highmark Foundation, 2011 School Challenge Grants, 2011
  41. Pennsylvania Office of Safe Schools (2012). "Safe School Report Francis D. Raub".
  42. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Safe School Center (2009). "Pennsylvania Safe Schools Online Reports".
  43. Allentown School Board, (June 27, 2007). "Bullying Policy 249,".
  44. Pennsylvania General Assembly (2006). "Regular Session 2007–2008 House Bill 1067, Act 61 Section 6 page 8".
  45. Center for Safe Schools of Pennsylvania (2006). "Bullying Prevention advisory".
  46. Pennsylvania Department of 10Education (2012). "Bullying, Hazing, and Harassment Resources".
  47. Pennsylvania State Board of Education (January 11, 2003). "Pennsylvania Academic Standards Health, Safety and Physical Education".
  48. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release (November 10, 2005). "Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities".
  49. Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association (2013). "PIAA School Directory".

Coordinates: 40°35′39″N 75°29′35″W / 40.59425°N 75.49310°W