Carlisle High School (Carlisle, Pennsylvania)

Carlisle High School is a public high school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in the United States, and includes grades 9–12. In 2010 the school reported having 1,493 pupils enrolled with 346 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch. The school employed 110 teachers yielding a student teacher ratio of 13.50:1.^[1] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 14 teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.^[2]

It is in the Carlisle Area School District which also includes two middle schools (6–8 grades) and seven elementary schools (K–5 grades).

Campus

The high school facility comprises four connected buildings. On the west end of the complex is the Emma T. McGowan Building housing students in grades eleven and twelve. On the east end of the complex is the David L. Swartz Building housing students in grades nine and ten. Connecting these two buildings are the Gerald L. Fowler Education Center and the Vocational-Technical Building where the library/media center and the vocational program components are located.

Graduation Rate

In 2011, the graduation rate was 93%.^[3] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Carlisle Area School District's rate was 88% for 2010.^[4]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2010 – 87% ^[5]
• 2009 – 87% ^[6]
• 2008 – 92%
• 2007 – 92% ^[7]
• 2006 – 91% ^[8]
• 2005 – 85% ^[9]

Graduation requirements

The Carlisle Area School Board has determined that students must earn 24 credits to graduate including: English 4 credits, 3 credits Math, 3 credits Science, 3 credits Social Studies, 2 credits in arts, 2 PE/health credits, 1 Safety credit, and 6 electives.^[10]

By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students must complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district.^[11]

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating classes of 2016, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.^[12]

Academic achievement

In 2011, Carlisle Area High School declined to Warning status due to lagging mathematics achievement.^[13] In 2010, Carlisle Area High School achieved AYP status. In 2009, Carlisle Area High School was in Making Progress: in School Improvement I for lagging student achievement. In 2009, Carlisle High School was in School Improvement I for chronically lagging student achievement. Under No Child LEft Behind, the school was required to notify parents of the low student achievement and offer to transfer the student to an adequately achieving school in the district. The school administration was required to develop a School Improvement Plan to address the low student achievement. They were required to submit the plan to the PDE for approval.

PSSA Results

11th Grade Reading:

• 2011 – 75% on grade level, (14% below basic). State – 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[14]
• 2010 – 73% (11% below basic). State – 67% ^[15]
• 2009 – 66%, State – 65% ^[16]
• 2008 – 59%, State – 64%
• 2007 – 64%, State – 65% ^[17]

11th Grade Math:

• 2011 – 61%, on grade level (22% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[18]
• 2010 – 67% (21% below basic). State – 56%
• 2009 – 60%, State – 56% ^[19]
• 2008 – 47%, State – 56%
• 2007 – 47%, State – 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2011 – 43% on grade level (14% below basic). State – 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.^[20]
• 2010 – 46% (14% below basic). State – 39%
• 2009 – 42%, State – 40%
• 2008 – 38%, State – 39% ^[21]

College Remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 37% of the Carlisle High School 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.^[22] 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.^[23] 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.

Dual Enrollment

The high school offers the Pennsylvania Dual Enrollment program which permits students to earn deeply discounted college credits while still enrolled in high school. The school has an articulation agreement with Central Penn College. Over 400 school districts in Pennsylvania offer this state funded program.^[24][25]

SAT Scores

From January to June 2011, 240 Carlisle Area students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 524. The Math average score was 516. The Writing average score was 500.^[26] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.^[27] In the United States 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.^[28]

Classrooms for the Future grant

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands of dollars of extra state funding to buy laptop computers for each core curriculum high school class (English, Science, History, Math) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Carlisle Area School District never applied for funding denying the high school the upgrades. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future state grant awards. Of the eight public school districts in Cumberland County, 2 failed to apply including Carlisle Area School District. In Cumberland County the highest award was given to Big Spring School District - $695,531. The highest funding grant statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. In 2010, Classrooms for the Future funding was curtailed statewide due to a massive state financial crisis.^[29]

Cyber school

Carlisle Area High School offers a Virtual Academy which permits students to earn a Carlisle Area School District diploma through taking online courses. The student continues to have access to all programs, including extracurriculars and school events.^[30]

Employability certificate

The high school awards students who meet the criteria an employability certificate. The criteria are: a strong attendance record, a few discipline problems, at least a C-average and two favorable recommendations from school educators.^[31]

Extracurricular activities

The school has an active student government, varsity sports, and music programs. The student newspaper, Periscope, is published monthly. The school's motto is "Be Just and Fear Not", and the school colors are Green and White. Its mascot is the bison, and teams are also known as the Carlisle Thundering Herd. About 1,500 students are currently enrolled at Carlisle High School.

Varsity and junior varsity athletic activities are under the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policies.^[32][33]

Carlisle High School fields a number of athletic teams. In recent years, Cross Country, Boys Lacrosse, Boys Basketball, Boys Soccer, and Girls Volleyball have all advanced to the state quarterfinals or better.

The school is especially strong in extra-curricular opportunities in the arts. It features a large and active Shakespeare Troupe with a nationally recognized director and an improv comedy troupe called Wingin' It! Acoustic coffeehouses also highlight student talent throughout the year.

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 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.^[34][35][36]

Notable alumni

• Sid Bream, (class of 1978), eleven-year career in Major League Baseball, playing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, and Houston Astros; played in the 1991 and 1992 World Series with the Braves.^[37]
• Jeff Lebo (class of 1985), first-team All-American High School basketball athlete; led team to State Championship in senior year; later played for the University of North Carolina; held numerous coaching positions in college basketball; current head basketball coach at Auburn University since 2004.^[38]
• Bob Lilley (class of 1984), current head coach, and first American coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps, United Soccer Leagues team; also, two-time A-League Soccer "Coach of the Year" with the Hershey Wildcats.
• Billy Owens (class of 1988), First-team All-American High School basketball athlete; led team to four State Championships; later played for Syracuse University and several NBA teams (1991–2001).
• Lee Woodall (class of 1988), NFL linebacker; played with the San Francisco 49ers(1994–1999), Carolina Panthers(2000), and the Denver Broncos(2001); involved in the 49ers win of Super Bowl XXIX; also a starting forward on high school basketball team that won two State Championships.^[39][40]

References

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Schools Main School Districts Big Spring Big Spring High School Camp Hill Camp Hill High School Carlisle Area Carlisle High School Cumberland Valley Cumberland Valley High School East Pennsboro Area East Pennsboro High School Mechanicsburg Area Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School South Middleton Boiling Springs High School Other Schools Charter schools Commonwealth Connections Academy Charter School Private schools Bible Baptist School Faith Tabernacle School Harrisburg Academy Heritage Christian Academy Yellow Breeches Education Center Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg Trinity High School Shippensburg Area (partially located in Franklin County) Shippensburg Area High School West Shore (partially located in York County) Cedar Cliff High School Red Land High School Career and Technology School (VoTech) Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School