Saucon Valley High School

Saucon Valley High School is a four-year public high school in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is located at 2100 Polk Valley Road, Hellertown, PA, 18055, within Northampton County.

It is the only high school in the Saucon Valley School District, which is consolidated in a single complex, the SVSD Campus, as of September 1999. The campus, spread across 106 acres (0.43 km²), combines the High School, Middle School, Elementary School, and administrative offices all under one roof, and also includes ball fields, playgrounds, stadium and track facilities.

Its colors are Red and Black and its mascot is the Black Panther.

Academics

Saucon Valley High School has high expectations for academic excellence. The graduation rate for 2006-2007 was 98%, with average SAT scores of 524 for reading, 537 for mathematics, and 510 for writing. 83% of students plan to attend a four-year college after graduation, and 24% plan to attend two-year college or technical school.^[1]

Graduation rate

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Saucon Valley School District's rate was 83% for 2010.^[2]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations:

• 2010 - 97% ^[3]
• 2009 - 95%
• 2008 - 95% ^[4]
• 2007 - 95% ^[5]

Graduation requirements

Saucon Valley School District School Board has determined that a student must earn 28 credits in order to graduate including: English 4 credits, Math 4 credits, Social Studies 4 credits, Science 4 credits, Health/Physical Education 2 credits, Fine or Practical Arts & Humanities 3 credits, Computer Literacy 0.5 credit, Career Exploration 0.5 credit, Writing Course 1 credit and Elective Courses 5 credits.^[6] Beginning with the class of 2012 all students are required to take and pass four science credits which must include: Physics First, Chemistry, Environmental/Earth Space Science and Biology.

As of the Class of 2016, credit requirements have changed. 4 English Credits, 4 Math Credits, Social Studies 3 credits, 1.5 credits in Phys Ed , 0.5 credits Career Explorations, and 6 elective credits are required.

By law, all Pennsylvania high 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.^[7]

By Pennsylvania State 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.^[8]

Eleventh grade

In 2010 and 2009 the school's 11th grade achieved AYP status under the federal government's No Child Left Behind law.^[9]

11th Grade Reading

• 2010 - 74% on grade level (11% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[10]
• 2009 - 62% (21% below basic), State - 65% ^[11]
• 2008 - 74% (14% below basic), State - 65% ^[12]
• 2007 - 77% (12% below basic), State - 65% ^[13]

11th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 65%, on grade level (15% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[14]
• 2009 - 56% (17% below basic). State - 56%.
• 2008 - 68% (17% below basic), State - 56%
• 2007 - 58% (15% below basic), State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2010 - 42% on grade level (8% below basic). State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 42% (17% below basic). State - 40% ^[15]
• 2008 - 38%, State - 39%

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 17% of Suacon Valley 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.^[16] 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.^[17] 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.

Summer school

Students who fail an English, Social Studies, Science, or Mathematics course may make up the credit during the district's Summer Learning Academy. A student must have earned a 55% to be eligible for Summer Learning Academy. Students are expected to pass the end of course final exam. A fee is charged for each course taken during the Summer Learning Academy session.

Dual enrollment

The Saucon Valley High School does not offer the Pennsylvania Dual Enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Under the program, students have full access to all activities and programs at the 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.^[18] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.^[19] 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.^[20] If students get higher than a 55% they will not have to go to summer school. However students can take courses at Lehigh, DeSales, NAACC, Moravian, and Penn State Lehigh Valley while enrolled at Saucon Valley High School.

Athletics

Saucon Valley High School students participate in a range of sports, including football, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, tennis, cross country, swimming, wrestling, field hockey, volleyball, lacrosse and more. The school competes in District XI tournaments, and is part of the Colonial League and PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association).^[21] Eligibility to participate is set by school board policies.

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.^[22]

Notable alumni

• Devon, adult film actress^[23]
• Bailey Noble, actress

References

1. ↑ "Saucon Valley School District Report Card 2007-2008" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-07-19. 
2. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 15, 2011). "New 4-year Cohort Graduation Rate Calculation Now Being Implemented". 
3. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Saucon Valley School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2010 data table". Retrieved June 6, 2011. 
4. ↑ The Times-Tribune (June 25, 2009). "Northampton County Graduation Rates 2008". 
5. ↑ Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. "High School Graduation rate 2007". Retrieved January 31, 2011. 
6. ↑ Saucon Valley School District Administration (September 2011). "Suacon Valley School District High School Program of Studies" (PDF). 
7. ↑ State Board of Education Pennsylvania. "Pennsylvania Code §4.24 (a) High school graduation requirements". 
8. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 2011). "Pennsylvania Keystone Exams Overview". 
9. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Saucon Valley School District District AYP Overview". 
10. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results". 
11. ↑ The Times-Tribune. (September 2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 PSSA results,". 
12. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 2008). "2007-2008 PSSA and AYP Results". 
13. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2007). "PSSA Math and Reading results". 
14. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 2011). "Saucon Valley High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010" (PDF). 
15. ↑ The Times-Tribune. (2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 Science PSSA results,". 
16. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (January 2009). "Pennsylvania College Remediation Report". 
17. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics
18. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Dual Enrollment Guidelines.". 
19. ↑ "Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement.". March 2010. 
20. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education. (April 29, 2010). "Report: PA College Credit Transfer System Makes Higher Education More Affordable, Accessible". 
21. ↑ "Saucon Valley School District Athletics". Retrieved 2008-07-19. 
22. ↑ Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release (November 10, 2005). "Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities,". 
23. ↑ "Porn Star Devon Biography

External links

• Saucon Valley High School Official Web Site.

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Coordinates: 40°34′19″N 75°19′47″W / 40.5719°N 75.3298°W / 40.5719; -75.3298