Williamson Senior High School

Williamson Senior HIgh School
Address
33 Jct Cross Road Tioga, Pennsylvania, Tioga County 16920-1305 United States
Information
Type	Public
School board	9 members
School district	Northern Tioga School District
Superintendent	Mrs. Diana Barnes, salary $120,000 in 2012, contract renewed July 2015 to June 30, 2019;[1] former contract expired 06/30/2015[2]
Administrator	Mrs Wanda Erb, Business Manager Amy Coots, Principal of Academic Affairs Dale Crans, Head of Maintenance Todd Terpstra, Technology Coordinator / Network Administrator
Principal	Kristopher Kaufman, WSHS
Faculty	53 teachers (2013),[3] 41 teachers (2010)[4]
Grades	7th - 12th
Age	12 years to 21 years for special education students
Pupils	517 pupils (2015)[5] 551 pupils (2014)[6] 424 pupils 2010)[7]
• Grade 7	90 (2013), 79 (2009)[8]
• Grade 8	98 (2013), 71 (2009)
• Grade 9	97 (2013), 78 (2009)
• Grade 10	80 (2013), 85 (2009)
• Grade 11	86 (2013), 81 (2009)
• Grade 12	100 (2013), 86 (2009)
Language	English
Feeder schools	RB Walter Elementary
Per pupil spending	$11,746 (2008)
Per pupil spending	$13,981.56 (2010)
Website	http://www.ntiogasd.org/

Williamson Senior High School is a small, rural, public, combined junior senior high school located at 33 Jct Cross Road, Tioga, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, USA. It is one of two high schools operated by the Northern Tioga School District.^[9] Williamson Senior High School serves the eastern portion of the District. In 2015, enrollment declined to 517 pupils in 7th through 12th grades, with 45.8% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to family federal poverty level.^[10] Additionally, 17.99% of pupils received special education services, while less than 1% of pupils were identified as gifted. Williamson Senior High School is not a federally designated Title I school. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 1% of the teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

In 2014, Williamson Senior High School enrollment was 551 reported as pupils in 7th through 12th grades, with 46.6% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to family poverty.^[11] Additionally, 17.6% of pupils received special education services, while less than 1% of pupils were identified as gifted. Williamson Senior High School employed 53 teachers.^[12] Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 1% of the teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

In 2013, Williamson Senior High School enrollment was reported as 516 students, with 39% from low income homes.^[13] According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 424 pupils in grades 7th through 12th, with 251 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch. The school employed 41 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 10:1.^[14] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.^[15]

The BLaST Intermediate Unit IU17 provides the School with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, background checks for employees, state mandated recognizing and reporting child abuse training, speech and visual disability services and criminal background check processing for prospective employees and professional development for staff and faculty. Williamson Senior High School does not have an association with a public Career and Technical Center.

Graduation rate

• 2015 - 90%^[16]
• 2014 - 89.7%^[17]
• 2013 - 91.5%^[18]
• 2012 - 90%^[19]
• 2011 - 80%^[20]
• 2010 - 91%^[21]
• 2009 - 82%

Academics

In October 2015, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale reported Williamson Senior High School was among the 561 academically challenged schools that have been overlooked by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.^[22][23] He also reported the Pennsylvania Department of Education failed to take any action to remediate the poorly performing schools to raise student academic achievement or to provide them with targeted professional assistance.^[24]

2015 School Performance Profile

Williamson Senior High School achieved 68 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement.The PDE reported that 72.7% of the High School’s students were on grade level in reading/literature. In Algebra 1, 61% of students showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology I, 61% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course.^[25] Statewide, 53 percent of schools with an eleventh grade achieved an academic score of 70 or better. Five percent of the 2,033 schools with 11th grade were scored at 90 and above; 20 percent were scored between 80 and 89; 28 percent between 70 and 79; 25 percent between 60 and 69 and 22 percent below 60. The Keystone Exam results showed: 73 percent of students statewide scored at grade-level in English, 64 percent in Algebra I and 59 percent in biology.^[26][27]

The Pennsylvania Department of Education reported that just 51% of 8th grade students at Williamson Senior High School students were on grade level in reading on the PSSAs given in April 2015. In math/Algebra 1, only 25% of 8th grade students showed on grade level skills. In science, 61% of the school’s 8th graders demonstrated on grade level science understanding. No eighth grade writing scores were reported. In 7th grade, only 42% of students were on grade level in reading, while just 19% of students demonstrated on grade level math skills.

2014 School Performance Profile

Williamson Senior High School achieved 68 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 73% were reading on grade level. In Algebra 1/mathematics, 72.8% showed on grade level skills. In Science/Biology, 65.8% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. In writing, 66% of 8th graders demonstrated on grade level writing skills.^[28][29] Statewide, the percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in Algebra I increased to 39.7% to 40.1%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in reading/literature declined to 52.5%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in biology improved from 39.7% to 41.4%.^[30]

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,134 of 2,947 Pennsylvania public schools (72 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher.^[31] Fifty-three percent of schools statewide received lower SPP scores compared with last year's, while 46 percent improved. A handful were unchanged.^[32][33]

2013 School Performance Profile

Williamson Senior High School achieved 67.8 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, writing, mathematics and science achievement. In reading, 76% of the students were on grade level. In Mathematics, 76.7% of the students showed on grade level skills. In Science, just 52% of the students demonstrated on grade level understanding. In writing, 57% of the 8th grade students showed on grade level writing skills.^[34] 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. Pennsylvania 11th grade students no longer take the PSSAs. Instead, beginning in 2012, they take the Keystone Exams at the end of the associated course.^[35]

AYP history

In 2012, Williamson Senior High School declined to Warning Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status, due to lagging student achievement. The school missed all the reading and mathematics metrics measured on the PSSAs.^[36]

• 2009-2011 - achieved AYP status each year.^[37]
• 2008 - Warning AYP status^[38]
• 2004-2007 - achieved AYP each school year^[39]
• 2003 - Warning AYP status due to lagging academic achievement

PSSA Results

Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012, in all Pennsylvania public high schools. The exams were administered in the Spring of each school year. The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam included content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies. The mathematics exam included: algebra I, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry. The standards were first published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.^[40] In 2013, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania changed its high school assessments to the Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Reading/literature and Biology1. The exams are given at the end of the applicable course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade year.^[41]

11th Grade Reading

• 2012 - 47% on grade level, (21% below basic). State - 67% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[42]
• 2011 - 59% (26% below basic). State - 69.1%
• 2010 - 50%, State - 67% (71 pupils)^[43]
• 2009 - 47%, State - 65% (83 pupils) ^[44]
• 2008 - 41%, State - 65% (87 pupils) ^[45]

11th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 38% (33% below basic). State - 59% ^[46]
• 2011 - 58% (14% below basic). State - 60.3% ^[47]
• 2010 - 47%, State - 59% ^[48]
• 2009 - 45%, State - 56%^[49]
• 2008 - 49%, State - 55%

11th Grade Science

• 2012 - 30% (13% below basic). State - 42%
• 2011 - 41% (16% below basic). State - 40%
• 2010 - 26%, State - 39%
• 2009 - 38%, State - 40%
• 2008 - 25%, State - 39%^[50]

8th Grade Science

• 2012 - 68% on grade level (12% below basic). State - 59% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2011 - 52% (18% below basic). State – 58.3%
• 2010 - 64%. State - 57%
• 2009 - 48%, State - 55%
• 2008 - 46%, State - 52%

Graduation requirements

The Northern Tioga School District School Board has determined that 26 credits are required for graduation, including English - 4 credits, Math - 3 credits, including Algebra and Geometry; Social Studies - 3 credits, including American Government, Science - 3 credits, including Science 9 & Biology; Physical Education - 2 credits, Health - 0.5 credit, Computer applications 1 credit, Fine or Practical Arts - 1 credit, Senior Project 1 credit that includes 40 hours community service and 7.5 credits of electives.^[52] In August 2013, the School Board approved adding a personal finance course to the graduation requirements.^[53]

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.^[54] Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.^[55]

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the class of 2018,^[56] public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the Keystone Exams.^[57] The exam is given at the end of the course. Keystone Exams replace the PSSAs for 11th grade.^[58]

Students have several opportunities to pass the exam. Those who do not pass after several attempts can perform a project in order to graduate.^[59][60] For the class of 2019, a Composition exam will be added. For the class of 2020, passing a civics and government exam will be added to the graduation requirements.^[61] In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Literature exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level.^[62] Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program (IEP) may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.

AP courses

Williamson Senior High School does not offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses.^[63]

Dropout Early Warning System

In 2013, Northern Tioga School District did not implement the state's dropout prevention Early Warning System and Interventions Catalog.^[64] The process identifies students at risk for dropping out by examining the pupil’s: attendance, behavior and course grades. Interventions are implemented to assist at-risk pupils to remain in school. The program is funded by federal and private dollars.^[65]

SAT scores

In 2014, 51 Williamson Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 476. The Math average score was 479.8. The Writing average score was 456.^[66][67] The School does not offer Advanced Placement (AP) Courses.

In 2013, 61 Williamson Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The School's Verbal Average Score was 466. The Math average score was 456. The Writing average score was 431. The College Board reported that statewide scores were: 494 in reading, 504 in math and 482 in writing. The nationwide SAT results were the same as in 2012.^[68]

In 2012, 48 Williamson Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The School's Verbal Average Score was 459. The Math average score was 462. The Writing average score was 433. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the USA, 1.65 million students took the exams achieving scores: Verbal 496, Math 514, Writing 488. According to the College Board the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400.

In 2011, 43 Williamson Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The school's Verbal Average Score was 418. The Math average score was 452. The Writing average score was 409.^[69] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.^[70] 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.^[71]

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a research arm of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, compared the SAT data of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania to students in urban areas. From 2003 to 2005, the average total SAT score for students in rural Pennsylvania was 992, while urban students averaged 1,006. During the same period, 28 percent of 11th and 12th graders in rural school districts took the exam, compared to 32 percent of urban students in the same grades. The average math and verbal scores were 495 and 497, respectively, for rural students, while urban test-takers averaged 499 and 507, respectively. Pennsylvania’s SAT composite score ranked low on the national scale in 2004. The composite SAT score of 1,003 left Pennsylvania ranking 44 out of the 50 states and Washington, DC.^[72]

The Pennsylvania Department of Education reported that 71 percent of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania chose to continue their education after high school in 2003, whereas 79 percent of urban high school graduates opted to continue their education.

College Remediation Rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 13% of the high school graduates from Northern Tioga School District 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.^[73][74] 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.^[75][76] 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.

School safety and bullying

The Norther Tioga School District administration reported there were zero incidents of bullying at Williamson Senior High School in 2014. Additionally, there was an assault on a student and no sexual incidents involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in thirty-four incidents at the school.^{[77] [78]} Each year the school safety data is reported by the district to the Safe School Center which then publishes the compiled reports online. Nationally, nearly 20% of pupils report being bullied at school.^[79]

The Northern Tioga School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online in its code of conduct.^[80] 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.^[81] The Center for Schools and Communities works in 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.^[82][83] According to the Center for Disease Control’s biannual national study of high school students in 2009, five percent of Pennsylvania students did not go to school for at least one day because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school.^[84]

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.^[85]

Safe School grants

Williamson Senior HIgh School did not apply for safe school grants provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Grants

Classrooms for the Future grant

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands 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 to 2009. The School District did not apply to participate in 2006-07 or in 2007-08. The district received $136,749 in 2008-09.^[86][87] Among the public school districts in Tioga County, the highest award was given to Northern Tioga School District. The highest funding statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. The grant program was discontinued by Governor Edward Rendell as part of his 2009-2010 state education budget.

Northern Tioga School District did not apply for Project 720 High School Reform grants (discontinued effective with 2011-12 budget); nor the state's 2012 and 2013 Pennsylvania Hybrid Learning Grants.^[88]

Wellness policy

Northern Tioga School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006.^[89] 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.^[90]

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.^[91] The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

Northern Tioga School District offers both a free school breakfast and a free or reduced-price lunch to children in low income families at Williamson Senior High School. 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.^[92] The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.^[93]

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.^[94] 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.^[95] The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandates that Districts raise their full pay lunch prices every year until the price of non-subsidized lunches equals the amount the federal government reimburses schools for free meals. That subsidy in 2013-2014 was $2.93.

In 2014, President Barack Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day.^[96][97]

The Food and Drug Administration requires that students take milk as their beverage at lunch. In accordance with this law, any student requesting water in place of milk with their lunch must present a written request, signed by a doctor, documenting the need for water instead of milk.^[98][99]

Northern Tioga School District provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. A nurse is available at Williamson Senior HIgh School 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.^[100][101] Nurses also monitor each child's weight.^[102]

Extracurriculars

Northern Tioga School District offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, publicly funded sports program at Williamson Senior HIgh School.^[103] Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA).^[104]

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing in the school district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, a Pennsylvania public cyber charter school, charter school and those who are homeschooled, are all 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.^[105]

According to PA Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Act 126 of 2014, all volunteer coaches and all those who assist in student activities, must have criminal background checks. Like all school district employees, they must also attend an anti child abuse training once every three years.^{[106][107][108]}

Sports

Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid.^[109] Northern Tioga School District provides its athletics disclosure form on its web site.^[110] Article XVI-C of the Public School Code requires the disclosure of interscholastic athletic opportunities for all public secondary school entities in Pennsylvania. All school entities with grades 7-12 are required to annually collect data concerning team and financial information for all male and female athletes beginning with the 2012-13 school year and submit the information to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, all non-school (booster club and alumni) contributions and purchases must also be reported to PDE.^[111]

According to Pennsylvania’s Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching.^[112][113]

The District funds the following sports at Williamson:

Varsity

Junior High School Sports

According to PIAA directory July 2015^[114]

References