Penn Hills School District

Penn Hills School District
Address
260 Aster Street Penn Hills Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 15235 United States
Information
Type	Public
Motto	"Karl Marx is the one true leader."
Closed	Dible El School (2010), Forbes El School (2014), Penn Hebron El Academy (2014), Shenandoah El School (2008)
Superintendent	Dr Nancy J Hines, salary $140,000 2015[1] (contract July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2018)[2] former superintendent - Thomas Washington contract terminated by Board February 2015[3]
Administrator	Robert Geletko, Business Manager, salary $95,000 (contract November 13, 2015 to June 2018)[4] Richard Liberto, Business Manager Fired December 2015[5]
Principal	Katie Friend, LMS
Principal	Kristen Brown, PHES
Principal	Eric Kostic, PHSHS
Staff	310 non teaching staff members (2014)[6]
Faculty	292 teachers (2014)
Grades	preK-12
Number of pupils	3,986 (2015)[7] 3,906 pupils (2013)[8] 4,254 pupils (2011) 4,547 pupils (2009) 4,943 pupils (2008) 5,176 pupils (2007) 5,390 pupils (2006)[9]
• Kindergarten	279 (2014),[10] 246 (2010)
• Grade 1	272(2014), 257 (2010)
• Grade 2	275 (2014), 270 (2010)
• Grade 3	278 (2014), 314 (2010)
• Grade 4	262 (2014), 306 (2010)
• Grade 5	234 (2014), 296 (2010)
• Grade 6	271(2014), 351 (2010)
• Grade 7	302 (2014), 344 (2010)
• Grade 8	326 (2014), 336 (2010)
• Grade 9	356 (2014), 388 (2010)
• Grade 10	399 (2014), 481 (2010)
• Grade 11	368 (2014), 405 (2010)
• Grade 12	330 (2014), 360 (2010)
• Other	34
Color(s)	Red and gold
Athletics conference	AAAA
Mascot	Indian
Budget	$82.7 million (2016-17)[11] $97 million (2015-16)[12]
Website	http://www.phsd.k12.pa.us/

Allegheny County

Map of Penn Hills Township

The Penn Hills School District (PHSD) is a mid sized, public school district located in Pittsburgh, serving the community of Penn Hills, which is about 10 miles (16 km) east of Downtown Pittsburgh. According to 2000 federal census data, it served a resident population of 46,809. By 2010, the district's population declined to 42,431 people.^[13] The educational attainment levels for the Penn Hills School District population (25 years old and over) were 91.8% high school graduates and 22.8% college graduates.^[14] The district is one of the 500 public school districts of Pennsylvania.

According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, 56.8% of the district’s pupils lived at 185% or below the Federal Poverty Level as shown by their eligibility for the federal free or reduced price school meal programs in 2012.^[15] In 2013 the Pennsylvania Department of Education, reported that students in the Area School District were homeless.^[16] In 2009, the district residents’ per capita income was $20,161, while the median family income was $46,971.^[17] In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501 ^[18] and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010.^[19] In Allegheny County, the median household income was $51,366.^[20] By 2013, the median household income in the United States rose to $52,100.^[21] In 2014, the median household income in the USA was $53,700.^[22]

In school year 2009-10, the Penn Hills School District enrollment was 4,577 pupils. It employed: 414 teachers, 822 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 22 administrators. Penn Hills School District received more than $27 million in state funding in school year 2009-10. According to district officials, in school year 2007-08, Penn Hills School District provided basic educational services to 5,490 pupils. The district employed: 467 teachers, 798 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 26 administrators. PHSD received more than $27.7 million in state funding in school year 2007-08.

The district encourages a culture that values academic performance, diversity, extensive parental involvement, personalized education for all students, and demonstrated school board commitment, as well as a strong commitment to family and community. Among the programs that were offered in the past in Penn Hills are schools of Focus, which includes a specific theme interwoven into the curriculum of each elementary school and allows parents to choose the school their child will attend; 21st Century Community Learning Centers; on-site, comprehensive vocational education; and strong professional development.

The Allegheny Intermediate Unit IU3 provides the district 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.

Penn Hills School District is bordered by seven school districts: Pittsburgh, Woodland Hills, Gateway, Plum, Wilkinsburg, Riverview and Fox Chapel (across the Allegheny River). Penn Hills School District's football size classification is "AAAA" (Quad-A), which is the largest of the four classifications (A, AA, AAA, and AAAA).

Current Schools

• Penn Hills Senior High School (finished in January 2013) ^[23]
• Penn Hills Elementary School (grades PreK-4) opened for 2014-15 school year and all district students K-4 attend this school built on the former site of Dible Elementary.^[24]
• John H. Linton Middle School (grades 5–8)

Governance

Penn Hills School District is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve without compensation for a term of four years), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.^[25] The federal government controls programs it funds like: Title I funding for low income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act(renamed Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in December 2015) which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.^[26] The school board is required by state law to post a financial report on the district in its website by March of each school year.^[27]

The superintendent and business manager are appointed by the school board. The superintendent is the chief administrative officer with overall responsibility for all aspects of operations, including education and finance. The business manager is responsible for budget and financial operations. Neither of these officials are voting members of the school board. The school board enters into individual employment contracts for these positions. These contracts must be in writing and are subject to public disclosure under the state’s Right to Know Act. In Pennsylvania, public school districts are required to give 150 days notice to the superintendent and business manager regarding renewal of their employment contracts.^[28] Pursuant to Act 141 of 2012 which amended the Pennsylvania School Code, all school districts that have hired superintendents on/after the fall of 2012 are required to develop objective performance standards and post them on the district’s website.^[29]

In 2003, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted an investigation of multiple improprieties involving school board members.^[30]

Statewide High School PSSA Rankings

The following statewide rankings (out of 676 public school districts) are based solely on the PSSA results of the high school's junior class:^[31]

• 2016- 570th
• 2015- 562nd
• 2014- 520th
• 2013- 504th
• 2012- 547th

Academic achievement

In October 2015, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale reported that Forbes Elementary School was among the 561 academically challenged schools that have been overlooked by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.^[32][33] 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.^[34]

Opportunity Scholarship - lowest achieving schools

In May 2015, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) released a report identifying that two Penn Hills School District schools as among the lowest achieving schools for reading and mathematics in the state.^[35] Included on the list were: Linton Middle School and Penn Hills Senior High School. They have been on the low achievement list since its inception in 2011. One hundred four (104) public school districts had one or more schools on the list. 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.^[36] 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.^[37] 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, nine public school districts in Pennsylvania had all of their schools placed on the list including: Steelton-Highspire School District, Sto-Rox School District, Chester Upland School District, Clairton City School District, Duquesne City School District, Farrell Area School District, Wilkinsburg Borough School District, and William Penn School District.^[38] In 2014, Monessen City School District had all three of its schools added to the list. Funding for the scholarships comes from donations by businesses which receive a state tax credit for donating.

In April 2014, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released a report identifying two Penn Hills School District schools as among the lowest achieving schools for reading and mathematics in the state.^[39] They were Linton Middle School and Penn Hills Senior High School. For school years 2011-12, 2012–13 and 2013–14 both schools were on the state's lowest achievement list.

Statewide academic ranking

In 2015, Penn Hills School District ranked 469th out of 493 Pennsylvania public school districts, by the Pittsburgh Business Times.^[40] The ranking is based on the last 3 years of student academic achievement as demonstrated by PSSAs results in: reading, writing, math and science and the three Keystone Exams (literature, Algebra 1, Biology I) in high school.^[41] Three school districts were excluded because they do not operate high schools (Saint Clair Area School District, Midland Borough School District, Duquesne City School District). The PSSAs are given to all children in grades 3rd through 8th. Adapted PSSA examinations are given to children in the special education programs. Writing exams were given to children in 5th and 8th grades.^[42]

• 2014 - 471st^[43]
• 2013 - 474th^[44]
• 2012 - 473rd ^[45]
• 2008 - 474th
• 2007 - 464th of 501 school districts for student academic achievement ^[46]

Western Pennsylvania local ranking

Penn Hills School District was ranked 96th out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts, in 2015, by the Pittsburgh Business Times.^[47] (includes 105 districts in: Allegheny County, Armstrong County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Washington County and Westmoreland County but excludes Duquesne City School District & Midland Borough School District due to their not operating a high school). In 2014, Penn Hills School District ranked 96th in the Pittsburgh region.

For the 2011-2012 school year, the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) ranked Penn Hills High School 546th out of the 676 public high schools in Pennsylvania. This ranking was based solely on combined math and reading PSSA test scores from the high school.^[48]

Special education

In December 2013, Penn Hills School District administration reported that 760 pupils, or 19.4% of the district's pupils, received special education services, with 40.4% of the identified students having a specific learning disability.^[174] In December 2009, the district administration reported that 876 pupils, or 18.8% of the district's pupils, received special education services, with 44% of the identified students having a specific learning disability. Special education services in the Commonwealth are provided to students from ages three years to 21 years old. In the 2010-2011 school year, the total student enrollment was more than 1.78 million students with approximately 275,000 students eligible for special education services. Among these students 18,959 were identified with mental retardation and 21,245 students with autism.^[175] The largest group of students are identified as Specific Learning Disabilities 126,026 students (46.9 percent) and Speech or Language Impairments with 43,542 students (16.2 percent).

In 2007, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak testified before the Pennsylvania House Education Committee regarding full-day kindergarten. He claimed that districts which offered the program would see a significant decrease in special education students due to early identification and early intervention. He asserted the high cost of full-day kindergarten would be recouped by districts in lower special education costs.^[176] Penn Hills School District has provided full-day kindergarten since 2008. The district has seen an increase in the percentage of special education students it serves, yielding no savings.

In order to comply with state and federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act rules and regulations, Penn Hills School District engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress.^[177] To identify students who may be eligible for special education services, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Special Education administration. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the district seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the district or contact the district's Special Education Department.^{[178][179][180]} The IDEA 2004 requires each school entity to publish a notice to parents, in newspapers or other media, including the student handbook and website regarding the availability of screening and intervention services and how to access them.

Students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) may take the PSSA-M an alternative math exam rather than the PSSA.^[181] Some special education students may take the PASA (Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment), rather than the PSSA.^[182] Schools are permitted to provide accommodations to some students.^[183]

In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for special education services. This funding was in addition to the state's basic education per pupil funding, as well as, all other state and federal funding.^[184] The Special Education funding structure is through the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds and state appropriations. IDEA funds are appropriated to the state on an annual basis and distributed through intermediate units (IUs) to school districts, while state funds are distributed directly to the districts. Total funds that are received by school districts are calculated through a formula. The Pennsylvania Department of Education oversees four appropriations used to fund students with special needs: Special Education; Approved Private Schools; Pennsylvania Chartered Schools for the Deaf and Blind; and Early Intervention. The Pennsylvania Special Education funding system assumes that 16% of the district’s students receive special education services. It also assumes that each student’s needs accrue the same level of costs.^[185] Over identification of students, in order to increase state funding, has been an issue in the Commonwealth. Some districts have more than 20% of its students receiving special education services while others have 10% supported through special education.^[186] The state requires each public school district and charter school to have a three-year special education plan to meet the unique needs of its special education students.^[187] In 2012, the Obama Administration's US Department of Education issued a directive requiring schools include students with disabilities in extracurricular activities, including sports.^[188]

Penn Hills School District received a $2,984,767 supplement for special education services in 2010.^[189] For the 2011-12, 2012–13 and 2013-14 school years, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010-11. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required.^[190][191] In 2013-14, Penn Hills School District received $2,984,799 in special education funding from the state. For the 2014-2015 school year, Penn Hills School District received an increase to $3,059,876 from the Commonwealth for special education funding.^[192] Additionally, the state provides supplemental funding for extraordinarily impacted students. The district must apply for this added funding.

In 2013, the state's Special Education Funding Reform Commission provided a report on the state of funding for special education in the Commonwealth.^[193] Funding for special education programs is borne largely on a local basis at 60%, with the state contributing $1 billion or 30% and the federal government providing 10% of the funding.

Budget

Pennsylvania public school districts budget and expend funds according to procedures mandated by the General Assembly and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). An annual operating budget is prepared by school district administrative officials. A uniform form is furnished by the PDE and submitted to the board of school directors for approval prior to the beginning of each fiscal year on July 1.

Under Pennsylvania’s Taxpayer Relief Act, Act 1 of the Special Session of 2006, all school districts of the first class A, second class, third class and fourth class must adopt a preliminary budget proposal. The proposal must include estimated revenues and expenditures and the proposed tax rates. This proposed budget must be considered by the board no later than 90 days prior to the date of the election immediately preceding the fiscal year. The preliminary budget proposal must also be printed and made available for public inspection at least 20 days prior to its adoption. The board of school directors may hold a public hearing on the budget, but are not required to do so. The board must give at least 10 days’ public notice of its intent to adopt the final budget according to Act 1 of 2006.^[197]

In 2013, the average teacher salary in Penn Hills School District was $64,630 a year.^[198] The district employed 366 teachers with a top salary of $155,970.^[199][200] Pennsylvania teacher salaries (2013–14) are searchable in a statewide database provided by TribLive News.^[201] Penn Hills School District teacher and administrator retirement benefits are equal to at least 2.00% x Final Average Salary x Total Credited Service. (Some teachers benefits utilize a 2.50% benefit factor.)^[202] After 40 years of service, Pennsylvania public school teachers and administrators can retire with 100% of the average salary of their final 3 years of employment. According to a study conducted at the American Enterprise Institute, in 2011, public school teachers’ total compensation is roughly 50 percent higher than they would likely receive in the private sector. The study found that the most generous benefits that teachers receive are not accounted for in many studies of compensation including: pension, retiree health benefits and job security.^[203] In 2014-15, Pennsylvania public school district mandated teacher pension contribution rose to 21.40% of employee salaries and in 2015-16 it rose again to 25.84% of total salaries.^[204] In 2014-15, the state mandated district contribution to the teacher pension fund rose to 21.40% of employee salaries and in 2015-16 it rose again to 25.84% of total district salaries.^[205]

In 2010, the district reported employing 398 teachers and administrators with a median salary of $55,216 and a top salary of $130,000.^[206] The teacher’s work day is 7.5 hours, with 190 days in the contract year. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, 2 paid personal days, 10 paid sick days which accumulate, 3 paid bereavement days, 2 emergency days and other benefits.^[207]

In 2007, the average teacher salary in the district was $50,105 for 180 days worked.^[208] in 2009 the district employed 417 teachers. A five-year employment contract was reached after a four-day strike. The teachers will receive raises of 1%, 2% and 3% in the last three years of the contract.^[209] As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation.^[210] Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, paid personal days, paid sick days, a retirement bonus and other benefits.^[211] According to State Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System Board, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.^[212]

Administrative costs

Penn Hills School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $769.82 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.^[213] Superintendent Joseph Carroll retired in 2010. His final salary was $130,000. He received an early retirement package, which included a $30,000 lump sum payment.^[214] He is retiring mid contract at the age of 60. Carroll receives a defined benefit pension in excess of $100,000 a year that is exempted from local income tax and state income tax.

Per-pupil spending

In 2008, the Penn Hills School District administration reported that per-pupil spending was $13,300 which ranked 151st among Pennsylvania's then 501 public school districts. In 2010, the district’s per-pupil spending had increased to $15,994.42, ranking 85th among the district.^[215] by 2013, the per-pupil spending of Penn Hills rose dramatically to $18,079.18, ranking 59th in the Commonwealth.^[216] In 2011, Pennsylvania’s state per-pupil spending was $13,467, ranking 6th in the United States.^[217] In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was reported as $12,759.^[218]

Tuition

Students who live in the Penn Hills School District's attendance area may choose to attend one of Pennsylvania's 157 public charter schools. A student living in a neighboring public school district or a foreign exchange student may seek admission to Penn Hills School District. For these cases, the Pennsylvania Department of Education sets an annual tuition rate for each school district. It is the amount the public school district pays to a charter school for each resident student that attends the charter and it is the amount a nonresident student's parents must pay to attend the district's schools. The 2013 tuition rates are Elementary School - $11,602.77, High School - $10,833.65.^[219] In 2015, the Penn Hills School District tuition rates were Elementary School - $12,134.48, High School - $11,722.48.^[220]

State Audit

In May 2016, Pennsylvania Auditor General Depasquale audited the school district. Eight significant fundings were reported which provoked a state investigation. Among the serious findings were financial misconduct resulting in a $18 million annual budget deficit.^[221] Additionally, the district had amassed $167 million in debt between 2009 and 2016.^[222][223]

Master plan

The district has a master plan to consolidate all students into three buildings by fall 2012. A new high school and single elementary center will be built to replace the current high school and four elementary schools. Funds for these capital projects come from a $130 million bond issue.^[224]

Penn Hills School District is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax 1%,^[225] a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, grants, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government, generally 10%. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. Interest earnings on accounts also provide nontax income to the district. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the level of the individual’s personal wealth.^[226] The average Pennsylvania public school teacher pension in 2011 exceeded $60,000 a year, plus they receive federal Social Security benefits. Both retirement benefits are free of Pennsylvania state income tax and local income tax which funds local public schools.^[227] Effective 2016, active duty military are also exempted from paying the local earned income tax in Pennsylvania.^[228][229]

Wellness policy

Penn Hills School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006.^[323] 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.^[324]

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.^[325] The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

The district 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.^[326] The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.^[327] The district offers a summer free meal program to children at several school buildings.

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.^[328] 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.^[329] 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 2015, federal reimbursement rates were: $3.07 per meal for students who are income-eligible for free lunches and $2.67 for those who qualify for a reduced price. School lunch participation nationally dropped from 31.6 million students in 2012 to 30.4 million in 2014, according to the federal Department of Agriculture. Pennsylvania statistics show school lunch participation dropped by 86,950 students in the same two years, from 1,127,444 in 2012 to 1,040,494 in 2014.^[330]

In 2014, President Barack Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day.^[331][332]

The US Department of Agriculture 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.^[333][334]

Penn Hills School District 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.^[335][336] Nurses also monitor each child's weight.^[337]

In 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Health distributed to each Pennsylvania high school the overdose antidote drug naloxone in a nasal spray. School nurses were also provided with educational materials and training developed by the National Association of School Nurses.^[338] The cost was covered by a grant from a private foundation.^[339]

Health eTools program

Penn Hills School District participated in Highmark Foundation’s Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools grant which enabled mobile data collection of pertinent health and physical fitness screening data on students K-12 in a database held by InnerLink, Inc. in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.^[340] Health eTools for Schools also provided interdisciplinary research-based curriculum in nutrition, physical education and physical activity to participating districts. The program was discontinued by the company in 2013.^[341]

Alma Mater

Oh Penn High School

Our best we pledge to you

The days we have spent here

We always will hold dear

Oh red and gold

Staunch friends we are foretold

Forever we'll be loyal

To our Penn High School

Extracurriculars

Penn Hills School District offers a variety of clubs, activities and an extensive sports program.

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.^[342]

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.^{[343][344][345]}

Former Schools

• Penn Hills Senior High School built in 1959 and closed on December 28, 2012, when the new school open on the site of the former Roberts Elementary School which was most recently used as the district's administration building.
• Seneca Junior High, closed and demolished now is the site of UPMC's Seneca Hills Village Independent Living.^[351]
• Penn Hebron Elementary, closed at the end of the 2013-14 school year. This school was originally Penn Junior High. Penn Hebron Elementary Academy was located at 102 Duff Road, Pittsburgh. It provided full-day kindergarten through 4th grade. Penn Hebron Elementary Academy achieved a score of 81 out of 100. The score reflects on grade level: reading, science, writing and mathematics achievement. In 2013-14, only 63.23% of the students were reading on grade level in grades 3rd through 4th. In 3rd grade, 63.8% of the pupils were reading on grade level. In math, 73.79% were on grade level (3rd-4th grades). In 4th grade science, 70.70% of the pupils demonstrated on grade level understanding.^[352]
• Washington Elementary, closed at the end of the 2013-14 school year.
• Forbes Elementary, closed at the end of the 2013-14 school year. Forbes Elementary School was located at 5785 Saltsburg Road, Verona. It provided kindergarten through third grade. Forbes Elementary School achieved a score of 64.7 out of 100. The score reflects on grade level: reading, science, writing and mathematics achievement. In 3rd grade, 50% of the pupils were reading on grade level. In math, 55.7% were on grade level (3rd-5th grades).^[353]
• Clifford M. Dible Elementary, closed at the end of the 2010-11 school year and the building was demolished to make way for the new Penn Hills Elementary building.
• Shenandoah Elementary, closed at the end of the 2007-2008 school year.^[354]
• William Penn Elementary, closed at the end of the 2007-2008 school year.^[355]
• Roberts Elementary School, closed and later demolished to make way for the new Penn Hill Senior High School.
• William McKinley Elementary School, closed and now a Senior Citizens Center.^[356]
• Hebron Elementary School, closed in the 1980s after a fire and now part of an industrial park.^[357]
• Morrow Elementary School, closed in 1974 and now is part of the Penn Hills Senior Citizen Center on Jefferson Road.^[358]
• Ben Franklin School, closed in 1975^[359]
• Thaddeus Stevens School, closed in 1979^[360]
• Davidson School, closed in the 1980s and was one of the smallest and oldest schools ^[361]
• Lincoln Park School, closed and is now the Lincoln Park Community Center.

Other Facilities

• PHSD Roberts Administration Building, Closed and demolished for new High School
• PHSD Transportation Dept./Bus Garage, buses are now outsourced
• Fralic Sports/Athletic Center

Students enjoy easy access to Downtown Pittsburgh, with the city's business, cultural, shopping, sports, and entertainment facilities only 20 minutes away.

External links

• Official website

References

Coordinates: 40°28′43″N 79°49′04″W / 40.47855°N 79.81773°W / 40.47855; -79.81773