Camp Hill High School
Encyclopedia
Camp Hill High School is a coeducational public high school located in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
. It is part of the Camp Hill School District
and is the smallest public high school in Cumberland County
. It is located approximately ten minutes from the city of Harrisburg. It was founded in 1907 and has an enrollment of approximately 352 students in ninth through twelfth grades. As part of an unusually small school district, with fewer than 100 students in recent graduating classes. The high school's enrollment is projected to continue to decline through 2018. The High School shares a building with Camp Hill Middle School, although classes, teachers, and even administrators are completely separate.
US News and World Report ranked 21,000 public high schools, in the United States, based on three factors. First, the schools were analyzed for the number of students who achieved above the state average on the reading and math tests. Then they considered how the economically disadvantaged students performed against the state average. Finally, they considered the participation rate and the performance of students in college readiness by examining Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate test data. Camp Hill High School was ranked silver. Seventy Pennsylvania high schools achieved ranking bronze, silver or gold rating. Fifteen Pennsylvania high schools achieved silver.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
, 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.
For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $2,660 for the program.
. The historic structure, directly adjacent to the current high school/middle school complex, was completed in 1907, and graduated its first students in 1910. In 1953 the old school was torn down and replaced with a new three-story brick structure located at the corner of Chestnut Street and South 24th Street.
The new school was substantially larger than the old 4-classroom building, with a cafeteria which doubled as a fallout shelter
, a gym
nasium and locker rooms, and many more classrooms. The school was expanded in 1960 with the addition of music classrooms, a woodworking shop, and a 900-seat auditorium
. A new library and instructional media center were added above the main courtyard in 1977. In 2003 a new cafeteria, and building-wide air conditioning were added to the school, and the old cafeteria and the front courtyard were converted into classrooms.
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.
, which governs high school sports for the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania
. The school mascot is the Lion
. Camp Hill won the state championship in 1999, 2008, and 2009 for baseball, and 1988 for football. The 1988 football team was the first PIAA State champs due to the tournament beginning that year. Until 2001, Football
games unusually took place on Saturday mornings instead of Friday nights, due the lack of stadium lighting at Christian Siebert Memorial Park, the home athletic field of the schools' team. Installation of stadium lighting at the field was financed by Coca-cola
, and included an agreement which involved installing vending machines at school district
athletic fields and buildings.
Traditionally, there is a rivalry between Camp Hill High School and neighboring Trinity High School
. The two schools compete against each other in football
, soccer, cross-country
, track and field, baseball, softball
, and tennis. The "backyard brawl" games are often highly attended by fans, spectators, and other members of the community.
Camp Hill has enjoyed a successful soccer program. They were District III finalists and PIAA State semifinalists in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Camp Hill is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 2 miles southwest of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,636 at the 2000 census...
. It is part of the Camp Hill School District
Camp Hill School District
The Camp Hill School District, is a diminutive, suburban public school district serving the Borough of Camp Hill in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. At just two square miles, Camp Hill is the smallest school district in the county and it is one of the smallest in the Commonwealth of state...
and is the smallest public high school in Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 235,406.-History:...
. It is located approximately ten minutes from the city of Harrisburg. It was founded in 1907 and has an enrollment of approximately 352 students in ninth through twelfth grades. As part of an unusually small school district, with fewer than 100 students in recent graduating classes. The high school's enrollment is projected to continue to decline through 2018. The High School shares a building with Camp Hill Middle School, although classes, teachers, and even administrators are completely separate.
US News and World Report ranked 21,000 public high schools, in the United States, based on three factors. First, the schools were analyzed for the number of students who achieved above the state average on the reading and math tests. Then they considered how the economically disadvantaged students performed against the state average. Finally, they considered the participation rate and the performance of students in college readiness by examining Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate test data. Camp Hill High School was ranked silver. Seventy Pennsylvania high schools achieved ranking bronze, silver or gold rating. Fifteen Pennsylvania high schools achieved silver.
Graduation Rate
In 2011, the graduation rate declined to 97%. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Camp Hill High School's rate was 95% for 2010.According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
- 2010 - 99%
- 2009 - 96%
- 2008 - 97%
- 2007 - 97%
- 2006 - 97%
- 2005 - 92%
High school
In 2011 and 2010, the Camp Hill Senior High School achieved AYP status.PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
- 2011 - 84% on grade level, (7% below basic). 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2010 - 82.6%, State - 67%
- 2009 - 93%, State - 65%
- 2008 - 91%, State - 65%
- 2007 - 77%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 72%, on grade level (15% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2010 - 86%, State - 59%
- 2009 - 84%, State - 56%
- 2008 - 84%, State - 56%
- 2007 - 74%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 64% on grade level (8% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
- 2010 - 74%, State - 39%
- 2009 - 78%, State - 40%
- 2008 - 70%, State - 39%
College Remediation
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 24% of Camp Hill 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. 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. Per the Pennsylvania Department of EducationPennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
, 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
Camp Hill High School offers a Dual Enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities at their 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. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $2,660 for the program.
History
Before the construction of the first building in 1907, the high school shared a building with students from nearby East Pennsboro TownshipEast Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania
East Pennsboro Township is a township in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,254 at the 2000 census. In 1990 the township had a population of 16,588. East Pennsboro is the second largest municipality in Cumberland County. The township is located along the...
. The historic structure, directly adjacent to the current high school/middle school complex, was completed in 1907, and graduated its first students in 1910. In 1953 the old school was torn down and replaced with a new three-story brick structure located at the corner of Chestnut Street and South 24th Street.
The new school was substantially larger than the old 4-classroom building, with a cafeteria which doubled as a fallout shelter
Fallout shelter
A fallout shelter is an enclosed space specially designed to protect occupants from radioactive debris or fallout resulting from a nuclear explosion. Many such shelters were constructed as civil defense measures during the Cold War....
, a gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium and locker rooms, and many more classrooms. The school was expanded in 1960 with the addition of music classrooms, a woodworking shop, and a 900-seat auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
. A new library and instructional media center were added above the main courtyard in 1977. In 2003 a new cafeteria, and building-wide air conditioning were added to the school, and the old cafeteria and the front courtyard were converted into classrooms.
Graduation project
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. Rather than adding another project onto student's workload, Camp Hill incorporates projects from individual classes and allows them to fill the project requirement.Extracurriculars
The high school offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports for students who meet eligibility requirements set by the school board and the respective governing organization.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.
Athletics
The school athletic teams participate in District 3 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic AssociationPennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. is one of the governing bodies of high school and junior high school sports for the state of Pennsylvania, United States....
, which governs high school sports for the Commonwealth
Commonwealth (United States)
Four of the constituent states of the United States officially designate themselves Commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia....
of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The school mascot is the Lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
. Camp Hill won the state championship in 1999, 2008, and 2009 for baseball, and 1988 for football. The 1988 football team was the first PIAA State champs due to the tournament beginning that year. Until 2001, Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
games unusually took place on Saturday mornings instead of Friday nights, due the lack of stadium lighting at Christian Siebert Memorial Park, the home athletic field of the schools' team. Installation of stadium lighting at the field was financed by Coca-cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, and included an agreement which involved installing vending machines at school district
Camp Hill School District
The Camp Hill School District, is a diminutive, suburban public school district serving the Borough of Camp Hill in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. At just two square miles, Camp Hill is the smallest school district in the county and it is one of the smallest in the Commonwealth of state...
athletic fields and buildings.
Traditionally, there is a rivalry between Camp Hill High School and neighboring Trinity High School
Trinity High School (Camp Hill, Pennsylvania)
Trinity High School is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic high school of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, located in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, west of Harrisburg. The school has 55 faculty members and an enrollment of about 640 students in grades 9 through 12. The school was twice...
. The two schools compete against each other in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, soccer, cross-country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, track and field, baseball, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, and tennis. The "backyard brawl" games are often highly attended by fans, spectators, and other members of the community.
Camp Hill has enjoyed a successful soccer program. They were District III finalists and PIAA State semifinalists in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Notable alumni
- William Daniel PhillipsWilliam Daniel PhillipsWilliam Daniel Phillips is an American physicist and shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for 1997 with Steven Chu and Claude Cohen-Tannoudji. He is of Italian and Welsh descent.-Biography:...
, winner of the 1997 Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in PhysicsPhysicsPhysics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. A Bronze plaque is installed in the auditorium lobby to commemorate his award. It is tradition for students to rub the protruding nose of the plaque for good luck before taking a test or an exam (usually only physics or chemistry exams). The nose is, as a result, very worn down in its color.