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Highlands High School (Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania)
Encyclopedia
Highlands High School is a suburban, public secondary school in the Natrona Heights
neighborhood of Harrison Township
in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
. It is part of the Highlands School District
and has a current enrollment of about 800 students in grades nine through twelve.
issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Highlands School District's rate was 80% for 2010.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
In 2009, Highlands High School's 11th grade ranked 68th out of 123 western Pennsylvania 11th grades for academic achievement on three years of PSSAs in: reading, writing, math and one year of science.
PSSA results
11th Grade Reading
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education
study released in January 2009, 24% of Highlands School District 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 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.
(CCAC). 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 $23,672 for the program.
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. At Highlands High School students are required to complete a career portfolio over 4 years. It includes Individual and group projects, visitations to post-secondary schools, community service hours, and career job shadowing, coupled with career awareness activities.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating classes 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.
, Johns Hopkins University
, and the University of Maryland
indicated that the school may have dangerous levels of chromium
in its air, due to its proximity to steel mill
s of Allegheny Technologies
.
Eligibility to participate is set in school board policy. All students must be passing four major subjects to be eligible to participate. Students declared ineligible are not permitted to practice or play from Monday through the end of next Sunday.
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.
The district offers the following sports programs:
BOYS - Baseball 9-12, Basketball 7-12, Cross Country 9-12, Marching Band (sometimes 8 but usually) 9-12, Football 7-12, Golf 9-12, Soccer 7-12 , Swimming 9-12, Tennis 9-12, Track & Field 7-12, Wrestling 9-12.
GIRLS - Basketball 7-12, Cross Country 9-12, Marching Band (sometimes 8 but usually) 9-12, Soccer 7-12, Softball 7-12, Swimming 9-12, Tennis 9-12, Track & Field 7-12, Volleyball 9-12.
Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania
Natrona Heights is an unincorporated community in Harrison Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States; it is located in Western Pennsylvania within the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, approximately northeast of Pittsburgh...
neighborhood of Harrison Township
Harrison Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Harrison Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,461 at the 2010 census. Pennsylvania Route 28 passes through Harrison Township connecting Kittanning to the northeast and Pittsburgh to the southwest. Allegheny Technologies has extensive steel...
in the U.S. state 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...
. It is part of the Highlands School District
Highlands School District (Pennsylvania)
The Highlands School District is a small, suburban public school district covering Tarentum and Brackenridge boroughs, as well as Fawn and Harrison townships in Allegheny County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Highlands School District encompasses approximately 22 square miles. According to...
and has a current enrollment of about 800 students in grades nine through twelve.
Graduation rate
In 2010, 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...
issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Highlands School District's rate was 80% for 2010.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
- 2010 – 92%
- 2009 – 93%
- 2008 – 96%
- 2007 – 96%
Academic achievement
In 2010, the Highland High School achieved AYP status. In 2009, the school was in Warning status due to low student achievement.In 2009, Highlands High School's 11th grade ranked 68th out of 123 western Pennsylvania 11th grades for academic achievement on three years of PSSAs in: reading, writing, math and one year of science.
PSSA results
11th Grade Reading
- 2010 - 62% on grade level. Boys 52%/Girls 71%, (19% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders on grade level.
- 2009 - 62%, Boys 57%/Girls 67%, (20% below basic). State - 65%
- 2008 - 64%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 49% on grade level. Boys 47%/Girls 51%, (27% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 51%, Boys 52%/Girls 49%, (24% below basic). State - 56%
- 2008 - 63%, State - 56%
11th Grade Science:
- 2010 - 36% on grade level. State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 - 32%, State - 40%
- 2008 - 27%, State - 39%
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania 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...
study released in January 2009, 24% of Highlands School District 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
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a large public university system in the United States. It is the tenth-largest university system in the United States and 43rd largest in the world...
or community colleges. Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
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 Education
Pennsylvania 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
The 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. HIghlands has partnered with Penn State New Kensington and Community College of Allegheny CountyCommunity College of Allegheny County
Community College of Allegheny County, or CCAC as it is officially abbreviated, is a community college in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With four campuses and six centers, the college offers associate's degrees, certificate and diploma programs....
(CCAC). 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 $23,672 for the program.
Graduation requirements
The Highlands School Board requires that a student earn 24.2 credits to graduate including: English 4 credits, Mathematics 4 credits, Science 4 credits, Social Studies 4 credits, Arts and Humanities 2 credits, Health/Phys. Ed. 2.2 credits, and Electives 4 credits. Every student must successfully complete one credit of English, math and social studies every year.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. At Highlands High School students are required to complete a career portfolio over 4 years. It includes Individual and group projects, visitations to post-secondary schools, community service hours, and career job shadowing, coupled with career awareness activities.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating classes 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.
Tutoring
Tutoring is available to high school students, after school Monday thru Thursday from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., for: Math, English, Science and Social Studies.AP courses
Students have access to several Advance Placement courses including AP English, AP Calculus, AP U.S. History, AP U.S. Government and Politics, and AP Economics. Upon successful completion of the course and achieving a score of 3, 4 or 5 on the exam administered by the College Board, a student can earn college credits. The exams are offered in the area on an annual schedule.Air pollution
In 2008, a study released by USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, and the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
indicated that the school may have dangerous levels of chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
in its air, due to its proximity to steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
s of Allegheny Technologies
Allegheny Technologies
Allegheny Technologies, Inc. is a specialty metals company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States. Allegheny Technologies is one of the largest and most diversified specialty metals producers in the world with revenue of $3.0 billion in 2009. ATI's key markets are...
.
Extracurriculars
The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Highlands School District is a member of the WPIAL and PIAA, Highlands School District teams compete at the class AAA or AA level.Eligibility to participate is set in school board policy. All students must be passing four major subjects to be eligible to participate. Students declared ineligible are not permitted to practice or play from Monday through the end of next Sunday.
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.
The district offers the following sports programs:
BOYS - Baseball 9-12, Basketball 7-12, Cross Country 9-12, Marching Band (sometimes 8 but usually) 9-12, Football 7-12, Golf 9-12, Soccer 7-12 , Swimming 9-12, Tennis 9-12, Track & Field 7-12, Wrestling 9-12.
GIRLS - Basketball 7-12, Cross Country 9-12, Marching Band (sometimes 8 but usually) 9-12, Soccer 7-12, Softball 7-12, Swimming 9-12, Tennis 9-12, Track & Field 7-12, Volleyball 9-12.