Pennsbury High School
Encyclopedia
Pennsbury High School is a public high school
located in Fairless Hills
, Pennsylvania
, in the United States
.
With 3,591 students enrolled for the 2009-2010 school year, Pennsbury High School is the largest high school in Bucks County
, and the teneth largest high school in the state of Pennsylvania
. Faculty and staff number approximately 260.
It is the only high school in Pennsbury School District
, which has a total enrollment of 11,410 students
(includes Bucks Technical High School and Intermediate Unit student totals).
Pennsbury had a graduating class of 860 students in 2009, of which 93% were college-bound. The 2009 graduating class received $13,630,627 in scholarships and grants awarded. The school also had twelve National Merit Scholarship finalists and three winners.
, and months are spent preparing for the event by students, faculty and other volunteers to transform the high school into a night to remember. Students arrive to bleachers full of local families who gather to watch the parade of inventive vehicles and their dressed-up occupants. Ambulances, hearses, trolleys, classic cars, parade-like floats
, Zamboni Machines
, and shopping carts are employed by students who want to arrive at the prom in style. In 2004, the event was awarded "Best Prom" by Reader's Digest
as part their "America's 100 Best" feature. In 2004, singer-songwriter John Mayer
performed for a crowd of nearly a thousand students. In 2007, former student and hip-hop artist, Asher Roth
performed. In 2008, singer-songwriter Rick Seibold
performed. On May 16, 2009, pop rock musician Ryan Cabrera
performed.
In 2002, Pennsbury High School's prom tradition caught the attention of Sports Illustrated
senior writer Michael Bamberger
. After writing an article for the magazine about the 2002 prom, Bamberger went on to write a book, Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School, which chronicled the senior year of a group of Pennsbury students. The rights for the book were bought by Paramount
, and MTV
and Tollin/Robbins Productions
were to produce the film, which had tentatively been named Pennsbury. In 2004, Mike Tollin
and Brian Robbins
signed with Walt Disney Studios
, leaving the status of the project uncertain.
Bob Costa, one of the students documented by Bamberger in the book, spent his senior year spearheading an effort to get John Mayer
to perform at Pennsbury's senior prom. On prom night, May 16, 2004, the singer performed a three song set. Mayer followed in the footsteps of multi-platinum bands like Eve 6
and Maroon 5
, who performed special acoustic shows at Pennsbury in 2003 organized by Costa. In 2007, popular rapper (and Pennsbury alumnus) Asher Roth performed. On May 16, 2009, pop rock musician Ryan Cabrera
performed. At the 2010 prom Thomas Ian Nicholas
performed, as did the Quincy Mumford Band.
when a school bus veered into a group of students as they left school. The bus "jumped a curb outside one of the school buildings, drove over a sidewalk, barreled down an access road, mowed down a fence
and slammed head-on into the retaining wall
." All injured students required hospital
ization for their injuries. The incident received nationwide media coverage.
Ashley Zauflik, the most seriously injured student, suffered a fractured
pelvis
, internal bleeding
and a crushed left leg
, which later had to be amputated
above the knee
. She was released from the hospital on February 22. All other students injured in the accident have returned to school.
The NTSB announced they had "not found any major mechanical errors with the school bus," however did note that the brakes were out of adjustment. The vehicle, a Thomas
Saf-T-Liner MVP-ER school bus, was involved in a similar accident in 1994.
On March 13, 2007, Falls Township police concluded that the school bus driver slammed on the gas pedal
instead of the brake. The driver was not driving his usual vehicle, and "the accelerator of the replacement bus was close in shape and location to the brake in the bus he normally drove." The school bus driver remains on paid leave, and officials have said charges will not be filed. The school bus driver disagrees with the results of the investigation, claiming it was mechanical failure, and his attorney
intends to "conduct his own investigation of the crash." The results of the NTSB's investigation will take 6–12 months to complete. A lawyer representing Ashley Zauflik indicated a civil lawsuit would be filed.
Two days after police announced the results of their investigation, a fire
damaged two Pennsbury school buses parked outside a school district garage. School district officials said it was too "speculative" to connect the two events, however they also deemed the fire "suspicious." Fire investigators later concluded the fire was intentionally set.
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....
located in Fairless Hills
Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania
Fairless Hills is a census-designated place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,466 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, 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...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
With 3,591 students enrolled for the 2009-2010 school year, Pennsbury High School is the largest high school in Bucks County
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
, and the teneth largest high school in the 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...
. Faculty and staff number approximately 260.
It is the only high school in Pennsbury School District
Pennsbury School District
Pennsbury School District is located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The district serves Falls Township, Lower Makefield Township and Yardley, as well as portions of Morrisville, Newtown and Tullytown...
, which has a total enrollment of 11,410 students
(includes Bucks Technical High School and Intermediate Unit student totals).
Pennsbury had a graduating class of 860 students in 2009, of which 93% were college-bound. The 2009 graduating class received $13,630,627 in scholarships and grants awarded. The school also had twelve National Merit Scholarship finalists and three winners.
Senior Prom
Each year, the school holds a lavish senior promProm
In the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
, and months are spent preparing for the event by students, faculty and other volunteers to transform the high school into a night to remember. Students arrive to bleachers full of local families who gather to watch the parade of inventive vehicles and their dressed-up occupants. Ambulances, hearses, trolleys, classic cars, parade-like floats
Float (parade)
A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnival of Viareggio, the Maltese Carnival, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Key West Fantasy Fest parade, the...
, Zamboni Machines
Ice resurfacer
An ice resurfacer is a truck-like vehicle or smaller device used to clean and smooth the surface of an ice rink. The first ice resurfacer was developed by Frank J. Zamboni in 1949 in the city of Paramount, California...
, and shopping carts are employed by students who want to arrive at the prom in style. In 2004, the event was awarded "Best Prom" by Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
as part their "America's 100 Best" feature. In 2004, singer-songwriter John Mayer
John Mayer (musician)
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
performed for a crowd of nearly a thousand students. In 2007, former student and hip-hop artist, Asher Roth
Asher Roth
Asher Paul Roth is an American rapper.-Early life:Asher Roth was born and raised in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a small town about 20 miles northeast of Philadelphia. His mother, Elizabeth , is a yoga instructor, and his father, David Roth, is the executive director of a design firm...
performed. In 2008, singer-songwriter Rick Seibold
Rick Seibold
Rick Seibold is an American singer-songwriter from Wilmington, North Carolina, now based in Los Angeles, CA. Seibold has received considerable recognition as an independent recording artist from his debut record "That's the Day".-Early life:...
performed. On May 16, 2009, pop rock musician Ryan Cabrera
Ryan Cabrera
Ryan Frank Cabrera is an American pop rock musician. In 2004, Cabrera debuted with his single "On the Way Down", a top ten hit in the U.S., and album Take It All Away...
performed.
Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
senior writer Michael Bamberger
Michael Bamberger
Michael F. Bamberger is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of multiple books including Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School and The Man Who Heard Voices: Or, How M. Night Shyamalan Risked His Career on a Fairy Tale...
. After writing an article for the magazine about the 2002 prom, Bamberger went on to write a book, Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School, which chronicled the senior year of a group of Pennsbury students. The rights for the book were bought by Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and Tollin/Robbins Productions
Tollin/Robbins Productions
Tollin/Robbins Productions is an American movie and television production company operated by Mike Tollin and Brian Robbins, the latter probably best known for his role as Eric Mardian in the 1980s TV series Head of the Class...
were to produce the film, which had tentatively been named Pennsbury. In 2004, Mike Tollin
Mike Tollin
Michael "Mike" Tollin is an American film director and film/television producer. His career highlights included Radio, Coach Carter, and Varsity Blues. He frequently collaborates with Brian Robbins in which they own a production company together called Tollin/Robbins Productions...
and Brian Robbins
Brian Robbins
Brian Robbins is an American actor and producer, director and screenwriter. He often collaborates with Mike Tollin.-Biography:...
signed with Walt Disney Studios
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, leaving the status of the project uncertain.
Bob Costa, one of the students documented by Bamberger in the book, spent his senior year spearheading an effort to get John Mayer
John Mayer (musician)
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
to perform at Pennsbury's senior prom. On prom night, May 16, 2004, the singer performed a three song set. Mayer followed in the footsteps of multi-platinum bands like Eve 6
Eve 6
Eve 6 is an American rock band from Southern California, who are most well known for their hit singles "Inside Out", "Leech", and the slow anthem "Here's to the Night". They disbanded in 2004, returned in 2007 with a new lineup, and finally reunited with all three original members in March 2011...
and Maroon 5
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
, who performed special acoustic shows at Pennsbury in 2003 organized by Costa. In 2007, popular rapper (and Pennsbury alumnus) Asher Roth performed. On May 16, 2009, pop rock musician Ryan Cabrera
Ryan Cabrera
Ryan Frank Cabrera is an American pop rock musician. In 2004, Cabrera debuted with his single "On the Way Down", a top ten hit in the U.S., and album Take It All Away...
performed. At the 2010 prom Thomas Ian Nicholas
Thomas Ian Nicholas
Thomas Ian Nicholas is an American film actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and writer. Nicholas is best known for playing Henry Rowengartner in Rookie of the Year and Kevin Myers in the American Pie film series....
performed, as did the Quincy Mumford Band.
School bus accident
On January 12, 2007, seventeen Pennsbury High School students were injuredInjury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
when a school bus veered into a group of students as they left school. The bus "jumped a curb outside one of the school buildings, drove over a sidewalk, barreled down an access road, mowed down a fence
Fence
A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage .Fences...
and slammed head-on into the retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
." All injured students required hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
ization for their injuries. The incident received nationwide media coverage.
Ashley Zauflik, the most seriously injured student, suffered a fractured
Bone fracture
A bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a break in the continuity of the bone...
pelvis
Pelvic fracture
Pelvic fracture is a disruption of the bony structure of the pelvis, including the hip bone, sacrum and coccyx. The most common cause in elderly is a fall, but the most significant fractures involve high-energy forces such as a motor vehicle accident, cycling accidents, or a fall from significant...
, internal bleeding
Internal bleeding
Internal bleeding is bleeding occurring inside the body. It can be a serious medical emergency depending on where it occurs , and can potentially cause death and cardiac arrest if proper medical treatment is not received quickly....
and a crushed left leg
Leg
Łęg may refer to the following places in Poland:*A former name for the town of Ełk *Part of the Czyżyny district of Kraków*Łęg, Pleszew County in Greater Poland Voivodeship...
, which later had to be amputated
Amputation
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
above the knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
. She was released from the hospital on February 22. All other students injured in the accident have returned to school.
The NTSB announced they had "not found any major mechanical errors with the school bus," however did note that the brakes were out of adjustment. The vehicle, a Thomas
Thomas Built Buses
Thomas Built Buses, Inc. is a bus manufacturer based in High Point, North Carolina, United States and a subsidiary of the German Daimler AG. Thomas produces school buses, activity buses/MFSAB , and commercial buses; both small and full-size buses are produced.Thomas traces its roots to 1916, when...
Saf-T-Liner MVP-ER school bus, was involved in a similar accident in 1994.
On March 13, 2007, Falls Township police concluded that the school bus driver slammed on the gas pedal
Automobile pedal
An automobile may have two to four foot pedals. The arrangement is the same for both right- and left-hand traffic. From left to right:* normally operated by the left foot:**clutch pedal, not in the case of automatic transmission...
instead of the brake. The driver was not driving his usual vehicle, and "the accelerator of the replacement bus was close in shape and location to the brake in the bus he normally drove." The school bus driver remains on paid leave, and officials have said charges will not be filed. The school bus driver disagrees with the results of the investigation, claiming it was mechanical failure, and his attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
intends to "conduct his own investigation of the crash." The results of the NTSB's investigation will take 6–12 months to complete. A lawyer representing Ashley Zauflik indicated a civil lawsuit would be filed.
Two days after police announced the results of their investigation, a fire
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
damaged two Pennsbury school buses parked outside a school district garage. School district officials said it was too "speculative" to connect the two events, however they also deemed the fire "suspicious." Fire investigators later concluded the fire was intentionally set.
Notable alumni
- Christy AltomareChristy AltomareChristy Altomare is an American actress and singer-songwriter who played the role of Wendla in the first national tour of the rock musical Spring Awakening.-Early life:...
, actress. - Lavoy AllenLavoy Allen-Freshman:Coming into his freshman season, Allen was selected to the Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Rookie Team. He was seen as an answer for Temple's rebounding and interior scoring struggles from the previous 12-18 season. In his first college basketball game, Allen scored eight points and grabbed...
, professional basketball player. - Chris ColeChris Cole (skateboarder)James Chris Cole is a professional skateboarder. He grew up in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, but now lives in San Marcos, California with his wife and children. His stance is regular....
, professional skateboarder. - Robert Curtis-BrownRobert Curtis-BrownRobert Curtis Brown is an American television, film and stage actor. He has appeared in such TV shows as Criminal Minds, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, NYPD Blue, The X-Files, Star Trek: Voyager, The West Wing, Family Law, Murder, She Wrote, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Wings, Matlock,...
, actor. - John GallowayJohn GallowayJohn T. Galloway is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 140th state legislative district since 2007. His district includes parts of Bucks County....
, DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesPennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
. - Richard KindRichard KindRichard John Kind is an American actor known for his roles in the sitcoms Mad About You and Spin City .- Early life :...
, actor. - Drew GressDrew GressDrew Gress is an American jazz double-bassist and composer born in Trenton, New Jersey, raised in the Philadelphia area, and currently based in New York City.-Biography:...
, jazz musician and composer. - Asher RothAsher RothAsher Paul Roth is an American rapper.-Early life:Asher Roth was born and raised in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a small town about 20 miles northeast of Philadelphia. His mother, Elizabeth , is a yoga instructor, and his father, David Roth, is the executive director of a design firm...
, rap artist. - Ann ShoketAnn ShoketAnn Shoket is an American magazine writer and editor, and the current editor-in-chief of Seventeen magazine.-Education:Shoket graduated in 1990 from Pennsbury High School in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. She received her B.A...
, editor-in-chief of SeventeenSeventeen (magazine)Seventeen is an American magazine for teenagers. It was first published in September 1944 by Walter Annenberg's Triangle Publications. News Corporation bought Triangle in 1988, and sold Seventeen to K-III Communications in 1991. Primedia sold the magazine to Hearst in 2003. It is still in the...
magazine. - Troy VincentTroy VincentTroy Darnell Vincent is a former Defensive Back for the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins with the 7th overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wisconsin.Mr...
, professional football player. - Lindsey VuoloLindsey VuoloLindsey Eve Vuolo is an American model best known for her appearance in Playboy as the November 2001 Playmate.-Playboy:Pictures of Vuolo's bat mitzvah ceremony at age 13 were included in her Playboy pictorial...
, PlayboyPlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
Playmate. - Zach WoodsZach WoodsZach Woods is an American actor and comedian. From 2010-11, he portrayed Gabe Lewis on the NBC sitcom The Office. He was promoted to a series regular beginning in Season 7....
, actor - Jesse Colin YoungJesse Colin YoungJesse Colin Young is an American singer / songwriter / folksinger and a founding member of the group The Youngbloods.-Early life:...
, singer, songwriter and founding member of The YoungbloodsThe YoungbloodsThe Youngbloods was an American folk rock band consisting of Jesse Colin Young , Jerry Corbitt , Lowell Levinger, nicknamed "Banana," , and Joe Bauer . Despite receiving critical acclaim, they never achieved widespread popularity. Their only U.S. Top 40 entry was "Get Together".-Background and...
.