North Clarion County School District
Encyclopedia
North Clarion County School District is located next to a corn/potato/soy bean field in Clarion County, Pennsylvania
. It consists of the North Clarion County Elementary School with pre-kindergarten through grade 6 and the North Clarion County Junior/Senior High School
serving students in grades 7 through 12.
and the Pennsylvania General Assembly
. 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
which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "F" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.
, there are 611 students enrolled in K-12. There were 92 students in the Class of 2009. The senior class of 2010 has 64 students. Enrollment in North Clarion County School District is projected to continue to sharply decline through 2019. The administrative infrastructure costs per pupil are high. With limited resources, opportunities for students are limited. Consolidation of the administrations with adjacent school districts would achieve substantial administrative cost savings for people in both communities. These excessive administrative overhead dollars could be redirected to improve lagging academic achievement, to enrich the academic programs or to substantially reduce property taxes. Consolidation of multiple central administrations into one would not necessitate the closing of any schools. A new district composed of Clarion Area School District
, Clarion-Limestone Area School District
and North Clarion County School District would have a total student population of 2500 with declining enrollment projected across the district.
Over the next 10 years, rural Pennsylvania school enrollment is projected to decrease 8 percent. The most significant enrollment decline is projected to be in western Pennsylvania, where rural school districts may have a 16 percent decline. More than 40 percent of elementary schools and more than 60 percent of secondary schools in western Pennsylvania are projected to experience significant enrollment decreases (15 percent or greater).
Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under
5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
North Clarion County School District administrative costs per pupil was $882.50 in 2008. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In August 2006, the North Clarion County School Board awarded a contract to David Stake as Superintendent with an initial salary of $89,000. The contract provides an extensive benefits package that includes: health insurance, life insurance , travel exprences, dues, paid sick and holidays, vacation time and more.
The school district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a 1% real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. The largest amount of state funding is the Basic Education Funding, but there are a wide variety of smaller funding programs. In Pennsylvania, pension income and social security income is exempt from state income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of level of income.
in Berks County received a 22.31% increase in state Basic Education Funding in 2009. The amount of increase each school district receives is set by the Governor and the Secretary of Education as a part of the state budget proposal given each February.
- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. This funding is for 2009-2011 school years.
federal grant which would have brought the district hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate. Pennsylvania was not approved in the first round of the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. A second round of state RTTT application judging will occur in June 2010.
in the U.S. Department of Labor, for the previous 12-month period ending June 30. For a school district with a market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR) greater than 0.4000, its index equals the base index multiplied by the sum of .75 and its MV/PI AR for the current year.
The School District Adjusted Index for the North Clarion County School District 2006-2007 through 2010-2011.
2006-07 - 5.2%, Base 3.9%
2007-08 - 4.6%, Base 3.4%
2008-09 - 5.9%, Base 4.4%
2009-10 - 5.6%, Base 4.1%
2010-11 - 3.9%, Base 2.9%
In the Spring of 2010, 135 Pennsylvania school boards asked to exceed their adjusted index. Approval was granted to 133 of them and 128 sought an exception for pension costs increases.
at $183. The highest property tax relief in Pennsylvania was allotted to Chester Upland School District
in Delaware County which got $632 in 2009.
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners. The maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters is $650. Applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of their Social Security income, so people who make substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate.
Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation
, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).
s.
2009 - 184th
2008 - 215th
2007 - 225th out of 501 school districts.
2009 - 96%
2008 - 95%
2007 - 91%
2009 - 73% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 - 67%, State - 65%
2007 - 78%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
2009 - 63% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 55% of 11th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 54%, State - 56%
2007 - 57%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
2009 - 57% on grade level. State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 50%, State Avg. - 39%
study released in January 2009, 12% of the North Clarion County 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 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.
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, including the graduation ceremony. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs 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. The Pennsylvania College Credit Transfer System reported in 2009, that students saved nearly $35.4 million by having their transferred credits count towards a degree under the new system.
For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $9,992 for the program.
Other students that reside in the district who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school or are homeschooled are eligible for the university courses contained in the dual enrollment contract.
2009 - 86% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 80% of 8th graders on grade level.
2008 - 88%, State - 78%
8th Grade Math:
2009 - 68% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 71% of 8th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 82%, State - 70%
8th Grade Science:
2009 - 61% on grade level. State - 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 78%, State Avg. - 52%
2009 - 82% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 71% of 7th graders on grade level.
2008 - 62%, State - 70%
7th Grade Math:
2009 - 77% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 75% of 7th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 69%, State - 70%
( et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( et seq) "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006."
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 hat are aligned with the Pennsylvania State Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education, 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.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for its approval.
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.
North Clarion's Academic Decathlon team placed first in the state this year in the small school division.http://acadecscores.gilslotd.com/wiki/State/Pennsylvania/2008 The team further placed 4th in the nation in the small school online competition.http://www.usad.org/competition/small_schools_virtual_2008.asp Last year, North Clarion had great success at the regional and state level.http://acadecscores.gilslotd.com/wiki/State/Pennsylvania/2007
Clarion County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 41,765 people, 16,052 households, and 10,738 families residing in the county. The population density was 69 people per square mile . There were 19,426 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
. It consists of the North Clarion County Elementary School with pre-kindergarten through grade 6 and the North Clarion County Junior/Senior High School
North Clarion County Junior/Senior High School
North Clarion County Junior/Senior High School is a public Junior/Senior High School in rural northern Clarion County, Pennsylvania. It has 327 Students and 38 faculty members.-Athletics :North Clarion Participates in District IX 9 of the PIAA....
serving students in grades 7 through 12.
Governance
The school district is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve four year terms), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, 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...
and the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
. The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act , is a United States federal statute enacted April 11, 1965. It was passed as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and has been the most far-reaching federal legislation affecting education ever passed by Congress...
and the No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "F" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.
Enrollment
According to 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...
, there are 611 students enrolled in K-12. There were 92 students in the Class of 2009. The senior class of 2010 has 64 students. Enrollment in North Clarion County School District is projected to continue to sharply decline through 2019. The administrative infrastructure costs per pupil are high. With limited resources, opportunities for students are limited. Consolidation of the administrations with adjacent school districts would achieve substantial administrative cost savings for people in both communities. These excessive administrative overhead dollars could be redirected to improve lagging academic achievement, to enrich the academic programs or to substantially reduce property taxes. Consolidation of multiple central administrations into one would not necessitate the closing of any schools. A new district composed of Clarion Area School District
Clarion Area School District
The Clarion Area School District is a small, rural public school district which covers the Borough of Clarion and Highland Township, Monroe Township and Paint Township in Clarion County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses approximately 71 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a...
, Clarion-Limestone Area School District
Clarion-Limestone Area School District
The Clarion-Limestone Area School District is a small, rural, public school district which spans portions of two counties in Clarion County. it covers the Borough of Strattanville and Clarion Township, Limestone Township and Millcreek Township. In Jefferson County it covers the Borough of Corsica...
and North Clarion County School District would have a total student population of 2500 with declining enrollment projected across the district.
Over the next 10 years, rural Pennsylvania school enrollment is projected to decrease 8 percent. The most significant enrollment decline is projected to be in western Pennsylvania, where rural school districts may have a 16 percent decline. More than 40 percent of elementary schools and more than 60 percent of secondary schools in western Pennsylvania are projected to experience significant enrollment decreases (15 percent or greater).
Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under
5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
Budget
In 2007, the district employed 50 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $48,088 for 180 days worked. The district ranked first in Clarion County for average teacher salary in 2007.North Clarion County School District administrative costs per pupil was $882.50 in 2008. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In August 2006, the North Clarion County School Board awarded a contract to David Stake as Superintendent with an initial salary of $89,000. The contract provides an extensive benefits package that includes: health insurance, life insurance , travel exprences, dues, paid sick and holidays, vacation time and more.
The school district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a 1% real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. The largest amount of state funding is the Basic Education Funding, but there are a wide variety of smaller funding programs. In Pennsylvania, pension income and social security income is exempt from state income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of level of income.
State basic education funding
In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2.0% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $3,338,377. The state Basic Education Funding to the district in 2008-09 was $3,241,493.75. This was the lowest level of increase for districts in 2009. Ninety school districts in Pennsylvania received a base 2% increase. Muhlenberg School DistrictMuhlenberg School District
The Muhlenberg Area School District is a public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. It encompasses the borough of Laureldale and the Muhlenberg Township. The district encompasses approximately 13 square miles. Per the 2000 federal census data it serves a resident...
in Berks County received a 22.31% increase in state Basic Education Funding in 2009. The amount of increase each school district receives is set by the Governor and the Secretary of Education as a part of the state budget proposal given each February.
Federal Stimulus Funds
The district received $663,543 in ARRAArra
Arra is a census town in Puruliya district in the state of West Bengal, India.-Demographics: India census, Arra had a population of 19,911. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Arra has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the...
- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. This funding is for 2009-2011 school years.
Race to the Top grant
School district officials did not apply for the Race to the TopRace to the Top
Race to the Top, abbreviated R2T, RTTT or RTT, is a $4.35 billion United States Department of Education competition designed to spur innovation and reforms in state and local district K-12 education...
federal grant which would have brought the district hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate. Pennsylvania was not approved in the first round of the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. A second round of state RTTT application judging will occur in June 2010.
Real estate taxes
Property tax rates in 2009 were set at 46.49 mills. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. Irregular property reassessments have become a serious issue in the commonwealth as it creates a significant disparity in taxation within a community.Act 1 Adjusted index
The Act 1 of 2006 Index regulates the rates at which each school district can raise property taxes in Pennsylvania. Districts are not allowed to raise taxes above that index unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the state Department of Education. The base index for the 2010-2011 school year is 2.9 percent, but it can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor StatisticsBureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...
in the U.S. Department of Labor, for the previous 12-month period ending June 30. For a school district with a market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR) greater than 0.4000, its index equals the base index multiplied by the sum of .75 and its MV/PI AR for the current year.
The School District Adjusted Index for the North Clarion County School District 2006-2007 through 2010-2011.
2006-07 - 5.2%, Base 3.9%
2007-08 - 4.6%, Base 3.4%
2008-09 - 5.9%, Base 4.4%
2009-10 - 5.6%, Base 4.1%
2010-11 - 3.9%, Base 2.9%
In the Spring of 2010, 135 Pennsylvania school boards asked to exceed their adjusted index. Approval was granted to 133 of them and 128 sought an exception for pension costs increases.
Property tax relief
In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the North Clarion County School District was $95 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 1425 property owners applied for the tax relief. The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. In Clarion County, 47.86% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009. In Clarion County, the highest relief was given to Clarion-Limestone Area School DistrictClarion-Limestone Area School District
The Clarion-Limestone Area School District is a small, rural, public school district which spans portions of two counties in Clarion County. it covers the Borough of Strattanville and Clarion Township, Limestone Township and Millcreek Township. In Jefferson County it covers the Borough of Corsica...
at $183. The highest property tax relief in Pennsylvania was allotted to Chester Upland School District
Chester Upland School District
The Chester Upland School District is a public school district serving the City of Chester, the Borough of Upland and Chester Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania...
in Delaware County which got $632 in 2009.
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners. The maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters is $650. Applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of their Social Security income, so people who make substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate.
Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation
Tax Foundation
The Tax Foundation is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank founded in 1937 that collects data and publishes research studies on tax policies at the federal and state levels. The organization is broken into three primary areas of research which are the Center for Federal Fiscal Policy, The and the...
, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).
Academics
North Clarion County School District was ranked 163rd out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts in 2010 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic performance on the reading, writing, math and two years of science PSSAPennsylvania System of School Assessment
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is a standardized test administered to public schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 are assessed in reading skills and mathematics. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in writing skills...
s.
2009 - 184th
2008 - 215th
2007 - 225th out of 501 school districts.
Graduation rate
The high school graduates about 60 students per year.2009 - 96%
2008 - 95%
2007 - 91%
PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading2009 - 73% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 - 67%, State - 65%
2007 - 78%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
2009 - 63% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 55% of 11th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 54%, State - 56%
2007 - 57%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
2009 - 57% on grade level. State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 50%, State Avg. - 39%
College remediation
According to a 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...
study released in January 2009, 12% of the North Clarion County 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
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 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 juniors and seniors a Dual EnrollmentDual enrollment
In education, dual enrollment involved students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. It may also refer to any individual who is participating in two related programs, but such a general form of usage is uncommon....
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, including the graduation ceremony. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs 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. The Pennsylvania College Credit Transfer System reported in 2009, that students saved nearly $35.4 million by having their transferred credits count towards a degree under the new system.
For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $9,992 for the program.
Other students that reside in the district who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school or are homeschooled are eligible for the university courses contained in the dual enrollment contract.
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.Eighth Grade
8th Grade Reading2009 - 86% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 80% of 8th graders on grade level.
2008 - 88%, State - 78%
8th Grade Math:
2009 - 68% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 71% of 8th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 82%, State - 70%
8th Grade Science:
2009 - 61% on grade level. State - 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 78%, State Avg. - 52%
Seventh Grade
7th Grade Reading2009 - 82% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 71% of 7th graders on grade level.
2008 - 62%, State - 70%
7th Grade Math:
2009 - 77% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 75% of 7th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 69%, State - 70%
Wellness policy
North Clarion County School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006 - Policy 246. 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 ActNational School Lunch Act
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act is a United States federal law signed by President Harry S. Truman in 1946. The act created the National School Lunch Program , a program to provide low-cost or free school lunch meals to qualified students through subsidies to schools...
( et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( et seq) "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006."
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 hat are aligned with the Pennsylvania State Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education, 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.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for its approval.
Extracurriculars
The district offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy.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.
North Clarion's Academic Decathlon team placed first in the state this year in the small school division.http://acadecscores.gilslotd.com/wiki/State/Pennsylvania/2008 The team further placed 4th in the nation in the small school online competition.http://www.usad.org/competition/small_schools_virtual_2008.asp Last year, North Clarion had great success at the regional and state level.http://acadecscores.gilslotd.com/wiki/State/Pennsylvania/2007