Unionville High School (Pennsylvania)
Encyclopedia
Unionville High School is the only public high school in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District
. It is located on the same property as Charles F. Patton Middle School and one mile from Unionville Elementary School, one of four elementary schools in the district.
and Advanced Placement (only available to juniors and seniors); in an attempt to broaden its curriculum, the school recently began to offer differentiated classes within those tiers, such as a choice between an American Literature Survey and Contemporary Young Adult Fiction for 11th grade Academic English students. Every graduating student must take four years each of English and Social Studies and three years each of Math and Science, among other requirements.
, and in 2008 the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District had the highest PSSA scores in the State of Pennsylvania.
, much of whose time is spent on the college application process, including meeting with every junior and senior at least once per year to determine their post-secondary educational needs and how the office can best facilitate them; 94% of graduating seniors in 2008 are currently attending college, 96% of which are four-year institutions. Additionally, Unionville's SAT results are significantly higher than the national average, with a combined average of 1716 on the 2400 scale in 2008; there were 4 National Merit Semifinalists
in 2010.
and Future Business Leaders of America
), four honor societies
, and several national and international organizations (such as Amnesty International
and Habitat for Humanity), in addition to quirks such as the Bocce Club and the Unionville Signers (promoting the education of sign language
).
of "John David Stutts", the man who (fictionally) killed "Buckwheat" -both played by Eddie Murphy
on Saturday Night Live
. The school was credited and shown briefly on SNL out of recognition to the drama club who had put on a production of "Who Shot Buckwheat".
Notable alumni of Unionville High School include Kate Barber
, captain of the US Women's Field Hockey Team
in the 2008 Summer Olympics
, and Amanda McGrory
, paralympic gold medalist.
Unionville-Chadds Ford School District
The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District is a school district in southeastern Chester County and western Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States, a area encompassing seven townships and serving a total of about 4,000 students. Its schools are:*Unionville High School*Charles F...
. It is located on the same property as Charles F. Patton Middle School and one mile from Unionville Elementary School, one of four elementary schools in the district.
Curriculum
Unionville has a 1:15 teacher-to-student ratio, allowing it to offer a wide range of both core and elective classes for its students. Its core departments- English, Social Studies, Math, and Science- are based on a four-tier system in order to allow for the variety of student capabilities, from First Level and Academic classes to HonorsHonors course
Honors course is a distinction applied in the United States to certain classes to distinguish them from standard course offerings. The difference between a regular class and the honors class is not necessarily the amount of work, but the type of work required and the pace of studying...
and Advanced Placement (only available to juniors and seniors); in an attempt to broaden its curriculum, the school recently began to offer differentiated classes within those tiers, such as a choice between an American Literature Survey and Contemporary Young Adult Fiction for 11th grade Academic English students. Every graduating student must take four years each of English and Social Studies and three years each of Math and Science, among other requirements.
Achievement
Unionville High School has received state recognition for excellence and high achievement in preparing students for higher education; it consistently ranks as one of the top public high schools in the state of Pennsylvania, according to Pennsylvania's high school's standardized tests, the PSSAsPennsylvania 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...
, and in 2008 the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District had the highest PSSA scores in the State of Pennsylvania.
College Readiness
Unionville employs a 6-member full-time counseling staffSchool counselor
A school counselor is a counselor and an educator who works in elementary, middle, and high schools to provide academic, career, college access, and personal/social competencies to K-12 students...
, much of whose time is spent on the college application process, including meeting with every junior and senior at least once per year to determine their post-secondary educational needs and how the office can best facilitate them; 94% of graduating seniors in 2008 are currently attending college, 96% of which are four-year institutions. Additionally, Unionville's SAT results are significantly higher than the national average, with a combined average of 1716 on the 2400 scale in 2008; there were 4 National Merit Semifinalists
National Merit Scholarship Program
The National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and college scholarships administered by National Merit Scholarship Corporation , a privately funded, not-for-profit organization. The program began in 1955...
in 2010.
Activities and Awards
Unionville High School has a total of 72 registered clubs (about one club for every 20 students), including five intra-school academic competition teams (such as Debate TeamNational Forensic League
The National Forensic League is a non-partisan, non-profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate American high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking and interpretation. NFL is the America's oldest and largest...
and Future Business Leaders of America
FBLA-PBL
The Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, or FBLA-PBL, is an American career and technical student organization that has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia...
), four honor societies
Honor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
, and several national and international organizations (such as Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
and Habitat for Humanity), in addition to quirks such as the Bocce Club and the Unionville Signers (promoting the education of sign language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
).
Athletics
Unionville High School is home to many successful athletic teams. Unionville had been, consistently, a dominant team in the SCCL (Southern Chester County League); however, the league merged in 2006 with the Chest-Mont League. The Unionville Indians Football team was the 2005 and 2006 SCCL Champion, making back-to-back playoff appearances. In 2007 the football team won the Ches-Mont League American Division after going undefeated. Other athletic teams at Unionville High School are equally high-performing.Trivia
Unionville High School was the alma materAlma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of "John David Stutts", the man who (fictionally) killed "Buckwheat" -both played by Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. The school was credited and shown briefly on SNL out of recognition to the drama club who had put on a production of "Who Shot Buckwheat".
Notable alumni of Unionville High School include Kate Barber
Kate Barber
Kate Barber is a field hockey forward and midfield player from the United States, who made her international senior debut for the Women's National Team in 1998 by scoring two goals in a 3-3 draw with New Zealand...
, captain of the US Women's Field Hockey Team
United States women's national field hockey team
The United States women's national field hockey team represents the United States in the international field hockey competitions. The women's team, coached by Australia's Lee Bodimeade since 2005, made its first international appearance at the 1983 Women's Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur,...
in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, and Amanda McGrory
Amanda McGrory
-Biography:At the age of five, Amanda contracted a rare virus which left her unable to walk. Her parents say she became depressed but that all changed after Amanda’s parents introduced her to the Variety Club Camp and Developmental Center. There, Amanda met other children with various disabilities...
, paralympic gold medalist.