Woodland Hills School District
Encyclopedia
Woodland Hills School District is a public school district located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
, serving twelve municipalities in the Pittsburgh area; Braddock
, Braddock Hills
, Chalfant
, Churchill
, East Pittsburgh
, Edgewood
, Forest Hills
, North Braddock
, Rankin
, Swissvale
, Turtle Creek
and Wilkins Township
.
Woodland Hills School District was formed in July 1981 by a mandated merger of Edgewood, General Braddock, Swissvale, Churchill and Turtle Creek school districts. It covers approximately 13.5 square miles (35 km²) in eastern Allegheny County.
results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science, by Pittsburgh Business Times in May 2009. In 2008, the district ranked 98th of 123 western Pennsylvania school districts and ranked 477th out of 501 Pennsylvania School Districts for student academic achievement.
Woodland Hills was ranked as the 635th best high school in the Nation in 2003 by Newsweek
. Public schools were ranked according to a ratio called the Challenge Index: the number of Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests taken by all students at a school in 2002 divided by the number of graduating seniors.
Woodland Hills School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2009
Graduation Rate
2009 – 83%
2008 – 80%
2007 – 80%
In 2009, Woodland Hills Senior High School's 11th grade ranked 107th 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
2009 – 58% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 – 49%, State – 65%
2007 – 51%, State – 65%
11th Grade Math:
2009 – 45% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 56% of 11th graders are on grade level.
2008 – 32%, State – 56%
2007 – 35%, State – 53%
11th Grade Science:
2009 – 23% on grade level. State: 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 26%
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 50% of Woodland Hills 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.
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 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.
For the 2009–10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $20,129 for the program.
s.
8th Grade Reading:
2009 – 64% on grade level. State: 80.9% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 62%, State – 78%
8th Grade Math:
2009 – 47% on grade level. State: 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 43%, State −70%
8th Grade Science:
WOODLAND HILLS JHS-EAST
2009 – 24% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 24%, State – 50%
WOODLAND HILLS JHS-WEST
2009 – 25% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 25%, State – 50%
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 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
Woodland Hills spends $8,268 per student $2,210 over the national average of $6,058/student. In 2006, the district reported paying a total of $3,486,079 to 18 charter schools and cyber charter schools for district resident students who have opted to attend these alternative schools. The state reimbursed the district $964,034.
received an 8.17% increase. In Pennsylvania, over 15 school districts received Basic Education Funding increases in excess of 10% in 2009. Muhlenberg School District
in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding. The state's Basic Education Funding to the Woodland Hills School District in 2008–09 was $13,778,182.39. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation made in the budget proposal made in February each year.
federal grant which would have brought the district millions 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.
– Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, grants, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. In Pennsylvania, pension income and social security income are exempted from the personal income tax and the local earned income tax, regardless of level of income.
In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Woodland Hills School District was $184 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 12,027 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 Allegheny County, 60% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief 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. This can be taken in addition to Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief.
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%).
sports. Woodland Hills competes in the AAAA division of the WPIAL.
Varsity sports include Baseball, Boys/Girls Basketball, Boys/Girls Bowling
, Boys/Girls Cross Country
, Field Hockey
, Boys Golf, Rifle
, Boys/Girls Soccer, Softball
, Boys/Girls Swimming, Boys/Girls Tennis, Boys/Girls Track, Boys/Girls Volleyball, Wrestling
, Rugby, and Ultimate
.
The Wolvarena is the football stadium
for the Woodland Hills Wolverines. It has been named one of the top 10 places to watch high school football in the country. The Wolverines very rarely lose a home game, losing only 2 out of 40 since 1993. Its most successful varsity team is its football
team led by head coach
George Novak, which won the regional AAAA championship in 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2009. Since 1987, Woodland Hills has sent 50 players to Division I schools
The Woodland Hills boys track and field team tied for first place for the WPIAL section 4A championships in 2001. The team was coached by former Olympian Lindel Hodge and was led by seniors Nicholas Spencer (long jump) and Michael Moore (100m) and juniors Steven Breaston (300 m hurdles), Tyler O'rourke (400m), and Eric Miller (800m).
for its performances. In April 2007, WHHS students performed in the student version of Les Misérables
.
Woodland Hills also has a Marching Band for students in the high school. Every year the spring musical receives nominations from the Gene Kelly Awards
for outstanding Pittsburgh-area high school performances.
* Denotes Gene Kelly Award
for Best Musical
Other events include the winter show done by the Performing Arts Class. Recent productions have included "The Dining Room," "Disney's High School Musical" and "Chicago."
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09211/987292-56.stm?FORM=ZZNR5
http://www.pittsburgpost-gazette.com/pg/09092/959939-56.stm
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...
, serving twelve municipalities in the Pittsburgh area; Braddock
Braddock, Pennsylvania
Braddock is a borough located in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 10 miles upstream from the mouth of the Monongahela River. The population was 2,159 at the 2010 census...
, Braddock Hills
Braddock Hills, Pennsylvania
Braddock Hills is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Braddock Hills is located approximately east of downtown Pittsburgh...
, Chalfant
Chalfant, Pennsylvania
Chalfant is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 800 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Chalfant is located at ....
, Churchill
Churchill, Pennsylvania
Churchill is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,011 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Churchill is located at ....
, East Pittsburgh
East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
East Pittsburgh is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, about southeast of the confluence of the Monongahela and the Allegheny rivers at Pittsburgh. The population in 1900 stood at 2,883, and in 1910, at 5,615. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 1,822, having fallen from...
, Edgewood
Edgewood, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Edgewood is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,118 at the 2010 census.-History:Edgewood was incorporated on December 1, 1888...
, Forest Hills
Forest Hills, Pennsylvania
Forest Hills is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,518 at the 2010 census, as compared to 6,831 in 2000, and 7,335 in 1990.-Geography:Forest Hills is located at...
, North Braddock
North Braddock, Pennsylvania
North Braddock is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. North Braddock was organized from a part of Braddock Township in 1897. North Braddock is a suburb east of Pittsburgh with a 15-minute travel time to the city...
, Rankin
Rankin, Pennsylvania
Rankin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, south of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela River. Early in the 20th century, Rankin specialized in manufacturing steel and wire goods...
, Swissvale
Swissvale, Pennsylvania
Swissvale is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, east of downtown Pittsburgh. Named for a farmstead owned by abolitionist and early feminist Jane Swisshelm, during the industrial age it was the site of the Union Switch and Signal Company of George Westinghouse. The population was 8,983 at...
, Turtle Creek
Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania
Turtle Creek is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 5,349 at the 2010 census. George Westinghouse gave life to the place by constructing a manufacturing plant nearby. Turtle Creek takes its name from a small stream that flows into the...
and Wilkins Township
Wilkins Township, Pennsylvania
Wilkins Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,357 at the 2010 census. It is served by Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, the 43rd District of the Pennsylvania State Senate, and the 34th District of the Pennsylvania State House of...
.
Woodland Hills School District was formed in July 1981 by a mandated merger of Edgewood, General Braddock, Swissvale, Churchill and Turtle Creek school districts. It covers approximately 13.5 square miles (35 km²) in eastern Allegheny County.
Academic achievement
The Woodland Hills Senior High School ranks 99th of 105 school districts in western Pennsylvania for academic achievement based on three years of 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...
results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science, by Pittsburgh Business Times in May 2009. In 2008, the district ranked 98th of 123 western Pennsylvania school districts and ranked 477th out of 501 Pennsylvania School Districts for student academic achievement.
Woodland Hills was ranked as the 635th best high school in the Nation in 2003 by Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
. Public schools were ranked according to a ratio called the Challenge Index: the number of Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests taken by all students at a school in 2002 divided by the number of graduating seniors.
Woodland Hills School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2009
Graduation Rate
2009 – 83%
2008 – 80%
2007 – 80%
High school
In 2009 the high school is in Corrective Action II 3rd Year for chronically low academic achievement and a low graduation rate.In 2009, Woodland Hills Senior High School's 11th grade ranked 107th 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
2009 – 58% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 – 49%, State – 65%
2007 – 51%, State – 65%
11th Grade Math:
2009 – 45% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 56% of 11th graders are on grade level.
2008 – 32%, State – 56%
2007 – 35%, State – 53%
11th Grade Science:
2009 – 23% on grade level. State: 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 26%
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 50% of Woodland Hills 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.
Dual enrollment
The high school offers 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. 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.
For the 2009–10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $20,129 for the program.
Middle schools
In 2009, the Pittsburgh Business Times ranked 141 western Pennsylvania eighth grades for academic achievement as demonstrated by three years of results on: math, reading, writing and one year 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.
- Woodland Hills Junior High School West ranked 127th
- Woodland Hills Junior High School East ranked 129th
8th Grade Reading:
2009 – 64% on grade level. State: 80.9% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 62%, State – 78%
8th Grade Math:
2009 – 47% on grade level. State: 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 43%, State −70%
8th Grade Science:
WOODLAND HILLS JHS-EAST
2009 – 24% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 24%, State – 50%
WOODLAND HILLS JHS-WEST
2009 – 25% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 – 25%, State – 50%
Enrollment
Over the next 10 years, enrollment in the district is projected to decline by 800 students.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 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
Belief statements
- All students can learn and are capable of achieving high standards.
- Effective schools encourage all students to be resourceful and accept challenges as positive learning experiences.
- The best schools encourage a love of life-long learning and the development of self-esteemSelf-esteemSelf-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
. - Students are motivated to learn when they can apply what they have learned to their lives.
- An effective curriculum promotes understanding and appreciation of all people and cultural backgrounds.
- Student success is best achieved through the cooperation of home, school and community.
- Students learn best in safe and orderly places.
- Educated students will become productive citizens in the local and global communities.
- Student pridePridePride is an inwardly directed emotion that carries two common meanings. With a negative connotation, pride refers to an inflated sense of one's personal status or accomplishments, often used synonymously with hubris...
in self, school and community will strengthen the Woodland Hills community. - Student participation in extra-curricular activities is an important component of a well-rounded education.
- On-going staff development and training is essential to maintain a quality education program.
- Students must possess the technological skills required in the information ageInformation AgeThe Information Age, also commonly known as the Computer Age or Digital Age, is an idea that the current age will be characterized by the ability of individuals to transfer information freely, and to have instant access to knowledge that would have been difficult or impossible to find previously...
. - DiversityMulticulturalismMulticulturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
is our strength.
Demographics
- 51.4% – African American/Non Hispanic
- 47.5% – White/Non-Hispanic
- 0.6% – Asian/Pacific Islander
- 0.5% – Hispanic
- 0.0% – American Indian/Alaska Native
Schools
Woodland Hills School district serves approximately 5,100 students, and has eight facilities:- Woodland Hills High SchoolWoodland Hills High SchoolWoodland Hills High School is a secondary school teaching students in the grades for the Woodland Hills School District located in Churchill, Pennsylvania. It is the result of a 1981 court-ordered desegregation merger. Before the merger the building was the location of the Churchill Area High...
(9–12) - Woodland Hills Junior High School (7–8)
- Dickson Elementary School (K-6)
- Fairless Elementary School (K-6)
- Edgewood Elementary School (preK-6)
- Shaffer Elementary School (K-6)
- Wilkins Elementary School (preK-6)
- Woodland Hills Academy (K-6)
Budget
The district administrative costs per pupil were $872.80 in 2008. The district ranked 120th of Pennsylvania's 500 school districts for administrative costs. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In June 2008, the school board hired Walter M. Calinger, age 68, as superintendent for 3 years with a beginning salary of $135,000. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007–08 school year was $122,165. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.Woodland Hills spends $8,268 per student $2,210 over the national average of $6,058/student. In 2006, the district reported paying a total of $3,486,079 to 18 charter schools and cyber charter schools for district resident students who have opted to attend these alternative schools. The state reimbursed the district $964,034.
State basic education funding
In the 2009–2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 5.11% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $14,482,470. Four county school districts received increases of over 6% in Basic Education Funding in 2008–10. Chartiers Valley School DistrictChartiers Valley School District
-Schools:Chartiers Valley School District operates four schools. They are:*Chartiers Valley Primary school - serving approximately 750 students in kindergarten through 2nd grade....
received an 8.17% increase. In Pennsylvania, over 15 school districts received Basic Education Funding increases in excess of 10% in 2009. Muhlenberg School District
Muhlenberg 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 the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding. The state's Basic Education Funding to the Woodland Hills School District in 2008–09 was $13,778,182.39. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation made in the budget proposal made in February each year.
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 millions 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.
Federal Stimulus Grants
The district received an extra $4,246,377 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.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, grants, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. In Pennsylvania, pension income and social security income are exempted from the personal income tax and the local earned income tax, regardless of level of income.
Real estate taxes
Property tax rates in 2008–2009 were set at 24.6500 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 and across a region.In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Woodland Hills School District was $184 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 12,027 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 Allegheny County, 60% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief 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. This can be taken in addition to Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief.
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%).
Extracurricular activities
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.Sports
Woodland Hills High School's athletics department sponsors almost thirty varsityVarsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
sports. Woodland Hills competes in the AAAA division of the WPIAL.
Varsity sports include Baseball, Boys/Girls Basketball, Boys/Girls Bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, Boys/Girls 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...
, Field Hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, Boys Golf, Rifle
Shooting sports
A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
, Boys/Girls Soccer, 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...
, Boys/Girls Swimming, Boys/Girls Tennis, Boys/Girls Track, Boys/Girls Volleyball, Wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, Rugby, and Ultimate
Ultimate (sport)
Ultimate is a sport played with a 175 gram flying disc. The object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a player in the opposing end zone, similar to an end zone in American football or rugby...
.
The Wolvarena is the football stadium
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
for the Woodland Hills Wolverines. It has been named one of the top 10 places to watch high school football in the country. The Wolverines very rarely lose a home game, losing only 2 out of 40 since 1993. Its most successful varsity team is its 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...
team led by head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
George Novak, which won the regional AAAA championship in 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2009. Since 1987, Woodland Hills has sent 50 players to Division I schools
The Woodland Hills boys track and field team tied for first place for the WPIAL section 4A championships in 2001. The team was coached by former Olympian Lindel Hodge and was led by seniors Nicholas Spencer (long jump) and Michael Moore (100m) and juniors Steven Breaston (300 m hurdles), Tyler O'rourke (400m), and Eric Miller (800m).
Performing arts
Woodland Hills High School prides itself in its yearly staging of popular musicals each spring and has won several Gene Kelly AwardsGene Kelly Awards
The Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater, named after the actor/director Gene Kelly, are given out yearly by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and the University of Pittsburgh. The award was founded in 1991 and celebrates excellence in the musicals of the Pittsburgh...
for its performances. In April 2007, WHHS students performed in the student version of Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
.
Woodland Hills also has a Marching Band for students in the high school. Every year the spring musical receives nominations from the Gene Kelly Awards
Gene Kelly Awards
The Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater, named after the actor/director Gene Kelly, are given out yearly by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and the University of Pittsburgh. The award was founded in 1991 and celebrates excellence in the musicals of the Pittsburgh...
for outstanding Pittsburgh-area high school performances.
- 1988 – Fiddler on the RoofFiddler on the RoofFiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
- 1989 – Hello, Dolly!Hello, Dolly! (musical)Hello, Dolly! is a musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955....
- 1990 – Anything GoesAnything GoesAnything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
- 1991 – Guys and Dolls*
- 1992 – Li'l AbnerLi'l Abner (musical)Li'l Abner is a musical with a book by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, music by Gene De Paul, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer.Based on the comic strip Li'l Abner by Al Capp, the show is, on the surface, a broad spoof of hillbillies but is also a pointed satire taking on any number of topics, ranging...
* - 1993 – Peter PanPeter Pan (1954 musical)Peter Pan is a musical adaptation of J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan and Barrie's own novelization of it, Peter and Wendy. The music is mostly by Mark "Moose" Charlap, with additional music by Jule Styne, and most of the lyrics were written by Carolyn Leigh, with additional lyrics by Betty...
* - 1994 – Annie Get Your GunAnnie Get Your Gun (musical)Annie Get Your Gun is a musical with lyrics and music written by Irving Berlin and a book by Herbert Fields and his sister Dorothy Fields. The story is a fictionalized version of the life of Annie Oakley , who was a sharpshooter from Ohio, and her husband, Frank Butler.The 1946 Broadway production...
- 1995 – Jesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
- 1996 – The Mystery of Edwin DroodThe Mystery of Edwin DroodThe Mystery of Edwin Drood is the final novel by Charles Dickens. The novel was left unfinished at the time of Dickens' death, and his intended ending for it remains unknown. Though the novel is named after the character Edwin Drood, the story focuses on Drood's uncle, choirmaster John Jasper, who...
- 1997 – The Music ManThe Music ManThe Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with...
* - 1998 – Man of La ManchaMan of La ManchaMan of La Mancha is a musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion and music by Mitch Leigh. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay I, Don Quixote, which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes's seventeenth century masterpiece Don Quixote...
* - 1999 – The Pirates of PenzanceThe Pirates of PenzanceThe Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The opera's official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 1879, where the show was well received by both audiences...
* - 2000 – The King and IThe King and IThe King and I is a stage musical, the fifth by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in...
- 2001 – On the Twentieth CenturyOn the Twentieth CenturyOn the Twentieth Century is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Part operetta, part farce, part screwball comedy, the story involves the behind-the-scenes relationship of a temperamental actress and a director.-Background:Comden and Green based...
- 2002 – Evita
- 2003 – Hello, Dolly!Hello, Dolly! (musical)Hello, Dolly! is a musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955....
* - 2004 – Anything GoesAnything GoesAnything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
- 2005 – SeussicalSeussicalis a musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty based on the books of Dr. Seuss that debuted on Broadway in 2000. The play's story is a rather complex amalgamation of many of Seuss's most famous books. After a Broadway run, the production spawned two US national tours and a UK tour...
- 2006 – PippinPippin (musical)Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto...
- 2007 – Les MisérablesLes Misérables (musical)Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
- 2008 – Beauty and the Beast
- 2009 – The Wizard of Oz*
Gene Kelly Awards
The Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater, named after the actor/director Gene Kelly, are given out yearly by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and the University of Pittsburgh. The award was founded in 1991 and celebrates excellence in the musicals of the Pittsburgh...
for Best Musical
Other events include the winter show done by the Performing Arts Class. Recent productions have included "The Dining Room," "Disney's High School Musical" and "Chicago."
Notable alumni
- Jason TaylorJason Taylor (American football)Jason Paul Taylor is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft...
: Pro-Bowl Defensive End for Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
/ Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
/ Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
/ New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Steve BreastonSteve BreastonSteven William Breaston is an American football wide receiver and punt returner for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
: Wide Receiver for Arizona CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Shawntae SpencerShawntae SpencerShawntae Spencer is a cornerback in the NFL. He went to University of Pittsburgh. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2nd round in 2004 NFL Draft. In 2005, he had 83 tackles and 4 interceptions.Shawntae Spencer, who was finally healthy in 2010 started opposite Nate Clements...
: Cornerback for San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... - Lousaka PoliteLousaka PoliteLousaka Romon Polite is an American football fullback who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Pittsburgh.Polite has also played for the Chicago Bears...
: Fullback for Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
/ Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
/ Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Ryan MundyRyan MundyRyan Gregory Mundy is an American football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
: Safety for Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... - Julie Platt: American Poet and Essayist
- Rob GronkowskiRob GronkowskiRob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
: Tight End for New England Patriots
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