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Wilkes-Barre Area High School

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Coordinates: 41°16′0″N 75°51′32″W / 41.26667°N 75.85889°W / 41.26667; -75.85889
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Wilkes-Barre Area High School
Address
Map
2021 Wolfpack Way

Plains
,
Pennsylvania
18705

United States
Coordinates41°16′0″N 75°51′32″W / 41.26667°N 75.85889°W / 41.26667; -75.85889
Information
TypePublic high school
Established2021
School districtWilkes-Barre Area School District
Grades9–12
Athletics conferencePIAA District 2[1]
NicknameWolfpack
WebsiteOfficial website

Wilkes-Barre Area High School is a high school in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District, located in Plains, Pennsylvania. The student body mascot is the Wolfpack. The school opened in August 2021, replacing James M. Coughlin High School, G. A. R. Memorial Junior/Senior High School, and Elmer L. Meyers Junior/Senior High School.

History

Wilkes-Barre Area High School[2][3][4] is the Wilkes-Barre Area School District high school in Plains, Pennsylvania. It is a replacement for James M. Coughlin High School, G. A. R. Memorial Junior/Senior High School, and Elmer L. Meyers Junior/Senior High School.[5][6][7][8]

Consolidation of previous high schools

In the 2010s, the Wilkes-Barre school district entertained various plans to reduce its schools by consolidation.[9][10][11][12][13] The current schools were deemed inadequate or unsafe, with high costs to repair.[14][15][16] By 2018, the school board had solidified plans for construction of a new high school to server the entire district,[17][8][18][19][20][21][22] at a cost of $121 million.[23] Construction of a stadium was later added to the plans.[24][25]

Construction

Several locations were entertained for a site of the new high school, including existing school sites, the Murray Complex, and a former coal mining site known as the Pagnotti Site.[26][27][28][29] After the zoning board denied the district's request to build a combined school at the site of Coughlin High School,[30][31] the school board decided to purchase the Pagnotti Site in Plains, Pennsylvania. Preparation of the site began by the start of Spring 2021,[32][33] with ground-breaking for construction in April 2019.[34][35][36][37][38][39][40] Changes were needed to the roads and sidewalks leading to the site.[41][42][43] The school was ready for the 2021–2022 school year.[44]

Consolidation criticism

Groups were against a merger for a number of reasons.[45][46][47][48] Early criticism was aimed at consolidation efforts in general.[12][10][13] Opponents disagreed with estimates to repair the existing schools and the costs of a new school,[49] and noted negative effects of moving to a single high school, including increased reliance on bussing and decreased community engagement. After the selection of the high school's location, criticism also included concerns about the health and safety of building a high school on coal ash over a former coal mine.[34][50] The 2018 elections for school board members saw candidates expressing whether they supported or wanted to halt the merger.[51][52][53][54][55] The board expressed that the new school would be safe and worth the costs.[56][20]

Opening

The high school opened for the 2021–2022 school year[2][3][4] with four principals and two thousand students.[5]

Academics

Extracurriculars

Main article: Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack

Due to declining participation in sports, the district merged the sports programs for the 2019 school year, prior to the construction of the new high school.[57][58][59][60][61][62] Based on input from students and employees, the district voted for Wolfpack to be mascot of the consolidated sports programs.[57][63] The Wolfpack's first game as a team was football in August 2019.[64][65][66]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association". www.piaa.org. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  2. ^ a b "District welcomes community to new Wilkes-Barre Area High School". PAhomepage.com. 2021-08-26. Archived from the original on 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  3. ^ a b "Students, parents get first look at new Wilkes-Barre Area High School". wnep.com. 26 August 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  4. ^ a b Goolden, Sarah (2021-08-26). "New Wilkes-Barre Area High School unveiled". WOLF. Archived from the original on 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  5. ^ a b "New building with hopes for bigger and better opportunities in Wilkes-Barre Area School District". PAhomepage.com. 2021-08-26. Archived from the original on 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  6. ^ Buffer, Michael P. "Coughlin students start school year split among 2 locations". www.citizensvoice.com. Archived from the original on 2016-08-31. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  7. ^ Buffer, Michael P. "W-B Area votes to explore plan to preserve part of Meyers". www.citizensvoice.com. Archived from the original on 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  8. ^ a b Kalinowski, Bob. "Three high schools to be consolidated in Wilkes-Barre". mcall.com. Archived from the original on 2018-08-09. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  9. ^ Buffer, Michael P. "W-B Area spent $4.9M on failed school plan". www.citizensvoice.com. Archived from the original on 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
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  11. ^ Buffer, Michael P. "Study could decide W-B schools' fate". www.citizensvoice.com. Archived from the original on 2015-04-03. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  12. ^ a b "Wilkes-Barre Area School Board gets earful before approving program cuts". Times Leader. 2016-05-23. Archived from the original on 2016-05-25. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
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  42. ^ Mark, Eric. "Federal grant to pay for sidewalks at new Wilkes-Barre Area high school". Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  43. ^ Guydish, Mark (2021-08-30). "Wilkes-Barre Area announces masking policy, approves construction change orders, buys books and supplies". Times Leader. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
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  50. ^ Kalinowski, By Bob. "Protesters: W-B Area school site is a health hazard". Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice. Archived from the original on 2019-04-14. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
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  58. ^ Guydish, Mark (2020-01-24). "Wilkes-Barre Area sports consolidation: More participation, or less?". Times Leader. Archived from the original on 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
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  61. ^ "End of an Era: Two Wilkes-Barre Football Teams to Play Final Rivalry Game". wnep.com. 26 October 2018. Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
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  63. ^ "Wilkes-Barre Area School District News Article". www.wbasd.k12.pa.us. Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  64. ^ Lee, Peggy (August 23, 2019). "Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack Plays First Game on First Friday Night Football". WNEP-TV. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020.
  65. ^ Kalinowski, Bob. "Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack hosts first home game as consolidated team". www.citizensvoice.com. Archived from the original on 2019-12-02. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  66. ^ "PHOTOS: Wilkes-Barre Wolfpack football comes together for the first time". www.citizensvoice.com. Archived from the original on 2019-08-07. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
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