Stroudsburg High School

Stroudsburg High School is a public high school located at 1100 West Main Street in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 1,615 pupils in grades 10th through 12th, with 324 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch. The school employed 103 teachers yielding a student teacher ratio or 15:1. In 2012, the administration reports employing 110 teachers and administrators as well as 35 support staff. According a report to the PDE, 14 teachers had emergency certification and 29 classes were taught by Non‐Highly Qualified Teachers. The school's mascot is the Mountaineer. The school is part of the Stroudsburg Area School District.

Graduation Rate

In 2011, the graduation rate was 88%. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. High School's rate was % for 2010.

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2010 - 88%
• 2009 - 88%
• 2008 - 88%
• 2007 - 88%

Academics

The PSSA is the state assessment test for Pennsylvania schools. All students in 11th grade are required to take this test.

In 2011, the school achieved Making Progress: in Corrective Action II status due to lagging student achievement especially among male students. In 2010, Stroudsburg High School was in Corrective Action II 4th Year status due to chronic, low student achievement in reading and math. Due to this ongoing low academic performance, the high school administration was required by the federal No Child Left Behind law to offer the opportunity to students to transfer to a successful high school in the district. The law requires that letters be sent to each student's parents. The school's administration was required to develop a School Improvement Plan and submit it to teh Pennsylvania Department of education for approval. The school was eligible for federal School Improvement funding.

PSSA Results

11th Grade Reading

• 2011 - 78% on grade level, (10% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2010 - 74% (14% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2009 - 67% (17% below basic). State - 65%
• 2008 - 67% (15% below basic). State - 65%
• 2007 - 72% (11% below basic). State - 65%

11th Grade Math:

• 2011 - 65% on grade level (16% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2010 - 58% (23% below basic). State - 59%
• 2009 - 53% (27% below basic). State - 56%.
• 2008 - 49% (29% below basic). State - 56%
• 2007 - 48% (24% below basic). State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2011 - 47% on grade level (11% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2010 - 42% (15% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 44% (13% below basic). State - 40%
• 2008 - 41% (12% below basic). State - 39%

During the 2008–2009 school year, the 476 scored examinations at Stroudsburg High School students scored as follows:

• Writing

Advanced= 17.6%

Proficient= 67.3%

Basic= 14.2%

Below Basic= 0.8%

College Remediation Rate=

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 19% of the Stroudsburg 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.

SAT Scores

From January to June 2011, 327 Stroudsburg High School students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 492. The Math average score was 499. The Writing average score was 474. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479. In the United States 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.

Dual enrollment

Since 2006, the high school offers a Dual Enrollment 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. Stroudsburg Area School District has entered into a Dual Enrollment partnership with Northampton Community College. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.

Graduation requirements

Stroudsburg Area School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 25 credits to graduate including: Math 4 credits, English 4 credits, social studies 4 credits, science 4 credits, Physical Education 2 credits, Arts and Humanities 2 credits, Career planning 0.5 credit, Survey of Ecology and Engineering 0.5 credits and electives 4 credits,. In addition, students must demonstrate proficiency in the PSSA tests for reading, writing, and mathematics in order to qualify for a high school diploma: a score of proficient or better on PSSA tests in grade 11 or a score of proficient or better on PSSA senior year make-up tests.

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. At SHS the Graduation Project is focused on life planning and career exploration.

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 2016, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade. In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% of high school students were on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Literature - 49% on grade level. Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Rivalry

Stroudsburg High School's original rival is with East Stroudsburg South High School, but over the last few years a growing rivalry has started with Stroudsburg High School and Pleasant Valley High School (Pennsylvania). The three schools compete vigorously for the Mountain Valley Conference championship in many sport competitions.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy.

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing 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.

Extracurriculars

The school boasts over 20 extracurricular activities. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy.

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing 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.

These activities include:

• Student Council
• Key Club
• Mock Trial
• Science Olympiad
• Chess Team
• National Honor Society
• Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA-PBL)
• Scholastic Scrimmage
• Marching Band
• Orchestra
• Chorus
• Percussion Ensemble
• Show Choir
• Chorale
• Chamber Orchestra

• Musical
• Concert Band
• Jazz Band
• Diversity Club/ Gay–straight alliance
• Students Against Destructive Decisions, (S.A.D.D.)
• Model Congress
• Technology Student Association (TSA)
• Yearbook Committee
• Bowling Club
• Sports Club
• Wallyball
• Color Guard
• Interact Club, student organization of Rotary International
• Best Buddies
• Environmental Club

Athletics

With over 21 varsity athletics, Stroudsburg offers a wealth of opportunity for involvement. All sports, except Rifle, compete in the Mountain Valley Conference. In 2007–08, Stroudsburg won the MVC Cup, a trophy for the best winning percentage in MVC games. All home football games, track meets, and occasional home boys and girls soccer games are held inside Ross-Stulgaitis Stadium, which was renamed for former head football coaches Fred Ross and Jerry Stulgaitis. The Varsity "S" Club raised funds to renovate the field with new artificial turf as well as a composite track.

Teams include:

Fall:

• Boys Football
• Boys & Girls Cross Country
• Boys Soccer
• Girls Tennis
• Girls Volleyball
• Girls Field Hockey
• Golf
• Cheerleading

Winter:

• Boys & Girls Basketball
• Boys & Girls Swimming
• Wrestling Mvc champs
• Rifle
• Cheerleading

Spring:

• Boys & Girls Track and Field
• Boys Tennis
• Baseball
• Softball
• Girls Soccer

Boys Soccer under the direction of Coach Ellison has won the MVC in the past three consecutive seasons (2007–2009) and were the District XI champions in 2009.

School newspaper

The school newspaper, The Mountaineer, is a recipient of the Pennsylvania School Press Association Gold Award for Overall Excellence. Its staff consistently receives high-ranking awards for its in-depth coverage of school and teen related topics. Its current adviser is Mr. Matthew Sobrinski. In the past, it was funded entirely through local advertisers and sold for fifty cents to the student body. However, in the 2007–2008 school year, school funding has allowed the staff to disseminate the periodical to every student in the building.

Five issues are typically printed each year through the local newspaper, the Pocono Record. The front, center, and back are full color pages. The final issue of the year lists the future plans for all graduating seniors, whether they intend on continuing their education, joining a branch of the military, or obtaining a job.

Shooting controversy

"...the fact that they were carrying .22-caliber rifles and the discovery of a seven-page transcript of an Internet instant messaging conversation between them, escalated tensions. The transcript was not released to the media, but police said there was a line in it that caused alarm."

Al Camaerei, who is a wrestling coach at East Stroudsburg High School-South, believed the line was fairly innocuous when viewed in hindsight. "I'm going to miss you," he summarized. "We're going to rough it. We want to hunt how we want to hunt."

• Sburg students kept in classrooms yesterday

New building controversy

With an influx of new students, the district has expressed the need for a new building. Residents are debating whether the current building should be renovated or whether a new building should be built to accommodate this growth. In April 2008, members of the school board voted 5–4 in favor of renovating the existing high school on West Main Street. Currently the school district is demolishing the now vacant houses and apartment complexes adjacent to the high school.

Dress code controversy

In the spring of 2008 the school district discovered that the current dress code which had formerly only banned the wearing of ripped or sagged jeans on boys, and the wearing of revealing clothes on girls, was being flagrantly violated. In response to this, it was proposed that there be a standardized dress policy consisting of Kaki or black pants and skirts and polos in either black, white, or Maroon. This policy was immensely unpopular among parents, teachers, and students alike and sparked an online protest group apply named Stroudsburg Students Against The Dress Code. This group produced little real protest, besides making limited appearances at school district meetings and convincing students to wear black arm bands for a short period of time, the group was unsuccessful, and the policy went into effect on August 30, 2008. Initially, students questioned whether or not this new dress code was an infringement on their right to free speech. In large part, the dress code was reported to have increased problems rather than solving them because of its inability to define what was considered appropriate, and its ambiguous enforcement. In the spring of 2009, the administration released findings that showed the dress code had caused disciplinary referrals to decrease by 1000, but this recent statistic has been thrown into question by many staff members as well as students due to the fact that it did not include any of the violations for dress code. The figures from the past years, however, did include dress code violations, and there were MANY more violations in 2009.

External links

• District Website
• http://www.poconorecord.com