Montour High School

The Hiltop, Montour High School's Campus

Montour High School's Sign

Map of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts: The Montour School District (pink) is at the right center, just west of Ty Gal (green). In addition, the district borders Sto-Rox (Orange) and Carlynton (Blue) to the east, Chartiers Valley (Orange) to the south, West Allegheny (Blue) and Moon Area (Green) to the west and Cornell (Blue) to the north.

Montour High School is a public high school located at 223 Clever Road in Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The only high school for the Montour School District, it serves the suburban towns of Kennedy and Robinson Townships, and the boroughs of Ingram, Pennsbury Village, and Thornburg. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 1,035 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 101 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch. The school employed 76 teachers yielding a student teacher ratio of 13:1.^[2] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.^[3]

Established in 1956 the campus that serves students in grades 9 through 12 opened in 1957. The campus is divided into three buildings: the 9th/10th grade building, 11th/12th grade building, and the main gymnasium with a pool and weight room.

The High School building underwent renovation, High School students and (isolated) 6th graders attended David E. Williams Middle school, and the middle and elementary students were split among the three primary schools for the 2010-2011 school year. The new high school is asbestos free and includes newly renovated classrooms and a cafeteria. The 9/10 and 11/12 buildings are connected through a new lobby. The high school opened by the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.

Graduation Rate

In 2011, Montour High School's graduation rate was 97%.^[4] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Montour High School's rate was 85% for 2010.^[5]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2010 - 100%^[6]
• 2009 - 98%^[7]
• 2008 - 98%^[8]
• 2007 - 91%^[9]

Local academic ranking

In 2012, Montour High School was ranked 28th out of 122 western Pennsylvania high schools, by the Pittsburgh Business Times, for academic achievement based on the last three years of the PSSAs on: reading, writing, mathematics and science.^[10]

• 2011 - 22nd
• 2010 - 25th^[11]
• 2009 - 34th^[12]

Academic achievement

In 2011, Montour High School declined to Warning AYP status due to lagging student achievement in mathematics.^[13] In 2010, Montour High School achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status.

PSSA Results

11th Grade Reading

• 2011 - 79% on grade level (10% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[14]
• 2010 - 82% (8% below basic). State - 66%^[15]
• 2009 - 81%, State - 65%
• 2008 - 77%, State - 65%
• 2007 - 71%, State - 65%

11th Grade Math:

• 2011 - 76% on grade level (8% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[16]
• 2010 - 77% (8% below basic). State - 59%^[17]
• 2009 - 68%, State - 56%%.^[18]
• 2008 - 71%, State - 56%^[19]

2007 - 61%, State - 53%^[20]

11th Grade Science:

• 2011 - 41% on grade level (14% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.^[21]
• 2010 - 50% (7% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 48%, State - 40%^[22]
• 2008 - 42%, State - 40%^[23]

College Remediation Rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 36% of the Montour 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.^[24] 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.^[25] 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.

Dual enrollment

Montour High school provides students with the opportunity to earn college credits while remaining enrolled at the high school. College in the High School (CHS) courses are offered through several local universities: University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University and Carlow University. 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. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to or enroll in their institutions.^[26]

SAT Scores

From January to June 2011, 194 Montour High School students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 503. The Math average score was 530. The Writing average score was 493.^[27] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.^[28] 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.^[29]

Summer assignments

Montour High School has a program of summer reading and other assignments for a wide variety of core academic courses. Summer academic assignments are required for English, Social Studies, mathematics, science courses and several AP courses. Students complete the work, on their own, during the summer with written assignments due the first day of the next school year. Specific assignments are posted in the high school's website.^[30]

Graduation requirements

Montour School Board has determined that a student must earn a minimum of 26 credits to graduate. These credits must be earned in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12. The current requirements are: English 4.0 credits, Social Studies 4.0 credits, Science 3.0 credits, Mathematics 4.0 credits, Computer Applications 2.0 credits, PE/Health 2.0 credits, Electives 6.0 credits, Graduation Project 1.0 credit.^[31]

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.^[32]

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 2017, 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.^[33][34][35] In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level.^[36] Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Campus Renovations

In 2006, Montour School District officials announced a plan to remodel the buildings of the existing high school campus and preparation for construction officially began in January 2008. However, financial issues had brought the project to a temporary halt and parts of the building, including one of the tunnels, half of the 11/12 building including the library and the auditorium and band room in the 9/10 building were sealed off from student access, rendering them unusable since the 2007-08 school year.

In 2007, the board approved the project at a cost of $49 million. However, in May 2008, months after preparation had begun, bids for construction came in somewhere from $5 million over budget. Conflict ensued between PJ Dick, the construction manager, and Graves & McLean, the architect. By early 2009, those two firms had been replaced by Burns & Scalo and Apostolou & Associates, respectively.^[37] On July 16, 2009 Apostolou & Associates held a presentation that revealed construction plans, that would, among other changes, connect the 9th/10th and 11th/12th grade buildings and include a new free-standing administration building.^[38] A memorandum released by Apostolou & Associates laid out a timeline that scheduled groundbreaking in May, 2010 and completion in September 2011.^[39]

As the proposed January 2010 groundbreaking date neared, however, school officials had received new information that essentially deemed it unsafe for students to be present during the renovation. As a result, acting Superintendent Dr. Boyer proposed closing the campus for the 2010-11 school year and completing the renovation in time for the 2011-2012 school year. Ultimately this plan was approved by the school board. Consequently, Montour High School was relocated to the grounds of David E. Williams Middle School for the 2010-11 school year. The scheduled 14-month renovation of the Hilltop campus began in June 2010. The high school renovation was completed in September 2011 in time for the 2011-12 school year.^[40]

Thomas J. Birko Memorial Stadium, home of the football, soccer and track & field teams, was renovated during the Summer of 2009. FieldTurf was installed to replace the natural grass field and a new surface was installed on the six-lane track. Also replaced were the partially wooden bleachers and one-story press box; in their places are new aluminum bleachers and a new two-story press box. While the academic buildings were closed for the 2010-11 school year, Birko Stadium was available for use.^[41] the school is currently Finished and is One of the most high-tech schools in the Pittsburgh Area. The Athletic Building is currently Under Renovation check YouTube Videos by going on to http://www.montourschools.com and clicking on their YouTube page.

Project Lead the Way

Montour is one of the current schools at the forefront of Project Lead the Way, a technology curriculum combining both sciences and math to promote engineering principles and technology prior to college matriculation. Courses currently offered at the Hilltop include Introduction to Engineering and Design (considered the first module), Principles Of Engineering (second module), and Digital Electronics (third and final module.) With the campus renovation yielding a modern workspace with all the technological needs of the classes, the Technology Education department introduced more classes, including Civil Engineering & Architecture as well as Computer Integrated Manufacturing for students to divulge into more specific areas of engineering.^[42]

Administration

• Principal: Mr. Todd Price
• Assistant Principal: Mr. William King

Interscholastic sports

Montour High School is a member of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League, a division of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League. The only school-sponsored sports that compete in another league are Ice Hockey (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League), Boys & Girls Bowling (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Bowling League) and Ultimate Frisbee (Pittsburgh High School Ultimate League).

Notable alumni

• Tony Fratto - Former Deputy White House Press Secretary under President George W. Bush,^[43]
• Michael Keaton - Actor^[44]
• Ted Kwalick - Professional football player^[45]
• John Hufnagel - Professional football player and professional football coach
• Cassidy Krug - Olympian at 2012 Olympic games competing in the Women's 3-meter Springboard.
• Dean Caliguire - NFL player

External links

• Official High School web site
• Football Team web site
• Team Montour Hockey Website

References