Midd-West High School


Midd-West High School is a small, rural high school located at 540 E Main Street, Middleburg, Snyder County, Pennsylvania. It is the sole high school operated by Midd-West School District. In 2013, Midd-West High School's enrollment was 795 students in grades 8th through 12th, with 39% eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Additionally, 13.9% of pupils received special education services, while 2.6% were identified as gifted. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act in 2013.
In 2012, Midd-West High School reported an enrollment of 795 pupils in grades 8th through 12th grades, with 311 pupils eligible for a free or reduced price lunch. The School employed 53 teachers yielding a pupil-teacher ratio of 15:1. In 2012, 10 teachers were rated "Non Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. A number of unqualified teachers remain at the school in 2013.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, Midd-West High School reported an enrollment of 621 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 239 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch. The School employed 60 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 10:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Students may choose to attend the award-winning SUN Area Technical Institute in New Berlin, Pennsylvania for training in the building trades, allied health services, automotive repairs, culinary arts as well as computer technology. Fees for attendance are paid by Midd-West School District. The Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit IU16 provides the District with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, speech and visual disability services and professional development for staff and faculty.
In October 2015, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale reported that Midd-West High School among the 561 academically challenged schools that have been overlooked by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. He also reported the Pennsylvania Department of Education failed to take any action to remediate the poorly performing schools to raise student academic achievement or to provide them with targeted professional assistance.
;Lowest achieving schools status:
In July 2012, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released a report identifying Midd-West High School as one of the lowest-achieving schools for reading and mathematics in 2011. Midd-West High School was among the 15% lowest-achieving schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Parents and students may be eligible for scholarships to transfer to another public or nonpublic school through the state's Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program passed in June 2012. The scholarships are limited to those students whose family's income is less than $60,000 annually, with another $12,000 allowed per dependent. Maximum scholarship award is $8,500, with special education students receiving up to $15,000 for a year's tuition. Parents pay any difference between the scholarship amount and the receiving school's tuition rate. Students may seek admission to neighboring public school districts. Each year the PDE publishes the tuition rate for each individual public school district. Midd-West High School was the sole school in Snyder County on the list. According to the report, parents in 414 public schools were offered access to these scholarships. For the 2012-13 school year, seven public school districts in Pennsylvania had all of their schools placed on the list, including: Sto-Rox School District, Chester Upland School District, Clairton City School District, Duquesne City School District, Farrell Area School District, Wilkinsburg Borough School District and Steelton-Highspire School District. Funding for the scholarships comes from donations by businesses which receive a state tax credit for donating. In 2013-14, Midd-West High School was removed from the lowest achieving schools list due to the increase in lower performing schools, in other public school districts.
in 2012, under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the school administration was required to notify parents of the school's poor achievement outcomes. Additionally the school administration was required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to develop a School Improvement Plan to address the school's low student achievement. Under the Pennsylvania Accountability System, the school district must pay for additional tutoring for struggling students. The High School is eligible for special, extra funding under School Improvement Grants which the school must apply for each year.

Graduation rate

In 2017, the District’s graduation rate was 87%.
;Former calculation graduation rates:
The percentage of students that are continuing their education beyond high school in 2005 was 60%.

2017 School Performance Profile

SPP declined to 58.6 out of 100 points.
Midd-West High School students Keystone exam results: reading/literature - 77.4% on grade level, Algebra 1 - 75.2% on grade level, Biology 1 - 47.6% on grade level. The school was the lowest academic achieving high school in the CSIU 16 region. Among 8th graders, 44% were on grade level in reading, while only 21.8% showed on grade level math skills. In science, just 41% of 8th graders demonstrated on grade level science skills.

2016 School Performance Profile

School performance profile 60.7 out of 100 points. Midd-West High School Keystone Exams mandated testing results were: 63.82% of students were on grade level in reading-literature and 48.2% of students demonstrated on grade level in Algebra I. In Biology I, just 47.19% of pupils demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the Biology course. In 2016, Midd-West HIgh School ranked last among CSIU16 region high schools for academic achievement.
The requirement that pupils pass the Keystone Exams in reading, algebra I and bIology I in order to graduate was postponed until 2019 by the Pennsylvania General Assembly because less than 60% of 12 grade pupils statewide would have been eligible for graduation from high school due to failing one or more Keystone Exams.
Additionally, 45.3% of 8th grade students were on grade level in reading on the PSSAs given in April 2016. In math/Algebra 1, 28.5% of 8th grade students showed on grade level skills. In science, 44.6% of the school’s 8th graders demonstrated on grade level science understanding. No eighth grade writing scores were reported.

2015 School Performance Profile

Midd-West High School achieved 73.5 out of 100. The PDE reported that 79% of students were on grade level in reading/literature. In Algebra 1, 70% of students showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology I, 56% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. Statewide, 53 percent of schools with an eleventh grade achieved an academic score of 70 or better. Five percent of the 2,033 schools with 11th grade were scored at 90 and above; 20 percent were scored between 80 and 89; 28 percent between 70 and 79; 25 percent between 60 and 69 and 22 percent below 60. The Keystone Exam results showed: 73 percent of students statewide scored at grade-level in English, 64 percent in Algebra I and 59 percent in biology.

2014 School Performance Profile

Midd-West High School achieved 68.7 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 81% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 72% showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology, only 57% showed on grade level science understanding. In writing, 74% of 8th graders demonstrated on grade level writing skills. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,134 of 2,947 Pennsylvania public schools, achieved an academic score of 70 or higher.

2013 School Performance Profile

Midd-West High School achieved 76.3 out of 100 in 2013. In reading/literature - 78% were on grade level. In Math/Algebra 1, 77% showed on grade level skills. In Biology/Science, 56.8% showed on grade level science understanding. In writing, 73.8% of the 8th graders demonstrated on grade level writing skills. Midd-West Middle School's grade was withheld until December, at the request of the District's administration, until disputes on scores are resolved. The School Performance Profile reflects: on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement, graduation rate, participation in certain courses.

AYP History

In 2012, Midd-West High School declined further to School Improvement Level I Adequate Yearly Progress status due to persistent low student achievement in both reading and mathematics.
;PSSA Results:
Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012, in all Pennsylvania public high schools. The exams were administered in the Spring of each school year. The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam included content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies. The mathematics exam included: algebra I, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry. The standards were first published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.
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Science in Motion Midd-West High School did not take advantage of a state program called Science in Motion which brought college professors and sophisticated science equipment to the school to raise science awareness and to provide inquiry-based experiences for the students. The Science in Motion program was funded by a state appropriation and there was no cost the school for participating. Susquehanna University provided the science enrichment experiences to schools in the region.

SAT Scores History

In 2016, 62 Midd-West School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 482. The Math average score was 497. The Writing average score was 451. The College Board also reported that statewide 92,569 pupils took the exams with average scores declining again in all three measurers to: 494 in reading, 508 in math and 482 in writing. Among the 12 high schools in the CSIU16 region, Midd-West High School ranked 8th which was also below the state average. Nationally, 1,681,134 students took the SATs.
In 2015, 70 Midd-West School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 486. The Math average score was 475. The Writing average score was 461. The College Board also reported that statewide 96,826 pupils took the exams with average scores declining in all three measurers to: 495 in reading, 511 in math and 484 in writing.
In 2014, 82 Midd-West HIgh School students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 475. The Math average score was 496. The Writing average score was 458. Statewide in Pennsylvania, Verbal Average Score was 497. The Math average score was 504. The Writing average score was 480. The College Board reported that nationwide scores were: 497 in reading, 513 in math and 487 in writing. In 2014, 1,672,395 students took the SATs in the United States.
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The Pennsylvania Department of Education compared the SAT data of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania to students in urban areas. From 2003 to 2005, the average total SAT score for students in rural Pennsylvania was 992, while urban students averaged 1,006. During the same period, 28 percent of 11th and 12th graders in rural school districts took the exam, compared to 32 percent of urban students in the same grades. The average math and verbal scores were 495 and 497, respectively, for rural students, while urban test-takers averaged 499 and 507, respectively. Pennsylvania’s SAT composite score ranked low on the national scale in 2004. The composite SAT score of 1,003 left Pennsylvania ranking 44 out of the 50 states and Washington, DC.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education reported that 71 percent of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania chose to continue their education after high school in 2003, whereas 79 percent of urban high school graduates opted to continue their education.

AP Courses

In 2013, Midd-West High School offered 6 Advanced Placement courses at a higher cost than regular courses. Students have the option of taking College Board approved courses and then taking the College Board's examination in the Spring. The student pays the fee for the exam which was $89 per test per pupil in 2012. Participants, who achieve a 3 or better on the exam, may be awarded college credits at US universities and colleges. Each higher education institution sets its own standards about what level of credits are awarded to a student based on their AP exam score. Most higher education give credits for scores of 4 or 5. Some schools also give credits for scores of 3. High schools give credits towards graduation to students who take the school's AP class. At Midd-West High School just 21% of students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 12% of the Midd-West 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.

Dual enrollment

Midd-West 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 in association with Harrisburg Area Community College and SUN Tech. The district also has a dual enrollment agreement with Lackawanna College located in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. The state offered 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. Under state rules, other students that reside in the district, who attend a private school, a charter school or are home schooled are eligible to participate in this program. In 2010, Governor Edward Rendell eliminated the grants to students, from the Commonwealth, due to a state budget crisis.

ACE

Midd-West School District students have access to Bloomsburg University's Summer College and Advanced College Experience during the summer of their sophomore, junior and senior years. Tuition is deeply discounted to 75% of the regular student rate. Successful students earn college credits that can be readily transferred to other Pennsylvania public colleges and universities through the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Center system.

Alternative Education

In May 2014, the School Board approved a 2014-2015 Agreement as outlined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth Guidelines between the Midd-West School District and PA Treatment & Healing for alternative education services needed for designated students at a per diem rate of $51.00 per day/per student and a rate of $56.00 per day/per student for special education. Students who are not behaving appropriately in the school building setting may be assigned to alternative education.

School safety and bullying

The Midd-West School District administration reported there were seven incidents of bullying in the District in 2012. Additionally, there were seven assaults on pupils and 10 sexual incidents involving students including two assaults. The local law enforcement was involved in thirty one incidents at the schools, making 24 arrests.
Each year the school safety data is reported by the district to the Safe School Center which then publishes the compiled reports online. Nationally, nearly 20% of pupils report being bullied at school.
The federal No Child Left Behind Act established the Unsafe School Choice Option. Each state that receives federal funds was mandated to establish a statewide policy requiring that a student at a “persistently dangerous” public school be allowed to transfer/enroll in a safe public school. The policy permitted a student who becomes the victim of a violent criminal offense, while in or on the grounds of any public school that he or she attends, to transfer to a safe public school. Each year since 2006, the Pennsylvania Department of Education has released a list of Persistently Dangerous Schools. Midd-West School District schools have not been on the lists.
All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the District must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. The Center for Schools and Communities works in partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives. The Midd-West School Board prohibits bullying by district students and faculty. A policy approved in May 2006 defines bullying and cyberbullying. The Board directs that complaints of bullying shall be investigated promptly, and corrective action shall be taken when allegations are verified. No reprisals or retaliation shall occur as a result of good faith reports of bullying.
Education standards relating to student safety and anti harassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.

Wellness policy

Midd-West School Board established a district-wide Wellness policy in 2006 - Student Wellness Policy 246. The policy deals with nutritious meals served at school, the control of access to some foods and beverages during school hours, age appropriate nutrition education for all students, and physical education for students K-12. The policy is in response to state mandates and federal legislation. The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006."
The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education and physical education that are aligned with the , campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts were required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Districts were offered a choice of levels of implementation for limiting or prohibiting low nutrition foods on the school campus. In final implementation these regulations prohibit some foods and beverages on the school campus. The policy requires that the Superintendent or designee shall report to the Board on the district’s compliance with law and policies related to student wellness. The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.
In 2013, the USDA issued new restrictions to foods in public schools. The rules apply to foods and beverages sold on all public school district campuses during the day. They limit vending machine snacks to a maximum of 200 calories per item. Additionally, all snack foods sold at school must meet competitive nutrient standards, meaning they must have fruits, vegetables, dairy or protein in them or contain at least 10 percent of the daily value of fiber, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D. In order to comply with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 all US public school districts are required to raise the price of their school lunches to $2.60 regardless of the actual cost of providing the lunch. In 2014, President Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day. The Food and Drug Administration requires that students take milk as their beverage at lunch. In accordance with this law, any student requesting water in place of milk with their lunch must present a written request, signed by a doctor, documenting the need for water instead of milk.
Midd-West School District provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. Nurses are available in each building to conduct annual health screenings and to dispense prescribed medications to students during the school day. Students can be excluded from school unless they comply with all the State Department of Health’s extensive immunization mandates. Beginning with the 2017-18 school year, high school students are mandated to receive a dose of MCV meningococcal conjugate vaccine for 12th grade entry. Nurses also monitor each child's weight. Nurses also monitor each child's weight. Nurses also monitor each child's weight.
In 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Health made available to each Pennsylvania high school the overdose antidote drug naloxone in a nasal spray. School nurses were also provided with educational materials and training developed by the National Association of School Nurses. The cost was covered by a grant from a private foundation.

Highmark Healthy High 5 grant

In 2011, Midd-West HIgh School received funding through a Highmark Healthy High 5 grant. The School received $$9,914 which was used to purchase equipment and supplies for the Mustangs on the Move program, a circuit training program. Beginning in 2006, Highmark Foundation engaged in a 5-year, $100 million program to promote lifelong healthy behaviors in children and adolescents through local nonprofits and schools.

Classrooms for the Future grant

Midd-West School District was awarded a $77,993.00 grant under Classrooms for the Future 2006 to purchase computers for the high school students' use along with paying for mandatory teacher training to optimize the computers' use. Computers were for core academic courses: English, Math, Science, and History. In 2007 the HIgh School received $300,000. The district received the final payment of $42,706 for the 2008-09 school year. In total the district received: $420,699 in state funds. This money was in addition to all regular state and federal funding.

Extracurriculars

The Midd-West School District offers students a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, costly sports program. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy. The PIAA mandates that student athletes must be passing at least four full-credit subjects to participate in sports.
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.
According to PA Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Act 126 of 2014, all volunteer coaches and all those who assist in student activities, must have criminal background checks. Like all school district employees, they must also attend an anti child abuse training once every three years.

Sports

MWSD's mascot is the mustang. School colors are Carolina blue and dull silver. Just before the merger of the two high schools, high school students were asked to vote on a new mascot and school colors to replace the old West Snyder HS Mounties and Middleburg HS Middies. Article XVI-C of the Public School Code requires the disclosure of interscholastic athletic opportunities for all public secondary school entities in Pennsylvania. All school entities with grades 7-12 are required to annually collect data concerning team and financial information for all male and female athletes beginning with the 2012-13 school year and submit the information to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, all non-school contributions and purchases must also be reported to PDE.
According to Pennsylvania’s Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching.
Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid.
The District funds:
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Note: The football program was a co-operative program with East Juniata High School, and plays under the East Juniata flag, even though their field is in Beaver Springs on Midd-West property. The school board paid $24,000 a year for the students to be able to play PIAA football. In 2017, The agreement was ended by East Juniata.
Midd-West School District is a member of the Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference for all athletics, except for football, which is in the All-American Football Conference. Midd-West School District participates under the rules and guidelines of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference is a voluntary association of 25 PIAA High Schools within the central Pennsylvania region.