North Hills School District

The North Hills School District is a public school district in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It serves an area of 14.6 square miles, including Ross Township, and West View.

North Hills School District
Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

United States
Information
TypePublic
MottoPride, Tradition, Excellence.
GradesK-12
Enrollment4,508 (2018-19)[1]
 • Kindergarten352[2]
 • Grade 1341[3]
 • Grade 2316[4]
 • Grade 3297[5]
 • Grade 4315[6]
 • Grade 5276[7]
 • Grade 6256[8]
 • Grade 7314[9]
 • Grade 8336[10]
 • Grade 9402[11]
 • Grade 10348[12]
 • Grade 11351[13]
 • Grade 12340[14]
Color(s)Red & White
Athletics conferenceWPIAL/PIAA
Budget$84.46 million (2020-2021 Budget)[15]
Websitehttp://www.nhsd.net

The North Hills School District

The North Hills School District currently enrolls 4,508 students,[16] and employs over 700 people.

The Administrative Staff is as follows:

  • Dr. Patrick J. Mannarino, Superintendent
  • Dr. Beth Williams, Assistant Superintendent
  • Dr. Nicole Bezila, Director of Pupil Services
  • Mr. Gerald Muth, Director of Finance & Operations
  • Mr. David Charles, Director of Technology
  • Ms. Heather Pelat, Director of Communications & Development
  • Mr. Kevin Swindell, Director of Facilities Services
  • Mr. Patrick Weber, Athletic Director

The teachers signed a contract where teachers at the top of the pay scale, which accounts for about one-third of current teachers, will receive a 1- to 2-percent raise each year, which means that their 5-year contract results in about an overall 10% pay increase which is about 17% less than that of the assistant superintendents who generally have less teaching experience than most of the faculty. http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yournorthhills/yournorthhillsmore/5463830-74/contract-teachers-agreement#axzz3H6wJCElZ

Schools and facilities

The District has six schools: 4 elementary schools (Grades K-5); a middle school (Grades 6-8); and a high school (Grades 9-12):

  • Highcliff Elementary School
    • Principal: Kristy Bilderback
    • Enrollment: 635 Students[17]
  • McIntyre Elementary School
    • Principal: Michelle Spingola
    • Enrollment: 700 Students[18]
  • Ross Elementary School
    • Principal: Jason Beall
    • Enrollment: 665 Students[19]
  • West View Elementary School
    • Principal: Jesse Simpson
    • Enrollment: 545 Students[20]
  • North Hills Middle School
    • Grades: 6-8
    • Principal: David Lieberman
    • Enrollment: 650 Students[21]
  • North Hills High School
    • Grades: 9–12
    • Principal: Kevin McKiernan
    • Enrollment: 1,441 Students[22]

Governance

The school district is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve four-year terms), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[23] The current Board is:

  • Sandra Kozera
  • Phil Little
  • Allison Mathis (President)
  • Annette Giovengo Nolish
  • Deanna Philpott
  • Kathryn Poniatowski
  • Kathy Reid
  • Rachael Rennebeck
  • Helen “Dee” Spade (Vice-President)

Academic achievement

In 2018, North Hills School District was ranked 34th out of 500 Pennsylvania school districts for student academic achievement by the Pittsburgh Business Times.[24] The ranking is based on three years of PA standardized test scores.

In 2018, the district was ranked 19th out of 110 western Pennsylvania school districts in a seven-county region by the Pittsburgh Business Times.[25] The ranking is based on three years of PA standardized test scores.

Graduation rate

2011-2012 - 100% [26]

High school

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, no North 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. Many graduates entered college as second-semester sophomores and even juniors due to the rigorous curriculum and multiple Advanced Placement courses offered.[27]

Teacher qualifications

As of the 2013-14 academic year, all teachers in the North Hills School District met or exceeded the national standards for highly qualified teachers, and 98% of the teachers in the district possessed advanced degrees. 92% possessed a doctorate or other terminal degree in their field.

Budget

The district administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $778. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398.[28]

Libraries

The North Hills School District program emphasizes information literacy and collaboration between teachers and librarians. Each library is staffed with a librarian; and each library actively participates in the AccessPa Power Library Program, which allows students and staff to access quality resources 24 hours a day from home or school. Librarians also provide staff and faculty with in-service training on new information technologies and literacy skills.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is determined by school board policy.[29]

By Pennsylvania law, all K–12 students in the district, including those who attend a private schools, cyber charter schools and charter schools, as well as those who are home-schooled, are eligible to participate in all extracurricular programs, including athletics. They must meet the same eligibility requirements as students enrolled in the district's schools.[30]

Arts

North Hills boasts successful programs in the arts. The drama club has produced both fall plays and spring musicals annually since 1989, and has one of the oldest theater programs of any Allegheny County public school. The district's annual "Arts Alive" program is a favorite community-based activity in May, when student art is displayed and various musical groups perform.

Athletics

Students may choose from among 20 sports at the senior high and 21 at the junior high. North Hills prides itself on its football program. The North Hills Indians' successes include:

  • 13 Conference Championships: 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2010
  • 4 WPIAL Championships: 1982, 1985, 1987, 1993
  • 2 PIAA State Championship: 1993
  • 1 USA Today National High School Football championship: 1987

North Hills has an intense rivalry with North Allegheny. Their annual football game is scheduled last for each team, and despite season records, it the biggest game of each team's seasons. In 2009, North Hills lost in the regular season matchup, but NH traveled to NA to win in the WPIAL play-offs. In 2016, the WPIAL's new 6 classification system placed North Hills in Class 5A and North Allegheny in Class 6A, meaning that the teams will no longer meet in regular season play, the first time that has happened in over half a century. However, the two schools will continue their rivalries in all other sports, including basketball, softball, and baseball.

School Renovations

North Hills School District has completed a long-term elementary facilities plan resulted in the renovation and expansion of McIntyre and Highcliff elementary schools as well as the renovation of Ross Elementary.[31]

The end result of the facilities plan was four comparable elementary schools (Ross, McIntyre, Highcliff and West View) with estimated enrollments of 500–550 students, although Ross Elementary was built to hold more than 600 students.[32] The plan includes the closing of three small schools: Northway, Perrysville and Seville.

The Northway Elementary School attendance area merged with McIntyre Elementary in August 2009. Perrysville and Seville will close at the end of the 2009–10 school year. Students from Highcliff also went to Northway in 2010 due to expansions and renovations.

North Hills High School recently underwent a $26.5 million renovation that concluded in 2007. Built in 1972, this is the first major renovation of the facility.

North Hills Middle School recently went through a renovation, adding an A/C unit to the building. As well as repainted lockers and re-tiled floors. They worked on it through the 14-15 school year, and completed the project before the 15-16 school year.

Busing

In the 2013-14 school year, North Hills School District eliminated six to 10 buses in a cost-saving effort to lower transportation costs. The elimination of buses necessitated changes in arrival and dismissal schedules for each district building. The new schedule implemented in the 2013-14 school year is North Hills High School, 7:20 a.m. to 2 p.m.; North Hills Middle School, 7:50 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.; Highcliff Elementary, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; McIntyre Elementary, 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.; Ross Elementary, 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.; and West View Elementary, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.[33]

References
  1. "About". North Hills School District website.date=January 2019
  2. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  3. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  4. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  5. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  6. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  7. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  8. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  9. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  10. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  11. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  12. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  13. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  14. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  15. https://www.nhsd.net/Downloads/2020-21_GeneralFundBudget.pdf?v=407930000
  16. "About". North Hills School District.|date=January 2019 |}}
  17. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  18. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  19. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  20. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  21. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  22. "Enrollment Tally" (PDF). North Hills School District website.
  23. Pennsylvania Public School Code Governance 2010
  24. "NOW UNLOCKED: 2018 School district rankings revealed". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  25. "NOW UNLOCKED: 2018 School district rankings revealed". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  26. "School Report Card" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Education. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-27. Retrieved September 2013. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  27. Pennsylvania College Remediation Report http://www.scribd./doc/23970364/Pennsylvania-College-Remediation-Report%5B%5D
  28. Fenton, Jacob. Pennsylvania School District Data: Will School Consolidation Save Money?, The Morning Call, Feb 2009.
  29. North Hills School Board Policy Manual Extracurriculars Policy 122 and Interscholastic Athletics Policy 123.
  30. Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release, November 10, 2005
  31. "Elementary Renovations". North Hills School District website. Archived from the original on 2013-11-26. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  32. Brown, AmyJo. "NHSD Celebrates End of Construction; Opens Ross Elementary". North Hills Patch. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  33. Dreeland, Dona. "Middle school, bus schedule mark top changes at North Hills School District". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
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