At A Glance

Fall 2022


Empowering and equipping all students to create their future and change the world.

Adopted by the South Western Board of School Directors on November 14, 2018


The South Western School District vision statement was unanimously adopted by the Board of Directors in November of 2018 as a part of revisions to the District Comprehensive Plan which was originally approved in May of 2014. This plan was submitted to and approved by the PA Department of Education for meeting Chapter 4, 12, 16, and 49 requirements and went into effect on July 01, 2019. The District Comprehensive plan, as revised in 2018, focuses on the following three strategic imperatives:

(1) College Readiness – Ensuring all students have access to a high quality academic program which includes a rigorous, challenging, and standards-aligned curricula, delivered through personalized instructional practices;

(2) Career Readiness – Ensuring all students have access to and engage with career awareness, exploration, and planning activities, including experiential learning opportunities that align to the PA Career and Work Standards, and;

(3) Life Readiness – Ensuring all students are equipped with the skills, mindsets, and dispositions to have self-efficacy and agency over their own learning and decisions.

District Profile


District Size
56 Square Miles
Population 30,021
   
K-12 Enrollment
4,791
Baresville Elementary (K-5)
568
Manheim Elementary (K-5)
260
Park Hills Elementary (K-5)
544
West Manheim Elementary (K-5)
631
   Total K-5 Enrollment
2,003
 Emory H Markle Middle School (6-8)
1,037
 South Western High School (9-12)
1,339
 Other Programs
412
   
 Average Daily Attendance
 
 Gr. K-5
94.9
 Gr. 6-8
95.0
 Gr. 9-12
94.0
   
 2022-2023 Budget
$82,471,207
 Millage Rate
21.80
 Funding Sources:
 
 Local 67.55%
 State 31.60%
 Federal/Other 0.82%
   
 Per Student Expenses
$17,214
  (63.30% goes directly to student instruction)
 
   
 Faculty 313
 Support Staff
296
 Administrative/Confidential Staff
35
   
 Faculty Experience:
 
   Percent under 5 years
16.7%
   Percent over 20 years
29.5%
   Percent with Masters Degree
83.3%
 Faculty Average Salary
$77,164
   
 Free & Reduced Lunch Eligibility:
 
   Baresville Elementary School
47.4%
   Manheim Elementary School
30.6%
   Park Hills Elementary School
42.3%
   West Manheim Elementary School
27.3%
   E.H. Markle Middle School
35.7%
   South Western High School
31.7%
   
 Ethnicity:  
   White
85.0%
   Black/African American
5.0%
   Hispanic
6.0%
   Asian
2.0%
   American Indian or Alaskan Native
0.1%
   Multi-Racial
4.0%
   Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
   
 Graduation Rate:
94.5%
   (Percent of students graduation in 4 years)
 

2022 Graduating Class Profile

Post-Secondary Choices
% Class of 2022 Future Plans

49%  - Institutions of Higher Education 
 14%  - Trade or Technical School
 6%  - Military
 31%  - Employment / Seeking Employment
 

College Board (SAT) Scores

     South Western
   National
     ERW/Math    Total    ERW/Math    Total
 2017-18    551/544    1,095    543/545    1,088
 2018-19    541/538    1,079    531/528    1,059
 2019-20    550/548    1,098    567/545    1,112
 2020-21   573/581
  1,155
  533/528
  1,060
 2021-22   542/549
   1,091    529/521   1,050

PA System of School Assessment

Listed below are 2021-2022 PSSA/Keystone results for South Western School District (Advanced and Proficient)

 School Math
ELA
Science -
Grades 4 & 8 
 Baresville  42.1%  57%  80%
 Manheim  54%  69%  84.1%
 Park Hills
 33.2%  54%  79.5%
 West Manheim
 46.5%  64.8%  83.5%
 EHMMS  30.3%  62.2%  52.4%

 

 School
Algebra I
Biology
English Literature
 SWHS 70.4%
 56.7%  68.0%


Academic Information

High School

  • A two semester block scheduling design
  • A broad curriculum of over 150 different courses, including Advanced Placement (AP), honors, career readiness, dual enrollment, college in the high school, and independent studies designed to meet the personalized learning needs for each student
  • Standards aligned curriculum in all subject areas
  • Fifth period each day for academic remediation and enrichment
    opportunities, in addition to career coaching activities, good standing
    activities, and clubs

Middle School

  • Instruction is provided that emphasizes both differentiation and student
    centered/blended learning instructional practices
  • Each student experiences a rigorous, developmentally appropriate
    curriculum in which they analyze, synthesize, and apply concepts to real-
    world experiences
  • Students have an opportunity to refine their interests and passions with
    the option to participate in many co-curricular activities (i.e athletics,
    clubs and intramural activities) offered throughout the school year.
  • Core interdisciplinary teams are emphasized that foster strong early
    adolescent bonds, and strong relationships between teachers and students
  • Core subject areas are complemented with exploratory rotations each
    school year including: Art, Computer Science, Family & Consumer
    Science, Foreign Language, Health, Music, Physical Education, and
    Technology Education.
  • An advisory Program that provides opportunities for each middle school
    student to have an adult advocate, build relationships with peers, promote
    personal & academic growth
  • Intervention period is embedded into the schedule which allows for
    appropriate interventions (as needed) in addition to opportunities for
    performing arts programs and enrichment

Elementary

  • Strong emphasis on differentiated instruction and the individual strengths and needs of all learners
  • Standards-based grading and assessment practices
  • Strong literacy program for all learners in grades K-5 focused on guided reading, on-level reading, word work, and writing with the goal of all learners reading on grade level by the end of third grade
  • A math program incorporating the eight mathematical practices for all learners in grades K-5 that focuses on problem-solving, abstract thinking, mathematical discourse, modeling, and attention to precision

Miscellaneous Statistics

Class Size Average
 
Grades K-2
21
Grades 3-5
22
Grades 6-8
25
Grades 9-12
22
   
Expulsions Last Year
 
Drugs/Alcohol/Weapons 19
   
Special Education
 
Gifted 2%
Learning Support
14%

 

% Students in Advanced Placement Class who took Advanced Placement Examination and scored grade 3 or higher
Biology
100%
Calculus AB
79%
Calculus BC
74%
Computer Science Principals
89%
English Language/ Comp
77%
English Literature/ Comp
75%
Physics 1 100%
Physics C: Mechanics 100%
Psychology 96%
Statistics 86%
U.S. Government/ Politics  39%


Athletic Opportunities

Fall Sports
Football – V, JV, 9th, 7th & 8th
Field Hockey – V, JV, 9th, 7th & 8th
Golf – V
Tennis Girls – V
Boys & Girls Soccer – V, JV
Coed Cross Country – V, JH
Volleyball Girls – V, JV
Cheerleading – V, JV, 9th, *8th, *7th

Winter Sports
Boys & Girls Basketball – V, JV, 9th, 8th, 7th
Boys & Girls Wrestling – V, JH
Swimming – V
Cheerleading – V, JV, 9th, *8th, *7th
Competition Cheer – (winter only)

Spring Sports
Baseball – V, JV
Softball – V, JV
Coed Track and Field – V, JH
Tennis Boys – V
Volleyball Girls – JH
Boys & Girls Lacrosse – V, JV

* Intramural Program

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