Canon-McMillan School District

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Canon-McMillan School District
Address
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
One North Jefferson Avenue Canonsburg , Pennsylvania 15317 United States
Information
Type	Public
Motto	Commitment To Excellence
Established	1954
School board	9 individually elected members
Superintendent	Michael Daniels (2013–present)
Principal	Ken Crowley (high school[1]) Greg Taranto (middle school[2])
Grades	K-12
Enrollment	Between 1600 and 2100 (high school, 2017–18) 5168 (district wide, 2010–11)
• Kindergarten	355 (2010–11)
• Grade 1	397 (2010–11)
• Grade 2	358 (2010–11)
• Grade 3	359 (2010–11)
• Grade 4	346 (2010–11)
• Grade 5	373 (2010–11)
• Grade 6	363 (2010–11)
• Grade 7	390 (2010–11)
• Grade 8	317 (2010–11)
• Grade 9	402 (2010–11)
• Grade 10	335 (2010–11)
• Grade 11	389 (2010–11), 414 (2015–16), 558 (2017–18)
• Grade 12	361 (2010–11), 348 (2015–16), 407 (2017–18)
Color(s)	Blue Gold
Athletics conference	WPIAL, PIAA
Mascot	Scottish Highlander
Team name	Big Macs, Lady Macs for all-female sports
Rivals	Peters Township, Trinity, Mt. Lebanon
Communities served	Borough of Canonsburg Thompsonville, Eighty Four, and The Meadowlands in North Strabane Township (north of Race Track Road) Cecil, Muse, Lawrence, and Hendersonville in Cecil Township
Website	http://www.cmsd.k12.pa.us/

The Canon-McMillan School District is a large public school district covering the Borough of Canonsburg, Cecil Township and North Strabane Township in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The district operates one High School (9th–12th), one Middle School (7th–8th), two Intermediate Schools (5th–6th) and five Elementary Schools (K-4th).

District information[]

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The Canon-McMillan School District is the largest school district in Washington County in terms of enrollment, and the size of its student body is increasing annually. On average, the high school receives around a hundred new students each school year. Enrollment has been increasing at this rate for about a decade, and is projected to continue doing so as long as the local economy continues to flourish. Canon-McMillan is in class AAAAAA (6A) WPIAL for most of its athletic programs. The district's mascot is the "Big Mac", similar to another common mascot called a Highlander, which is typically displayed as a soldier of a Scottish regiment. Canon-McMillan's school colors are blue and gold, while the alternate colors are white and black. The district is predominantly suburban, and also serves rural portions of North Strabane Township near the town of Eighty Four and the semi-rural area southwest of the Allegheny County line in Cecil Township, Washington County. The school district borders the South Fayette Twp. School District and Upper Saint Clair Schools (both in Allegheny County) to the north and northeast respectively. In Washington County, the district adjoins both Peters Twp. and Ringgold School Districts to the east, Chartiers-Houston to the west, Fort Cherry to the northwest, Trinity Area School District to the southwest, and Bentworth Schools to the southeast.

Athletics[]

Athletically, Canon-Mac has been known as a wrestling powerhouse for decades. Most recently, the school has also been known for its boys basketball program and as WPIAL and PA state powers in boys and girls soccer. Their Varsity Girls Soccer team won the PIAA AAAA State Championship in 2016 and was State runner- up in 2014. Boys soccer won WPIAL championships in 2012, 2015, and 2019. Their Varsity softball team won the PIAA State Championship in 2013, and WPIAL Championship in 2012 & 2013. Their varsity girls volleyball team won their first ever WPIAL championship in 2019, upsetting heavily favored North Allegheny in the finals. Their Varsity baseball team won the PIAA State Championship in both 2008 and 2018 as well as their first ever WPIAL championship in 2018. Their varsity hockey team won the Penguins Cup in 2010 and 2015. The boys basketball team had its best season in school history at the time in 2018, with 19 straight wins and a 21–2 overall record. The team's winning streak unfortunately came to an end with a loss to Baldwin, and the season ended with a loss to Woodland Hills in the WPIAL semi-finals, preventing Canon-Mac from moving on to the finals, however, the season still added to the school's long legacy of athletic success. The team topped their own record from the previous year in 2019, becoming WPIAL section champions with only one regular season loss and reaching the WPIAL finals. Despite losing the final game to City League section champions Taylor Allderdice, the season still went down as one of Canon-Mac's greatest athletic feats. The school's wrestling team has won WPIAL titles in 1983, 1985, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2012, the wrestling team took home their 1st PIAA State dual meet Championship Title in the school's history before winning the state championship again in 2013. In 1992, 2011, 2012 and 2013, members of the team won the State Individual Tournament team championship by collecting the most points.

Transportation[]

Transportation in the Canon-McMillan School District is provided mainly by school bus. The district also operates a small number of school vans and short buses (mostly for students that are physically handicapped and/or suffer from severe mental disabilities, as well as students with behavioral or emotional issues that may cause disruption on a typical school bus.) Most van and short bus services are provided by third-party transit contractors. The school district is also legally bound by the state to provide transportation to private academies and parochial schools lying within its service zone. The Canon-Mac full size bus fleet is composed almost entirely of Blue Bird Vision school buses; second and third generations; built from 2008–present. The district also has about ten-first generation Visions; built from 2003 to 2007; most of which remain in route service currently, but are soon to be retired. Among other buses retained by the district, two Thomas bodied Freightliner FS-65s (buses 10 and 31) remain in route service, alongside at least five of their newer counterparts, the Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 buses, ordered by the district during the 2012 and 2015–2017 model years. Two to four more full size FS-65s no longer in route service are kept at the Support Facility as backup buses for situations when route buses may not be operable for some reason. The district also began to add IC CE school buses to its fleet in 2019. Other student transport vehicles of the district include Ford E-Series passenger vans, Ford Transit passenger vans, Thomas Minotour short buses based upon Ford E-Series chassis, and short Thomas Conventional buses on either Freightliner FS-65 or International 3800 chassis. The district fleet once included Blue Bird TC/2000 type D buses, however these have all been retired and sold off. Several Blue Bird bodied full size International 3800s have been sold by the district as well, and only one of these buses remains today, repainted and with stop sign, warning lights, passenger windows, and most passenger seats removed. This bus serves primarily as an equipment transporter for the high school band and rarely travels with passengers aboard.

School buildings and other facilities[]

The Canon-McMillan School District contains nine academic school buildings and three athletic complexes that are separate from the schools, as well as a school bus garage and a central administration building.

High school[]

Canon-McMillan High School is the largest school building in the district, both geographically and by student population. Currently, about 2,000 students in grades 9–12 attend CMHS. The school was originally built and opened as Canon-McMillan Senior High School in 1958 with grades 10–12, and has been expanded and renovated in 1966, 1983, 1988, 1994, 2001–2003, and 2017–2019. CMHS has two gymnasiums (Main and Auxiliary), a natatorium, a weight room, and a mat room for wrestling practice as its athletic facilities. The school also has four outdoor tennis courts and formerly had an open playing field and outdoor exercise yard on its premises. An auditorium is also featured.

The 1966 and 1983 extensions to CMHS both added additional classrooms, and the school's name was changed from Canon-McMillan Senior High to just Canon-McMillan High School in 1983. This was due to the district's reorganization plan which called for the 9th grade to be moved to the high school and for the junior high schools (which became middle schools at that point in time) to take on the 6th graders. The 1983 project also renovated the interior of the entire existing building, added seats to the auditorium, and reconfigured the athletic wing by replacing the original gym with a larger one that contained pull-out bleachers and an elevated walking track. The auxiliary gym, weight room, and mat room were added in 1988, and some other minor floor plan modifications were also made to other parts of the school at that time. The restrooms and locker rooms in that part of the building were remodeled and slightly modified in 1994.

The 2001–2003 project was the longest and most major renovation in the school's history. This project completely demolished and rebuilt the school's academic wings, added more parking, and moved the library, cafeteria, kitchen, and teacher's lounge closer to the school's entrances. A centrally located commons area with high vaulted ceilings; known as the Atrium; was also created during this time. Some minor repainting took place in both gyms, and the wood flooring of both was replaced. A press box and more pull-out collapsible bleachers were added to the main gym above the elevated track, and the exercise yard was eliminated as it was in the way of the new set of loading docks and part of the new classroom portion of the school. The natatorium was also built in this area, and has two entrances off of the hallway in the athletic wing. The performing arts and technology wing was also expanded, and the original loading docks, which were located at the end of that wing, became secondary loading docks. The main entrance to the school was modernized and the doors pushed about 8 feet forward, and most of the building's front fascia was re-bricked to give a more clean and updated appearance. A large digital sign was also added to the front of the school as part of the project. In total, about 90 percent of the original building was either renovated or replaced, and the entire student and staff populations benefited from the project. It would effectively relieve severe overcrowding at CMHS for the next 8 years, and increase student capacity from barely 1,200 students to around 1,500 students. The student body would continue to grow, however, and by 2011, the enrollment at the school had exceeded the 1,500 student maximum.

The school would remain overcrowded until 2017, when a new classroom extension was begun. Both academic wings were extended back, and the parking lot that used to be behind them was removed. The open playing field off of the athletic wing was paved over and made into a new lot to make up for lost parking area. Brand new Jumbotron-style scoreboards were installed in the main gym, along with revamped signage on the press box and outside of the doors. The auditorium was also remodeled with fresh paint, new ceilings, all new seats, and the expansion of the stage and backstage areas. New, better lighting systems and brand new acoustic wall panels were also installed, and the total seating capacity was significantly increased. The band room was nearly doubled in size and also received acoustic panels and other sound mitigation improvements. The teacher's lounge was again relocated, due to the cafeteria being expanded into its former location, and a was added to the main office entrance. The reception portion of the office was remodeled and reconfigured to accommodate the new feature. Most building work and all major parts of the project concluded in February 2019. Some minor cosmetic landscaping work continued into the summer of 2019.

Intermediate/middle schools[]

Canonsburg Middle School is currently the only middle school in the Canon-McMillan School District and educates students in 7th and 8th grades. Present enrollment numbers around 1,100 students. It also houses the district-wide Special Education department offices, and is one of few Pittsburgh area middle schools that has never previously served as a high school to feature a natatorium.

It opened in 1967 as Canon-McMillan Junior High School, and was built on the former site of the original Canonsburg High School, demolished a few years earlier. The original school's historic auditorium still remains as a freestanding building however, initially dating back to the 1920s, and still in use for school and community functions to this day. In 1967, Canon-McMillan Junior High held students in grades 7–9. It was the second junior high school in the district, after Cecil Junior High (now Cecil Intermediate) opened four years earlier in 1963.

Canon-McMillan Junior High became the grades 6–8 Canonsburg Middle School in 1983, and would see its first and only complete renovation the next year, in 1984. This project remodeled the structure's entire interior (with the exception of the auditorium, which is historically preserved), and updated electrical and plumbing work to meet the safety codes of the time. Computer labs and a large group instruction room were added in the 90s, however the latter has since been removed and permanently divided into three classrooms. 6th grade was removed from CMS in 2002. The school saw minor security upgrades near the main entrance in 2014, however, CMS is now slated to close in the coming years as the building's structural and physical condition is deteriorating, and having not seen a full renovation since the 80s, the school is extremely dated inside. Cracks and chips have formed in staircases and floor tiles over the years, mostly due to old age and prolonged wear and tear.

CMS has also been severely overcrowded for several years. At most times, students cannot walk through its halls without encountering very heavy foot traffic. They will, however, be transferred to an all new school building that, as of 2018, has not yet been constructed, but is expected to be built and opened by 2021 at a new location and will have a larger student capacity than the current school. The name of the new building is currently to be determined, and the facility may or may not be called Canonsburg Middle School. The present-day building cannot be effectively expanded due to property space constraints and an overall original design and layout that did not take future wings and additions into consideration. The aforementioned auditorium will likely remain as-is, despite the school building's currently unknown fate after closure. Unconfirmed local rumors indicate that the building, if not demolished, may be either acquired by a church and converted into a religious school, or remodeled into apartment homes for senior citizens.

Cecil Intermediate School is one of two intermediate schools in the Canon-McMillan School District and currently holds around 500 students in grades 5 and 6. The school opened in 1963 as Cecil Junior High School and as mentioned in the previous paragraph, originally taught students in the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. Beginning in 1983, the school held grades 6–8 and had its name changed to Cecil Middle School and finally, in 2002, 5th grade was added and grades 7 and 8 were dropped, and the school became the Cecil Intermediate School of today.

North Strabane Intermediate School is the second intermediate school in the district and has a student body of around 550. It accommodates grades 5 and 6 and is the second newest school building in the district. The site next to Borland Manor Elementary was cleared in 2000 and the school opened in 2002, although it was not fully completed until 2003. There are also multiple baseball/softball fields with permanent dugouts, a small press building and digital scoreboards outside of the school, used for competition as well as softball practice.

Elementary schools[]

Borland Manor Elementary School is the oldest operational school building in the district as of 2018. The school is home to around 320 students in grades K-4. It was built in 1954 as new housing was developed in the area and is adjacent to North Strabane Intermediate School (details above). The school was partially remodeled in the early 90s, but its condition has unfortunately once again declined since then.

Hills-Hendersonville Elementary School teaches about 300 students in Kindergarten through 4th grade. The school opened in 1965 and an expansion is planned in the years ahead, as the school is currently operating at maximum capacity, however the exact dates of the project have not yet been determined. Minor renovations and visual updates took place in 2012.

Muse Elementary School enrolls around 730 students in grades K-4. The current facility is the newest school building in the Canon-McMillan School District as of 2018. Muse is also the largest elementary school in the district by enrollment. The current building replaced the original Muse Elementary, which was built in 1936 and razed upon completion of the new school in 2017. The current school is a consolidation of the now closed Cecil and First Street Elementary Schools (which opened in 1936 and 1924 respectively) into the Muse facility. The new school is more than 4 times the size of its predecessor geographically.

South Central Elementary School currently has a student body numbering about 470 pupils in grades K-4. The school opened in 1966 and was renovated and expanded in 1995. The project included interior repainting, minor floor plan alterations, remodeling of the library and main office, and the addition of windows to all classrooms with walls to the outside. A scientific plant growing lab/greenhouse, still one of only two in the district, was also added to the school at that time.

Wylandville Elementary School. The school opened to students in 1966 and is currently populated by about 220 students in grades K-4, making it the smallest school in the district by enrollment. Wylandville was last renovated in 1979 and is to be overhauled in the next few years, as age, decay, and outdatedness have taken their toll on the current building significantly. Project dates are undisclosed at this time. It is also home to the district's second greenhouse, known as the "Living Classroom".

Other facilities[]

Big Mac Stadium serves as the Canon-McMillan School District's main athletic facility. It was initially built up as a formal stadium in the 1970s, however, the grounds that it occupies have been used for athletic events since the 1930s. The stadium is sometimes also called Canon-McMillan Stadium or Canonsburg Stadium. It recently underwent renovations to expand seating areas and add new locker rooms and more parking. It had its running track resurfaced and artificial turf replaced in 2016. The stadium received artificial turf for the first time in 1998, which was when the last major renovation prior to the most recent one occurred. It is located just off Jefferson Avenue near the heart of Canonsburg, and is adjacent to the district's Central Administration building.

McDowell Field is the district's primary baseball practice complex, named for the road on which it is located. Besides a baseball diamond, the site also contains multipurpose playing fields and service buildings which house locker rooms, restrooms, a concession stand, a press room, and the controls for the scoreboard.

West McMurray Road Soccer Complex, alternatively known as Van Eman Field, is a triangular grass field divided into several small soccer pitches and serves as a practice field for the Canon-McMillan Youth Soccer Association, the district league for boys and girls soccer at the elementary school level. The de facto name Van Eman Field comes from Van Eman Creek, which runs near the site. The entire field is fenced in. There is a North Strabane Township municipal pump station on the premises, which is fenced off separately from the field itself to prevent unauthorized access. The site does not have any permanent buildings besides a basic wooden shelter that are accessible to its users, as portable toilets and a utility trailer are only used at the field seasonally.

Canon-McMillan Support Facility serves as both the district's school bus/school van garage and the headquarters for the district-wide maintenance and custodial department. It is a large, aircraft hangar-like building providing indoor parking and maintenance space for most of the district's buses, vans, and maintenance vehicles, with an attached annex designated for offices and the service and repair shop. It was built in 1990 and is diagonally across the street from the high school.

Canon-McMillan Central Administration Building holds the School Board offices, meeting room, Superintendent's office, Assistant Superintendent's office, and all district-wide department offices, with the exception of the Special Education and Maintenance/ Custodial departments. It was built in the 1970s and is in front of Big Mac Stadium on Jefferson Ave.

History[]

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The Canon-McMillan School District was founded on September 15, 1954 in a merger between the Canonsburg, Cecil Township, and North Strabane Township schools. Canon-McMillan High School was formerly known as Canonsburg High school and Cecil High School when the name was changed. The high school moved to its current location in 1958. The district is named for Col. John Canon and the Rev. John McMillan. John McMillan's Log School; which dates back to the 1780s, is located outside the present day Canonsburg Middle School.

Comprehensive list of schools[]

The Canon-McMillan School District operates a total of nine schools:

• Canon-McMillan High School
• Canonsburg Middle School
• North Strabane Intermediate School
• Cecil Intermediate School
• Borland Manor Elementary School
• Hills-Hendersonville Elementary School
• Muse Elementary School
• South Central Elementary School
• Wylandville Elementary School

There are also two former schools in the district that closed on June 1, 2017 after Muse Elementary was completely overhauled and expanded:

• First Street Elementary School
• Cecil Elementary School

A third defunct school, Hawthorne Elementary School, closed in 1982 due to declining district wide enrollment at the time. The school was demolished in 1986.

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.^[3] The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low-income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act, which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration an "F" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.^[4]

Academic achievement[]

In 2011, the Canon-McMillan School District ranked 99th of 498 Pennsylvania school districts. The ranking was based on five years of student academic performance on the PSSAs for math, reading, writing and three years of science.^[5]

• 2010 – 100th
• 2009 – 94th^[6]
• 2008 – 120th
• 2007 – 161st^[7]

Graduation rate[]

In 2011, the Canon-McMillan School District's graduation rate was 96%.^[8] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate. Canon-McMillan School District's rate was 93% for 2010.^[9]

• 2010 – 94%^[10]
• 2009 – 90%^[11]
• 2008 – 96%^[12]
• 2007 – 94%^[13]

High school[]

Canon-McMillan High School ranked 53rd for academic achievement of the 11th graders in 2011.^[14] The enrollment was 1,490 pupils in 2010.^[15]

• 56th out of 105 western Pennsylvania high schools.^[16]
• 45th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools, by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2009, for academic achievement as reflected by three years of 11th grade results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science PSSAs.^[17]

11th Grade Reading:

• 2011 – 81% on grade level, (6% below basic). State – 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[18]
• 2010 – 75%, (10% below basic). State – 66%^[19]
• 2009 – 65.6%, State – 65%^[20]
• 2008 – 67% (15% below basic), State – 65%^[21]
• 2007 – 73% (12% below basic). State – 65%^[22]

11th Grade Math:

• 2011 – 65%, on grade level (14% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[23]
• 2010 – 61%, (19% below basic). State – 59%^[24]
• 2009 – 43.6%, State – 56%.^[25]
• 2008 – 58% (20% below basic). State – 56%^[26]
• 2007 – 53% (22% below basic). State – 53%^[27]

11th Grade Science:

• 2011 – 49% on grade level (10% below basic). State – 40% of 11th graders were on grade level. .^[28]
• 2010 – 49%, (9% below basic). State – 39%
• 2009 – 47%, State – 40%^[29]
• 2008 – 46%, State – 39%

College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 28% of the Canon-McMillan 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.^[30] 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.^[31] 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.

Graduation requirements[]

Canon-McMillan School Board requires that students earn 26 credits to graduate, including: 4 credits English, 4 credits math, including algebra and geometry, 4 credits social studies and 3 credits in science.^[32] 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.^[33]

By Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, beginning with the graduating class in 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 must count for at least one-third of the final course grade.^[34]

Dual enrollment[]

The high school does not offer a state-funded dual enrollment program. They do, however, offer an extremely limited, self-funded program that serves a similar purpose. The school program is provided to seniors in conjunction with Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). Students enrolled in the program are bused to and from CCAC's satellite campus in Washington during certain hours of the school day. They take courses there to earn transferable college credits from CCAC at no personal cost (The program is school district funded.) Both participation and cumulative quantity of credits that can be earned is limited due to budget constraints. The state dual enrollment program would permit high school students to take courses at local higher education institutions (including those other than CCAC) to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The credits count towards high school graduation requirements, and towards earning a college degree, in both this program and the school-funded program mentioned above. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school, including the graduation ceremony. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. For several years, the state offered a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.^[35] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.^[36]

Middle school[]

In 2009, the 8th grade was ranked 37th out of 141 western Pennsylvania middle schools based on three years of student academic achievement in PSSAs in: reading, math writing and one year of science.^[37] (Includes schools in: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Westmoreland County, and Washington County In 2008, the school's eighth grade ranked 65th. In 2011, the school was awarded the Pennsylvania Schools to Watch award and was re-designated in 2014.^[38]

Special education[]

In December 2009, the district administration reported that 665 pupils or 13.6% of the district's pupils received Special Education services.^[39]

To comply with state and federal laws, the school district engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress.^[40] To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Special Education administration. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the Special Education Department.^[41]

In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for special education services. The funds were distributed to districts based on a state policy which estimates that 16% of the district's pupils are receiving special education services. This funding is in addition to the state's basic education per pupil funding, as well as, all other state and federal funding.^[42]

Canon-McMillan School District received a $1,914,116 supplement for special education services in 2010.^[43]

For the 2011–12 school year, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required.^[44]

Gifted education[]

The District Administration reported that 256 or 5.54% of its students were gifted in 2010.^[45] By law, the district must provide mentally gifted programs at all grade levels. The referral process for a gifted evaluation can be initiated by teachers or parents by contacting the student's building principal to request an evaluation. All requests for evaluation must be made in writing. The district has 60 calendar days to complete the student's gifted evaluation. To be eligible for mentally gifted programs in Pennsylvania, a student must have a cognitive ability of at least 130 as measured on a standardized ability test by a certified school psychologist. Other factors that indicate giftedness are also considered for eligibility.^[46]

Budget[]

In 2007, the district employed 288 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $51,581 for 181 instructional days and 190 days worked.^[47]

Canon-McMillan School District administrative costs were $735.84 per pupil in 2008. The administrative spending ranks 270th out of 500 school districts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The lowest administrative cost in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.^[48] In August 2011, the School Board granted a one-year medical sabbatical to Superintendent Helen McCracken, who received one half her salary and medical coverage while on leave. Additionally, she will continue to accrue benefits towards her state pension.^[49]

In 2008, the district administration reported spending $11,162 per pupil which ranked 382nd among Pennsylvania's 501 school districts.^[50]

In 2010, the district employed 452 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $49,951 for 187 days worked. The beginning salary was $37,000, while the highest salary was $140,000.^[51] Teachers work a 7-hour, 30-minute day, with one planning period and a paid 30-minute lunch included. Hours worked may not exceed 37.5 per week. Additionally, the teachers receive: a defined benefit pension, health insurance ($15 per month co pay (individual coverage), dental insurance, life insurance, professional development reimbursement, 2 paid personal days, 10 paid sick days which accumulate, paid days of bereavement leave and many other benefits. The district offers an extensive retirement/longevity package.^[52] The Board and teachers' union agreed to a new on a contract for 2009–2012.^[53] According to Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System Board of Trustees, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.^[54][55]

In April 2011, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The findings were reported to the administration and the school board by state audit officials.^[56]

Reserves In 2008, the district reported a $1,738,440 in an unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as zero.^[57]

The district is funded by a combination of: a local income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax regardless of the individual's level of wealth.^[58]

State basic education funding[]

In 2011–12, the Canon-McMillan School District received $10,565,041 in state Basic Education Funding.^[59] Additionally, the district received $186,189 in Accountability Block Grant funding.^[60] The enacted Pennsylvania state Education budget includes $5,354,629,000 for the 2011–2012 Basic Education Funding appropriation. This amount is a $233,290,000 increase (4.6%) over the enacted State appropriation for 2010–2011. The highest increase in state basic education funding was awarded to Duquesne City School District, which got a 49% increase in state funding for 2011–12.^[61] Districts experienced a reduction in funding due to the loss of federal stimulus funding, which ended in June 2011.

In 2010, the district reported that 1,022 pupils received a free or reduced-price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level.

For the 2010–11 budget year, the Canon-McMillan School District was allotted a 6.79% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $11,642,089. The highest increase in Washington County was provided to Charleroi School District which received a 9.90% increase. One hundred fifty Pennsylvania school districts received the base 2% increase. The highest increase in 2010–11 went to Kennett Consolidated School District in Chester County which received a 23.65% increase in state funding.^[62] The amount of increase each school district receives is set by the Governor and the Secretary of Education as a part of the state budget proposal given each February.^[63]

In the 2009–2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 5.07% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $10,901,889. The state Basic Education funding to the Canon-McMillan School District in 2008–09 was $10,375,074.64. The highest increase in Washington County went to Burgettstown Area School District which received a 6.45% increase. Eleven Washington County school districts received a state basic education funding increase of less than 5% in 2009–10. Muhlenberg School District of Berks County received an increase of 22.31 percent. Sixteen school districts received an increase in funding of over 10 percent in 2009.^[64]

In 2008, the administration reported that 1,034 students received a free or reduced-price lunch based on the federal poverty levels.

Accountability block grants[]

Beginning in 2004–2005, the state launched the Accountability Block Grant school funding. This program has provided $1.5 billion to Pennsylvania's school districts. The Accountability Block Grant program requires that its taxpayer dollars are focused on specific interventions that are most likely to increase student academic achievement. These interventions include: teacher training, all-day kindergarten, lower class size K-3rd grade, literacy and math coaching programs that provide teachers with individualized job-embedded professional development to improve their instruction, before or after school tutoring assistance to struggling students. For 2010–11, Canon-McMillan School District applied for and received $505,364, in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district used the funding to provide full-day kindergarten and to provide tutoring for struggling pupils.^[65]

Classrooms for the Future grant[]

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands of extra state funding to buy laptop computers for each core curriculum high school class (English, Science, History, Math) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006–2009. Canon-McMillan School District did not apply in 2006–07. In 2007–08, the district received $418,229. In 2008–09, the district received 75,562 for a total funding of $493,791.^[66]

Federal stimulus funding[]

The district received an extra $3,612,311 in ARRA – Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students. The grant was for the 2009–10 and 2010–11 school years.^[67]

Race to the Top grant[]

School district officials did not apply for the Race to the Top federal grant which would have brought the district up to million additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement.^[68] Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success.^[69] In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate.^[70] Pennsylvania was not approved for the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.^[71]

Common Cents state initiative[]

The Canon-McMillan School District School Board chose to participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program. The program called for the state to audit the district, at no cost to local taxpayers, to identify ways the district could save tax dollars.^[72] After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Real estate taxes[]

In 2011, the Canon-McMillan School Board set the property taxes rate at 105.4100 mills for the 2011–12 school year.^[73] A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. Property taxes, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, apply only to real estate – land and buildings. The property tax is not levied on cars, business inventory, or other personal property. Certain types of property are exempt from property taxes, including: places of worship, places of burial, private social clubs, charitable and educational institutions and government property. Irregular property reassessments have become a serious issue in the commonwealth as it creates a significant disparity in taxation within a community and across a region. Additionally, service related, disabled US military veterans may seek an exemption from paying property taxes. Pennsylvania school district revenues are dominated by two main sources: 1) Property tax collections, which account for the vast majority (between 75–85%) of local revenues; and 2) Act 511 tax collections, which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.^[74]

• 2010–11 – 105.4100 mills^[75]
• 2009–10 – 101.8500 mills^[76]
• 2008–09 – 97.0000 mills^[77]
• 2007–08 – 94.5000 mills^[78]

Act 1 adjusted index[]

The Act 1 of 2006 Index regulates the rates at which each school district can raise property taxes in Pennsylvania. Districts are not allowed to raise taxes above that index unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the state Department of Education. The base index for the 2011–2012 school year is 1.4 percent, but it can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions, including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increasing rising health care costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S. Department of Labor, for the previous 12-month period ending June 30. For a school district with a market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR) greater than 0.4000, its index equals the base index multiplied by the sum of .75 and its MV/PI AR for the current year.^[79]

The School District Adjusted Index for the Canon-McMillan School District 2006–2007 through 2010–2011.^[80]

• 2006–07 – 4.7%, Base 3.9%
• 2007–08 – 4.1%, Base 3.4%
• 2008–09 – 5.3%, Base 4.4%
• 2009–10 – 5.0%, Base 4.1%
• 2010–11 – 3.5%, Base 2.9%
• 2011–12 – 1.7%, Base 1.4%^[81][82]
• 2012–13 – 2.1%, Base – 1.7%^[83]

For the 2011–12 school year, the Canon-McMillan School Board sought 2 exceptions: special education costs and pension costs.^[84] For the district's 2010–11 budget year, the Canon-McMillan School Board did not seek exceptions to the Index limit.^[85][86]

Each year, the school district has the option of adopting either 1) a resolution in January certifying they will not increase taxes above their index or 2) a preliminary budget in February. A school district adopting the resolution may not apply for referendum exceptions or ask voters for a tax increase above the inflation index. A specific timeline for these decisions is publisher each year by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.^[87]

For the 2011–2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 250 school districts adopted a preliminary budget. Of the 250 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates that exceeded their index. Tax rate increases in the other 19 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget did not exceed the school district's index. Of the districts who sought exceptions 221 used the pension costs exemption and 171 sought a Special Education costs exemption. Only 1 school district sought an exemption for Nonacademic School Construction Project, while 1 sought an exception for Electoral debt for school construction.^[88] The Board sought exceptions for pension costs and special educations costs for the 2010–11.^[89] Shikellamy School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget, in 2009–10.^[90]

Notable alumni[]

Notable people who have attended the school district include:

• Sully Dunn - musician, America's Got Talent contestant
• Mike Hull – linebacker for the Miami Dolphins
• Doug Kotar – former running back for the New York Giants
• Brandon Neuman – member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
• Bill Schmidt – 1972 Olympics javelin bronze medal winner
• Archie Strimel – soccer goalkeeper

References[]

External links[]

• District website

Coordinates: 40°14′59″N 80°11′37″W / 40.249746°N 80.193725°W / 40.249746; -80.193725