James M. Coughlin High School

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James M. Coughlin High School
Address
80 North Washington Street

,
18702

Coordinates41°14′47″N 75°52′43″W / 41.24633°N 75.87863°W / 41.24633; -75.87863Coordinates: 41°14′47″N 75°52′43″W / 41.24633°N 75.87863°W / 41.24633; -75.87863
Information
Established1890
FounderClarence Coughlin
StatusClosed
ClosedJune 10, 2021
School districtWilkes-Barre Area School District
Staff57.27 (FTE)[1]
Enrollment891 (2018-19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio15.56[1]
Color(s)     
MascotCrusader
Team nameCoughlin Crusaders
NewspaperThe Journal (1893–2021)
YearbookThe Breidlin (1926–2021)
The Yearbook (1924-1925)
Websitewww.wbasd.k12.pa.us/coughlinhighschool_home.aspx

James M. Coughlin High School is an urban school located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It serves grades 9-12 in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District.

History[]

Established in 1890 as Wilkes-Barre High School, the current school structure was scheduled to be built on the original school's site in 1905, but due to a flood—which flooded the entire basement and first floor—building had to be restarted. The building was opened unofficially on September 11, 1911, and formally dedicated in October 1912. The second part of the building, the Annex, was built in 1955 and formally dedicated on November 2, 1955. The main building has four floors, a basement, and an attic, and the Annex has three with a partial basement. It is the oldest public school in Pennsylvania being built in 1909, the older of the two buildings that makes up Coughlin is over 100 years old. The second building is about 60 years old.

With the construction of a second high school in Wilkes-Barre in 1925, the building was dedicated as James M. Coughlin High School in memory of Superintendent James Martin Coughlin, who served in that capacity from 1890 to 1918.[2]

The main building was closed on December 23, 2015, after 104 years of continuous use. This came as a result of a lengthy series of meetings by the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board, where it was decided that Coughlin and another Wilkes-Barre Area High School (Elmer L. Meyers Junior/Senior High School) would close and combine after the Coughlin site is closed, and rebuilt. The Annex building would continue to house 11th and 12th grade students until the new school is built, and 9th and 10th grade students placed in a recently renovated former building, and the 11th and 12th graders will be placed in the old Times Leader building next to Coughlin.[clarification needed]

Construction was expected to be completed by early 2018, when both former high schools would converge in the new school.[3] However, the Board was unable to move forward with the plan to use the Coughlin site.[4][5][6][7][8][9] On March 5, 2018, the Board voted to purchase land in Plains, Pennsylvania for the merged high school.[10] The plans faced vocal opposition,[11][12][13][14][15][16] but Wilkes-Barre Area High School opened as a new consolidated high school for the 2021–2022 school year. The Coughlin property was sold for $1.65 million in January 2021.[17][18][19][20]

Academic achievement[]

In 2010 and 2009, the school was in School Improvement I AYP status due to chronic low student achievement in reading and math.[21]

11th Grade Reading

  • 2010 - 68% on grade level (14% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders are on grade level.[22]
  • 2009 - 65% (20% below basic), State - 65%[23]
  • 2008 - 65% (15% below basic), State - 65%[24]
  • 2007 - 73% (12% below basic), State - 65%[25]

11th Grade Math:

  • 2010 - 62%, on grade level (22% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.[26]
  • 2009 - 49% (30% below basic). State - 56%.
  • 2008 - 56% (28% below basic), State - 56%
  • 2007 - 56% (22% below basic), State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

  • 2010 - 44% on grade level (15% below basic). State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.[27]
  • 2009 - 34% (21% below basic). State - 40%[28]
  • 2008 - 35% (14% below basic), State - 39%

Notable alumni[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "James M Coughlin JSHS". National Center for Education Statistics. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  2. ^ "History of James M. Coughlin High School". Coughlin High School, Class of 1988. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  3. ^ "The end of Coughlin High School is set to begin with the new year - Times Leader - timesleader.com". Times Leader. Archived from the original on 2016-01-05. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  4. ^ "Residents get their say on possible WB Area high school site Monday - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  5. ^ "W-B Area settles on Plains Twp. high school site, limits tax increase - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-09. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  6. ^ "Superintendent: Coughlin High School draws interest from buyers - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  7. ^ "Kistler elementary expansion on hold because of high school costs - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  8. ^ "Geisinger offers land donation for W-B Area high school - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  9. ^ "Back to the future for W-B Area school site - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  10. ^ "W-B Area: OK to $4.25 million Plains land buy; security in focus - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-06. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  11. ^ "Your view: No basis for consolidation plan - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-18. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  12. ^ "Our View: Segregation charge wrong, but issues for WBA remain - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  13. ^ "Amid more segregation debate, W-B Area moves toward high school choice - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-13. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  14. ^ "Your view: Don't let WBA board walk away from Meyers - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  15. ^ "WBA School Board open-floor approach brings extensive comment, criticism - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  16. ^ "Heavy hitters lining up against Wilkes-Barre Area high school consolidation - Times Leader". www.timesleader.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-12. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  17. ^ WRITER, MICHAEL P. BUFFER STAFF. "Wilkes-Barre Area approves Coughlin sale for $1.65M". Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice. Archived from the original on 2021-01-30. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  18. ^ "Coughlin High School property sold, expected to bring retail and residential space". PAhomepage.com. 2021-01-12. Archived from the original on 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  19. ^ Guydish, Mark (2021-01-12). "WB Area sells Coughlin site, moves further on new stadium". Times Leader. Archived from the original on 2021-08-31. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  20. ^ Lynott, Jerry (2021-08-05). "Students could return to former Coughlin high school in Wilkes-Barre". Times Leader. Archived from the original on 2021-08-05. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  21. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "JAMES M COUGHLIN Junior Senior High School - School AYP Overview". Archived from the original on 2012-09-27. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  22. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results". Archived from the original on 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  23. ^ The Times-Tribune. (September 2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 PSSA results". Archived from the original on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  24. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 2008). "2007-2008 PSSA and AYP Results". Archived from the original on 2010-03-28. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  25. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2007). "PSSA Math and Reading results". Archived from the original on 2011-08-01. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  26. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 2011). "JAMES M COUGHLIN Junior Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-08-08.[permanent dead link]
  27. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results Science". Archived from the original on 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  28. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 2009). "2008-2009 PSSA and AYP Results 2009 Science PSSA results". Archived from the original on 2011-11-22. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
  29. ^ "Hollywood actor's career began at Little Theatre". Citizen Voice. Archived from the original on October 25, 2018. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  30. ^ "Obituary". Featheringill Mortuary. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.

External links[]

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