UPPER ST. CLAIR HIGH SCHOOL

'Upper St. Clair High School' is part of the Upper St. Clair School District. Upper St. Clair is a suburban community near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Upper St. Clair High School has won local, regional, and national awards for a school district and the school district was ranked in 2006 as the number-one school district in Western Pennsylvania by the ''Pittsburgh Business Times''.^[1]
Upper St. Clair High School's enrollment in 2006 was 1,451 students.^[2]
Upper St. Clair High School has 101 teachers, 65 of whom have received masters degrees, and teach grades 9 through 12. Upper St. Clair's mascot for sporting events is the Panther.

Contents

District Mission Statement

Community

Building

Curriculum

Statistics compiled from Class of 2005

School day

Awards

School policies

Athletics

List of athletic championships won by Upper St. Clair

Extracurricular activities

Grading system

Controversies

2005-2006

2006-2007

Notable alumni

References

External links

District Mission Statement

Upper St. Clair's District Mission Statement reads; "Developing learned and responsible citizens for a global society is the mission of the nationally recognized Upper St. Clair School District, which is served by a responsive and innovative staff who, in partnership with the community, provides learning experiences that nurture the uniqueness of each child and promote happiness and success."^[3]

Community

Upper St. Clair High School is located approximately 12 miles from downtown Pittsburgh making a fairly easy commute into the city. Because of the proximity to Pittsburgh as well as the prestige carried by the school district, Upper St. Clair is composed of students from upper middle class households. The population of Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania is around 19,000 people, most of which are single families with children in the school district. Strong community involvement and support drives the school district, as well as high taxes on large homes. Land value is considered to be high throughout the township. Upper St. Clair High School is located off Route 19 on McLaughlin Run Road alongside the school district's central office, the township library, and the police station.^[4]

Building

Upper St. Clair High School was remodeled in 2000 under former superintendent Dr. William Pope. This renovation improved the school's aesthetic appeal and allowed for many technological advancements such as widespread Internet access. In addition, renovations allowed for improved facilities such as a professional sized theater, 2 full sized gymnasiums, weight room, and even a racquetball court. Academic facilities were also improved with a 12,500 square foot library at the center of the academic wing. The library was dedicated to Dr. Pope in 2003 upon his retirement and contains 17,000 volumes, periodicals, computer software, on-line services, and other multimedia resources.

Curriculum

Upper St. Clair High School offers educational opportunities for all students. All core classes have Honors and Academic classes with the former being more difficult. Upper St. Clair High School also offers 15 Advanced Placement courses and is one of only three school districts in Western Pennsylvania (Schenley High School and Vincentian Academy being the others) and twelve in the entire state to offer the International Baccalaureate MYP and Diploma Programs. Upper St. Clair High School also requires students to take gym each year either during the school year or over the summer. In addition to the physical education program, USCHS also required students to take a Health class for one semester during freshman year. Following the 2006-2007 school year, the administration integrated the physical education and health programs into a year-round "Wellness Education" program for students in each grade.
In the 2006-2007 school year, 6 languages will be offered:

★ German

★ Mandarin Chinese

★ Latin

★ French

★ Spanish

★ Japanese
Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, the school plans to offer Arabic.
The foreign language department is led by curriculum leader Deanna Baird. According to the language department, approximately 80% of the school is enrolled in a foreign language to complement their core classes.^[5]

Statistics compiled from Class of 2005

★ Mean scores for college tests

★
★ SAT I Verbal - 561

★
★ SAT I - Mathematics - 581

★
★ ACT Composite - 24.9

★ National Merit

★
★ Semi-finalists and Finalists - 2

★
★ Commended -12

★ 342 seniors, or 96.8% of the graduating class, took that SAT I.

★ 157 seniors, or 44% of the graduating class, took the ACT.

★ Advanced Placement Exams

★
★ In May of 2005, 180 students took 341 AP exams in 21 different subject areas.

★
★ There were 284 scores of three or higher.

School day

Students have free mods in which they can spend in the library, cafeteria, or commons in addition to the regular courses. The commons area offers students the opportunity to socialize while playing pool, foosball, ping-pong, or watching television. The student bookstore, where students can purchase food and school supplies, is also located in the commons. The cafeteria offers hot lunches and daily specialized lines such as the panini, hot food, soup, healthy choice, deli, pizza, and taco/hoagie lines. A snack bar is also located in the cafeteria. The library offers a plethora of computers which students may access using their student identification in order to work on school work or simply surf the web. The library also offers tables for students to sit at and finish homework, study, or quietly socialize with friends.
The regular school day consists of 16 modules ("mods"). The schedule allows for four-minute travel times between the modules so that students may arrive at their next class, or access their lockers during a free mod. The regular school day is as follows:

Modules	Start	End
HR	7:30	7:40
1/2	7:40	8:30
3/4	8:30	9:20
5/6	9:20	10:10
7/8	10:10	11:00
9/10	11:00	11:50
11/12	11:50	12:40
13/14	12:40	1:30
15/16	1:30	2:20

^[6]
During the 2006-2007 school year, periods 17 and 18 were added to the schedules of marching band members so that their dedication may be further represented in students' transcripts.

Awards

Upper St. Clair High School and the Upper St. Clair School District has established itself as a national power, having claimed 11 national education awards. Upper St. Clair High School is one of two schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to have won the Blue Ribbon Award three times; the other being Fort Couch Middle School which is also located in Upper St. Clair. Upper St. Clair High School has also been awarded the New American High School Award. The most recent academic title that Upper St. Clair High School has claimed is the number 1 public school ranking by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The latest award was impressive in knocking off nearby rival Mt. Lebanon School District as the Western Pennsylvania leader. Upper St. Clair's standardized test scores were the highest in the eldest two tested grade levels: 11th and 8th. The awards are supported by the statistics posted by Upper St. Clair High students such as the fact that 98% of all USC grads pursue higher education.^[4]
Awards won by Upper St. Clair High School

★ Blue Ribbon Awards from President of the United States

★
★ 1984 - 202 Schools Awarded Nationally

★
★ 1989 - 218 Schools Awarded Nationally

★
★ 2000 - 198 Schools Awarded Nationally

★ New American High School Award (Awarded since 1996)

★
★ 2000

School policies

Due to Upper St. Clair High School's rigorous courses, the administration has tried to reward students who take more difficult schedules through a weighted GPA system. The weighted GPA's scale is out of five total points instead of the conventional 4 point scale and is intended to benefit students taking Honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate programs.
The formula for calculating the weighted GPA is:^[8]

★ Weighted GPA = unweighted GPA + [.25/4S x (4A+3B+2C)]

★
★ 4 = reflects the expectation that an average of four weighted classes be taken during each of the semesters that can be completed under the weighted system

★
★ S = number of semesters completed to the date of calculation

★
★ A = number of A’s earned in Honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate courses

★
★ B = number of B’s earned in Honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate courses

★
★ C = number of C’s earned in Honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate courses
The final weighted GPA calculation is based on the thirty-two highest grades in Honors, AP, and IB courses taken by the student. Grades earned in all courses are included in the calculation of the unweighted GPA. Additional Honors, AP, and IB courses above an average of four per semester will not affect the weighted GPA. This places an artificial cap on the number of courses that are awarded the weight and hence the weighted GPA does not truly measure academic success in the most rigorous courses of study in Upper St. Clair.

Athletics

The Upper St. Clair athletic department oversees the scheduling and facilities of the Panthers athletic teams. The athletic department, located in the athletic wing, is led by Athletic Director Ted Petersen who was a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A five-person team comprises the leadership of the athletic department, which also oversees ticket sales during Panthers football and basketball home games.^[9]
Upper St. Clair has produced talented sports teams in a variety of sports over the years. In order to facilitate the Panthers' sports teams to perform well, Upper St. Clair has equipped its athletes with top-of-the-line facilities. The stadium includes two sides, one larger side for Upper St. Clair fans and a smaller "away" side, remodeled for the 2005 season. Each side has a snack bar serving usual stadium cuisine such as hot dogs, hamburgers, and Chick-Fil-A sandwiches. The stadium features metal bleachers on both sides, as well as two vertical rows for high school students on the scoreboard end and two vertical rows for band members on the opposite end. The playing surface is a special rubber blend which simulates play on actual grass while handling use and weather better than a regular field. The new playing surface was installed for the 2005 fall athletics season, replacing the former astro-turf surface. The "gurf" (grass-turf) has proved to drain better while presenting better field conditions for all sports.
The stadium's chief purpose is for the football games, but Upper St. Clair teams who play at the stadium include field hockey, soccer, track and field, and lacrosse. The track surrounding the field at the stadium is 400 meters in length from the inner-most oval. Other outdoor facilities include the practice football fields which are composed of two regulation fields with four goal posts. The outdoor fields are also used for field hockey practices. The Upper St. Clair Panthers' boys and girls golf teams both play at the St. Clair Country Club Terrace Course. The Panthers' boys and girls basketball teams play in two different gyms, the boys' in the larger of the two. Gym A has two sides of bleachers which are retractable during non-sports events and physical education classes. Gym A has a total of 8 basketball hoops, two of which are used during regulation games. Gym B has a single side of bleachers and six basketball hoops. The gyms are also used for both genders' volleyball games and practices. The school's facilities also include a weight room, racquetball courts, and a wrestling room with mats. The school also has a sports injury room for injuries suffered during games and practices as well as rehabbing injuries.

List of athletic championships won by Upper St. Clair

★ 'PIAA Team Championships'

Gender	Sport	Year(s)
Girls	Basketball	1999
Boys	Football	1989, 2006
Coed	Rifle	1970
Boys	Soccer	2003, 2004
Girls	Tennis	2000, 2001, 2003

★ 'WPIAL Team Championships'

Gender	Sport	Year(s)
Boys	Baseball	1992
Boys	Basketball	1996, 2005
Girls	Basketball	1974, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2003
Boys	Cross Country	1967
Boys	Football	1974, 1975, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1997, 2006
Boys	Golf	1963, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1992, 1993, 1994
Boys	Golf Cont.	1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005
Girls	Golf	1974, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
Girls	Golf Cont.	1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Coed	Rifle	1970
Boys	Soccer	1972, 1980, 1988, 2000, 2004
Girls	Soccer	1987, 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002
Girls	Softball	1973
Boys	Swimming	1973
Boys	Tennis	1971, 1975, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997
Boys	Tennis Cont.	2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Girls	Tennis	1980, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
Girls	Tennis Cont.	1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003
Boys	Track	1969, 1993

:'Total WPIAL Championships—92'^[10]
The boys' soccer team has won two PIAA championships. In 2004, the team finished the year ranked number 1 in the nation by high school soccer coaches after successfully completing an undefeated season.
Upper St. Clair's varsity football team is ranked number one in the WPIAL, as well as number one in the state according to a poll conducted by the ''Pittsburgh Post Gazette''.It was also ranked up to #4 in the nation by Rivals.com.
USC has captured seven WPIAL football titles since 1974. The Panthers play in the WPIAL's AAAA division and usually face tough rivals in the postseason, such as North Allegheny and Central Catholic. The team is coached by Jim Render, who is in his 28th season coaching for Upper St. Clair. Jim Render was accepted into the Pennsylvania High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. The Panthers also won the PIAA state championship under coach Render during 1989 which included a top-10 national rank in the USA Today poll. The 2006 season includes an undefeated regular season, as well as taking the number one ranking in both the WPIAL and PIAA as ranked by the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.^[11] The Panthers, ranked by the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' as the number one team in the state, won the Great Southern Conference in 2006, going 4-0 in conference play, highlighted by a win against Penn Hills in the WPIAL Championship game played at Heinz Field. USC also won the PIAA championship against Liberty (Bethlehem) in a game played at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, PA.^[12]
The Panthers have produced many talented football players in the current era, including Sean Lee, the starting linebacker for the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 2006 season. His older brother, Connor Lee, plays football for the University of Pittsburgh as the place kicker.
Upper St. Clair boys lacrosse participates in the Western Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (WPSLA) as the WPIAL does not govern high school lacrosse. As lacrosse gained in popularity over the past ten years, Upper St. Clair lacrosse has seen massive growth as the program now fields teams down to the fifth grade. Mike Messina, a former assistant coach for the University of Pittsburgh, was named head coach for the 2007 lacrosse season following the departure of Bruce Atkinson^[13]
As lacrosse is a club sport, players are responsible for paying to be a member of the team as well as all equipment costs. The lacrosse program captured its first major title, the WPLSA championship, during the 2005 season. Upper St. Clair fields freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity teams. The junior varsity and freshmen teams are coached by Douglas Miller.
The Panthers' golf team has won the WPIAL fifteen times during its history. The golf team plays all home matches at St. Clair Country Club's Terrace Course. The golf team is one of the most difficult teams to make due to high participation by the student body. The 2006 golf team was led by two seniors, Brendan Borst and Robert Shogry, as well as standout sophomore Marshall Brown. The team qualified 3 members out of WPIAL finals at Deer Run Golf Club, those being Brown, Borst, and Shogry. The Panthers sent two players to the PIAA western regional qualifying out of the WPIAL championship. Shogry and Borst both qualified to the Western Regional while Brown shot a fifteen over par 87. A he PIAA state championship, Robert Shogry came in 32nd and Borst finished 37th.^[14]
Upper St. Clair's students have always been very supportive of the Panthers teams, and the deep-seated rivalries reflect that passion. The biggest school rivalry between Upper St. Clair High School is the Blue Devil teams of Mt. Lebanon School District. Mt. Lebanon shares a border with Upper St. Clair, as well as presenting both athletic and academic competition. The Mt. Lebanon rivalry has been heightened in current years due to strong teams fielded by Mt. Lebanon, such as their basketball teams which have faced Upper St. Clair many times in the regular season as well as facing the Panthers in the 2005 WPIAL championship. Other border rivalries include that with nearby Bethel Park High School. The Bethel Park-Upper St. Clair rivalry is similar to the one with Mt. Lebanon due to the close proximity of both schools, including a shared border. Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) has proven to be a rival of Upper St. Clair as the two teams meet often during post-season playing, including the 2004 WPIAL AAAA Football Championship.

Extracurricular activities

A wide variety of extracurricular activities are offered for every student. Because of a high number of students seeking secondary education, extracurriculars are an important part of high school life in an effort to improve resumes.
The St. Clarion is the newspaper written and produced by the student body under the direction of English teacher Ms. Caty DeWalt.^[15] The St. Clarion usually produces four issues annually as well as a senior magazine issue. The paper is made during both Journalism classes and by student volunteers. The paper writes on both world and campus news, detailing many events from sports to school policy changes. The paper is funded by community advertisers as well as student fund raising.
The Montage is the school's literary arts magazine produced by the student body under the direction of English teacher Ms. Liz Cecelia.^[15] The Montage produces one issue per year, selling copies to the student body in May. The magazine publishes original poems, short stories, personal essays, artwork, photography, and musical compositions written by the students. A staff of between fifteen and twenty people compile the submissions into the magazine, which is funded by community advertisers as well as student fund raising.
The Forensics team, was coached by Social Studies Teacher Mr. Benjamin Edwards, and has around forty members. It competes in the National Forensics League, National Catholic Forensics League, and the PHSSL. Upper St. Clair sent fifteen members to NCFL nationals in Chicago, Illinois during the 2006 season. In addition to sending 15 members to nationals, USC qualified six members to the PHSSL state championship. Upper St. Clair has produced three state champions in recent years: Andrew McNally and Vijay Nair, who won in Duo Interpretation in 2005, and Ravi Mehta, who won in Impromptu speaking in 2006.
Upper St. Clair High School's newly remodeled theatre plays host to multiple events during the year. Some of the most notable events include the Fall play and the Spring musical. The 2006 Fall play took place between October 25-29 and featured a "theatre in the round" showing of ''The Importance of Being Earnest,'' which was directed by Ponny Conomos, an alumna of Upper St. Clair High School. This presentation of Oscar Wilde's play was a critical success, and attracted a record-breaking audience for the annual event, marking the first ever sold out Fall Play.^[17] The spring musical of 2006, which involves approximately 30% of the student body, was Sondheim's ''Into the Woods'', also directed by Conomos. The theatre is managed by Mr. Jim Bennett and Tech manager Mr. Terry Williard.

Grading system

Upper St. Clair High School uses the following grading system:

★ A (90 – 100%)

★ B (80 – 89%)

★ C (70 – 79%)

★ D (60 – 69%)

★ F (below 60%)

★ P (pass)

★ I (incomplete)
Upper St. Clair High School began to offer Edline for progress reporting to all students in the 2006-2007 school year. Teachers are expected to update grades on Edline at least every two weeks.

Controversies

2005-2006

One major controversy during the 2005-2006 school year was the elimination of the International Baccalaureate program. Several members of the new school board elected in 2005 criticized the International Baccalaureate claiming that the program is un-American and against Judeo-Christian values (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06052/658673.stm). Later, when ridiculed for these statements, the school directors claimed that the program was "too expensive" and "elitist" (in reality, about 20% of the student body participate in the program, and the total cost is less than 1/3 of 1% of the total yearly budget, by the most conservative estimate). In February 2006 the new school board voted 5-4 to phase out the complete IB programme over two years allowing only the current IB diploma candidates to complete requirements to earn a diploma. The school board majority made this decision against the recommendation of the school administration and Dr. James Lombardo, who supported the IB program, and despite the pleas of many constituents to at least postpone the vote until the program is reviewed. In December 2006, Dr. Lombardo left the district after being repeatedly harassed and insulted by the school board majority members (see http://www.usc-waves.org/special/enclosures.htm for more information and links to court documents, including Dr. Lombardo's deposition).
Two groups emerged from this decision: an educational watch-dog group supporting excellence in education and good governance, known as WAVES, and a group supporting the board majority, called Citizens for Responsible Education. Parents, some of them members of the WAVES group, aided by two reputable Pittsburgh law firms and ACLU, filed a lawsuit against the Upper St. Clair School Board Majority, citing constitutional violations and the failure to follow district policies for curriculum reviews. School board majority members, faced with mounting legal evidence against them, negotiated a settlement. The program was reinstated for a minimum of two years. A nine month study to determine the value of this program was conducted as part of the settlement agreement. The study resulted in a curriculum recommendation to keep and enhance the IB program in Upper St. Clair.
Late in the 2006 spring semester, controversy erupted as several seniors, all honors and AP students, were discovered to have been cheating on school assignments. The seniors are alleged to have entered the high school after hours and made their way to various classrooms, stealing and copying various exams, and then returning the copies undetected. The honors students were discovered when, on an English exam, two of the students received perfect scores while all other students in the class received poor scores. When word got to the media, the scandal was thrown into the limelight, and police were brought in to examine the situation. In the end all four students received no criminal prosecution; however college acceptances for the accused students were in some cases revoked and in other cases delayed.^[18]

2006-2007

On January 12, 2007 Joseph Rodella, a Mt. Lebanon High School student claimed that USC pricinpal, Michael Ghilani assaulted him after Joseph Rodella charged the basketball court after Mt.Lebanon won 56-50. According to Joseph Rodella Sr., Dr. Ghilani knocked his son to the ground, then body slammed him and then put his knee on the boys chest. Upper St. Clair Acting Superintendent Terrence Kushner said the district "has investigated the incident" and that "our conclusions are that neither our township police or school officials acted inappropriately." The public questioned why Rodella did not admonish his son for his unlawful behavior.^[19]
During January 2007, Julie Cantrell, an AP Calculus BC teacher at Upper St. Clair High School resigned due to a horror movie she was filming with her husband on Upper St. Clair High School grounds. The title of the movie is "The Killer Inside You." According to Jan Ackerman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a promotional photograph for the film that was on the Internet shows two women with their jeans pulled open, revealing their underwear. Mr. Cantrell said his wife was told by school officials that she had violated the school's morality code by appearing in the film, which he promoted at the Dark X-Mas Convention in Austinville, Ohio, in November and at the Eerie Horror Film Festival in Erie in October. He claimed the school district had given his wife permission to use the school building when classes were not in session. Acting Superintendent Terrence Kushner said there was no contract and the Cantrells did not have permission to film. the district does not have a "Morality Code" which calls to question the truthfulness of Cantrell. ^[20]
Dr. James Lombardo, the superintendent of the school district following Dr. Pope's retirement, announced in a board meeting that he would accept a job elsewhere. Lombardo is expected to leave Upper St. Clair near January 15, 2007, when he will take his job as superintendent of the Bensalem Township School District, northeast of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school district then commenced community roundtable discussions on filling the position of superintendent for the remainder of the 2006 school year as well as the upcoming 2007 school year..^[21]

Notable alumni

★ Sean Casey - Professional baseball player, first baseman Detroit Tigers^[22]

★ Stephen Chbosky - Author of ''The Perks of Being a Wallflower''^[23]

★ Jeff Delaney - Former professional football player for the Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams^[24]

★ Craig Dunaway - Former football tight end for the University of Michigan and the Pittsburgh Steelers^[25]

★ Kirk Ferentz - University of Iowa head coach football^[26]

★ Ryan Malone - Professional hockey player for the Pittsburgh Penguins^[27]

★ Kevin Orie - Professional baseball player, third baseman for the Chicago Cubs^[28]

★ Dylan Reese - Captain of Harvard Crimson hockey team, 7th-round draft pick by New York Rangers^[29]

★ Kevin Slowey - Major League baseball player, second-round selection by the Minnesota Twins in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft^[30]
Sean Lee - A junior outside linebacker for Penn State University
Jeff Wucher- Musical producer whose name will be appearing on Coldplay's next album

References

1. Upper St. Clair No. 1 in PBT's ranking of school districts
2.
High School Information
3.
Mission and Vision Statements
4.
Upper St. Clair High School Facts
5.
Foreign Language Department
6.
Upper St. Clair High School Bell Schedule
7.
Upper St. Clair High School Facts
8.
Upper St. Clair Student Handbook 2006-2007 School Year
9. USCHS Athletic Department
10. Upper St. Clair Athletic Championships
11. Mike White, "WPIAL playoffs: Top seeds clear-cut choices this year", ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', October 31, 2006.
12.
Team schedule for 2006-2007 Upper St. Clair football, ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.
13.
Upper St. Clair Lacrosse Website
14. PIAA Golf Finals
15.
Club Sponsors
16.
Club Sponsors
17.
Fall Play ''The Importance of Being Earnest''
18. Cheating Scandal Erupts At Upper St. Clair H.S., KDKA-TV, May 16, 2006.
19. Mt. Lebanon student claims USC principal attacked him Mary Niederberger
20. Cut! Teacher Loses Job for filming at school, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 26, 2007.
21.
Superintendent Meetings
22. Player Information: Sean Casey
23. Movie musical brings dream to life for screenwriter Ed Blank
24. Jeff Delany
25. Craig Dunaway
26. Player Bio:Kerk Ferentz
27. Ryan Malone #12 See Notes on that page.
28. Kevin Orie
29. Harvard (Men) 2006-2007 Numerical Roster
30.
Kevin Slowey

External links

★ Official Website of School District