Karen Jez, Superintendent of Schools	Terry Kerr, Assistant Superintendent	Shawn Sampson, Business Manager
District Demographics	Center for Community Learning	Fiscal Summary	Professional Development
Our Schools	Programs for Non-Traditional Learners	Student Support Services	Technology
Food Service Program	District Planning	Parent Communication/Involvement	Extra/Co-Curricular Activities
School Safety	Facilities	School Affiliates	Community Partnerships

Scheide House
221 N. Washington St.
Titusville, PA 16354
Phone: 814-827-2715
Fax: 814-827-7761

District Demograhics

The Titusville Area School District is located in northwestern Pennsylvania, approximately 45 miles southeast of Erie, Pennsylvania,  The School District is comprised of Allegheny Township, Cherrytree Township, Oilcreek Township and Pleasantville Borough located in Venango County; and Centerville Borough, Hydetown Borough, Oil Creek Township, Rome Township and Titusville City located in Crawford County; and Southwest Township located in Warren County.  The School District covers approximately 200 square miles.

Just over 72.2 percent of population of the district is in Crawford' County, with 24 percent in Venango County and 3.8 percent in Warren County. The district's population accounts for 11.76 percent of the Crawford County population, 6.10 percent of the Venango County population and 1.28 percent of the Warren County population.

The median age for our district population is 40 years.  The median income is $30,000.00.  The education levels of adults in our community show that 82% of adults have a high school diploma, while just under12% hold a Bachelor’s degree.  The community reflects a single-parent household percentage of 9.5%.  The unemployment rate is about 5.8%.

The School District enrollment is approximately 2300 students K4 -12.  This is a decrease of about 300 students since 2002.  98% of the students enrolled are white. There is about 49% of our students who are economically disadvantaged and 18% have an IEP to support disabilities.

The district has made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) annually for the past several years.  The district-wide reading proficiency is 76% and the math proficiency is 74%.  The classroom profile reflects a student per teacher ratio of 15.  100% of our teachers are highly qualified based upon PDE guidelines.  63% of the District’s graduating seniors attend college, with 53% attending a four year institution.

Center for Community Learning

The educational facilities and the dedicated staff of Titusville Area School District make available lifelong opportunities for learning and personal development.  Through partnerships formed between the schools of the Titusville Area School District, families, community agencies and businesses of the Titusville Area, educators continue to provide quality education for all students, enabling them to become responsible and successful citizens within a global society.  Serving nearly 2,300 students who reside in parts of Crawford, Venango and Warren Counties, the Titusville Area School District is committed to offering programs that support student achievement.  Constantly striving for continuous improvement, the district and its workforce of over 300, including administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, psychologists, and support staff work hard to find new and better ways to help students succeed.

Fiscal Summary

The Titusville Area School District constantly tries to maintain a balance between the funding for the educational needs of our students and the ability of our community to pay for these needs.  The 2008-09 fiscal budget consisted of expenditures total $27,897,593 with and estimated ending fund balance of $3,480,191.  The budget process has been drastically changed with the passage of Act 1 of 2006.  Districts are now required to seek voter approval if they need to raise tax rates beyond the Act 1 index.  In order to seek this voter approval districts have to accelerate the budget timeline.  For example, in the 2008-09 budget timeline districts must adopt a preliminary budget or a resolution stating that they will not raise the rate of any tax by more than the index.  The budget adoption or the resolution must be passed by January 3, 2008.  In light of shrinking financial resources, increasing expenditures and non-funded mandates the District has been able to strike a balance.  This balance is proven by the District’s state ranking for property tax which was in the bottom half of 501 districts while its students continue to exceed the state and federal standards.  The District’s budget philosophy will continue to try and strike a balance between the needs of our students and the limited resources of our community.

Our Schools

The district operates an early childhood learning center for K-4 & K-5 which also houses the Titusville Learning Center which offers a year around day care/early childhood learning program, three elementary schools (grades 1-5), a middle school (grades 6-8), and a senior high school (grades 9-12).  These broad-based facilities enable the district to expand the horizons of the student entering pre-kindergarten at age four and to encourage learning in an age appropriate and learning centered atmosphere at all levels through twelfth grade.  All of the schools offer a general curriculum with supplementary programs for gifted and special needs students.

Education and Curriculum

The needs of all students of the Titusville Area School District are addressed as the administrators, guidance counselors, department chairpersons, and individual teachers participate in an annual review of curricula and make recommendations to the Board of School Directors for changes and additions to course offerings.

EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM

Each grade level has a specific role in fostering the educational process.  The Early Childhood Learning Center, constructed in 1991, houses the district’s pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students.  Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, the district made an even greater commitment to early childhood education by offering full day kindergarten.  Although the same curriculum is taught, teachers have more time to incorporate activities, and the program has been enhanced by the addition of the Action Based Learning Lab program in Physical Education.  Learning in full day kindergarten is tied to kinesthetic motion.  These changes have been funded primarily through the Pennsylvania Department of Education Accountability Grant.

Rounding out the full array of services, the Titusville Learning Center day care/early childhood learning program which is approved and licensed by the state is also located in the Early Childhood Learning Center.  In 2004-2005, the program was expanded to meet the growing needs of parents through the addition of a new Toddler Room, which provides day care services for children beginning at 13 months of age.  Currently designated as a Keystone STAR 2 program, the center is working to achieve STAR 3 status by August 2008.

ELEMENTARY PROGRAM

The elementary schools are committed to fostering the basic skills of communication through a balanced literacy program that includes phonics and reading and writing instruction.  Instructors and administrators have implemented measures that promote improved performance in reading, writing and math.  Such measures include the use of technology, such as Smart Boards, the introduction of math manipulatives, and the formation of reading and math clubs and summer programs, like PALS Club.  Supplemental reading instruction is provided through the Title I Program and subsidized with Federal dollars.  In addition, through collaboration with the Riverview Intermediate Unit #6, the district houses an autistic support classroom at Pleasantville Elementary School which serves district students as well as students from neighboring districts.

MIDDLE LEVEL PROGRAM

Now in its ninth year, Titusville Middle School (TMS) continues to be a leader in middle level education through its ongoing active involvement with the Pennsylvania and National Middle School Associations.  TMS offers students a rigorous curriculum, career exploration opportunities, and also unique learning experiences through the Artists in Residence program provided by the Arts Council of Erie.  The goal of the district is to provide a developmentally responsive middle level school which provides a curriculum that is challenging, integrated, and exploratory.  There are three significant components of an exploratory curriculum.  First, it enables students to discover their abilities, talents, interests, values and preferences.  This self-knowledge helps students prepare for adult life, not only in terms of vocation, but also as family members and citizens (NMSA, 1998).  Second, all courses and activities are taught in a way that reveals opportunities for making contributions to society.  Finally, exploratory experiences offered each spring by middle school staff members and community and parent volunteers acquaint students with enriching, healthy leisure-time pursuits such as walking, bike riding, chess, and puppetry, along with approximately 50 other choices.  All the activities are designed to expand students’ knowledge and interest and to help them develop healthy leisure activities.

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM

Along with Titusville High School’s achievement of accreditation by the Middle States Association for more than 75 years, it also maintains an academic standing comparable to many larger schools in Pennsylvania.  Students in the senior high school may elect to follow an academic, arts, business education or vocational-technical curriculum.  Students choosing the traditional four years of college preparatory study frequently acknowledge that their teachers prepare them well to compete academically at the college level.  Business education students acquire proficiency in office skills and machines throughout their experience, which allows many of these students to be placed in cooperative job settings.  Vocational students may choose to enhance their vocational education at the Venango Technology Center located in Oil City.  For those who prefer to stay at the high school, career-based curricula in Art, Computer Programming, Family and Consumer Sciences and Technical Education are available.  The administration and staff are developing a transition program for incoming ninth graders to ease the challenges of moving from the middle school to the high school setting.  Integration of the various curricular areas is also an area of focus, and the schedule is designed to accommodate the integration of English and social studies on several levels, as well as advanced math, physics and technology education.  Computers and other types of technology are available across the curriculum for students.  The Project 720 (High School Reform) three-year grant received by the district is funding program development which so far has produced the creation of a ninth-grade wing, increased focus on building relationships within the student body, and introduced differentiated instruction.  Ongoing program planning and development will further support project goals.  Through receipt of a Dual Enrollment grant the district is collaborating with the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville (UPT) to provide high school students with the opportunity to enroll in college level courses and obtain college credits at the UPT campus while completing their high school studies.

PROGRAMS FOR NON-TRADITIONAL LEARNERS

The district has also made a strong commitment to non-traditional learners within the community.

Alternative Education Program

Once the student is identified by the administration a referral will be made to the Student Assistance Program teams.  A cooperative effort will be formed with both the middle and high school teams being represented that focuses on a collaborative effort to assist the students being referred.  This team will review the student’s behavior, academics and situations that the student is having difficulties with in the traditional school.  This process will become the gateway for the student in and out of the Titusville Area School District Alternative Education Program.

Adult Education Program

The district has also made a strong commitment to non-traditional learners within the community.  This is evidenced by the adult diploma program offered by the district in collaboration with the Crawford County READ Program.  The adult diploma program offers any returning adult student the chance to earn an official Titusville High School diploma using a combination of GED study and more advanced district standards, which are closely aligned to the Pennsylvania Chapter Four Standards.

Cyber Services Program

The Titusville Area School District Cyber Service Program (CSP) is an option offered to K-12 students that provides an alternative learning environment that includes of cyber instruction through a Titusville Area School District (TASD) partnership with Riverview Intermediate Unit 6.  The Titusville CSP utilizes the nation’s leading Internet course providers, giving each student an individually designed course of instruction leading to a Titusville Area School District High School Diploma.  Titusville CSP students are considered Titusville Area School District students who enjoy all of the academic, co-curricular, athletic and social opportunities available to all District students. As with any program, the District reserves the right to refuse admission to cyber services if the program does not serve the best interest of the student.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Our commitment to providing students with support necessary to help them develop into successful students and productive young adults is clearly reflected through the district’s many outstanding support programs.   The Student Assistance Program is the cornerstone of our programming and activities.  Through student assistance, at-risk behaviors are identified and assessed for each student referral, and with parental cooperation interventions to address student issues are put into place.  Under the student assistance umbrella of programs, the district has implemented anti-bullying, peer helpers/mentoring, peer tutoring, substance abuse prevention and intervention, character education, advisory teams, crisis response teams, grief support, academic support activities, just to list a few.  A vital concern of the district is the health, safety and welfare of our students.  The programs offered through student support services are designed to promote overall wellness which also supports academic success.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Titusville Area School District is deeply committed to ensuring success for all students through the application of high standards for professional development for everyone who affects student learning.  The district views high quality staff development programs as essential to creating schools in which all students and staff members are learners who continually strive to improve their performance.

Our Professional Education Plan encompasses themes which are identified through our strategic plan.  These professional development themes for classroom teachers, school counselors, and educational specialists are based on student needs and are evaluated by using student achievement data.  Professional development activities focus on curriculum and content knowledge, assessment, instructional strategies and teaching skills, analysis and use of the student achievement data, parental and community as partners, child development theory and technology.  Professional development themes for our school and district administrators include providing the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, the ability to access and use appropriate data, empowering our educational leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, and effective use of resources for maximum results.

In fulfillment of our strategic plan, Titusville Area School District is guided by those themes and the Professional Education Plan is reflective of that philosophy.  Assessments of our professional staff were conducted through the Professional Development Survey and through the development of our District Technology Plan, of which, the results were also reflected in the Act 48 Plan.  The professional development priorities identified by all groups through the survey results include: instructional strategies, use of data and assessment, school law, differentiation, technology, and student engagement.

A variety of professional development options will be utilized to contribute to the measurable improvement in student achievement, staff growth and development, and address the educational needs of the community.

The Titusville Area School District will provide opportunities to:

• Learn, implement and integrate appropriate assessment strategies aligned with our curriculum as well as to the Pennsylvania and nationally recognized Academic Standards to achieve success for all students.
• Integrate technology into the daily lives of our students and professional staff
• Align instruction with curriculum, assessment and the Pennsylvania Academic Standards to achieve success for all students.
• Enhance the professional’s knowledge base and skills using developmentally appropriate practices.
• Develop curriculum aligned with instruction, assessment, the Pennsylvania Academic Standards, and nationally recognized standards to achieve success for all students.

TECHNOLOGY

Technology also continues to be a major focus for the district.  Technological advances include the installation of new computers district wide during the summer of 2007 which upgraded desktops for students and school personnel. An integrated learning system is currently in place at the middle school and all of the elementary schools.  Both the middle school and the senior high school emphasize the use of technology across the curriculum.  The district provides networking and Internet connectivity for students and staff, recognizing that these features are key components in promoting technological competence.  In addition, the district maintains a website that is updated periodically through the cooperative efforts of students and staff members.  Participation in the Riverview Intermediate Unit’s Wide Area Network Project affords the district with upgraded Internet speed and accessibility for students and staff and provides the enhanced capabilities for ongoing program and curriculum development.

FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM

Food services initiatives have included the June 2007 hiring of Metz & Associates, LTD, as its food services provider.  The revamped food services program has streamlined operations and offers students a wider selection of food choices while adhering to the Nutritional Standards of the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs.

Our cafeteria utilizes a school lunch software program that establishes a personal account for each student.  Parents and students can make pre-payments into this account for meals.  Accounts are accessed through the use of the student’s school identification number.  Pre-payments are a great way to eliminate the need for students to carry cash while in school.

District Planning/School Improvement

The School District utilizes a system of comprehensive planning under a shared leadership philosophy.  The district currently has seven district level standing committees that meet on a regular basis.  Those committees include; Curriculum Council, Coordinated School Health Council, Athletic Council, Information and Technology Council, Drug and Alcohol Advisory Council, Act 48 Professional Development Council, and the Administrative Team.  The membership of these committees is a representation of cross section of people from administration, faculty, support staff, students and community members.  Special sub-committees are developed as the need arises.

The School District is also committed to the philosophy that our schools must continually work to improve student achievement by providing Quality Teaching and Quality Leadership.  A data focused approach has been developed to be a significant part of our school improvement process.  Each building has program improvement teams that organize and review the data, analyze data and discover root cause, and then develop a plan of action.  Once the plan has been implemented there is an ongoing process for analyzing evidence of effectiveness that will lead to revisions that are required to make the plan more successful.

STRATEGIC PLAN/MIDDLE STATES ACCREDITATION PROCESS

In conjunction with the Strategic Planning currently in process, the district has also embarked on an ambitious project to achieve district-wide Middle States Accreditation.  The senior high school has been accredited for over 75 years by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.   By utilizing the Accreditation for Growth protocol of the Middle States evaluation process, the district has established objectives for improving student performance based on a vision of a preferred future for the school.  By working simultaneously through the Middle States and Strategic Planning processes, the district can access and evaluate data which supports both endeavors. The Strategic Plan Steering Committee comprised of community, parent, student, and district representatives has developed new mission and vision statements and new goals for the six-year Strategic Plan due to the state by the end of September 2008.  Building level committees have also developed action plans and continue to provide information that supports both projects.

PARENT COMMUNICATION/INVOLVEMENT

In an effort to increase parent and community partnership and collaboration with the School District, we encourage each parent to make use of our electronic and technology based communication system.

The Connect-ED service is an Internet-based school-to-parent communication service that enables school administrators to schedule, send and track personalized messages to thousands of staff and parents in just minutes, ensuring they all receive the same message quickly.  The District can also create an unlimited number of groups and subgroups for individual classes, activities, bus routes, sports teams, etc. and send messages to only the specified groups.

PowerSchool is a web-based software program which allows parents to get more involved in their child’s day-to-day education. It gives parents timely information about their child’s progress in school. With a click of the mouse parents will have access to grades, attendance, assignments, and even their child’s teacher. The only requirement for this service is internet availability.  Parents can receive their password by visiting the guidance office and presenting identification. They will then get a password that allows them to log-on and view timely student information in a secure, user-friendly environment.  Parents can find the link and for this service by logging on to our school district website at www.gorockets.org.

We also encourage parents to serve on our district planning committees, become involved with building level parent teacher groups and join the various parent groups that assist in supporting our many athletic teams.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR & CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

A strong athletic program and a wide variety of extra- and co-curricular activities balance the many classroom activities.  Facilities provided and maintained by the district include:  Carter Field, a lighted and playing field and running track; Titusville High School Natatorium, complete with an Olympic-sized swimming pool; Colestock Auditorium, a gift bestowed in 1931 from Mary Colestock; two fitness centers; a resistance-training room; a weight room; and several gymnasiums, located at various buildings throughout the district.  Opportunities exist for students to participate in intramural games and interscholastic competition in a variety of athletic activities.  Students are also encouraged to participate in clubs as well as academically competitive organizations.

SCHOOL SAFETY

Perhaps there is no greater challenge today than creating safe schools.  Restoring our schools to tranquil and safe temples of learning requires a major strategic commitment.  It involves placing school safety at the top of the educational agenda.  Without safe schools, teachers cannot teach and students cannot learn.  Developing and implementing a safe school plan is a critical and essential part of this process.  The strategies and concepts included in this guide are intended to reduce the opportunities for crime and violence in schools by promoting a positive school climate.

A safe school is in place where students can learn and teachers can teach in a warm and welcoming environment.  It is a setting where the educational climate fosters a spirit of acceptance and care for every child, where behavior expectations are clearly communicated, consistently enforced and fairly applied.

A safe school campus is orderly and well maintained.  Teachers and staff who care about the success of every child are at the heart of a safe school.  Staff members are carefully selected and appropriately placed.  Adequate adult supervision and parent and student involvement are key components of the school management process.  A safe school campus is designed in such a way that it promotes natural supervision.  Vibrant extracurricular programs and community activities are part of the overall sense of community and purpose.

Safe schools model high moral standards, send positive messages to the students, and show that the school community expects the best effort and performance from everyone.  Learning and productivity are valued, and success is expected of everyone.  Clear, positive academic expectations decrease the anxiety caused by vague academic standards, allowing students to focus on the task of learning.

FACILITIES

In a continual effort to provide the best educational facilities for our students, Titusville Area School District reviews buildings and grounds plans annually and maintains a long-range plan of five years.  The plan addresses maintenance and modernization programs for each building in the district.  Moving forward in the 21st century, the district’s three-phase building and renovation project which concluded in 2002 provided major upgrades to the school learning environments which enhance the delivery of educational programs and support student success.  Renovations at Carter Field which hosts home football games as well as many other events were completed in the fall of 2005 and upgrades include handicap accessibility.

In the summer of 2007, an energy savings project was introduced which included a district-wide evaluation of energy efficiency and necessary upgrades. The project, awarded to Johnson Controls, included installation of new boilers at Hydetown and Main Street Elementary Schools, a new cover for the THS pool, new lighting in areas of the high school, middle school, and Main Street and Hydetown Elementary Schools.  The building envelope was also upgraded at several schools in order to affect energy savings.

It is also important to note that the School District will be undergoing two building renovation projects within the next few years.  Pleasantville Elementary School will be renovated with the start of the planning stage scheduled in the fall of 2008.  The renovation of the school will be completed sometime during 2010.  The Early Childhood Learning Center project is slated to begin sometime around 2012.

SCHOOL AFFILIATES

Affiliate organizations operating in conjunction with the Titusville Area School District include the Titusville Leisure Services and the Titusville Alumni Association.  Leisure Services offers adult continuing education and various recreational programs at their facilities, which include the Dick Kraffert Swimming Pool and the Ed Myer Complex.  Topics of interest include computer courses, aerobics, cake decorating, synchronized swimming, stamping, arts and crafts, woodworking, recreational volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer, among others.

The Titusville Alumni Association founded in 1996 typifies the Titusville Area School District spirit by providing opportunities for Titusville alumni to “stay in touch” with their hometown.  The Alumni Association operates an office located in Fisher Lobby at the high school where people returning to the area can learn about their former classmates and enjoy viewing a large display of memorabilia.  A newsletter, Titusville Alumni News, is mailed several times each year to approximately 9,000 Titusville High School and St. Joseph’s Academy graduates and is filled with community and alumni information.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Over the last several years, the district has renewed its commitment to be a positive force within the Titusville community.  Recently, the district has instituted a Coordinated School Health Council in conjunction with the Titusville Area Hospital, the PA Department of Health, the United Way and other community organizations.  Other partnerships exist with the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Genesis Family Center, Head Start, Benson Memorial Library, and Drake Well Museum.  Through these partnerships and our service learning curriculum, many students have learned the importance of volunteerism and making a commitment to the community in which they live.  Businesses, community agencies, and individuals have also assisted the school district by serving as members of various advisory boards, committees, and parent groups.