Highlands High School
Profile ~ 2011-12
The Highlands School District Communities Highlands High School serves the Townships of Fawn and Harrison, and the Boroughs of Tarentum and Brackenridge, a 22-square-mile area on the Allegheny River about 18 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The 23,000 residents live in an essentially industrial-related locale, with large suburban and rural fringe areas.
School District Organization
The district currently maintains 6 school buildings with an enrollment of approximately 2,600 students.
HIGH SCHOOL - Grades 9 - 12
MIDDLE SCHOOL - Grades 6 - 8
GRANDVIEW UPPER ELEMENTARY - Grades 3-5 FAIRMOUNT PRIMARY CENTER - Grades K-2
FAWN PRIMARY CENTER - Grades K-2
HEIGHTS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER - Heights Kdg; Pre-K Counts
High School Statistics
ENROLLMENT TOTAL: 811
Grade 12: 192
Grade 11: 187
Grade 10: 200
FACULTY SIZE: 65 (65% hold Masters Degrees)
RESOURCE CENTER/LIBRARY: 14,000 volumes
Program of Studies
Students can choose from two concentrated career development programs of study:
I. ACADEMIC PREPARATION
Accelerated Academic Program
Academic Program
II. TECHNOLOGY PREPARATION
Forbes Road Career & Technology Center
CADD
Child Care
Distributive Education
Professional Foods
The four core subject areas - English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies - are all taught at the academic level in preparation for post-secondary education. In addition, Highlands offers Honors Level and Advanced Placement courses to any student who desires the academic challenge these courses afford.
Graduation Requirements
(Credits earned in grades 9 - 12)
ENGLISH - 4
SOCIAL STUDIES - 4
MATHEMATICS - 4
SCIENCE - 4
ARTS/HUMANITIES - 2
PE/AQUATICS/HEALTH - 2.2
ELECTIVES - 4
TOTAL - 24.2
Class Rank
Class rank is determined without regard to the course of study completed. Two or more students with the same quality point averages are regarded as having equal rank. Class rank is computed at the end of each semester each year.
Grading System
90 - 100 Excellent
80 - 89 Above Average
70 - 79 Average
60 - 69 Below Average
Below 60 Failure - No Credit
P Pass
N Narrative
WP Withdrew - Passing
WF Withdrew - Failing
I Incomplete
M Medical Excuse
Graduate Placement Data
(Based on data as of May 23, 2011 for 159 Students)
Four Year College - 80
Community/Junior College - 28
Technical/Business/Health - 23
Military - 6
Apprentice Program - 1
Full-time Work/Employment - 3
Undecided/Other - 18
National Testing Program
Grade 12: SAT I & II, ACT, AP
Grade 11: PSAT/NMSQT, SAT I & II, ACT, State Testing Program (PSSA)
Grade 10: PSAT/NMSQT
Weighted Grade Courses and Quality Points
In addition to Anatomy and Physiology and Biology II, all Honors and AP courses will have a multiplier of 1.10 when calculating class rank and QPA.
In addition to Probability & Statistics, World Languages, Humanities, CADD I and II, Computer Programming I and II, and Intro to Information Systems, all Academic courses will have a multiplier of 1.05 when calculating class rank and QPA.
FRCTC, Food Prep, Professional Foods, Child Development I, II and Co-op, Computer Graphics I and II, Retailing and Merchandising will use a multiplier of 1.025 when calculating class rank and QPA.
For all other courses a multiplier of 1.00 will be used when calculating class rank and QPA.
Accreditation
Highlands High School has received exemplary accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, 1981, 1991, 2003, and 2010.
Recognition
Highlands High School received national recognition from the U.S. Department of Education in 1995 as one of only eight schools in the state for its outstanding drug-free school programs.
Highlands High School is a leader in high school reform. As a Project 720 high school, HHS has received a significant amount of grant money to use for restructuring the high school curriculum, emphasizing rigor and relevance. Components of this reform initiative include: small learning communities, dual enrollment at local colleges for juniors and seniors and a rigorous curriculum for all students.
High School Principals
High School Guidance Counselors
Guidance Office Secretary
