Computers enhance lessons
Students earn college credit for language classes in Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Japanese at the high school.
By MANASEE WAGH
Morrisville Middle/Senior High School recently received a Classrooms for the Future grant, enabling students to use more computers and integrated technology to enhance classroom lessons.
The technology already has boosted learning in science and social studies classes in the past year and will soon be used in math and English classes. Teachers used interactive whiteboards and laptops to develop lessons.
Students can research online, develop photo and storybooks, do assessments online, make instructional review games and develop projects, said former high school Principal Melanie Gehrens.
Morrisville received a dual enrollment grant last year, which allows students to take college classes while still in high school. Students were able to take Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Japanese via distance-learning college programs.
Students said that the dual enrollment courses helped prepare them and get ahead, according to Gehrens.Thirty of last year’s graduating seniors accumulated a total of 197 college credits through the dual enrollment program. Currently, 41 students are enrolled to take dual enrollment college courses next year.
All schools made AYP in 2008-09, with significant gains in 11th-grade math scores. Proficiency scores increased 28 percent.
The school district serves more than 980 students in three schools. It employs 140 people and runs on a $19.8 million annual budget. For information, visit www.mv.org
WHO’S WHO IN THE SCHOOLS:
Superintendent: Dr. Elizabeth Hammond Yonson, 215-736-5930
Principals:
Morrisville Middle/Senior High School: TBA (Melanie Gehrens just left district), 215-736-5260
Grandview Elementary School: Kate Taylor, 215-736-52380
M.R. Reiter Elementary School, Karen Huggins, 215-736-5270
School board: William Hellmann (president), Alfred Radosti (vice president), Marlys Mihok (secretary), Brenda Worob (treasurer), William Farrell, John “Jack” Buckman, Joseph Kemp, Robin Reithmeyer, Gloria Heater. The board meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m., except in July, in the Large Group Instruction Room of the Middle/Senior High School on West Palmer Street. For information, visit www.mv.org.
SCHOOL CALENDAR:
Sept 3, First day of school Sept 30, Rosh Hashana – no school Oct 9, Yom Kippur – no school Nov 10, Clerical day – early dismissal Nov 25, Teacher conferences – early dismissal Nov 27, 28, Thanksgiving holiday – no school Dec 24-Jan 2, Christmas holidays – no school Jan 19, Martin Luther King Day – no school Feb 13, no school Feb 16, Presidents Day – no school April 8, Clerical day – early dismissal April 9-13, Spring Break, no school May 25, Memorial Day, no school June 16, Last day of school
FAST FACTS
Average SAT scores 2006 -2007: Verbal: 458 Math: 442
2006-2007 average teacher salary: $69,000 Number of AP courses: 15 Student/teacher ratio:
Elementary: 20:1 Grades 7-8: 20:1 Secondary: 22:1
District’s cost per student for elementary and for secondary:
Elementary $13,023.41 Secondary $14,214.71
Median income in the district: $53,316
Partnerships with businesses: UPS, Air Products, Waste Management, Silver Lake, Bucks County Workforce Investment Board Inc., School Works, Morrisville Collaborative, YMCA AYP Status: All schools made AYP
2 comments:
Anyone know how they are calculating the cost per student? When you multiply the number of students times the cost it comes to approx $13.3M. Where's the other $7M?
I assume they calculate it the same for all districts, since they are all close to that per-student cost, but would like to know for sure.
AH HAH! Finally we have a published figure that we can beat down the Worobites with!
$13,023.41 to $14,214.71 versus the $20-$22K (depending on who is ranting).
I think we should ALWAYS refer to the lowest published figure.
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