Selinsgrove Area Intermediate School

Selinsgrove Area Intermediate School is a public school located in Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pennsylvania. It is a part of the Selinsgrove Area School District. The school's enrollment is approximately 560 students in grades three through five. The school serves a community of 23,000 residents. The school district is served by Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16.

Curriculum

There are 8 teachers for each grade third through fifth who provide instruction in: Language Arts, Mathematics, Reading, Science, Social Studies and Health. Each grade is also served by a Learning Support teacher. In addition to core academic subjects, SAIS offers art (1 time per 6 day cycle), physical education (2 times per 6 day cycle), music (3 times per 6 day cycle). Musical instrument instruction is provided on a sign up basis. Gifted, Title 1 Reading and Math, Guidance, English as a second language and speech services are provided. A school nurse is available on site. SAIS has a computer resource teacher who provides students and staff with computer related instruction on an episodic basis.

The curriculum is currently under revision to align it with the 1999 Pennsylvania Academic Standards. These standards are assessed in all three grades under the guise of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment. The tests cover Reading, Writing, Speaking, Mathematics and Science.

PSSA Scores

In 2006 SAIS 3rd grade ranked 1267th in 1793 Pennsylvania third grades for the student's combined math and reading PSSA scores. In 2005 [http://www.schooldigger.com/go/PA/schoolrank.aspx?Level=1&findschool=2112000293 SAIS 3rd grade ranked 1215 out of 1779] 3rd grades in the state for PSSA scores.

Reading (percent proficient or better)
3rd Grade
2005: 65.0%, State Avg 68%
2006: 66.0%, State Avg 69%
2007: 78.5%, State Avg 72%

4th Grade
2006: 65.3%, State Avg 68.1%
2007: 78.7%, State Avg 70.1%

5th Grade
2001: 55.4%
2002: 60.3%
2003: 67.0%, State Avg 58%
2004: 69.1%, State Avg 62.7%
2005: 59.2%, State Avg 64.2%
2006: 60.2%, State Avg 60.6%
2007: 75.0%, State Avg 59.9%

Math (percent proficient or better)
3rd Grade
2005: 79.0%, State Avg 80%, IU16 Avg. 85%
2006: 80.0%, State Avg 82.7%, IU16 Avg. 86.28%
2007: 90.8%, State Avg 78.2%

4th Grade
2006: 78.4%, State Avg 77.2%, IU16 Avg. 83.44%
2007: 88.3%, State Avg 78.0%

5th Grade
2001: 50.2%
2002: 52.3%
2003: 54.0%, State Avg 56.3%
2004: 64.1%, State Avg 61.8%
2005: 56.0%, State Avg 69%
2006: 53.8%, State Avg 66.9%, IU16 Avg 68.8%
2007: 82.3%, State Avg 71%

Writing scores percentage of students scoring proficient or better
5th grade
2006 - 54%, State Average 54%

[http://www.paayp.com/report_cards/PA/RC06S116557103000007507.PDF No Child Left Behind Report card 2005-2006]

Library

This school has six online catalogs and a circulation system. Computers may be used for research and have Internet access. The library has over 16,000 volumes. There is a full time librarian and library aide. Library science instruction is provided.

PTSO

SAIS enjoys strong support from the Parent Teacher Student Organization. They fund raise to suppliment enrichment opportunties for the students. This includes buying a mobile computer lab and providing funding for the fifth grade's annual outdoor education program. They also conduct book fairs that provide reading materials for purchase at an economical price.

Community Integration

The school provides a Study Buddy program in collaboration with students from Susquehanna University. They offer a Family Fitness Program that is sponsored by the [http://www.extension.psu.edu/ Penn State Cooperative Extension Agency] . The ADOPT-A-CLASSROOM program brings area business people into the school to provide enrichment activities. The Rotarians give each third grader a dictionary.

Food Service

SAIS provides both breakfast and lunch. [http://www.seal-pa.org/dnn/Services/FoodServices/SchoolLunchInformation/tabid/91/Default.aspx Food Service information] including menus, is available online. A prepay service is available to students. A district wide [http://www.seal-pa.org/dnn/Portals/0/School%20Board/policies/246.pdf Wellness Policy] is in place. The food service department engages the students through special events like serving Green Eggs and Ham to celebrate Dr. Seuss day.

Outreach

The school conducts several fund raisers to support community organizations including the United Way, the Giving Tree, and Jump Rope for Heart. The school enters a float in the annual Halloween Parade.

Faculty

The students are served by approximately 43 [http://www.psea.org/index.cfm unionized faculty] . The majority are considered [http://www.seal-pa.org/dnn/Portals/0/Administration/Curriculum/certifications.pdf highly qualified] under the No Child Left Behind Act. There are also a variety of classified staff who provide classroom support, clerical services, grounds and building services and food services. The current teachers' union contract is in effect from July 2005 until July 2010.

Building

The construction of the building was completed in August 1997 for a projected 1050 students. The cost was $93.64 per square foot with a total cost of $10,094,804. The total area of new construction was 107,800. Parental and staff concern regarding the size of the building resulted in the creation of a bipolar building the three 4th-grade areas at one end (each visually divided into 125-pupil clusters), and two 5th-grade, 125-pupil teaching teams at the other. [http://www.mckissickassociates.com/Portfolio/Project.asp?portfolio=0&project=78 Hayes Large Architects] developed the project. The focal point of the school is the student “commons” area, which includes an adaptable assembly performance space with a raised platform stage that is handicapped accessible, a gymnasium, and cafeteria with full kitchen facilities. The design of the school, with pitched roofs and dormers, was meant to reflect the rural vernacular design of local farm buildings.

External links

* [http://www.seal-pa.org/sais/saishome2.html Selinsgrove Area Intermediate School]
* [http://www.seal-pa.org/ Selinsgrove Area School Disitrict]
* [http://www.paayp.com/district.jsp?selectDistrict=SELINSGROVE+AREA+SD&hiddenSelectCounty=Snyder Pennsylvania Department of Education Academic Achievement Report]
* [http://www.pde.state.pa.us/stateboard_ed/cwp/view.asp?Q=76716 Pennsylvania Academic Standards]
* [http://archive.dailyitem.com/archive/2003/1124/local/stories/08local.htm Third Graders Score low in Math]
* [http://www.csiu.org/ Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16]
* [http://archive.dailyitem.com/archive/2005/1011/local/stories/01local.htm Terrors in the Schoolyard]
* [http://app.outreach.psu.edu/extension/newsletter/november/Obesity.htm Penn State Cooperative Extension Agency]