Blue Mountain School District

The Blue Mountain School District is a midsized, rural public school district in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The district is one of the 500 public school districts of Pennsylvania. The district serves the boroughs of Auburn, Cressona, Deer Lake, New Ringgold and Orwigsburg and Wayne Township, East Brunswick Township, North Manheim Township and West Brunswick Township in Schuylkill County. Blue Mountain School District encompasses approximately 125 square miles (320 km2).

Blue Mountain School District
Location of Blue Mountain School District in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Address
685 Red Dale Road, P.O. Box 188
Orwigsburg
, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, 17961-0188
United States
District information
TypePublic
GradesK-12
SchoolsBlue Mountain High School, Blue Mountain Middle School, Blue Mountain Elementary West, and Blue Mountain Elementary East
Budget$42.3 million
NCES District ID4203870[1]
Students and staff
Students2,463 (2021-22)
Teachers187.73 (on an FTE basis)
Student–teacher ratio13.12
District mascotEagles
ColorsBlue and White   
Other information
Websitewww.bmsd.org

According to 2000 federal census data, Blue Mountain School District served a resident population of 19,436. By 2010, the district's population was 20,463 people, making it a District of the Third Class.[2][3] The educational attainment levels for the Blue Mountain School District population (25 years old and over) were 88.6% high school graduates and 22.5% college graduates.[4]

According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, 24.1% of the district's pupils lived at 185% or below the Federal Poverty Level as shown by their eligibility for the federal free or reduced price school meal programs in 2012.[5] In 2009, the Blue Mountain School District residents' per capita income was $21,212, while the median family income was $36,276.[6] In Schuylkill County, the median household income was $45,012.[7] In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,985[8] and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010.[9] By 2013, the median household income in the United States rose to $52,100.[10] In 2014, the median household income in the USA was $53,700.[11]

Blue Mountain School District operates: Blue Mountain High School, Blue Mountain Middle School, Blue Mountain Elementary East, Blue Mountain Elementary West, and Blue Mountain Virtual Academy (founded 2016). School colors are blue and white. Blue Mountain High school students may choose to attend either of the Schuylkill Technology Centers for training in construction and mechanical trades as well as various other careers.. The Schuylkill Intermediate Unit IU29 provides the district with a wide variety of services like: specialized education for disabled students and hearing; speech and visual disability services; mandated training on recognizing and reporting child abuse; background checks for prospective employees and professional development for staff and faculty. In 2022, the district closed Blue Mountain Elementary Cressona after the opening of its remodel of the Elementary West.[12]

Extracurriculars

Blue Mountain School District offers a variety of activities and interscholastic sports.

Sports

The district funds:

Middle School Sports

According to PIAA directory July 2013 [13]


Controversies

J.S. vs Blue Mountain School District[14]

In early 2006, an 8th grade student made a parody profile of the Blue Mountain Middle School principal, James McGonigle. J.S. had been an honor roll student, until she had worn a camisole under her sweater was deemed against dress code by McGonigle. She was given detention for it after being told multiple times not to wear it. In protest, she had created a myspace account under McGonigles picture. The account had vulgar language and insulted McGonigles family, so once he found out, she was given a 10-day suspension (The longest time period given before expelling her). The account she had created was private, meaning J.S. and her friends were the only people who could access it. Approximately 20 students were given permission to see the profile.

McGonigle had later reported J.S. and her family for harassment, and it got taken to court. Blue Mountain School District won the first two cases, but lost in the Third Circuit.[15]

DUI

In September 2012, James S. McGonigle was arrested for a DUI, his alcohol level was 0.20, legal limit being 0.08. He had opted to go to a Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program.

Rocks in defence of school intruder [16]

In 2018, Superintendent Dr. David Helsel spoke at a school board meeting in which he said that students were given river stone rocks in the case of a school shooter. He had also said that the district follows the A.L.I.C.E training program.

References
  1. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Blue Mountain School District". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences.
  2. US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Poverty Data by Local Educational Agency, 2011
  3. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "EDNA LEA Name: Blue Mountain SD". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  4. proximityone (2014). "School District Comparative Analysis Profiles".
  5. Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, Education Facts Student Poverty Concentration by LEA, 2012
  6. US Census Bureau, American Fact Finder, 2009
  7. US Census Bureau (2014). "Pennsylvania Median household income, 2006–2010 by County".
  8. US Census Bureau (2010). "American Fact Finder, State and County quick facts". Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2013-07-25.
  9. "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010" (PDF). US Census Bureau. September 2011.
  10. Michael Sauter & Alexander E.M. Hess (August 31, 2013). "America's most popular six-figure jobs". USA Today.
  11. Jeff Guo (September 15, 2015). "Lower wages for whites, higher wages for immigrants, and inequality for all". Washington Post.
  12. "Blue Mountain Elementary West opens on schedule". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  13. Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association, PIAA School Directory, 2013
  14. https://www.aclupa.org/en/cases/js-v-blue-mountain-school-district
  15. https://www.dui.com/principal-arrested-for-dui-in-pennsylvania/
  16. https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/superintendent-says-students-are-armed-with-rocks-in-case-of-a-school-shooting/523-2f5ccaca-d44e-4dd6-a12e-a66501241767

40.6552°N 76.0865°W / 40.6552; -76.0865

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