District Profile
District Location
The Pine Grove Area School District is located in Central Pennsylvania in the southwest corner of Schuylkill County; approximately 15 miles south of Pottsville and 20 miles north of Lebanon. The school campus (Pine Grove Elementary, Pine Grove Middle School and Pine Grove High School) is located on Route 443, three miles off of the Pine Grove Exit 31 of Interstate 81.
District Size and Composition
The Pine Grove Area School District encompasses a 109 square mile area in Schuylkill County. The industrial base of our community is composed of a mix of farming, manufacturing and mining. The rolling farmland in our southern borders gives way to mountainous, rich anthracite coal lands on our northern tier. Pine Grove School District is unique in that geo-physically we encompass the end of the hard coal region and begin the lush farming lands associated with both Lancaster and Lebanon counties. This blend of mining and agriculture gives our school system a rural texture that equates to a low crime rate (safe schools), strong traditional values (excellent work ethic of teachers and students), and the availability of land for residential growth, (a large number of our residents commute to Harrisburg (35 miles) or Reading (30 miles) thereby creating an almost bedroom community effect in Pine Grove.
School Profile
1,859 students attend the three Pine Grove Area Schools. Our attendance ratio is 96% and the percentage of low-income families in our district is 23%. There are 107 classroom teachers whose average salary is $42,718. The district-wide building level administrative staff is comprised of five administrators and one administrative assistant for pupil services. The district budget is approximately $13.2 million and per pupil expenditures are approximately $5,800. Typically 63% of our graduates go on to degree-granting post-secondary institutions. 18% enter the work force, 13% join the military and about 2% graduate undecided. The district is embarking on a school-to-work initiative that should provide us shadowing experiences and curricular offerings in line with workforce needs. Our, JROTC program has a nationally acclaimed reputation winning us the best Army Unit Award for three consecutive years at the annual summer cadet performance at Fort Dix, New Jersey. We have earned an honor unit with distinction designation in this program. Athletically, soccer, girls' basketball, and wrestling have brought prominence to Pine Grove. Our girls' basketball squad won the Pennsylvania Class A State Title in 1982 and the Class AA State Title in 1996. We have had 4 State Wrestling Champions and our boys' and girls' soccer teams are frequent district tournament participants. Also recently our girls' volleyball program has established itself as top-flight competitors throughout the region.
General Information Assurance of Non-Discrimination:
Students and parents are assured that the Pine Grove Area School District is an equal opportunity education institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and handicap in its activities, programs, or employment practices as required by the Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504. For information regarding services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and useable by handicapped persons, contact Mr. Michael Noradko at the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit, 570-544-4737.