2016-2017
f ox c hapel a rea s chool d istrict s tate of the s chools
•The Fox Chapel Area High School
Madrigal Singers were selected to perform
at the 2017 Pennsylvania Music Educators
Association (PMEA) Annual Conference.
•High school senior Philip Swigon, junior
Katherine Chomko, and sophomore
Chloe Yofan were selected by audition to
perform with the prestigious 2017 PMEA
All-State Orchestra. Additionally, seven
students were chosen to perform with
the Western Region State Orchestra, nine
students performed with the District 1
Orchestra, and 16 students were selected
to perform with the PMEA District 1
Honors String Orchestra.
•High school junior Elizabeth Mountz was
chosen to perform with the elite 2017
PMEA All-State Wind Ensemble, and
sophomore Hannah Kim was selected to
perform with the exclusive PMEA All-
State Symphonic Band. Four high school
students were also selected for the PMEA
Region I Honors Band, four were selected
to perform with the District 1 East
Honors Band, and seven were chosen for
the District 1 Honors Band. Additionally,
three high students were chosen to
perform as part of the District 1 Honors
Jazz Ensemble.
Student Achievement
T
he district’s comprehensive student-benchmarking and response-to-data process
requires that students in kindergarten-grade 11 are assessed quarterly using an
internationally-recognized and statistically-normed assessment tool that identifi es
areas of academic strengths and needs based on the Pennsylvania Core Standards for
academic performance. Th e assessment is short (an average of 20-minutes per session)
and provides teachers and administrators with achievement levels, as well as assisting
them in developing lessons, instructional plans, and interventions to address the needs
of individual students. Th rough this process, Fox Chapel Area students have continually
met or exceeded both district and national growth standards in English Language Arts
(ELA) and mathematics on standardized assessments that are administered each year in the
spring. Additionally, the district has found that since the benchmark assessment system
has been implemented, the academic starting point for students has improved each fall
when the fi rst benchmark assessment is administered. Th rough the extensive study of
individual student results, Fox Chapel Area School District teachers and administrators
continue to push students to their fullest potential for learning.
2017 PSSA Results
P ercent S coring A dvAnced or P roficient on the 2017 PSSA
School
Math
ELA
Science
Fairview Elementary School (Grades 3-5)
Hartwood Elementary School (Grades 3-5)
Kerr Elementary School (Grades 3-5)
O’Hara Elementary School (Grades 3-5)
Dorseyville Middle School (Grades 6-8) 95.8%
87.0%
69.3%
82.2%
63.5% 94.6%
88.8%
79.7%
89.4%
85.0% 98.2%
96.6%
93.9%
94.1%
79.1%
State Averages (Grades 3-5)
State Averages (Grades 6-8) 48.3%
36.9% 61.0%
60.7% 74.5%
52.7%
Fox Chapel Area School District PSSA overall assessment scores have risen consecutively for the past
three years. Th is comparison is important as 2014-2015 was the fi rst year that the PSSA aligned to the
Pennsylvania Core Standards.
• Th e PSSA English Language Arts (ELA) assessment encompasses reading, writing, and language arts.
• Students in grades three-eight take the ELA and math assessments.
• Students in grades four and eight also take a science assessment.
• Students are rated as Advanced, Profi cient, Basic, and Below Basic.
16 Fox Chapel Area