Bellefonte Area High School Educational Offerings

    Bellefonte Area High School was built in 1956 and renovated in 1970.  The school is located in the Borough of  Bellefonte. The high school population in September 2001 was 898 in grades nine through twelve.  The curricular and extracurricular opportunities available to students at the high school are unique and diverse.  Each program offering is designed to meet the individual needs of the student population.

    Bellefonte Area High School, an aggressive, progressive and innovative school recognized throughout the state,  partners  with The Pennsylvania State University, Lock Haven University and Juniata College for educational opportunities and growth.

• A ninth grade team offering an integrated curriculum of English, social studies, math and science

• The Senior Institute, combining English, art, and service learning with an emphasis on community service

• Academic Decathlon which tests students’ abilities in Math, Economics, Fine Arts, Science, Language, Literature, Social Science, Interview and Speech in competition

• Student Council, Class Cabinets, Key Club, Model United Nations, Mock Trial Team, Debate Team, Future Farmers of America, Drama Club, Spanish Club, French Club, Varsity B Club, Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society, Peer Tutoring, Peer Listeners, Community Service Club, PRIDE

• Advanced placement classes in History of Art, Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, Computer Science, English 12, French, United States Government and Politics, Music Theory, and Spanish

• Concert band, marching band, orchestra, jazz band, Dixieland band, brass ensemble, indoor percussion ensemble, majorettes, indoor guard

• Choir, select choir, women’s chorale, and 9th grade Chorus

• District, regional, and all-state competitions in band, chorus, and orchestra

• Courses offered in Dramatic Arts and Technical Theatre, three drama productions a year

• Literary magazine, school newspaper and yearbook

• Vocational career training at the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology

• Interscholastic Sports:  Basketball, girls’ volleyball, boys’ baseball, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, boy’s and girl’s soccer, girls’ softball, track and field, swimming and boys’ wrestling

• Innovative community-based Pre-School Program

• Gifted Program

• Student Assistance and Referral Program

• Student Recognition:  Teen of the Month, Honor Roll

• Four levels of French and Spanish with fifth level of advanced placement.

• BAHS-TV:  Television production studio and video production class

• Business Education courses:  General Business, Business English and Communications, Total Quality Management, Academic and Business Speedwriting, Keyboarding, Word Processing,  Accounting, Business Technologies, Computer Applications (Spreadsheets, PowerPoint, Web Page Building), Business and Personal Law, Entrepreneurship, Retail/Marketing, Presentations

• Family and Consumer Science courses in Child Development, Marriage and Family Living, Parenthood, Home Design, Food and Fitness, Culinary Arts, Cultures and Cuisines, Personal Development and Relationships

• Industrial Arts courses in Foundations of Technology, Woodworking, Mechanical and Architectural Drawing, Computer Aided Drafting & Computer Aided Machining, Technical Assistant,  Electronics Technology

• Courses in Health, Physical Education, Driver Education

• Appropriate Individual Educational Programs for Special Needs Students

Over the past three years, the Bellefonte Area School District has researched, piloted and implemented several programs based on national models. As a school moves from a traditional industrial society curriculum to a technological/information society curriculum, it  experiences a transformation that is more than just adding or modifying programs.  The Bellefonte Area High School is in the process of redesigning the curriculum, changing teaching/learning methodologies, and restructuring the organization. We have identified the following special characteristics which we are addressing:

• Career paths for ALL students. They will provide an academic foundation and special areas of concentration so that all  students will be prepared to matriculate to a two-year or four-year program, the military, or into a job immediately after high school.

• All students will be required to select a career cluster and take a concentration of at least three courses in that area.

• Contextual learning environments and materials will be encouraged/supported in all courses.

• Special mentoring and tutorial services will be provided for all students, as needed.

• Flexible scheduling and modified time schedules will be utilized to accommodate various learning/teaching methodologies  and student-learning rates.

• Local partnerships of representatives from education, business community other community organizations, and parents will be formed.

• School-to-work transitional activities, including work-site experiences will be incorporated into the academic program.

• A core of applied courses in math, science, and communication will be developed.

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